For a printer friendly copy click resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus Christ as narrated in the four gospel accounts in the Bible represents a key belief of Christians. Christians believe Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead. Jesus was crucified by Roman soldiers on a cross between two thieves. After he died, Roman soldiers thrust a spear into his side to ensure he was dead. The upward spear thrust penetrated his heart. Jesus was taken down from the cross, wrapped in burial clothes, and placed in an empty tomb. A heavy stone was rolled in place to close the entrance. The tomb was then sealed and Roman soldiers were assigned to prevent it from being disturbed. Three days later Jesus arose from the dead, left the tomb, and was seen by many people in subsequent weeks. Christians celebrate Easter in memory of Christ's resurrection.
If Jesus did not resurrect, then he was simply a man. As many other famous men in history, he overcame his humble beginnings through natural talent, ambition, and hard work. He achieved prominence as a leader, attracted a following of dedicated supporters, and then died the same as any other man. Although a significant prophet, a healer, a miracle worker, a great teacher, a compassionate person, a defender of the downtrodden, a moral individual, and one unjustly crucified; nevertheless, he died, was buried, remained in the grave, and his body decomposed. He was unable to escape death and decay.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ represents the cornerstone of the Christian faith and puts the final stamp of approval on Jesus' life and ministry as being born of a virgin, a fulfiller of messianic prophecy, a sinless individual, a perfect sacrifice, and the son of God. The resurrection authenticates Jesus' claims that "I and my father are one" (John 10:30). Jesus' resurrection validates the Apostle John's statement, "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 20:31). Eyewitness testimony of events on the day Jesus resurrected, recorded in the four Gospels, clearly shows the historical fact of this miracle; however, a perceived lack of harmony raises some problems. As Christian's we must address those problems and defend the resurrection against those who deny it.
According to skeptics and critics, the four Gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus Christ contain contradictions and errors. They lack harmony and cannot be reconciled. One skeptic says, "The Gospel accounts of the risen Jesus are discordant and contradictory,"1 while another states, "When we examine the resurrection narratives, it is obvious that they cannot be reconciled."2 Michael L. Martin, philosophy professor and atheist says, "In sum, the accounts of what happened at the tomb are either inconsistent or can only be made consistent with the aid of implausible interpretations."3 Thomas Sheehan, professor of religious studies and a disbeliever in the resurrection says, "The differing narratives of Easter in the later Gospels cannot be harmonized to produce a consistent story, without doing violence to the accounts both individually and as an ensemble. The various Easter narratives contradict one another egregiously."4 Dan Barker, preacher turned atheist and co-president of Freedom from Religion says, "The story of the resurrection of Jesus, told by at least five different writers, is hopelessly irreconcilable."5 Barker challenges believers to provide a simple non-contradictory chronological narrative of the resurrection and ascension without omitting a single biblical detail.6
In responding to critics of Jesus' resurrection, we should realize that a satisfactory answer is most likely unachievable. When the Gospels harmonize perfectly, critics accuse the writers of conspiring and simply copying one another. When the Gospels differ, critics say they are contradictory and false. Regardless of what scripture says, critics appear incapable of being satisfied.
However, some criticism of Jesus' resurrection is justified since popular Christian writers have not fully harmonized the four Gospel accounts. Several issues make harmonization difficult. This does not mean the Gospel accounts of Jesus' resurrection are in error, but only that they are difficult to harmonize. Essentially all attempts at harmonization ignore specific verses, fail to give a coherent timeline of events, add events not in scripture, or rely on significant speculation.
A careful analysis of popular books about the life of Jesus and his resurrection subtly illustrate the problem of harmonization. Josh McDowell in his two books Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter presents a convincing apologetic in support of the resurrection, but does not give a harmony of events in a coherent timeline using all relevant verses. Lee Strobel in The Case for Christ defends the resurrection, but does not give a harmony of all pertinent verses in a chronological order. Both A. T. Robertson in A Harmony of the Gospels and Craig Blomberg in Jesus and the Gospels fall short of harmonizing the resurrection of Jesus found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.7, 8 Gary Habermas and Michael Licona in The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus acknowledge the harmony problem, but offer no solution.9 John Wenham in Easter Enigma gives a brief harmony of the resurrection, but leaves several issues unresolved. Likewise, articles found on several apologetic Internet sites10, 11, 12, 13 fail to harmonize all verses applicable to the resurrection in a simple timeline.
