Below
are the gospel stories of the resurrection, all collected together in one handy
location.
Remember
that the resurrection of Christ is the key event without which Jesus is
no more than a crazy man claiming to be the Messiah (or God, or the Son of God,
depending on your preference). This is
the evidence to support the claim that Jesus was resurrected.
Does
it seem to be good enough evidence given the nature of the claim?
-----------------------------------
The
first three gospels are referred to as the synoptic gospels meaning they are,
or should be, seen together. When New
Testament scholars argue about whether the Bible contains any elements of
historical accuracy, they tend to focus only on these gospels.
Matthew
is the second written of the gospels.
Like Luke, Matthew appears to be based on Mark and a second work referred to as Q. Matthew the person is
thought to have been a tax collector and an early follower of Jesus. How he managed to learn how to write so well
in Greek is a bit of a mystery, but that’s the case with all the of the
purported gospel authors, with the possible exception of Luke.
Matthew 28
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it
began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the
other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great
earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and
rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning,
and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did
shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto
the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as
he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his
disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into
Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the
sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell his
disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him
by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not
afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see
me.
11 Now when they were going, behold,
some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the
things that were done.
12 And when they were assembled with
the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came
by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14 And if this come to the governor's
ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
15 So they took the money, and did as
they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until
this day.
16 Then the eleven disciples went away
into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they
worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.
Mark
is the first written of the surviving gospels and just who Mark the person was
is a bit unclear. There is a school of
thought that he was one of the disciples who left when the sacrament was
introduced (being uncomfortable with reified symbolic cannibalism). This might go some way to explaining the apparent
large gap between the death and supposed resurrection of Jesus and anyone
bothering to write it down. Note that
the text in 9-20 appears to be a later addition – hence is marked in dark grey.
Mark 16
1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices,
that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the
first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who
shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that
the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre,
they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white
garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not
affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is
not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples
and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he
said unto you.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled
from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any
thing to any man; for they were afraid.
9 Now when Jesus was
risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out
of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and
told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when
they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12 After that he
appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the
country.
13 And they went and
told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
14 Afterward he
appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their
unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen
him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs
shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up
serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the
Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right
hand of God.
20 And they went
forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the
word with signs following. Amen.
Luke
is the third written of the gospels and was originally written together with
Acts as a single work. The person Luke was
a companion to Paul and he is mentioned a few times in Paul Epistles, but not
as the author of the Gospel of Luke or Acts.
Luke is usually considered together with Matthew and historians believe
that their work draws on both Mark and another work, now lost, referred to as Q.
Luke 24
1 Now upon the first day of the week,
very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices
which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away
from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not
the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were
much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed
down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living
among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen:
remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be
delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day
rise again.
8 And they remembered his words,
9 And returned from the sepulchre, and
told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna,
and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told
these things unto the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them as
idle tales, and they believed them not.
12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the
sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves,
and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
13 And, behold, two of them went that
same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore
furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all
these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while
they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with
them.
16 But their eyes were holden that
they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner
of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are
sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was
Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and
hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things?
And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet
mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our
rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he
which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day
since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our
company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body,
they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that
he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with
us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him
they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools,
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning
himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the
village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying,
Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went
in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at
meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and
they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did
not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he
opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and
returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that
were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed,
and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done
in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus
himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and
affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye
troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that
it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as
ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he
shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for
joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a
broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before
them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the
words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in
the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is
written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the
third day:
47 And that repentance and remission
of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these
things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of
my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued
with power from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to
Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he
blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple,
praising and blessing God. Amen.
--------------------------
John is the last written of the gospels. It’s very different in tone to the synoptic
gospels and, when apologists are trying to claim that the Bible has historic
validity, John is often set aside as a special case. There is considerable doubt about the authorship of John,
some think that John was the source and not the author, some think that the
gospel was written by a number of people of a lengthy period. This gospel is also thought to contain “new
knowledge” or “spiritual inspiration”, rather than relying entirely on oral
history and earlier works.
John 20
1 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.
