Jesus and the Gospels

[patg]

Which of the Gospel writers do you believe to be eyewitnesses to the above events?

None of them. The gospels are not eyewitness accaounts and they are not history - they are the preaching documents of the early church. For a discussion of this, see the *Instruction on the Historical Truth of the Gospels *by the Pontifical Biblical Commission and Pope Paul VI. (available online), This may clear up a lot of your concerns.

 

[Abyssinia]

There are no “discrepancies” between the Gospel accounts. What they show us are different people looking at the same events and telling it from their own perspective. The essentials remain the same, only the details vary and only because each person wrote to a different set of readers from a different perspective for different reasons. Not all the Gospel writers included everything that others did, for instance. That doesn’t mean the essential story isn’t true or valid.

The Gospels are a witness to the life of Jesus not the sum total of his life. There are many things not told us, but the Gospels were never intended to be a comprehensive history, but rather what each Gospel writer thought important to record and relate for those to whom he was writing. Matthew wrote primarily to his fellow Jews, so his approach is quite different from Luke who wrote for a Gentile official, and so on.

The NT accounts are consistent enough for their purpose–telling us who Jesus was and what he came to do. If they matched up in every aspect detractors would say the Gospel writers had colluded together to concoct the whole thing. The very fact that each author tells us about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection from a different point of view ensures that these people were writing about real things as they saw them, not conspiring to “pull a fast one” on mankind.

As to when Jesus died and rose–he died on Friday and rose on Sunday. How do we know this? From the texts and from the longstanding teaching of the Church that gave us the texts of the NT. The Bible cannot be divorced from the Sacred Tradition in which is was written, complied, saved, copied, and delivered to the faithful. To do so is to have everlasting arguments about what this passage/verse/book means. The very question raised here about when Jesus died and rose is an example of that. We Catholics are not Sola Scripturists. We are the living Magisterium that Christ established from which we got the NT. To pick over verses to “prove” things is to entirely miss the point, a common pitfall into which our Protestant and Jewish brethren often fall and in which those who do are stuck without a way to see outside of it.

Thanks for your post. Can you just give the verses in the gospels, all four, which affirm that Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday?

 

[Abyssinia]

None of them. The gospels are not eyewitness accaounts and they are not history - they are the preaching documents of the early church. For a discussion of this, see the *Instruction on the Historical Truth of the Gospels *by the Pontifical Biblical Commission and Pope Paul VI. (available online), This may clear up a lot of your concerns.

The Gospels are eyewitness accounts, or not?

 

[Della]

Thanks for your post. Can you just give the verses in the gospels, all four, which affirm that Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday?

I think you are still missing the point here. The Gospels aren’t “proof texts”, they are WITNESSES to the life and mission of Christ. The time of Jesus death and resurrection are deduced from the texts, not necessarily explicitly given. The people who were there and experienced the whole thing have told us what the texts are referring to. The NT doesn’t stand alone nor does it interpret itself. I can’t emphasize these point enough. They need and have proper interpreters–the Magisterium of the Church that Christ founded and which gave us the NT.

St. Luke received his Gospel account from St. Paul and the Virgin Mary and St. Mark from St. Peter. But St. John and St. Matthew were there–they were direct eyewitnesses.

And no, patg, the Gospels weren’t written long after the events they describe, if that’s what you are saying. There is plenty of evidence within the texts themselves that show they were all written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Those who claim otherwise are using the so-called historical/critical method of interpretation that, among other things, denies the miraculous aspects of Christ’s life. While this method has its uses, I certainly will go by the Church Fathers who early on named all the writers of the Gospels in their proper order.

 

[Windfish]

Hmm, I had no idea Jews were trained in atheist apologetics. In any case, all of the “discrepancies” in chosen_people’s list are pretty much, well, not discrepancies. Abyssinia, there are websites dedicated to this sort of thing, and I suggest doing a web search for them. Most of the time, a simple reference to the Bible will do just fine.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Hmm, I had no idea Jews were trained in atheist apologetics. In any case, all of the “discrepancies” in chosen_people’s list are pretty much, well, not discrepancies. Abyssinia, there are websites dedicated to this sort of thing, and I suggest doing a web search for them. Most of the time, a simple reference to the Bible will do just fine.