The writers of the four Gospels relied on their personal account of events, in addition to the testimony of other eyewitnesses. Matthew and John were apostles (among the chosen twelve) while Mark was probably a young disciple. All three were intimately familiar with Jesus' betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection. John is specifically mentioned as being at Christ's crucifixion. Matthew, Mark, and John undoubtedly saw Jesus after his resurrection. All four writers of the Gospels, to one extent or another, rely on eyewitness testimony of the resurrection given by Peter, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, at least one Roman soldier, and Cleopas. Additional possible sources include the other apostles, Mary the sister of Lazarus, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary the mother of Jesus.
Incomplete accounts of eyewitness testimony cause some difficulty in harmonizing the resurrection. Witnesses of Jesus' resurrection told what they remembered or felt was significant from their perspective. For example, the account found in John 20:1-18 is clearly from the viewpoint of Mary Magdalene. Mary told John her personal account of events.
Witnesses often left out details they considered unimportant. Leaving out information in a historical account is not wrong; however, it can contribute to the perception that harmony is unachievable. For example, when identifying the women who went to the tomb John mentions Mary Magdalene, Matthew mentions Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, while Mark lists Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. None of the three accounts are wrong; however, none give a complete list of all the women who went to the tomb.
The Bible says that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection; however, harmony of this statement within the Gospels is somewhat difficult to achieve. An explanation developed by Harvard Law Professor Simon Greenleaf in The Testimony of the Evangelists Examined by the Rules of Evidence Administrated in Courts of Justice published in 1874 illustrates the problem. Greenleaf's harmony has the resurrected Jesus appearing first to the women who went to the tomb (Matthew 28:8-10) before appearing to Mary Magdalene. However, Mark 16:9 clearly states that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene. For Jesus to appear first to Mary Magdalene, she must be separated from the other women at the tomb. This permits Mary Magdalene to see Jesus first, followed by the other women.
The Gospels of John and Luke describe when Peter visits the empty tomb, and a harmony of the two accounts is easily achieved with careful analysis. Greenleaf has Peter making one visit to the tomb; however, the most plausible explanation is that Peter made two visits. In the first visit (John 20:2-5), Peter and John go to the tomb when summoned by Mary Magdalene. In the second visit (Luke 24:10-12), Peter goes to the tomb alone when Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women return from the tomb and tell the eleven apostles (which includes Peter) about seeing the resurrected Jesus. The second visit gives a plausible time for Jesus to reveal himself to Simon Peter, apart from the other apostles, as mentioned in Luke 24:34 and 1 Corinthians 15:5. A second visit by Peter easily harmonizes the timeline of events in Luke and John.
Breaks in the timeline of events are a difficult problem to resolve when harmonizing events in the four Gospel accounts of the resurrection. Sometimes action occurs, time progresses, or the scene changes without being clarified in the narrative, an issue common throughout the four Gospels, but of critical importance in the resurrection story. For example, Matthew 28:4-5 represents a major timeline break where significant action occurs between the two verses. Matthew does not mention John's account of Mary Magdalene running to get Peter and John, their race to the tomb, its subsequent examination, and their departure. Nor does he mention Mary looking into the tomb, seeing two angels, leaving the tomb entrance, and her subsequent encounter with the resurrected Jesus in the garden. Mark 16:4-5 and Luke 24:3-4 are timeline discontinuities for the same information.
All four Gospels combined give the most complete story about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The following twenty-two step harmony of the resurrection flows in a coherent timeline based upon: (1) All events within each Gospel account occur in a chronological order. (2) Information from one Gospel can be used to fill in omissions in another. (3) Each Gospel account is accurate in regard to the details mentioned.
In the following harmonization, all verses are accounted for in Matthew 28:1-15, Mark 16:1-13, Luke 24:1-43, and John 20:1-25 that describe events on the day Jesus resurrected. Conjecture about events not specifically mentioned in scripture are kept to an absolute minimum. The language of the New King James Version is used.
