10 Things We Should Know That Happened Easter Sunday Morning

There has been significant controversy over the differences between the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John regarding the events of Easter Sunday morning. But the differences are no discrepancies. In other words, all four accounts are complementary and perfectly compatible. When we compare and align the four gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, we generate the following ten facts.

1. The women who witnessed the crucifixion pledged to care for Jesus

It was significant to note that several women who witnessed the crucifixion and helped in Jesus' burial agreed to hear orders on Sunday morning, after the Sabbath, to finish his preparation. The two Marys, Joanna, and Susanna had their spices on hand to anoint Jesus' body. Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and Salome left the market early on Sunday morning to buy more spices to prepare the body of Christ for burial. These spices were used the spite compensate for odors resulting from decomposition.

Their decision to return to the tomb Sunday indicated that they had no expectations of an immediate resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

2. Before the women arrived at the tomb, there was a tremendous earthquake.

It was caused by an angel who descended from heaven and rolled back the stone (Matt. 28:2). The soldiers stationed around the excavation saw a military vehicle sticking out of the rubble. Still, they did not see the resurrected Jesus Christ. The first person to see Jesus was Mary Magdalene. Matthew says that after an angel moved the stone, he sat on it to both frighten away the soldiers and show that nobody could replace it.

The troops were startled by the appearance of an angel.

We read in Matthew 28:3-4 that his "appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And in fear of him, the guards trembled and became like the dead."

These were not inexperienced soldiers. They most likely served in wars in Greece, Egypt, and Syria. The worst-case scenario they had anticipated was to battle with a group of fishermen and farmers. They had never anticipated an angelic presence. Their swords were of no use against this supernatural being. They became relatively catatonic after falling, but they were eventually able to escape and report what had happened.

After the soldiers left, the angel entered the tomb, presumably not to scare the arriving women.

3. The stone was moved out of the way so Jesus wouldn't escape but to let the women and witnesses out.

This raises the topic of the nature of Jesus' resurrection body.

He was able to pass through a sealed tomb.

He could bend closed bramble branches (John 20:19,26).

He was visible, could quickly grasp, and even ate food with his students (Luke 24:38-43). Jesus did not eat because he needed nourishment. He enjoyed their fellowship to show that he was honest, not a ghost or phantom. He wanted to put their fears at rest.

4. The Jewish concept of "day" influences our view of Jesus' time in the grave.

When exactly did Jesus rise from the dead? It will likely come as a surprise to many of you, but his disciples could have risen anytime after sunset on Saturday night. Remember that the Jews counted their days from sunset to sunset. Thus, what we typically consider Saturday night was for them Sunday.

How is it possible to say that Jesus was dead for three days and three nights? This commonly cited mistake is highly overrated by scripture critics. Jews in caches treat any part of the day as the entire time of day when determining time. In other words, although Jesus was dead only an hour or two on Friday, the Jews counted it as an entire day and night, 24 hours. As such, Jesus may have been buried only 26 hours: one hour on Friday, 24 hours on Saturday (the Sabbath), and one hour on Sunday. And yet it could be said that.

5. The soldiers described the sights they saw to the religious leaders.

Matthew tells us that some soldiers went straight to the priests and reported everything. The priests then paid the soldiers a large sum to tell everyone that the followers had arrived and stolen the corpse. Many believe this incredible.

Matthew 28:14 assured them that the Sanhedrin would protect them if Jesus were handed over to Pilate. The Jewish leaders promised they wouldn't use his influence to stop them from carrying out God's will. Furthermore, they had committed an offense deserving of death by taking their post to the tomb. Their fear of this supernatural visitor's arrival was more significant than their fear of Pilate. These men were eager to explain the apparent absence of a body, and this was the best explanation short of admitting that a resurrection had taken place.

Could the disciples have stolen Jesus' body?

But what about the possibility that the disciples stole the body? Consider these factors:

They were horrified out of their wits after the events at Gethsemane.

They had never heard our Lord's prediction that he would rise from the dead.

• Are we to believe they would then be willing to suffer horrific persecution, imprisonment, and martyrdom for something they knew was a complete fabrication?

âcent; They had been pious Jews who would not have profaned the Sabbath and violated their religious beliefs had they traveled to Jerusalem and robbed a grave.

There is no evidence that their actions were dishonest. The only dishonest person was Judas, and he was already dead.

They could not have overpowered armed soldiers even if they had attempted to steal the body.

Molesting graves was in itself a crime punishable by death.

