The accounts of the Lord’s resurrection appear to be different in the different Gospels. For example, Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and company saw the angel rolling away the stone (Matthew 28:2); whereas John says that Mary alone went to the sepulchre, and she saw that the stone was already taken away. Also, Mark speaks of “a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment” (Mark 16:5); whereas Luke says, “two men stood by them in shining garments” (Luke 24:4). Can you show how these accounts may be reconciled?

Before I attempt to answer your question,we should note that the apparent differences between the four accounts are dueto the fact that they are different eye-witnesses’ accounts. We believe thatall these accounts are correct and, as recorded in the Gospels, are withouterrors, through the sovereign superintendence of the Holy Spirit in theirinscripturation. However, as with every eyewitness account, there will bevariations between the different accounts. These accounts, moreover, wereinspired by the Holy Spirit to serve different emphases, and therefore they maybe studied independently without any attempt to reconcile the data.Nevertheless, it remains possible to reconcile them with quite a high degree ofaccuracy.

With this in mind, the specific difference between the accounts can easily bereconciled. For example, whether there were one or two angels and whether theyare sitting or standing is quite easily answered: There were two angels, atfirst seated, but they stood up and one spoke. And, since only one of theangels spoke, Mark is not wrong to mention only one angel. Similarly, therolling away of the stone from the sepulchre entrance definitely occurredbefore Mary Magdalene and her company (not mentioned by John), arrived at thescene. The statement in Matthew 28:2 has to be a parenthetical remark insertedto explain how the women gained assess into the tomb. The stone was rolled awayduring the earthquake, which occurred before they arrived at the tomb. Did theyfeel the tremors as they walk to the sepulchre? But if they were not there whenthe stone was rolled away, how did Matthew know that the angel sat on the rockafter he rolled it away? Well, apart from divine revelation, there were thekeepers of the tomb who witnessed the event (Mt 28:4). It is highly doubtfulthat they did not tell anyone at all about what they saw. And if they did, thenit would also have circulated as a rumour amongst the early disciples. Matthewby including it in his account, written under inspiration, confirms theauthenticity of the rumour.

There are other apparent ‘problems’ as well. For example, John appears to putMary Magdalene’s encounter with the angels after Peter and John went to thetomb (Jn 20:10–12), whereas Luke puts it as before (Lk 24:4–12). How do wereconcile the ‘discrepancy’? Well, actually, if you read the account of Lukeand the account of John carefully, you will realise that Luke and John are infact describing two different encounters with the angels—the first (of Matthew,Mark and Luke) involving the women who went with Mary Magdalene, whereas theother involving Mary Magdalene only! John simply left out mentioning the firstencounter whereas Luke records the first encounter. What appeared to havehappened is that when Mary arrived at the sepulchre with her companions, shesaw that the stone was rolled away, noticed that the Lord’s body was not in thetomb and immediately ran off to tell Peter and John (Jn 20:1–2). The otherwomen entered the sepulchre without her and there met the angels who spoke tothem (Lk 24:4–5). After they left (Mk 16:8), Peter and John arrived at thesepulchre. Mary finally came back to the sepulchre, by which time Peter andJohn had also left (Jn 20:10). It was then that Mary encountered the angels andthen the Lord Himself (Jn 20:11–17).

Based on what we have said, we may draw out an outline chronology of event asfollows (a similar chronology may be found in Benjamin Davies, ed., Baker’sHarmony of the Gospels [Baker, 1994], 168–172. This is an excellent toolfor studying the chronology of the Gospel events): 

1.

On the first day of the week, around dawn, at the shadowy moment when the sunlight was just breaking out at the horizon, Mary Magdalene led a company of women, including Mary the mother of James and Salome, to the tomb (Mt 28:1; Mk 16:1–4; Lk 24:1–3; Jn 20:1–2).

2.

Before their arrival, an earthquake occurred and an angel rolled away the stone sealing the tomb (Mt 28:2–4).

3.

Arriving at the tomb, they noticed that stone was rolled away and the keepers have fled (Mk 16:4; Lk 24:2; Jn 20:1).

4.

As they entered into the sepulchre, they noticed that the Lord’s body was missing (Lk 24:3). Mary Magdalene immediately left to tell Peter and John (Jn 20:2). Did she see the angels? Perhaps; but she had left before the angels said anything.

5.

The rest of the women entered into the sepulchre, and the angels, which were seated near where the Lord laid, stood up and spoke to them (Mt 28:5–7; Mk 16:5–7; Lk 24:4–8).

6.

They left the tomb with a mixture of fear and joy, wanting to go to the disciples to tell them the news (Mt 28:8). But fear apparently overcame them, and for a while they were afraid to tell anyone anything (Mk 16:8).

7.

Peter and John arrived at the tomb running (Lk 24:12a; Jn 20:3–4).

8.

They inspected the tomb and left (Jn 20:5–10; Lk 24:12b).

9.

Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb, where she encountered the angels, and then met the Lord Himself (Jn 20:11–18). She was the first person to meet the Lord (Mk 16:9). She then went again to report to the disciples who must have been grieving at the news that Peter and John brought back (Mk 16:10–11).

10.

The Lord met the other women and encouraged them not to be afraid, but to tell His disciples to meet Him in Galilee (Mt 28:9-10).

Many a person antagonistic to Christ has made scurrilous charges that theGospel accounts are fictitious on account of alleged discrepancies, such aswhat we have reconciled above. But the serious student of the Bible who readsthe accounts with love and the illuminating aid of the Holy Spirit cannot helpbut notice how the accounts so beautifully integrate with one another, that thealleged discrepancies, in fact, reinforce our assurance of the authenticity ofthe accounts. All praise and glory to our risen Lord, “who was delivered forour offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom 4:25).