1. The resurrection of Jesus took place on the first day of the week following the Sabbath. The day of Christ's resurrection is described in the four Gospels as:
2. The time of day when the women went to the tomb is described as:
Harmony among the four Gospels is relatively easy to achieve in regard to the time of day the women went to the tomb. The women left their homes while it was dark; however, by the time they walked to the appointed meeting place, waited for everyone to assemble, traveled the remaining distance, and arrived at the tomb the sun had begun to show above the horizon. The time from dark to sunrise is around forty minutes depending on cloud cover and the phase of the moon. Some of the women may have walked the two-mile distance from Bethany, which would have taken at least thirty minutes.14 We should keep in mind that any meeting time selected by the women was only approximate since accurate time was not kept in the typical household. Waiting for the group to assemble, including the inevitable straggler, could have easily consumed twenty minutes or more. The total time for the entire process probably exceeded one hour.
The Greek word erchomai is typically translated "come, came or went" in the four Gospel accounts to describe the women "coming" to the tomb. Erchomai means "to come" or "to come from one place to another."15 Coming to the tomb involved leaving home, walking a distance, meeting at a specific location and approximate time, walking another distance, and arriving at the tomb. The entire "coming process began when it was dark and ended after sunrise.
3. Harmony of the four Gospel accounts about the identity of the women who went to the tomb can easily be achieved. A group of women walk to the tomb where Jesus is buried, having plans to anoint His body with spices. Individuals in the group are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, Salome, Joanna, and other women (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10, John 20:1). We can conclude the group was comprised of at least six women and probably more.
Matthew 27:55-56 and Luke 23:49 mention that a group of women followed Jesus from Galilee and were witnesses of His crucifixion. Matthew 27:61 and Luke 23:55-56 point out that the same group of women followed Jesus' funeral procession and observed where He was buried. Some sat by His tomb. These women then prepared spices and fragrant oils to anoint His body as soon as the mandatory Sabbath rest was past. Six names associated with this group of Galilean women are mentioned in Matthew 27:56, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10, and John 19:25. They include Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Joanna, and Salome (wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John). Mary the sister of Lazarus may have also been in the group.
4. Sometime prior to the women arriving at Jesus' tomb, an earthquake occurs. An angel of the Lord descends from heaven and rolls away the large stone from the door. The angel sits on the stone to prevent it from being rolled back in place, dominating any course of action the soldiers might consider. The angel has a countenance like lightning and is clothed with raiment as white as snow. The angel's appearance is so frightful that the guards shake and become unconscious (Matthew 28:2-4).
5. As the women approach the tomb, they discuss among themselves who will roll the stone away from the tomb entrance (Mark 16:3).
6. When the women arrive at the tomb, the stone has been rolled away (Mark 16:4, Luke 24:2, John 20:1). The angel sitting on the stone has disappeared, the guards have regained consciousness and left, and the tomb site is deserted.
7. The women enter the tomb and see that Jesus' body is missing (Luke 24:3). A harmony of events is relatively easy up to this point in the resurrection narrative.
8. Mary Magdalene leaves the other women at the tomb and runs to get Peter and John (the disciple whom Jesus loved). She tells them that Jesus' body has been taken from the tomb (John 20:2).
When John 20:2 and 20:18 are accepted as two separate events, harmony is easily achieved. John 20:2 records the first event when Mary Magdalene summons Peter and John. All three return to the tomb. John 20:18, Mark 16:10, and Luke 24:9-10 record the second event when all the women return from the tomb and tell the eleven apostles of their experiences. In Luke 24:12 Peter alone returns to the tomb.
9. Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene return to the tomb. John outruns Peter to reach the sepulcher first but remains outside. Peter arrives and immediately enters. They both verify that Jesus' body is missing and see the linen clothes with the head covering lying by itself (John 20:3-9). The visit to the tomb by Peter and John mentioned in John 20:3-9 is a completely separate event from the second solo visit by Peter mentioned in Luke 24:12.
10. The disciples, Peter and John, leave the tomb and return to their homes (John 20:10). As typical men, they have completed their investigation, reached a conclusion, and see no need to linger. All the women remain behind at the tomb. Originally, the women had planned to anoint the body of Jesus with spices, a task requiring some time. Having no body to anoint, the grieving women stand outside the tomb and discuss the disappearance of the body, being perplexed by its absence.