I find this post highly offensive to Jews and am reporting it. You have every opportunity to argue against chosen people’s post, yet you dismiss it outright by saying that the discrepancies listed are… “pretty much, well, not discrepancies”

Yet, you do not substantiate that statement at all.

You call a theist a person “trained in atheist apologetics” because he knows his Hebrew bible.

I am disgusted. Jesus was a Jew. Show some respect, or stop claiming your Catholic faith is the “perfection of Judaism”

 

[patg]

The Gospels are eyewitness accounts, or not?

Not according to Instruction on the Historical Truth of the Gospels, which is what I said. They are of “apostolic origins” which leaves a lot of wiggle room.

 

[Abyssinia]

Which of the Gospel writers do you believe to be eyewitnesses to the above events?

Many of the differences concern time, dates and places. How can this be explained away as a matter of perspective?

If the testimony of the authors is “the inspired word of God” according to 2 Timothy 3:16, would God transmit a garbled version of the story that is the foundation of the Christian faith?

On which day was Jesus crucified?

 

[Abyssinia]

How many days and nights was Jesus in the tomb?

This is where the problem seems to be, some seem to believe Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and rose on Saturday evening and others believe Jesus was crucified on Friday Sunday. Is there no Bible expert that could clarify this?

Did Roman soldiers guard Jesus’ tomb?

I found an excerpt from a book called Buried and sealed: Jesus in the tomb

''Before sealing the tomb, however, these authorities were first required to inspect the inside of the tomb to see that the body of Jesus was in its place. After guaranteeing that the corpse was where it was supposed to be, they rolled the stone back in place and then sealed it with the official seal of the governor of Rome.

After hearing the suspicions of the chief priests and Pharisees, “Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can” (Matthew 27:65). The word “watch” is the Greek word coustodia, from which we get the word custodian. This was a group of four Roman soldiers whose shift changed every three hours. The changing shifts assured that the tomb would be guarded 24 hours a day by soldiers who were awake, attentive, and fully alert. When Pilate said, “Ye have a watch…,” a better rendering would be, “Here — I’m giving you a set of soldiers; take them and guard the tomb.”

cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/easter/Renner_Buried.aspx

 

[Abyssinia]

Was the stone removed when the women first arrived at the tomb?

‘‘They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. [Mark 16:3-4, NRSV]’’

‘’… they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb… [Luke 24:1b-2, NRSV]’’

‘‘Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. [John 20:1b, NRSV]’’

‘’ … Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great Earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. [Matthew 28:1-2, NRSV]’’

I would like too see what people here w=have to stay about this.

I would like to see what people here have to say about this, an explanation I have seen is that Matthew says that the women went to see the tomb, and then that the angel rolled the stone away. He doesn’t say that they had arrived at the tomb when this happened. It may be that he opened the tomb before their arrival, and that they found the tomb open just as the other gospels describe.

There is an explanation here of why it can be read this way:

steve.poling.info/resurrect.htm

How many people first approached the empty tomb?

Matthew 28:1

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Mark 16:1

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.

Luke 24:10

It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

John 20:1

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

Putting Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10 together, at least five women visited the tomb, four of whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome and Joanna. While John’s account only refers to Mary Magdalene, it implies other women went with her to the tomb, since Mary’s words to Peter and John are, “We don’t know where they have put him!” (Jn 20:2). Some possible harmonizations of the visit to the tomb have all the women arriving together; other harmonizations have multiple groups of women going to the tomb at different times.

philvaz.com/apologetics/num56.htm

 

[Abyssinia]

How many people first approached the empty tomb?

Matthew 28:1

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Mark 16:1

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.

