The women announce or said nothing

[CyrilSebastian]

In The Gospel According to Matthew, in Chapter 28, Verse 8 states:
Then they (the women) went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples.

 In The Gospel According to Mark, in Chapter 16, Verse 8 states:     
Then they (the women) went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling  and bewilderment. Then they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.           

 In one account, the women "announce this to his disciples".    
 However in a second account, the women "said nothing to anyone".      
Please explain.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

From the Catena Aurea:

Augustine, de Con. Evan., iii, 24: We may however enquire how Mark can say this, when Matthew says, “they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring His disciples word,” [Matt 28:8] unless we understand it to mean, that they did not dare to say a word to any of the Angels themselves, that is, to answer the words which they had spoken to them; or else to the guards whom they saw lying there; for that joy of which Matthew speaks is not inconsistent with the fear which Mark mentions. For we ought to have understood that both feelings were in their minds, even though Matthew had not mentioned the fear. But since he has also said that they came out with fear and great joy, he does not allow room for any question to be raised.

 

[sirach2v4]

I guess the informal rule of reading scripture is to accept it, even the contradictions or seeming contradictions.

You can see, in post #2 the strategy is to reconcile the two accounts, or to harmonize them, you might say.

I read about an Evangelical who was so upset about these discrepancies that he claims to have lost his faith.

I think it makes sense that the women did not tell anyone – until they came upon the apostles.

 

[nmgauss]

I guess the informal rule of reading scripture is to accept it, even the contradictions or seeming contradictions.

You can see, in post #2 the strategy is to reconcile the two accounts, or to harmonize them, you might say.

I read about an Evangelical who was so upset about these discrepancies that he claims to have lost his faith.

I think it makes sense that the women did not tell anyone – until they came upon the apostles.

One prominent person to have lost his faith is Dr. Bart Ehrman. He says so in his books. After concluding that the Bible is not inerrant, his faith in religions that rely on the Bible fell by the wayside. His view is that the four Gospels were never meant to be accurate telling of actual events. Each one was written by a human with human-like viewpoints and human-like imperfections. Luke was a close associate of Paul, so is unlikely to have the same perspective as Matthew who actually knew Jesus in person. No eyewitness records exist. So all we have is suppositions appearing in each of the Gospels.

 

[Jeanne1184]

There are plenty of inconsistencies between the Gospels and NT overall, and additonal ones in this all-important occasion.

The evangelist who became an unbeliever because of ‘discrepancies’ would have belonged to those of:

1 John 2:19 - They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

I, too, once belonged to the above group who ‘went out’. I learned that to surface ‘believe’ was not enough. I became a ‘true believer’ when I trusted the Truth of Jesus - no matter what came into view as a stumbling block. That anything ‘not adding up’ was from lack of Understanding on my part. With my new focus, ‘seek and ye shall find’ continues to work.

Only Matthew has: The earthquake and the soldiers/elders and money exchange for lying.

At the Tomb

Matt. 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Matt. 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

((Mary not spoken to by Jesus separately.))

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome,
Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene… ((when and where did this occur? was this ‘inserted’?))

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre,
Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

(Mary told the apostles and some came; then they left and she stayed and Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene alone.)

((My worldly thinking wonders how so few people can have such a different account of the facts - only 11 apostles and a few women. But, today, I think there is more ‘underbelly’ happening; I just don’t know what it is yet.))

The Spices

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

((What was the point of the spices for an already entombed/embalmed body?))

Angels and Men

Matt: 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mark 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

Luke 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold,** two men stood by them in shining garments**:

**John 20 **- No angels immediately around the tomb.

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Matthew and John appear to be speaking of the tomb of Jesus. I’m not so sure of that in the accounts of Mark and Luke, but ‘suspend disbelief’ awaiting further clarification.

 

[COPLAND_3]

Here is what is in my book that I published on the 4 Gospels and their complete comparison and harmonization… Here is the book if you want to purchase it amazon.com/Complete-Comparision-Gospels-Side—side/dp/1494284170/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399156523&sr=8-1&keywords=john+litteral

