I was preparing a post about the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Then I found some difficulties in putting all four gospels together to reconstruct the event. I realized that this was just the tip of the iceberg. That Easter morning was a very busy one, with stones rolling away, angels appearing and people coming back and forth from the town to the tomb.
Gospels are like my wife. Sometimes she says: “Mommy is coming to stay with us for a month!”. Then, as soon as she finishes talking, the bell is ringing. Mommy is at the door. Then I say: “Darling! Did you lie to me? You said she was coming. She is already here”. But she answers: “No! When I was telling you she was coming upstairs. It was the truth!”. Then I open the door and the whole family, more than ten relatives, come in. So, later we are having an argument and I say: “Darling! You lied to me! You say it was only Mommy!”. And she answers: “Not at all! I said that mommy was coming, and here she is, I didn’t lie!”.
So, back to the resurrection, after reading all four gospels, it was like putting together my wife’s four last shopping session accounts in my bank statement. So I started with some presuppositions:
- All four accounts tell the truth.
- Things are confusing.
- Verses 9-20 of Mark 16 are not from the original account.
- Disciples and the women were in the upper room.
- From the upper room to the tomb is 10 minutes walk, and 7 minutes running.
- Women left the upper room at 5 AM, hypothetically
- I can be wrong, if yes please let me know!
0:00 AM: Saturday night Jesus’s body is in the tomb he is wrapped in clothes and stripes. The tomb is closed by a large stone. The tomb is sealed with a Roman seal. Guards are in front of it, by order of Pilate.
“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
” Matt. 27:62-65
4:55 AM: Sunday morning Jesus is resurrected. The clothes and stripes that were wrapping him are left behind inside the tomb. Two angels descend from heaven, one of them rolls the stone away, and simultaneously there is a strong earthquake. Those events scare and paralyse the guards.
“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.” Matt. 28: 2-4
5:00 AM: The women head to the tomb with spices to finish Jesus’ burial
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.” Matt. 28:1
“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. 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?”” Mark 16:1-3
“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.” Luke 24:1
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb …” John 20:1
5:05 AM: The guards leave the tomb and report to the Jewish leaders. They bribe the guards to lie and offer them protection.
“While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” Matt.28:11-15
5:10 AM: The women arrive at the tomb and see it open, they go inside and see the body is not there.
“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” Mark 16:4
“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ” Luke 24:2-3
“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.” John 20:1
5:12 AM: Women split into two groups. The one with Magdalene heads towards the disciples.
“So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved…” John 20:2
5:15 AM: The other group sees two angels in the tomb. One of them tells them that Jesus is risen.
“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.”” Matt.28:5-7
““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.’”” Mark 16:6-7
“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 over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.” Luke 24:4-8
5:17 AM: The women leave the tomb scared. They head to the disciples.
“So the women hurried away from the tomb… ” Matt. 28:8
“Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” Mark 16:8
5:20 AM: The women see Jesus on their way to the disciples
“So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”” Matt.28:8-10
5:22 AM: Magdalene’s group reaches the disciples. They tell them about the empty tomb.
“So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”” John 20:2
5:28 AM: Peter and John head to the tomb.
“Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb …” Luke 24:12
“So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.” John 20:3-4
“In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”” Luke 24:22-24
5:30 AM: The women reach the disciples.
“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others” Luke 24:9
5:35 AM: Peter and John arrive at the empty tomb. Magdalene arrives later and stays outside crying.
“Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” Luke 24:12
“He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying …” John 20:5-11
5:37 AM: Peter and John go back. Magdalene sees first the angels, then Jesus.
“Now 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.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).” John 20:12-16
5:50 AM: Magdalene is back to the disciples.
“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.” Luke 24:9-10
“Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” John 20:18
Between 6 AM and 5 PM: Jesus appears to Simon (probably Peter).
“They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.””: Luke 24: 33-34
5:00 PM: Jesus appears to the two on the road to Emmaus
“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” Luke 24:13-14
8:00 PM: Jesus appears indoors to the disciples on Easter evening.
“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”” Luke 24:36
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” John 20:19-20
The whole story
It is Saturday night before Easter probably on April, 33 AD. Jesus is dead. His body is wrapped in clothes and stripes. He is buried in a tomb near the place called the Skull in Jerusalem, where he was crucified. The tomb is sealed and guarded by Roman guards. They have orders from Pilate to watch the tomb because those crazy disciples want to steal the body and say that he is risen. Pilate is thinking before falling asleep. Those disciples were crazy enough to follow an out-of-mind carpenter claiming to be God. They also had a thing with woodwork.
The Disciples are in the upper room where few hours earlier they had the last supper with him.
But now Jesus is dead, it’s game over, they thought he was the Messiah. They thought he would have set Israel free from the Romans. They thought he was going to finish putting up the new furniture for the upper room. And here they are, bewildered, scared, hidden, and locked indoors. They have abandoned him. Peter has denied him three times. John has seen him dying. They don’t know what to do. Jewish leaders are going to search for them. Jewish leaders are going to chase them on the street. Jewish leaders are going to get them arrested. Jewish leaders are going to put them in prison. Jewish leaders are going to have them killed, or worse. Jewish leaders are going to confiscate their furniture. Maybe Peter, James and John can go fishing again. Maybe Matthew could start an accountancy business. Maybe they may set up a woodshop. They remember looking at each other after one of his parables. What did he mean? They usually didn’t get half of his words. Peter and James had been remembering that time Jesus was out of bread, and he wanted to feed five thousand. John had forgotten the bread, and Judas the business card. So Jesus had to make that bread all alone. Then Pharisees were trying to scam him with some bad yeast deal. But nobody scams Jesus. “Stay away from that deal!” He had said to the disciples. He was a weird guy, but he did so many miracles. They had seen the blind come back to see, paralytics get up and walk, dead come back to life. Who would have thought it would end like this. This seems like a big failure. But disciples don’t know that something big is going to happen.