Luke 24:10

It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

John 20:1

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

Putting Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10 together, at least five women visited the tomb, four of whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome and Joanna. While John’s account only refers to Mary Magdalene, it implies other women went with her to the tomb, since Mary’s words to Peter and John are, “We don’t know where they have put him!” (Jn 20:2). Some possible harmonizations of the visit to the tomb have all the women arriving together; other harmonizations have multiple groups of women going to the tomb at different times.

philvaz.com/apologetics/num56.htm

 

[Abyssinia]

On first reaching the tomb by whom and where were the women greeted?

Two angels. Explained below.

How many angels appeared at the tomb?

Matthew 28:1-7

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Mark 16:2-7

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Luke 24:1-8

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

John 20:11-13

Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

Matthew’s account of the angel rolling away the stone probably occurred while the women were en route to the tomb, so that only the guards saw the angel sitting on the stone. (See Steve Poling’s article, C18, for an explanation of why Matthew can be read this way.)

John’s account of Mary Magdalene and the angels is a separate event; Mary had likely gone back to get Peter and John before the other women encountered the angels. (See the harmonization of the tomb visit.)

Clearly there were two angels, as described in Luke and John. The second angel may or may not have appeared to the guards, but did appear to the women entering the tomb. It’s likely that only one angel spoke, hence Mark only mentions one angel. While Mark and Luke refer to men instead of angels, the men are wearing white/“in clothes that gleamed like lightning” and their appearance causes the women to be greatly distressed, which is consistent with Matthew and John’s descriptions of the angels (as well as other descriptions in the Bible of people encountering angels).

Were the angels standing or sitting? Apparently, the phrase “stood beside” could also be translated "appeared."1 Therefore the angels were probably sitting when the women saw them; they may or may not have been seated as Mary Magdalene saw them later, one at the head and one at the foot.

The three speeches are easily merged into one speech - see the harmonization of the tomb visit.

Did the angel(s) tell Mary(s) that Jesus was “risen”?

(Matthew 28:6-7) - “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7"And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going before you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

(Mark 16:6-7) - "And he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. 7"But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.’”

(Luke 24:5-7) - "and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6"He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

(John 20:13) - "And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

 

[Abyssinia]

Did the angels(s) tell Mary(s) that Jesus would appear in the Galilee?

Matthew 28:5-7 - ‘‘The angel speaks, tells the women not to be afraid, and tells them Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. The angel also tells them to tell the disciples that He is risen and would meet them in Galilee.’’

Mark 16:5-7 - ‘‘They found the stone rolled away, enter the tomb and see a man with a white robe (an angel) sitting in the tomb. He tells them that Jesus has risen and that He would meet them in Galilee.’’

Where and to whom did the “risen” Jesus first reveal himself?

gospel-mysteries.net/witnesses-resurrection.html

Did Mary Magdalene receive word of the “resurrection” of Jesus from an angel before her actual encounter with Jesus?

Do not think so, the first she heard was when she visited the tomb.

Did Jesus tell Mary(s) that he would appear in the Galilee?

I think it was the angels.

What was Mary Magdalene’s state of mind when the “resurrected” Jesus first appeared to her?

John 20:15 Supposing Him to be the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She *turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene *came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

Happiness?

When Mary and the “other” women were first informed that Jesus had “risen”, how did they react?

I do not think it says what their emotion was at the time.

How did Mary Magdalene initially report the news to the disciples?

I am not sure if she saw the disciples.

After seeing the angles, whom did Mary meet first, Jesus or the disciples?

John 20:1
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag’dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2 So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
3 Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb.
4 They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first;
5 and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying,
7 and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;
9 for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

How many disciples were present when the risen Jesus appeared to them?

1. His first appearance was to Mary Magdalene, on that early Sunday morning. (Mark 16:9; John 20:10-18).
2. Jesus appeared to the women returning from the tomb. (Matthew 28:9-10).
3. Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-32; Mark 16:12-13).
4. He appeared to Peter in Jerusalem. (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
5. He appeared to his disciples and other followers, and also a second time to the two men from Emmaus, in a locked room in Jerusalem. The apostle Thomas wasn’t there at that time. (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23).
6. A week later, Jesus again appeared to his disciples behind locked doors, and this time Thomas was present. (John 20:24-29).
7. Jesus appeared to seven of his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. (John 21:1-24).
8. Jesus was seen by 500 believers at one time. (1 Corinthians 15:6).
9. He appeared to James. (1 Corinthians 15:7).
10. He appeared to eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. (Matt. 28:18-20).
11. He walked with his disciples along the road to Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, and then ascended into Heaven. (Luke 24:50-53).
12. He was seen by Paul on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8).

