Lesson 4582

 (Lesson 4582)(08-20-24) John 20:1-10 

   “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. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.” 

 In today’s quote, Mary Magdalene visited Jesus' tomb early on the first day of the week and found the stone rolled away from the entrance. She ran to tell Peter and the other disciple (John), saying that Jesus' body has been taken. Peter and John then ran to the tomb, with John arriving first but not entering. When Peter arrived, he went inside and saw the linen cloths lying there and the cloth that had covered Jesus' head folded separately. John then entered, seeing the same, and believed. However, they did not yet understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. The disciples then returned to their homes. 

There is several differences in the Narrative Between the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) concerning the day of Jesus resurrection that should be explained. I will attempt to do that here: 

 1. Who Visited the Tomb: In John, only Mary Magdalene is mentioned as visiting the tomb initially. - In Matthew, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" visit the tomb. - In Mark, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome visit the tomb. - In Luke, several women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, visit the tomb. 

2. The Timing of the Visit - John mentioned Mary Magdalene arriving "while it was still dark." - Matthew describes the visit "as the day began to dawn." - Mark mentioned "very early in the morning." - Luke said "early in the morning." 

 3. What They Found: John focused on Mary Magdalene finding the stone rolled away and running to tell Peter and John. - In the other Gospels, the women find the stone rolled away and encounter an angel or angels (one in Matthew and Mark, two in Luke) who tell them that Jesus has risen. 

 4. The Response of the Disciples: In John, only Peter and John go to the tomb after hearing from Mary Magdalene. - In Luke, Peter runs to the tomb, but there is no mention of John. - In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), the disciples generally remain in a state of disbelief or confusion until they see the risen Jesus. 

 Explanation of the Conflicts: These variations can be understood as differences in perspective and emphasis by the Gospel writers, each addressing different audiences and theological points. The core message—that Jesus rose from the dead and was first discovered by His followers—is consistent across all four accounts. The differences in detail may reflect the distinct sources and traditions that the Gospel writers drew upon, or they may highlight different aspects of the resurrection narrative that each writer wanted to emphasize. Some scholars and theologians argue that these differences do not undermine the essential truth of the resurrection but rather enrich the narrative by providing multiple angles on the same event. Others suggest that the Gospel writers intentionally included different details to convey theological messages specific to their communities. In any case, the resurrection remains a central tenet of Christian faith, with the variations in the Gospel accounts offering a fuller, more nuanced picture of the event. THANK GOD OUR SAVIOR AROSE FROM THE DEAD! “HE IS RISEN”!