Reasons for difficult:
Hard to Understand (2 Peter 3:15-16; Hebrews 6)
Difficult to Accept (John 6:60; Matthew 5:43)
Difficult to Reconcile (James vs. Romans, etc.)
I. Cautions against Mistaken Claims of Contradictions
Misplaced expectations do NOT necessitate contradiction
1. Selection is NOT denial (authors cannot write everything) (see
John 21:225; 20:3)
2. Different is NOT discrepant (authors are free to report different
details and from different perspectives)
3. Accuracy is NOT precision (see Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2 vs Luke 9:28)
4. Paraphrase is NOT quotation (Jesus' baptism; Sermon on the
Mount; Parables)
5. Thematic Ordering is NOT errant (ordering of temptations,
Gospels, etc.)
B. Misconstrued Referents Do NOT Necessitate Contradictions (the reader's
wrong assumptions about a writer's intended subject matter do not
necessarily involve the writer in contradictions).
1. Unrecognized Referents (Matt. 27:7-10's attribution of
Zechariah)
2. Undifferentiated Definitions ("flesh" in Rom. 8:8-9 and Gal.
2:20; Characters in Revelation)
3. Unclassified Causations (Samuel 24:1 vs. 1 Chron. 21:1)
4. Unacknowledged Attention (Mark 16)
5. Unseen summary (an author's choice to recount a long series
of events in a shortened summary format is not indicative of
failure)
C. Mystery Does NOT necessitate contradiction (not having an answer is not
the same as saying that an answer does not exist)
1. Death of Judas (Matt. 27:5; Acts 1:18)
2. Genealogies (Matt. 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-28)
II. Defending the Consistency of the New Testament Resurrection Narratives
While the resurrection of Jesus if foundational claim for many passages in the NT
(Acts 2:22-24; 4:8-12;5:30-31; 10:39-40; 13:26-41; 17:22-31), none of the narrations
of the events itself (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20-21)
A. Marry Magdalene and others go to the tomb early on Sunday morning
1. All gospels agree Mary M. was there and only John doesn't
report other women (that is hardly a denial that they weren't
there)
2. The time they arrived ("while it was still dark" -John 20:1 or "at
sunrise" -Mark 16:2) is also easily addressed.
B. The empty tomb is open and angels are present
1. While only Matthew reports how the tomb was opened, all
Gospels reveal the stone was found removed from the door of
Jesus' tomb.
2. All four Gospels report angelic appearance on the morning of
the resurrection (while differing on the details involved)
C. The women report the empty tomb to the disciples
1. Matthew and Luke record this generically and John adds that
Mary reported the empty tomb to Peter and describes what
happened thereafter.
2. Mark adds that the women were silent on their way to the
disciples and this is where is account ends.
D. Peter and another visit the empty tomb
1. Luke and John report Peter visiting the empty tomb (John in
much greater detail)
2. Luke indicates multiple male visitor to the tomb and is broader
in his summary (this does not contradict John's more narrow
and detailed report)
E. Some women see the resurrected Jesus
1. Matthew and John report such but with different details
(Matthew says a second woman saw Jesus while John focuses
on Mary's interaction)
2. Matthew alone chooses to narrate the guards reporting the
morning's events to the chief priests
F. Jesus appears on the Emmaus road and to Peter
1. Luke alone give the extended report of Jesus on the road to
Emmaus and reveals that Jesus appeared to Peter on
resurrection Sunday.
2. This corroborates Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 15:5a
G. Jesus appears to the disciples
1. Luke and John both mention Jesus appearing to the disciples.
Luke also includes the Emmaus episode and John along
mentions Thomas' absence.
2. While Luke and John mention 11 disciples, Paul refers to Jesus
appearing to 12 (this is no issue as this is a shorthand way to
refer to Jesus' inner circle)
H. Jesus appears over 40 days and then ascends
1. Acts 1:3 specifies this and shines more light on Luke and
Matthew's report.
2. 40 days would allow for John's report of an appearance "eight
days later" and for the disciples to make a trip to Galilee where
they saw Jesus. It also provides enough of a window for 1
Corinthians 15:6.
A. The minimal facts approach for the historicity of the resurrection
1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. The death of Jesus caused the disciples to despair and lose
hope, believing that this life was ended.
4. Although not as widely accepted, many scholars hold that the
tomb in which Jesus was buried was discovered to be empty
just a few days later.
5. The disciples had experienced they believed were the literal
appearances of the risen Jesus.
6. The disciples were transformed from doubters who were
afraid to identify themselves with Jesus to bold proclaimers of
his death and resurrection.
7. This message was the center of preaching in the early church.
8. This message was especially proclaimed in Jerusalem, where
Jesus died and was buried shortly before.
9. As a result of this teaching, the church was born and grew.
10. Sunday became the primary day of worship.
11. James, who had been a skeptic, was convinced to the faith
when he also believed that he had seen the risen Jesus.
12. A few days later, Paul was converted by an experience that he
likewise believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus.
