| |
Matthew |
Mark |
Luke |
John |
| Who carried the cross? |
Simon of
Cyrene (27:32) |
Simon of
Cyrene (15:21) |
Simon of
Cyrene (23:26) |
Only
Jesus himself carried the cross. (19:17) |
| At what
time was Jesus crucified? |
Not mentioned in Matthew |
9:00 a.m. -- “It was the third hour when they crucified him.” (15:25) |
Not mentioned in Luke |
12:00 p.m. -- Jesus was not crucified until after the sixth hour!
(19:14-15) |
| On which day of
the month was Jesus crucified? |
On the
first day of Passover, the 15th day of Nissan [1]
(26:20-30) |
On the
first day of Passover, the 15th day of Nissan [1]
(14:17-25) |
On the
first day of Passover, the 15th day of Nissan [1]
(22:14--23) |
On the day before Passover, the 14th day of Nissan
[1] (13:1, 29, 18:28, 19:14) |
|
[1] Because all three synoptic insist that
the Last Supper was a Passover Seder, they must therefore maintain that
the crucifixion occurred on the first day of Passover, rather than the
eve of Passover, as John would have us believe. (see accompanying
article,
“The Crucifixion Date: On Which Day Was Jesus Crucified?”) |
| Did Jesus
drink while on the cross? |
Yes |
No |
Not mentioned in Luke |
Yes |
| Did either one of the two
thieves on the cross believe in Jesus? |
Neither
one of the thieves believed in Jesus. (27:44) |
Neither
one of the thieves believed in Jesus. (15:32) |
In
Luke’s story only one thief does not believe, but the other thief does.
(23:39-41) |
Not
mentioned in John |
| What were
Jesus’ last dying words on the cross? |
“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me?” (27:46) |
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” meaning, “My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me?” (15:34) |
“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (23:46) |
“It is finished.” (19:30) |
| When did Mary prepare the
spices? |
Not
mentioned in Matthew |
Mary
prepared the spices after the Sabbath was over. (16:1) |
Mary
prepared the spices before the Sabbath started. (23:56) |
Nicodemus, not Mary, prepared the spices before the Sabbath. (19:39) |
| Had the
sun yet risen when the women came to the tomb? |
It was toward dawn of the first day of the week. (28:1) |
Yes -- They came to the tomb when the sun had risen. (16:2) |
At early dawn they went to the tomb. (24:1) |
No -- Mary came early to the tomb, while it was still dark. (20:1) |
| How many days
and how many nights was Jesus in the tomb? |
3 days
and 2 nights [2] (28:1) |
3 days
and 2 nights [2] (16:2) |
3 days
and 2 nights [2] (24:1) |
2 days and 2 nights [2] (20:1) |
|
[2] Although Jesus had prophesied that he
would be in the tomb for three days and three nights! -- Matthew 12:40 |
| How many
people came to the tomb Sunday morning following the crucifixion? |
Two (28:1) |
Three (16:1) |
More than four (24:10) |
One (20:1) |
| Who were the women who came
to the tomb? |
Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary (28:1) |
Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome (16:1) |
Mary
Magdalene, Mary mother of James, Joanna, and other women (24:10) |
Only
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb (20:1) |
| Was the
stone removed when the women arrived at the tomb? |
No -- After the women arrive at the tomb, an angel rolls back the stone.
(28:1-2) |
Yes -- When they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away. (16:4) |
Yes -- When they arrived, the stone had already been taken away. (24:2) |
Yes -- When Mary arrived, the stone had already been taken away. (20:1) |
| How many angels were at the
tomb? |
One
(28:2) |
One
(16:5) |
Two
(24:4) |
Two
(20:1-2, 12) |
| What
was/were the angel(s) doing at the tomb and where was he/they? |
He was sitting on the stone that he had rolled away from the tomb.
(28:2) |
He was sitting on the right side, inside the tomb. (16:5) |
They were standing by the women, inside the tomb. (24:4) |
In the Book of John, there are no angels when Mary comes to the tomb.