 

[Abyssinia]

How many times did Jesus appear after the resurrection?

Twelve times. Above list.

Where did Jesus’ post resurrection appearances take place?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_appearances_of_Jesus

Matthew 28

1. As Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” were running from the empty tomb to inform the disciples that he is alive, Jesus tells the women to instruct the disciples to go to Galilee ahead of him to greet him (Matthew 28:10).
2. To the eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee where Jesus had directed them. See Great Commission.

Luke 24

1. In the Road to Emmaus appearance to Cleopas and one other disciple as they walked to Emmaus. At first “their eyes were holden” so that they could not recognize him. Later while having supper at Emmaus “their eyes were opened” and they recognized him.
2. To “Simon.” This appearance is not described directly by Luke but it is reported by the other apostles. It is not clear whether this happened before or after the appearance at Emmaus.
3. To the eleven, together with some others (including Cleopas and his companion), in Jerusalem.

In Luke 24:13-32 Cleopas and his companion relate how Jesus was made known to them “in the breaking of bread”. B. P. Robinson argues that this means the recognition occurred in the course of the meal,3] but Raymond Blacketer notes that “Many, perhaps even most, commentators, ancient and modern and in-between, have seen the revelation of Jesus’ identity in the breaking of bread as having some kind of eucharistic referent or implication.”[4]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_appearances_of_Jesus#cite_note-3)

John 20–21

1. To Mary of Magdala. At first she did not recognize him and thought that he was a gardener. When he said her name, she recognized him.
2. To the disciples (not including Thomas) on that same day. They were indoors “for fear of the Jews.” Jesus entered and stood in their midst while the doors were shut.
3. To the disciples including Thomas, called Didymus. This was a week later, again indoors, and resulted in the famous doubting Thomas conversation.
4. To “Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons and two other of his disciples”, by Lake Tiberias, which led to the miraculous catch of 153 fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved was present in this group.

Mark 16
See also: Mark 16

The so-called “longer ending of Mark” contains three appearances:

1. To Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome.
2. To two of Jesus’s followers as they were walking in the countryside (Jesus appeared to them in “another form”).
3. To the eleven while they were dining.

The ending of Mark varies substantially between ancient manuscripts, and scholars are in near universal agreement that the final portion of the traditional ending, in which all Mark’s resurrection appearances occur, is a later addition not present in the original version of Mark’s gospel.[5] Most scholars view the lack of a resurrection appearance as having theological significance. Richard Burridge compares the ending of Mark to its beginning:

“ Mark’s narrative as we have it now ends as abruptly as it began. There was no introduction or background to Jesus’ arrival, and none for his departure. No one knew where he came from; no one knows where he has gone; and not many understood him when he was here.6] ”

Most of the locations are listed there.

 

[Abyssinia]

Was Mary permitted to touch Jesus after the resurrection?

In John 20:17 he tells Mary not to touch him, but then in verse twenty seven Jesus tells Thomas ‘‘Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side’’

Not a Catholic website but it explains it well here:gotquestions.org/touch-Mary-Thomas.html

When did the apostles receive the holy spirit?

John 20:21-23 (very shortly after the resurrection, perhaps the night of the resurrection):
…and when He (Jesus) had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:4-5 (likely just before the ascension of Jesus):
…but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Acts 2:1-4 (the day of Pentecost):
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…

I think the when Jesus breathed the holy spirit in to them, the spirit was not with them all the time, only when Jesus was resurrected did the holy spirit fill them all the time. Does anyone else have any ideas?