11. A weeping Mary Magdalene walks to the tomb entrance, stoops down, and looks inside. She sees two angels dressed in white, one at the head and one at the foot where Jesus' body had lain. The angel asks "Woman, why are you weeping?" Mary replies, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him" (John 20:11-13). The angels appear as men. At this point, Mary believes someone has stolen the body of Jesus.
12. To achieve a harmony of the Gospels, Mary Magdalene must be separated from the other women. Mary Magdalene turns and walks away from the tomb. In the distance, she sees a male figure walking in the garden. Desperate to find where Jesus' body has been taken, she walks toward the unknown man, believing Him to be the gardener, and perhaps responsible for the missing corpse. She separates herself from the other women, leaving them at the tomb. Jesus sees Mary in the distance coming in His direction, perhaps looking behind bushes for the missing body. He loudly calls out, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Still not close enough to recognize Jesus, Mary calls in reply, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him." After this short exchange, Mary resumes her search of the garden. As she draws closer, Jesus speaks her name in a normal tone of voice. At that point Mary recognizes Jesus, turns directly toward Him and calls out, "Rabboni" (John 20:14-17). Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus following His resurrection (Mark 16:9). Three arguments support this explanation.
English translations do not do justice to the language used to describe Mary's actions at the tomb in John 20:14. The NKJV says, "She turned around," while the KJV is rendered, "She turned herself back." We typically interpret this passage to mean that she turned her head around and saw Jesus. A literal translation from the Greek says, "She turned to the back." The two Greek words eis and opiso used in this verse provide a key to its understanding. Eis and opiso are used together in Matthew 13:16, Luke 9:62, Luke 17:31, John 6:66, and John 18:6 to denote significant action in reversing one's course, either spiritually or physically. Based on the language, we can say that Mary "turned back" or "turned and walked away" from the tomb.
According to John 1:41, Jesus was buried near where He was crucified (Golgotha) in a tomb located within a garden. The Garden Tomb (also known as Gordon's Calvary) is one site proposed as the burial place of Jesus. In 1883, Charles G. Gordon found a rocky escarpment which from several angles resembled the face of a skull. Gordon concluded that the rocky escarpment was probably Golgotha where Jesus was crucified. Nearby were located a number of tombs, one of which was surrounded by a garden. This tomb, which has become known as the Garden Tomb, contains an ancient wine press and a large cistern where gardeners stored and drew water for their plants. While the Garden Tomb is probably not the burial place of Christ (the site of Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the most authentic location), it supports scripture by serving as a historical example of a tomb located within a garden.
When considering the surrounding garden, Mary's logic in leaving the tomb to look for the body of Jesus is readily apparent. We can surmise that herbs, grapes, figs, and olives were grown in the garden. All of these provided cover where the corpse could have been hidden. Mary thought Jesus' body had been stolen, and left the tomb to search among the surrounding vines, bushes, and trees.
13. After Mary Magdalene leaves the tomb to search the garden, two angels appear to the remaining women standing outside the tomb entrance. The women are frightened and bow their faces to the earth. The angels tell the women not to fear and announce that Jesus is resurrected (Matthew 28:5-7, Luke 24:4-8).
14. The women enter Jesus' tomb and find a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side. He shows them where the body had lain and again announces that Jesus is resurrected (Mark 16:5-6). As pointed out by Matthew, the women enter the tomb at the angel's invitation (Matthew 28:6). The young man is one of the two angels previously observed by Mary (John 20:12). According to the women's testimony, the angels outside the tomb had a powerful angelic appearance while those inside appeared as normal men clothed in white.
15. Angels command the women to tell the disciples that Jesus is resurrected. The women exit the tomb in fear and great joy, and run to tell the disciples (Matthew 28:7-8, Mark 16:7-8).
16. As the women leave the tomb they are hailed by Jesus, who has been talking with Mary Magdalene in the garden. The women bow down, hold His feet, and worship Him. Jesus instructs the women to tell His brethren they will see Him again (Matthew 28:9-10).
