The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central tenet of Christian theology, representing the ultimate victory over sin and death and providing the foundational hope for believers. The narratives detailing this event and the subsequent appearances of the risen Jesus are primarily recorded in the four Gospels.
The Discovery of the Empty Tomb (Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-11)
The Synoptic Gospels provide three distinct yet overlapping accounts of the women who first discovered that Jesus’s tomb was empty. While they share a core narrative, each evangelist includes unique details that emphasize different theological points.
The Common Narrative Framework
All three accounts agree on several fundamental points:
- The discovery occurs early on the first day of the week (Sunday).
- A group of women, followers of Jesus, go to the tomb.
- They find the large stone that sealed the entrance has been rolled away.
- The body of Jesus is not inside.
- They encounter one or more angelic beings who announce that Jesus has been raised from the dead.
- The women are given a message to deliver to the disciples.
1. Matthew’s Account (Matthew 28:1-8)
Matthew’s narrative is the most dramatic and apocalyptic of the three, emphasizing divine power and authority.
- Step 1: The Witnesses and the Earthquake: The narrative begins “after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week.” Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” go to look at the tomb. Suddenly, a violent earthquake occurs, a common biblical sign of a theophany (a manifestation of God).
- Step 2: The Angelic Intervention: An angel of the Lord descends from heaven, rolls back the stone, and sits upon it. His appearance is described vividly as “like lightning,” with clothing “white as snow.” This powerful imagery underscores the divine origin of the event.
- Step 3: The Reaction of the Guards: Matthew is the only Gospel to include the detail of Roman guards at the tomb. Terrified by the angel, the guards “shook and became like dead men,” effectively neutralized by the divine display of power.
- Step 4: The Angel’s Proclamation: The angel speaks directly to the women, telling them not to be afraid. He delivers the core message: “He is not here; he has risen, as he said.” The angel invites them to see the place where he lay and gives them a direct command: go quickly and tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee.
- Step 5: The Women’s Response: The women depart with a mixture of “fear and great joy” and run to tell the disciples, demonstrating immediate obedience to the angelic command.
2. Mark’s Account (Mark 16:1-8)
Mark’s account is concise and concludes with a powerful, human reaction of fear and astonishment.
- Step 1: The Women’s Intent: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome buy spices to go and anoint Jesus’s body. Their practical concern on the way is, “Who will roll the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” This highlights their expectation of a sealed, occupied grave.
- Step 2: The Discovery: Upon arrival, they see the stone has already been rolled away.
- Step 3: The Messenger: Entering the tomb, they do not see an angel outside but a “young man” sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe. This figure alarms them.
- Step 4: The Message: The young man tells them not to be alarmed and delivers the resurrection message: “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” He then instructs them to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee.
- Step 5: The Abrupt Ending: The women flee the tomb, “trembling and bewildered.” In what most scholars consider the original ending of Mark’s Gospel, the narrative concludes with the stark statement: “They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” This ending emphasizes the awe-inspiring and terrifying nature of the resurrection.
3. Luke’s Account (Luke 24:1-11)
Luke’s narrative is rich in detail and focuses on the disciples’ initial struggle with belief.
- Step 1: The Women and Their Spices: As in Mark, the women (identified as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others) bring spices they had prepared.
- Step 2: The Empty Tomb and Perplexity: They find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty, leaving them “perplexed.”
- Step 3: The Two Messengers: Suddenly, “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning” stand beside them. In contrast to Matthew’s one angel and Mark’s one young man, Luke presents two celestial beings.
- Step 4: The Message of Remembrance: The men ask a poignant question: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” They announce the resurrection and, unique to Luke, prompt the women to remember Jesus’s own predictions about his crucifixion and resurrection. This theme of fulfillment of scripture and Jesus’s own words is central to Luke’s theology.
- Step 5: The Report and the Disciples’ Disbelief: The women remember Jesus’s words and return to tell “the Eleven and all the others.” However, their report is met with skepticism. Luke explicitly states, “but they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” This detail highlights the difficulty even the closest followers had in accepting the reality of the resurrection.