In Matthew 27:51,28:2 not only Jesus but many dead bodies of Jewish “saints” were also resurrected and walked around the city and appeared to many. How is such a momentous event not reported by any of the other Gospels or any of the surviving histories of the time? Why are names of the many witnesses not identified and why do the Gospels not give a hint as to what became of those “dead saints”?

I hope somebody can answer this.

(this deals only with the resurrection account - it can be repeated with the birth and infancy accounts of Jesus, or the names of the twelve disciples, or the stories of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, or the Gospel account of the Jewish trial of Jesus, or the genealogies of Jesus etc.)

There are no contradictions in the Bible. They are only our own misunderstandings.

 

[chosen_people]

chosen people;7266089:

Which of the Gospel writers do you believe to be eyewitnesses to the above events?

Many of the differences concern time, dates and places. How can this be explained away as a matter of perspective?

If the testimony of the authors is “the inspired word of God” according to 2 Timothy 3:16, would God transmit a garbled version of the story that is the foundation of the Christian faith?

It seems to be that the Bible does not give a specific day, the two most held view are on a Friday or Wednesday.

Wikipedia says, ‘‘Although there is no final consensus regarding the specific year or day, it is generally agreed by biblical scholars that it occurred during the governorship of Pontius Pilate (between A.D. 26 and A.D. 36) on a Friday on or near Passover (Nisan 15). Several analyses based on astronomical data and computer simulations agree on the date Friday April 3, A.D. 33.’’

Whatever day of the week it was, Historians do agree that Jesus was crucified.

Mark 15:25 ‘‘And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.’’

John 19:14 ‘‘And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!’’

Mark wrote in Jewish time of the day and John wrote in Roman time of the day. Here is an explanation of this, not Catholic sources but I think I think it explains it adequately.

workmenforchrist.org/Bible/BC_Jesus_Nets.html

crivoice.org/crucifixiontime.html

I think it is Simon of Cyrene.

‘‘Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross (Matthew 27:32).’’

I do not know.

Matthew 27:46

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” - which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” - which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Luke 23:46

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

John 19:30

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Matthew and Mark are readily harmonized with Luke and John by reading a little further: both Matthew 27:46-50 and Mark 15:34-37 report that Jesus drank wine vinegar and then cried out again before dying. Therefore Luke and John record Jesus’ actual last words, which could have been any combination of the two phrases recorded, e.g. “It is finished, Father; into your hands I commit my spirit.”

rationalchristianity.net/last_words.html

rationalchristianity.net/vinegar.html

On which day was Jesus crucified?

The three synoptic gospels claim that the last supper was a Passover Seder. Therefore the crucifixion had to occur on the first day of Passover or the fifteenth day of the month of Nissan (Mark 14:17-25,Luke 22:14-23,Matthew 26:20-30).

However in John, Jesus is turned into a symbolic “Pascal Lamb” which was slaughtered on the day before Passover or the fourteenth day of Nissan (John 13:1,29,18:28,19:14)

At what time was Jesus crucified?

the third hour or 9:00 a.m. (Mark 15:25)

the sixth hour or 12:00 noon (John 19:14-15)

Who bore the cross on the way to Golgotha prior to the crucifixion?

Jesus himself (John 19:17)

Simon the Cyrenian (Mark 15:21,Matthew 27:32, Luke 23:26)

Did either of the two brigands believe in Jesus?

Yes one did (Luke 23:39-41)
No (Mark 15:32,Matthew 27:44

Jesus’ last words?
It is finished (John 19:30)
My God My God why have you foresaken me? (Mark 15:34, Matthew 27:46)
Father into Your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46)

Days Jesus was in his tomb

Two days and two nights (John 20:1)
Three days and two nights (Mark 16:2,Luke 24:1,Matthew 28:1)

Did Roman soldiers guard Jesus’ tomb?
No (John 20:1)
Yes (Matthew 28:4)

Was the stone removed when the women first arrived at the tomb?
Yes (John 20:1,Mark 16:4,Luke 24:2)
No (Matthew 28:1-2)

How many people first approached the empty tomb?
One. Mary Magdalene alone (John 20:1)
Three. Two Marys and Salome (Mark 16:1)
Four. Two Marys,Joanna, and the other woman (Luke 24:10)
Two. Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” (Matthew 28:1)

On first reaching the tomb by whom and where were the women greeted?
By no one at all (John 20:1,2)
By one man sitting inside (Mark 16:5)
By two men standing inside (Luke 24:4)
By one angel sitting outside (Matthew 28:2,5)

Those are the first ten of twenty-five discrepencies in the Gospel ressurection accounts.