2 Then she runneth, and cometh to
Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them,
They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they
have laid him.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that
other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
4 So they ran both together: and the
other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking
in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following
him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his
head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by
itself.
8 Then went in also that other
disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
9 For as yet they knew not the
scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again
unto their own home.
11 But Mary stood without at the
sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the
sepulchre,
12 And seeth two angels in white
sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of
Jesus had lain.
13 And they say unto her, Woman, why
weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I
know not where they have laid him.
14 And when she had thus said, she
turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why
weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith
unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him,
and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She
turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not;
for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto
them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the
disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto
her.
19 Then the same day at evening, being
the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were
assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith
unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed
unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw
the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again,
Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he
breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they
are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve,
called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said
unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in
his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the
nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his
disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach
hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust
it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto
him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not
seen, and yet have believed.
30 And many other signs truly did
Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name
John 21
1 After these things Jesus shewed
himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed
he himself.
2 There were together Simon Peter, and
Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of
Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a
fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered
into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning was now come,
Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5 Then Jesus saith unto them,
Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6 And he said unto them, Cast the net
on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now
they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus
loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was
the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast
himself into the sea.
8 And the other disciples came in a
little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,)
dragging the net with fishes.
9 As soon then as they were come to
land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the
fish which ye have now caught.
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the
net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all
there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and
dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it
was the Lord.
13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh
bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
14 This is now the third time that
Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith
to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith
unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my
lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second
time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou
knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him
the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all
things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest:
but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall
gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what
death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him,
Follow me.
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth
the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at
supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus,
Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will
that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23 Then went this saying abroad among
the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him,
He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
thee?
24 This is the disciple which
testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his
testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other
things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I
suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be
written. Amen.
-----------------------------------
The
only other references to the resurrection are in Acts (written by Luke) and in
one letter attributed to Paul the Apostle. As a bonus, here are the Paul related
references as well, and the introduction to Acts (note that Luke and Acts are
thought to have the same author, with Luke written first but only by a few
years). Note that there is mention, in
Acts, of Stephen seeing Jesus standing beside god just before he died and two
mentions of Peter hearing a voice while in a trance, but there is no pretence
that these are anything more than visions or hallucinations – therefore I have
not included them. Note also that while
there appear to be four references, all four of them refer to a single event –
Paul’s conversion, once mentioned as an aside by Paul, once reported as a story
by Luke, and twice reported as something that Paul said to others. Paul also mentions other appearances, but these
are not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible (Luke’s account appearing above). Furthermore, it should be noted that as Luke
was a companion to Paul, these conversion reports all have a single source, so
it is really one report mentioned four times.
The other appearances are also, at best, a single report mentioned four times
(once by Paul and once each by Mathew, Luke and John).
Acts 1:1-5
1 The former treatise have I
made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy
Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many
infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith
he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the
Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Interestingly,
Luke didn’t write about the ascension in these terms in his Gospel. In fact, the ascension is only mentioned by
Luke in the original version (I say original because it does appear in the text
that has been appended to Mark).
Acts 9:1-9
1 And Saul, yet breathing out
threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the
high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to
Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were
men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near
Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard
a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And
the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick
against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished
said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise,
and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7 And the men which journeyed with him
stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth; and
when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and
brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight,
and neither did eat nor drink.
And to
think that we tell kids today that you should not start (or finish) your
sentences with “and”.
Acts 22:6-11
6
“But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime,
a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,
7
and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are
you persecuting Me?’
8
“And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the
Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
9
“And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand
the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
10
“And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go
on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for
you to do.’
11
“But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led
by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.
Acts 26:12-18
12 “While so engaged as I was
journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way
a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who
were journeying with me.
14 “And when we had all fallen to the
ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet;
for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a
witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in
which I will appear to you;
17 rescuing you from the Jewish people
and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
18 to open their eyes so that they may
turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they
may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been
sanctified by faith in Me.’
1 Corinthians 15:3-9
3 For I delivered unto you first of
all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to
the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he
rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then
of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above
five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this
present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James;
then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me
also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles,
that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of
God.
So
that’s it. That’s your evidence for the
resurrection.
The
really sad thing is that people kill each other over this stuff.