When Mary arrives at the tomb a second time, however, she finds two
angels sitting inside the tomb. One is at the head and the other is at
the feet (see accompanying article,
“Can Both of These Stories Be True?”) (20:1-2, 12) |
| What were the
angels’ instructions to Mary and the others* at the tomb? *No others
in the Book of John |
“He is
not here; for he has risen... go quickly and tell his disciples he is
going before you to the Galilee!”[3]
(28:6-7) |
“Do not
be amazed... he has risen... tell his disciples and Peter he is going
before you to Galilee!”[3] (16:6-7) |
In
Luke’s post- resurrection story (chapter 24), the women at the tomb are
specifically instructed not to go to the Galilee, but to “Stay in
Jerusalem!”[3] (24:49) |
This is also the case in the Book of Acts, which was written by the
author of Luke, where “He commanded them that they should not leave
Jerusalem!” (Acts 1:4)
Luke’s post-resurrection story does not allow for any of Jesus’
followers to leave Jerusalem because Luke must have the apostles stay in
Jerusalem for the Pentecost. (Acts 2:1)
The angels only ask Mary “Why are you weeping woman?” As Mary responds,
she turns around and sees Jesus, who she thinks is the gardener,
standing there. Completely contradicting all three synoptic Gospels,
John’s story (20:2) has Mary clueless as to what happened to Jesus’ body
when she returns to the disciples after departing the tomb. There are no
angels giving instructions to the Mary in John’s story. On the contrary,
in the fourth Gospel, it is Jesus, not the two angels, who tells Mary
about the resurrection. John’s post-resurrection narrative also lacks
the Roman solders that Matthew places at the tomb. Without the presence
of the guards at the tomb, John’s Mary concludes that Jesus’ body had
been removed from the tomb. (see accompanying article,
“Can Both of
These Stories Be True?”) (20:13-17) |
|
[3] Luke contradicts Matthew (28:16) and
Mark (16:7), whose post-resurrection tale has the apostles depart
Jerusalem, and going to the Galilee, which is about an 80-90 mile
journey. Luke, on the other hand, insists that the apostles were never
told to, and never did, leave Jerusalem and go to the Galilee! -- Luke
24:5-7, 49; Acts 1:4 |
| Does Mary
wish to tell the disciples what happened? |
Yes -- “They departed quickly... and ran to tell the disciples.” (28:8) |
No -- “...they said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.” (16:8)
|
Yes -- “Returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven...”
(24:9) |
Yes -- Mary Magdalene tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”
(20:18) |
After seeing the angels,
whom does Mary meet first, Jesus
or the disciples? |
Jesus4
(28:9) |
Jesus4
(16:9) |
The
disciples4 (24:4-9) |
Jesus4
(20:14) |
| To whom
does Jesus make his first post-resurrection appearance? |
The two Marys. |
Only Mary Magdalene. |
Cleopas and another [5] |
Only Mary Magdalene. |
| Where does the
first post-resurrection appearance take place? |
On the
way to Jerusalem, after leaving the tomb. (28:9) |
Mark’s
story does not indicate where this appearance takes place. It is quite
clear, however, that it occurs sometime after Mary fled the tomb.
(16:8-9) |
Emmaus
[5] (24:13, 18) |
At the tomb (20:1, 11-14) |
|
[5] Contradicting Mark, Luke maintains that
when the two followers who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus returned to
Jerusalem and informed the eleven about their encounter, the disciples
declared, “It is true!” (Luke 24:34) whereas Mark insists that when the
two reported their encounter, the disciples did not believe (16:13). |
| Is Mary
permitted to touch Jesus after the resurrection? |
Yes -- “...they came and held him by his feet, and worshiped him.”
(28:9) |
Not mentioned in Mark |
YES -- “Behold my hands and my feet... handle me and see...” (24:39; 1
John 1:1) |
No -- Jesus said to her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my
father...” (20:17) |
| How many times
does Jesus appear after the resurrection? |
Two
Times
-
28:9-10
-
28:17-20
|
Three Times
-
16:9
-
16:125
-
16:14-12
|
Two Times
-
24:13-31
-
24:36-51
|
Four Times
-
20:14-17
-
20:19-23 [6]
-
20:26-295
-
21:1-23
|
|
Paul
Six Times:
-
I Cor. (15:5)
-
I Cor. (15:5)
-
I Cor. (15:6)
-
I Cor. (15:7)
-
I Cor. (15:7)
-
I Cor. (15:8)
|
|
[6] Contradicting Luke’s post-resurrection
story entirely, John has the apostles receive the Holy Spirit on the
first Easter Sunday (John 20:22), whereas Luke insists that the Holy
Spirit was bestowed on the Pentecost, fifty days latter! -- Acts 1:5, 8;
2:1- 4 |
|
Before whom, and in what chronological order do these appearances take
place? |
- Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (28:9)
- 11 disciples (28:16)
|
- Mary Magdalene (16:9)
- Two strolling followers 5 (16:12)
- 11 disciples7 (16:14)
|
- Cleopas and another unknown follower. (24:13)
- Eleven disciples [7] “...and them
that were with them.” (24:33)
|
-
Mary Magdalene (20:14)
-
Ten disciples7
(Thomas was not there) (20:24)
-
Eleven disciples (20:26)
-
Peter, Thomas, the two sons of Zebedee
(James and John), Nathaniel and two other disciples. (21:2)
|
|
Paul
I Corinthians
-
Peter (15:5)
-
All 12 apost. (15:5)
-
500 people (15:6)
-
James (15:7)
-
All 12 apost. (15:7)
-
Paul (15:8)
|
|
[7] According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
Jesus made this appearance to all the eleven surviving disciples. Paul
has this event take place in the presence of all twelve apostles
(Corinthians 15:5) although Judas had long since died, having committed
suicide (Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:12). Contrary to all this, John’s story
places only ten disciples at the scene, Thomas being absent! -- John
20:24 |
| Where do these appearances
take place? |
-
Leaving the tomb, going to the disciples
(28:8)
-
On a mountain in the Galilee (28:16)
-
(But some doubted it!) (28:17)
|
|
- Emmaus (24:13)
- Jerusalem (24:33, 49)
|
- At the tomb (20:14)
- In Jerusalem, behind closed doors (20:18-29)
- The Sea of Tiberias (21:1)
|