 

[Abyssinia]

On which day was Jesus crucified?

Isaac Newton was one of the first scientists to estimate the date of the Crucifixion by calculating the relative visibility of the crescent of the new moon between the Hebrew and Julian calendars. Newton suggested the date as Friday, April 23, A.D. 34. He based his arguments on several presuppositions, including: “I take it for granted that the passion was on friday the 14th day of the month Nisan”.66] Writing in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1991, John Pratt argued that Newton’s reasoning was effectively sound, but included a minor error at the end. Pratt suggested the year A.D. 33 as the accurate answer.67] Using similar computations, in 1990 astronomer Bradley Schaefer arrived at the same date, Friday, April 3, A.D. 33.68] Thus it can be concluded that Newton’s argument favors the April 3, A.D. 33 date.

This date was further supported in 2003. Using a computer program, astronomers Liviu Mircea and Tiberiu Oproiu again estimated that Jesus died at 3 pm on Friday, April 3, A.D. 33, and rose on Sunday, April 5, dates that agree with Schaefer.69]70] Another computer calculation suggests somewhat different dates.71]

Using the completely different approach of a lunar eclipse model, Humphreys and Waddington of Oxford University also arrived at the conclusion that Friday, April 3, A.D. 33 was the date of the Crucifixion .72]73]

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[Abyssinia]

At what time was Jesus crucified?

the third hour or 9:00 a.m. (Mark 15:25)

the sixth hour or 12:00 noon (John 19:14-15)

Mark 15:25 (cf. John 19:14) Was Jesus crucified in the third hour or the sixth hour?

Mark 15:25 It was the third hour when they crucified him.

(John 19:14-16 NIV) It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. {15} But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. {16} Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.

Answer:

Mark uses the Jewish timekeeping system and John uses the Roman

Roman time went from midnight to midnight. The Jewish 24 hour time period began in the evening at 6 pm and the morning of that day began at 6 am. Thus Mark is stating that Jesus was crucified at 9 am and John is stating that the trial was still on at 6 am. In John 19:16 we see that the soldiers took charge of Jesus, meaning that the crucifiction had not yet taken place. So the times are reasonable.

If we look at John’s other uses of time 10 am seems a reasonable time to be preaching.

(John 1:35-39 NIV) The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. {36} When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” {37} When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. {38} Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” {39} “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

With the woman at the well story of John 4, Jesus was tired from his journey and 6 pm seems a reasonable time for this. Just before sundown when it was cool and the woman would come to draw water.

(John 4:3-7 NIV) When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. {4} Now he had to go through Samaria. {5} So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. {6} Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. {7} When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”

workmenforchrist.org/Bible/BC_Jesus_Nets.html

Who bore the cross on the way to Golgotha prior to the crucifixion?

Jesus himself (John 19:17)

Simon the Cyrenian (Mark 15:21,Matthew 27:32, Luke 23:26)

Mat 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Matthew 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Jesus carried His own Cross outside the Gate then Simon carried it or helped Jesus carry it.

John 19:15-17 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

 

[Abyssinia]

Did either of the two brigands believe in Jesus?