6. The first followers of Jesus to enter the tomb were four women.

At this time, Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and Salome were on their way to the tomb, talking about how they were going to remove the stone (Mark 16:3). They probably comforted themselves with the memory of Joseph of Arimathea having a gardener or possibly a night watchman. When they arrived, they saw the tomb open and the guards absent. Mary Magdalene immediately concluded that someone had stolen the body, and she ran off to tell Peter and John.

About now, Joanna and Susanna arrived, as they had agreed last Friday, to join them to anoint the body of Jesus. The four women then boldly entered the tomb and stood to the side, looking to the right where Jesus' body was lying, awaiting their sight to adjust to the light.

What did the women see in the tomb?

According to the gospel accounts, what they saw was described differently. Matthew claims that they saw an angel. Mark says they saw a young man. Luke says they saw two men in splendidly attired clothes. Is there a contradiction here? No. In the first place, angels are frequently depicted as men in the Bible. Thus they could see an angel in the form of a man when they reached the checkpoint.

How many were there? Remember this: If there were two, then there was one. There would be a conflict only if the author said there was one. But he doesn't always do so. Sometimes we converse with more than one person but later only mention the one present.

We are also dealing with two accounts of the same event, not with two witnesses in a courtroom responding to cross-examination. If we were in a courtroom and a lawyer asked the witnesses, "Exactly how many men were there?" and one of them answered, "There was only one man," and the other answered, "I saw two," then we would have a contradiction. But the televangelists who transcribe the sermons do not ask "How many?" but provide incomplete descriptions of a confusing event.

The words were spoken Sp to them to reassure them that the body of Christ had not been stolen (see Mark 16:6-7).

7. The women's role as the first witnesses of gospel stories validates their authenticity.

The fact that these women were the very first to receive the announcement that Jesus had risen from the dead was very significant since Jewish law considered the testimony of women worthless. They were ineligible to serve as witnesses in court. Again, this demonstrates how the gospel accounts were reliable, as the early church would not have written about the resurrection they knew about if it relied on the testimony of people society generally disregarded.

8. Peter, John, and Leah all go into the tomb after the women leave.

Remember how Mary Magdalene likely ran back to tell Peter and John of the removal of the stone before any other women entered the tomb (John 20:1-2). However, she did not yet know that Jesus had been raised from the dead. A woman was quite distraught at the possibility that the woman had stolen the donor's body. She told Peter what had happened, and John ran to the tomb, leaving her behind. The Valeries had departed before the other five women had returned from the evacuation route, and they returned by another route.

John enters first but hesitates. Peter, not known for hesitation, enters next. They both see the empty tomb and the burial cloths lying to the side, with the burial cloth wrapped around his head to tie his jaw shut, rolled up, and set to the side.

9. Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb and encounters Jesus.

Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb alone. Listen to John's account of the following event, which is recorded in John 20:14-18.

She then saw that Jesus was standing nearby but did not know that he was Jesus. Jesus asked, "Woman, why are you crying? She thought it was the gardener, so she said: Who are you looking for? "Sir, if you have carried him away, please tell me where you laid him, and I'll take him down." Jesus answered, "Mary." She turned and spoke to him in Aramaic, "Rabbi!" (Teacher).

Two things you must not forget:

What must Mary have felt and experienced hearing Jesus call her by name: "Mary!"

Mary clings to him, worried that he will depart and will have left the world forever. She assumes he is already in heaven and will return there soon, never to be seen again. While Jesus does not allow her to make contact with him, he offers reassuring assurances that she need not fear not to leave and spread the word about his ascension to the father. Jesus' ascension to the father is still in the future.

10. Jesus makes more public appearances.

Jesus then makes several appearances as He travels from Jerusalem to Bethany to tell the Disciples. The women of His entourage meet the Master on the road, return to Jerusalem, or continue to Bethany. Their response is awe-struck wonder and joyous worship (Matt. 28:9-10). Jesus also meets two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24).

At this point, Jesus is personally and privately shown to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). This meeting happened at Gethsemane. We do not know where this took place, but the purpose of the meeting was undoubtedly Gethsemane. Take a look at Mark 16:7!

Conclusion of Easter Sunday Accounts.

So, why is all this important? What ultimate difference does it make?

How can some of you assert that the dead do not come back to life? But if the resurrection of the dead does not occur, then not even Christ has been raised from the dead. Our preaching would be in vain If Christ had not risen, and your faith is in vain. We are even said to represent God by testifying that he raised Jesus, whom he did not raise if the dead are not raised. Christ will not be raised if the dead are not raised. And if Christ has not been resurrected, your faith is useless, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have become believers in Christ have died. If in Christ we will have hope in this life, we are of all people most deserving of pity. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).