John says that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark.  However, Mark says that she came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  Can both be correct?

2 hours ago, rstrats said:

John says that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark.  However, Mark says that she came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  Can both be correct?

Yes, if John is speaking of the timing when Mary Magdalene started coming (left her house), "when it was yet dark," to travel unto the sepulchre; whereas Mark is speaking of the timing when Mary Magdalene and the other women actually reached the sepulchre, "at the rising of the sun."  This may be signaled grammatically by the fact that Mark employs a past tense verb in the sentence of Mark 16:2, "they came," but that John employs a present tense verb in the sentence of John 20:1, "cometh Mary Magdalene."

On 1/3/2025 at 8:51 AM, Pastor Scott Markle said:

Yes, if John is speaking of the timing when Mary Magdalene started coming (left her house), "when it was yet dark," to travel unto the sepulchre; whereas Mark is speaking of the timing when Mary Magdalene and the other women actually reached the sepulchre, "at the rising of the sun."  This may be signaled grammatically by the fact that Mark employs a past tense verb in the sentence of Mark 16:2, "they came," but that John employs a present tense verb in the sentence of John 20:1, "cometh Mary Magdalene."

I was using the NKJV:

Mark 16:2 - "Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen." 

John 20: 1 - "On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark..."

I guess it depends on which version is used. 
 

If memory serves, they came to the tomb several times.  A Jewish day at the time began at sunset.  Years ago I made a detailed study on this and a timeline which was fascinating.  My memory is not what it once was.

Throw away the phony bible and stick with the King James.

Edited January 10Jan 10 by swathdiver

I used to hunt. I wanted to be at my deer stand and completely situated before sunrise. As such I checked the Almanac (later the internet) to see when official sunrise was and acted accordingly. Let me assure you, if these ladies arrived at the tomb at sunrise, it was still dark enough to be considered dark. It is not until 20-30 minutes later where you can start picking things out clearly.

1 hour ago, Napsterdad said:

 Let me assure you, if these ladies arrived at the tomb at sunrise, it was still dark enough to be considered dark. It is not until 20-30 minutes later where you can start picking things out clearly.

But would it still be dark when the sun had risen?

1 hour ago, rstrats said:

But would it still be dark when the sun had risen?

Mark 16:2 (KJV) And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

At the rising of the sun...i.e. sunrise. At sunrise it is still quite dark as the sun has just crested over the horizon. Therefore John 20:1 is quite accurate.

John 20:1 (KJV) The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

 

I guess it all depends on what point it can be said that it is no longer dark out.