McEvilly The apparent discrepancy between the account of what the women announced, as recorded in St. Luke (xxiv.), and St. John (xx. 2), is easily cleared up. The women being timid, and in doubt whether the whole thing was a reality or not, said nothing of it on their way back (Mark xvi. 8), and when they reached the Apostles, they informed them alternately of what they saw and heard, and of their own doubts and fears on the subject, which made them imagine our Lord’s body was taken away. This latter point, regarding their doubts, is recorded by St. John only (xx. 2), and omitted by the other Evangelists. The Apostles, too, in the first instance, regarded the women’s account “as an idle tale, and they did not believe them " (Luke xxiv. 11). Here, we must insert what is described by St. John (xx. 2-19), in order to fill up the Gospel narrative, and remove the apparent discrepancies in the narratives of the Evangelists. Magdalene and her companions, in obedience to the Angels injunctions, hasten to Jerusalem from the sepulcher, to announce to the Apostles what they saw and heard (Luke xxiv. 9). While doing this, they give expression to their own fears and doubts (John xx. 2). (Some expositors hold that at her first visit Magdalene did not wait for the vision of Angels seen by the other women, she at once, on seeing the stone removed, hastened back to tell the Apostles. This opinion is not easily reconciled with Luke xxiv. 9, 10.) Immediately, Peter and John hasten to the sepulcher, followed by Magdalene and her companions. Peter and John enter the sepulcher, and return home, wondering at what they saw. The companions of Magdalene also return, leaving Magdalene behind them, weeping from fear, and a desire to find the body of our Lord. While stooping down and looking into the sepulcher, she saw two Angels, who were exhibiting reverence to our Lord, who was standing behind Magdalene. On looking behind her, to see who it was that the Angels were reverencing, she saw our Lord, and mistook Him for the gardener in charge of the garden where the sepulcher was. But immediately after recognizing Him, from His usual tone of voice, when pronouncing her name, she would lay hold of His feet (verse 9), which in Scripture denotes a species of adoration; but this He would not allow. Magdalene was, then, the first to whom, according to the Gospel History, our Lord showed Himself after His resurrection (Mark xvi. 9). She merited this favor by her love and affection, owing to which she clung to the sepulcher where His sacred body had been deposited. After this, overtaking the other women on their way (verse 9), she had the privilege of seeing Him a second time, in company with these others. It is supposed by many, as a matter of congruity—although the Gospel makes no mention of it—that He appeared first of all to His Blessed Mother, on the day of His resurrection. Matthew 28:9. “And Jesus met them saying” etc. This occurred on their second return from the sepulcher, after the Apostles had left, Mary Magdalene remaining alone after them at the tomb. That it could not refer to the first time they ran back in haste to inform the Apostles of what they saw and heard, expressing at the same time their anxious doubts about His sacred body, appears clear from the fact, that from SS. Mark and John, it is certain that our Lord appeared to Magdalene first, early on the morning of His resurrection, and that at the tomb, not on the road. Moreover, the women said nothing of our Lord appearing to them, when first they announced these things to the Apostles (John xx. 2; Luke xxiv. 9, etc. 23, 24). It was on their return, alter the Apostles had examined the tomb, that this apparition occurred to the women, and to Mary Magdalene, who had overtaken them, after having seen Him already alone at the sepulcher. Maldonatus, quoting the authority of St. Athanasius, holds, that the apparition referred to is the same as that in Mark (xvi. 9 ; John xx. 16), which was made to Magdalene only; and that Magdalene alone is mentioned by St. Mark as having been first favored with the apparition of our Lord, not in opposition to the other women, but to the Apostles; or, that she was the first among them who saw Him, and to her alone did He speak; and that she is spoken of alone out of the rest, because she was the most prominent among them for her love and deep affection for Him.

Continue on next post…

 

[COPLAND_3]

Weaved Together Matthew 28:7a But go in haste, and say to his disciples and to Cephas, He is risen from among the dead; and lo, he goes before you into Galilee; and there you shall see him, where he said unto you: lo, I have told you. And they remembered his sayings; and they departed in haste from the tomb with joy and great fear, and hastened and went; Mark 16:8b and perplexity and fear encompassed them; and they told no man anything, for they were afraid. John 20:2 And Mary hastened, and came to Simon Cephas, and to that other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said unto them, They have taken our Lord from the sepulchre, and I know not where they have laid him. John 20:3 And Simon went out, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. John 20:4 And they hastened both together: and that disciple outran Simon, and came first to the sepulchre; John 20:5 and he looked down, and saw the linen laid; but he went not in. John 20:6 And Simon came after him, and entered into the sepulchre, and saw the linen laid; John 20:7 and the scarf with which his head was bound was not with the linen, but wrapped and laid aside in a certain place. John 20:8 Then entered that disciple which came first to the sepulchre, and saw, and believed. John 20:9 And they knew not yet from the scriptures that the Messiah was to rise from among the dead. John 20:10 And those two disciples went to their place.John 20:11 But Mary remained at the tomb weeping: and while she wept, she looked down into the tomb; John 20:12 and she saw two angels sitting in white raiment, one of them toward his pillow, and the other toward his feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid. John 20:13 And they said unto her, Woman, why do you weep? She said unto them, They have taken my Lord, and I know not where they have left him. John 20:14 She said that, and turned behind her, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. John 20:15 Jesus said unto her, Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek? And she supposed him to be the gardener, and said, My lord, if you have taken him, tell me where you have laid him, that I may go and take him. John 20:16 Jesus said unto her, Mary. She turned, and said unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is, being interpreted, Teacher. John 20:17 Jesus said unto her, Touch me not; for I have not ascended yet unto my Father: go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God. Mark 16:9 And on the First-day on which he rose, he appeared first unto Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.