The Post-Resurrection Appearances (Matthew 28:9-20; Luke 24:13-49)
Following the discovery of the empty tomb, Matthew and Luke record several appearances of the risen Jesus, confirming his physical resurrection and commissioning his followers for their future mission.
1. Matthew’s Appearances (Matthew 28:9-20)
Matthew presents two key appearance scenes, one to the women and the other to the disciples in Galilee, culminating in the Great Commission.
- Step 1: The Appearance to the Women (vv. 9-10): As the women are rushing from the tomb to obey the angel’s command, Jesus himself suddenly meets them. He greets them, and they respond by taking hold of his feet and worshiping him. This act confirms his physical, tangible reality. Jesus then repeats the angelic message: “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
- Step 2: The Journey to Galilee (vv. 16-17): The eleven disciples travel to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. When they see him, they worship him, but Matthew includes the candid detail that “some doubted.” This honest portrayal of lingering uncertainty adds authenticity to the account.
- Step 3: The Great Commission (vv. 18-20): Jesus approaches them and declares his supreme authority: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He then issues the foundational mission of the Church:
- Go: An imperative to be proactive in mission.
- Make disciples of all nations: A universal scope that breaks the boundaries of Judaism.
- Baptizing them: The initiatory rite into the community of faith.
- Teaching them to obey: Emphasizing that discipleship involves a life of obedience to Jesus’s commands.
- Step 4: The Promise of Presence: The Gospel of Matthew concludes with Jesus’s ultimate promise of comfort and empowerment: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
2. Luke’s Appearances (Luke 24:13-49)
Luke provides two detailed and distinct appearance narratives, both occurring on the day of the resurrection in and around Jerusalem. These accounts emphasize scriptural interpretation and the physical nature of the resurrected body.
- Step 1: The Road to Emmaus (vv. 13-35): This story is unique to Luke. Two disciples, one named Cleopas, are walking to a village called Emmaus, despairingly discussing the events of the crucifixion.
- An Unrecognized Stranger: Jesus joins them, but “they were kept from recognizing him.” He asks what they are discussing, and they recount their dashed hopes that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel.
- A Biblical Interpretation: Jesus rebukes their lack of faith, calling them “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” He then walks them through the Scriptures, explaining how the Messiah had to suffer these things to enter his glory.
- The Revelation: When they arrive in Emmaus, they persuade the stranger to stay with them. As he sits at the table, takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and begins to give it to them, “their eyes were opened and they recognized him,” and he vanished. The “breaking of the bread” becomes the moment of recognition, a powerful link to the Last Supper.
- The Return to Jerusalem: The two disciples immediately return to Jerusalem, filled with joy, to report their experience to the Eleven.
- Step 2: The Appearance in Jerusalem (vv. 36-49): While the Emmaus disciples are still speaking, Jesus suddenly appears among the gathered disciples.
- Overcoming Fear: He greets them with “Peace be with you.” They are startled and terrified, thinking they are seeing a ghost.
- Proof of Physicality: Jesus systematically proves he is not a spirit. He invites them: “Look at my hands and my feet… Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” To further prove his point, he asks for food and eats a piece of broiled fish in their presence.
- The Commission and Promise: Jesus then “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures,” reiterating that his suffering and resurrection were foretold. He commissions them to be his witnesses, preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins “to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” He concludes with the promise to send what his Father had promised—the Holy Spirit—instructing them to stay in the city until they have been “clothed with power from on high,” perfectly setting the stage for the Book of Acts.
Conclusion
The Synoptic Gospels, while sharing a common faith in the resurrected Christ, present the events of Easter morning and the subsequent appearances with unique details and theological emphases. Matthew highlights the divine authority and universal mission of Jesus. Mark captures the initial, raw human reaction of awe and fear. Luke focuses on the fulfillment of Scripture, the disciples’ journey from doubt to belief, and the physical reality of the resurrection. Together, these accounts provide a multi-faceted testimony that forms the bedrock of Christian belief, narrating the story of an empty tomb and a living Savior who commissions his followers to share his story with the world.
References
- The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) or English Standard Version (ESV).
- Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Yale University Press, 1997.
- France, R. T. The Gospel of Matthew. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans, 2007.
- Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans, 1997.
- Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press, 2003.
