Matthew 28 versus John 20

[rstrats]

Matthew 28:1-10 says that when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb that she was told by an angel that the Messiah had risen and would be seen in Galilee. Matthew then says that she ran "with great joy" to tell the disciples and while on the way that she met the Messiah (this occurred before she got to the disciples).

However, John 20:1 and 2 say that when she came to the tomb and didn’t find the Messiah there, that she ran to the disciples and told them that He had been taken away and that she didn’t know where He was. In Matthew she knew where He was (or at least had been) and where He would be, but in John she didn’t.


Also, Matthew has Mary encountering the Messiah before she gets to the disciples. But in John the encounter with the Messiah happens AFTER she talks to the disciples.

How can this be reconciled?

[rstrats]

Anyone?

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Anyone?

I believe the women split up.

Verse 9 of Matthew 28's account states that they left with fear and great joy.

Is it not possible that Mary Magdalene may have had doubts, while Mary the Mother of Jesus was joyous and believed?

This could explain somewhat the seeming discrepancies in the two accounts.

[chev1958]

We really need to understand that the gospels were written by four different men. While all were inspired by God, they all had different personalities, and as such, viewed events from different viewpoints. God used their personalities to express the totality of our Lord Jesus Christ, and they used certain events to tell "their side" of the story. Just because one gospel writer left out some details of an event that another included, doesn't mean there is a discrepancy, a contradiction, or an error. It's just another piece of the story.

[JerryNumbers]

Kind of like the wreck, 4 different people saw it take place from 4 different angles, and their stories did not match, yet none of them were wrong.

[Anon]

I was intrigued by this (never really thought of it before) and found an excellent article explaining it! I had a hunch it was two different trips but this guy really lays it out great, way better than I could have figured out on my own:

http://www.pb.org/pbdocs/resrecon.html

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Notice I did not say there were discrepancies. I said seeming discrepancies.

To some, it would appear to be a discrepancy, but as pointed out each was correct in recording what they saw or was revealed to him.

And indeed, Mary Magdalene's statement to the Apostles when she found them does not mean she was never told that the Lord had risen, only that her apparent fear had caused her to doubt what she had actually witnessed.

Mary, Salome, and Joanna more than likely went separate ways to convey the news to others.

[rstrats]

As has been suggested, each Gospel writer is giving an accounting of events from his own viewpoint. Matthew’s viewpoint only deals with Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary”. If he had additional women in mind to be included in his narrative, I’m sure that he would have identified or mentioned them also. So when in verse 8 he says “they departed...with fear and great joy”, it only makes sense that the “they” refers to Mary M. and the other Mary.

[Wilchbla]

Matthew 28:1-10 says that when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb that she was told by an angel that the Messiah had risen and would be seen in Galilee. Matthew then says that she ran "with great joy" to tell the disciples and while on the way that she met the Messiah (this occurred before she got to the disciples).

However, John 20:1 and 2 say that when she came to the tomb and didn’t find the Messiah there, that she ran to the disciples and told them that He had been taken away and that she didn’t know where He was. In Matthew she knew where He was (or at least had been) and where He would be, but in John she didn’t.


Also, Matthew has Mary encountering the Messiah before she gets to the disciples. But in John the encounter with the Messiah happens AFTER she talks to the disciples.

How can this be reconciled?

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and was told that Christ was no longer there but had risen. Then she ran to the disciples and told them that "they" had taken the Lord's body away. Apparently she didn't understand what the angels were saying just as all disciples at that time really didn't understand the resurrection (Luke 18:31-34). Mary M. may have assumed that what the angels said had to do with the Pharisees taking away Christ's body. This would explain her comment to the disciples about not knowing where "they" took him.

As far as meeting Jesus along the way they still might not have recognized him. The fact that they fell at his feet and worshipped doesn't mean they recognized him and seeing it was common in the bible for someone fall at the feet of an angel and worship their actions shouldn't be surprising.

Remember, the men on the road to Emmaus didn't recognize Christ either. Edited January 9, 2011 by Wilchbla

[rstrats]

Wilchbla,

re: “Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and was told that Christ was no longer there but had risen. Then she ran to the disciples and told them that 'they' had taken the Lord's body away. Apparently she didn't understand what the angels were saying...”


So you’re saying that even though Matthew’s narrative singles out Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary”, that he is not including Mary M. in his mention of “the women” five verses later and of the “they” eight verses later?

Edited January 10, 2011 by rstrats

[Wilchbla]

Wilchbla,

re: “Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and was told that Christ was no longer there but had risen. Then she ran to the disciples and told them that 'they' had taken the Lord's body away. Apparently she didn't understand what the angels were saying...”


So you’re saying that even though Matthew’s narrative singles out Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary”, that he is not including Mary M. in his mention of “the women” four verses later and of the “they” eight verses later?

What exact verses are you speaking off? Mary Magdalene apparently didn't recognize Christ until after the disciples lefted the tomb (John 20:10-17) even though she meet him on her way to tell the disciples.

[rstrats]

Wilchbla,

re: "What exact verses are you speaking off?"

Verse 5 and verse 8.

[Wilchbla]

Wilchbla,

re: "What exact verses are you speaking off?"

Verse 5 and verse 8.

All those verses are implying is that there were other women with Mary Magdalene. John's account doesn't mention that there were other women with her that's all. John also doesn't mention how Mary M. (and the other women) saw the angels in the tomb and that they also met Jesus along the way. But John does mention how Mary M. mets Jesus again when he reveals himself to her after Peter and John depart from the sepulchre.

For some reason the disiples did not recognize Christ after his resurrection. Perhaps because his physical appearance had change some or that their eyes were "closed" to recognizing him as with the case on the men on the road to Emmaus.

[rstrats]

Wilchbla,

re: “All those verses are implying is that there were other women with Mary Magdalene.”

So are you saying that Mary M. is not being included in the mention of “the women” five verses later and the “they” eight verses later?

[rstrats]

Anyone?