Yes one did (Luke 23:39-41)
No (Mark 15:32,Matthew 27:44

The Roman soldiers also shared in making fun of Jesus. They approached, offered him vinegar (sour wine), and said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” (Luke 23:36, 37)

Initially, both of the malefactors appear to have been emotionally caught up in siding with those who hurled abuses at Jesus. (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32) One of them then had a change of heart when he heard the other one say, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” He responded to his fellow malefactor, “Do you not fear God, since you are now experiencing the same judgment? And we rightly so, for we deserve the retribution we are receiving for our acts, but he did nothing wrong.” Directing his words to Jesus, he asked him to remember him upon coming into his kingdom. On that dark day, the very day when he endured physical suffering and abusive mockery and outwardly possessed nothing suggestive of royal splendor, Jesus assured the repentant wrongdoer that he would be with him in paradise. Whereas the chief priests and other prominent Jews scoffed, the evildoer perceived in Jesus the purity and dignity of Israel’s foretold king and he responded with genuine faith. He believed, and died with the comforting assurance that he would be favorably remembered by his king. (Luke 23:39-43; see the Notes section regarding Luke 23:43.) What the repentant wrongdoer understood being in paradise with Jesus would mean for him is not revealed in the account. In view of his request to be remembered, it would appear that the fulfillment of the promise would relate to entrance into the paradisaical realm where Jesus is king by his Father’s appointment.

wernerbiblecommentary.org/?q=node/454

Probably at first they both did and then one of them repented, and, while the other was still reviling, rebuked him and asked the Lord to remember him. So he was saved. Luke doesn’t say that the rebuking one had not at first been also reviling. It merely records a segment of the conversation.

Could it not be that that initially both criminals taunted Jesus but in the hours that followed one of the followers repented and accepted Jesus Christ as his savior? That left only one criminal left to taunt him. Any other opinions from people here?

Jesus’ last words?
It is finished (John 19:30)
My God My God why have you foresaken me? (Mark 15:34, Matthew 27:46)
Father into Your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46)

1. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).
2. Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).
   3.Woman, behold your son: behold your mother (John 19:26-27).
3. My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?, (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).
4. I thirst (John 19:28).
5. It is finished (John 19:30).
6. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46).

These are all sayings of Jesus.

Days Jesus was in his tomb

Two days and two nights (John 20:1)
Three days and two nights (Mark 16:2,Luke 24:1,Matthew 28:1)

This is what I am trying to get an answer for.

 

[Abyssinia]

Did Roman soldiers guard Jesus’ tomb?
No (John 20:1)
Yes (Matthew 28:4)

I found an excerpt from a book called Buried and sealed: Jesus in the tomb

''Before sealing the tomb, however, these authorities were first required to inspect the inside of the tomb to see that the body of Jesus was in its place. After guaranteeing that the corpse was where it was supposed to be, they rolled the stone back in place and then sealed it with the official seal of the governor of Rome.

After hearing the suspicions of the chief priests and Pharisees, “Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can” (Matthew 27:65). The word “watch” is the Greek word coustodia, from which we get the word custodian. This was a group of four Roman soldiers whose shift changed every three hours. The changing shifts assured that the tomb would be guarded 24 hours a day by soldiers who were awake, attentive, and fully alert. When Pilate said, “Ye have a watch…,” a better rendering would be, “Here — I’m giving you a set of soldiers; take them and guard the tomb.”

cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/easter/Renner_Buried.aspx

Was the stone removed when the women first arrived at the tomb?
Yes (John 20:1,Mark 16:4,Luke 24:2)
No (Matthew 28:1-2)

‘‘They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. [Mark 16:3-4, NRSV]’’

‘’… they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb… [Luke 24:1b-2, NRSV]’’

‘‘Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. [John 20:1b, NRSV]’’

‘’ … Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great Earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. [Matthew 28:1-2, NRSV]’’

I would like too see what people here w=have to stay about this.

I would like to see what people here have to say about this, an explanation I have seen is that Matthew says that the women went to see the tomb, and then that the angel rolled the stone away. He doesn’t say that they had arrived at the tomb when this happened. It may be that he opened the tomb before their arrival, and that they found the tomb open just as the other gospels describe.

There is an explanation here of why it can be read this way:

steve.poling.info/resurrect.htm

Matthew says that the women went to see the tomb, and then that the angel rolled the stone away. He doesn’t say that they had arrived at the tomb when this happened. It may be that he opened the tomb before their arrival, and that they found the tomb open just as the other gospels describe.

errancy.com/when-was-the-stone-rolled-away/