[donaldscrankshaw] Donald: The Harmony of the Gospels, Part I

[Email subscription to blog articles]

Posted by Donald:
The Harmony of the Gospels, Part I
http://www.donaldscrankshaw.com/posts/1206249031.shtml


   I've posted these two posts on Easter Sunday before, but I haven't
   done it for the last year or two. I thought I'd start it up again, as
   I think they're good Easter posts.
   From Matthew:

     Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of
     the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the
     grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel
     of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the
     stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and
     his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him 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 has been
     crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come,
     see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples
     that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of
     you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."
     And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to
     report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted
     them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
     Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My
     brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."
     (Matthew 28:1-10)

   From Mark:

     When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of
     James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and
     anoint Him. Very early on the first day of the week, they came to
     the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another,
     "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the
     tomb?" Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away,
     although it was extremely large. Entering the tomb, they saw a
     young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were
     amazed. 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. But go, tell
     His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee;
     there you will see Him, just as He told you.' " They went out and
     fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped
     them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
     (Mark 16:1-8)

   From Luke:

     But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the
     tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And 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 perplexed
     about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling
     clothing; 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? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He
     spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of
     Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be
     crucified, and the third day rise again."
     And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and
     reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now
     they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James;
     also the other women with them were telling these things to the
     apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they
     would not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb;
     stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he
     went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.
     (Luke 24:1-12)

   From John:

     Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the
     tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away
     from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other
     disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away
     the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid
     Him." So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were
     going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other
     disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;
     and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying
     there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came,
     following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings
     lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not
     lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.
     So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also
     entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not
     understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So
     the disciples went away again to their own homes.
     But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she
     wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels
     in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the
     body of Jesus had been lying. 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."
     When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing
     there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her,
     "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" 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."
     Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew,
     "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). 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.' "
     Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the
     Lord," and that He had said these things to her.
     (John 20:1-18)

   More later.