On the early Easter morning: Jesus is risen, his body disappears, wraps and clothes fall on the floor. Two angels are coming from heaven. One of them appears in front of the guards and rolls the stone away from the tomb. The earth shakes. The guards are irritated by the noise. One of them says: “Hey! I’m trying to have a nap here!”. Another quickly hides gets all the coins on the table, because they were playing poker. But wait! They see the angel. One of them thinks he is on Candid Camera. No. it’s not! The guards are now frozen. Then the angel disappears. When the shock fades away and after a change of underwear, they walk inside the tomb. It’s empty, the body is gone. This is bad for them. How’ll they explain that? They are going to be killed. What will they do now? One of them suggests to report this to Pilate. No. This is the worst idea ever. He’ll kill them, he won’t believe that. It’s better to go to the chief priests. They have more influence. They’ll protect them. One of them suggests an escape to Mexico. That’s a good idea. The problem is that they haven’t discovered it yet.
The disciples and the women spent the night in the upper room. No one is sleeping. They have to finish anointing Jesus. They have to do that for him. But the disciples are too scared, they are not going out there. Not until things calm down. How can they be so selfish? This is a task for the women. They leave the house and ask each other “That stone is so heavy. Who will help us to roll it away?”. Some of them think that is so sad that disciples aren’t brave enough to go and say goodbye to their friend and leader. The women are scared, but they won’t let the fear stop them. Sometimes women are braver than men, except for catching rats.
Some minutes later the guards have left the tomb, and they are knocking at the chief priests’ doors. In some hours they are going accept a bribe and lie about the event. The other option is to be killed, so the money is not so bad for them. Chief priests are very worried. If the resurrection news leaks, they are going to lose their jobs. Maybe the Roman government may offer them an early retirement plan. The good news is that they won’t need to wear those funny hats. One of them suggests a karaoke party to relax from the stress. They are going to lose their job and then slide on a banana peel. One each.
In ten minutes the women are in front of the tomb. They say: “Thanks God! The tomb is open, we don’t have to roll the stone anymore!”. Wait, wait! Who rolled the stone away? They go inside. This is creepy. The body is gone, and the stripes are there on the floor. They think someone has taken the body. But if this is the case, why did they remove the wrappings? If it was today, we may think of a psycho, but at that time it was really improbable.
Magdalene is the women’s leader. She is going to tell it to the disciples, some women are following her there. But this is a mystery. Where is the body? So some women are staying at the tomb, looking around for details.
As soon as Magdalene has left the tomb, two angels appear to the rest of the women. One of them is saying Jesus is risen as he promised. Jesus is waiting for all the disciples: the twelve and all the others, in Galilee in a place he has talked about last time. Jesus is very careful to convey that message to them. They have to go to that specific place in Galilee. He repeats it more than once both personally and through the angels, as he knows they are a little bit slow, and tend to forget the important things. Anyway, when they learn it they learn it.
Some women are scared, run away, and won’t tell anyone what happened. Others have got the message, they are bewildered, scared but full of joy at the same time. They hurry to the disciples, to tell them the news.
While Magdalene’s group is reaching the upper room, Jesus appears to the other group. It’s true! Jesus is risen and they are talking with him and touching him. He is in the flesh. They fall at his feet and worship him. He is God. He proved it.
Magdalene and her group are now in the upper room and telling the disciples. They couldn’t see the angels either Jesus. The tomb is empty. Someone has moved the body away. Peter decides he wants to see it. He wins his fear and runs towards the tomb. John is after him, but he quickly overruns the old man. Peter is not so young anymore, he has to stop eating junk food. Magdalene is following them alone. The other women are staying in the room, there’s so much to chat about. Some of them are imitating and making fun of the disciples. They slide on a banana peel. One each.
As soon as they have left, the other women arrive in the house. They are talking nonsense, they are saying they saw angels, and Jesus risen. But they are so excited that no one understands a word from them.
Peter and John arrive at the tomb and check it. John suddenly remembers Jesus’ words. He has risen! John believes it now. They come back to the house. Magdalene is at the tomb. She is so sad that she doesn’t want to enter again. Why did they take Jesus? Where did they put his body? Was it perhaps the gardener? Maybe he wanted to make a landscaping inside the tomb. Maybe he was out of compost. No! That’s horrible, what kind of psycho is doing that? She knows it has been the gardener, he is very obnoxious. When you have a homicide case in an eclectic-bilonaire’s-storm-isolated mansion it is the butler. But when you have a missing body from a carved-out-of-stone sepulchre, it certainly is the gardener. She noticed he was behaving very strangely when they buried Jesus. This gardener is a weirdo. So she stays outside the tomb. She bursts into tears. Why doesn’t the gardener give her body back? Where did he put it? Maybe in the toolshed? But wait! There are two angels in the tomb. She hears a voice. It’s the gardener. Magdalene is ready to corner him. She’ll make him talk by hook or by crook. But… no, it’s not the gardener… It’s Jesus. She is talking with the risen Jesus. Those are probably the best moments in her life. Except for a slight guilt towards the gardener. In half an hour she is also back with the others telling them what happened.
A few hours later Jesus appears to Simon, and then to the two on the road to Emmaus. Finally, he appears in the upper room when everyone is present, except for Thomas. They cannot believe their eyes, so they touch him, and then he also eats a fish and chips in front of them.
So this is how it went in my opinion, except for the jokes. Jesus has risen for truth! And in the next post, I’ll show some historical evidence. These things really happened.