17. Concurrent with the women's visit to the tomb and subsequent events, some of the guards assigned to secure the tomb enter the city (Matthew 28:11-15). Since Pilate approved placing the guards at the tomb, they were no doubt Roman soldiers rather than Jewish temple police (Matthew 27:62-65). Reporting back to Pilate raised several difficulties. To admit incompetence by losing Jesus' body, combined with an unbelievable story of a shining angel who rolled away the stone covering the tomb, was not a viable option. As Dr. Peter May says, "It could well have cost them their lives."16 Seeking a more sympathetic ear, the soldiers go to the chief priests and tell of their terrifying experience. The chief priests consult with the elders and determine a course of action. They give the soldiers a large sum of money and promise to intervene with the governor if necessary to protect them. In turn the soldiers are instructed to say that Jesus' body was stolen by His disciples at night while they slept.
18. Harmony is easily achieved between Mark, Luke, and John about the women's return from the tomb. Being afraid, the women do not speak to anyone on their return journey (Mark 16:8). Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, and other women in their group go straight to the apostles and tell of seeing angels and the resurrected Jesus (Mark 16:10, Luke 24:9-10, John 20:18). This is separate from the event described in John 20:2, which involves Mary Magdalene alone.
19. The women's words are as idle tales and not believed (Mark 16:11, Luke 24:11). After all, Peter and John had earlier witnessed the empty tomb—not angels and a resurrected Jesus. Rejection of the women's testimony is plausible in view of the fact that in first century Jewish culture women were considered inferior witnesses, not as dependable as men.
20. A second visit to the tomb by Peter is the easiest and most logical way to achieve harmony among the Gospel accounts. Peter, one of the apostles present, hears the women's story. Characteristically an action driven person, he runs back to the tomb for a second look by himself. He reexamines the empty tomb and sees the linen clothes lying as originally observed (Luke 24:12). As Simon Peter leaves the tomb, he encounters the risen Christ in the garden (Luke 24:34). In 1 Corinthians 15:5, the Apostle Paul says that Cephas (Peter) saw Jesus before the twelve. We can logically conclude that Peter saw the resurrected Jesus during his solo trip to the tomb.
21. Later in the day, Jesus appears to Cleopas and another disciple as they walk to Emmaus, located about seven miles from Jerusalem (Mark 16:12-13, Luke 24:13-32). The two disciples discuss the women's report of an empty tomb, their encounter with angels, and verification of the empty tomb by Peter and John (Luke 24:23-24). However, the two disciples have no knowledge of Peter's second trip to the tomb. The two return to Jerusalem and report to the eleven. They discover that Simon Peter has seen the resurrected Jesus, presumably during his second trip to the tomb (Luke 24:33-35).
22. The eleven apostles and other disciples (Luke 24:33) gather together in a locked room on the resurrection night in fear of the Jews. As Cleopas and the other disciple tell their story, Jesus appears and shows them His hands and feet and side. Jesus then asks for food and eats to verify that He is flesh and bones (Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-25). Thomas is absent when Jesus appears, perhaps having temporarily stepped out (John 20:24).
Deciding when events on the resurrection day end, and subsequent action begins, illustrates the issue of timeline discontinuities related to a harmony of resurrection events. The resurrection account is one of many instances in the four Gospels when action occurs, time progresses, or the scene changes without being clarified in the narrative. Events on the resurrection day can be ended as follows:
Matthew's narrative of events on the resurrection day can be stopped at Matthew 28:15. As described in Matthew 28:16-17, the disciples later travel to a mountain in Galilee where they meet the resurrected Jesus, an event geographically related to Christ's appearance at the Sea of Galilee described in John 21:1-19. The Sea of Galilee appearance probably took place near Capernaum, the home of Peter, a straight-line distance of approximately 80 miles from Jerusalem.
Mark's account of the resurrection day can be terminated at Mark 16:13. Jesus' appearance to the eleven in Mark 16:14 easily corresponds to John 20:26-29, eight days after His resurrection.
Luke's description of the resurrection day can be halted at Luke 24:43. Verses that follow can be ascribed to events immediately prior to Jesus' ascension described in Acts 1:2-12, forty days after His resurrection.
The Apostle John clearly defines an end to the resurrection day events in John 20:25. After the first appearance, Jesus appears a second time eight days later in the same room, this time with Thomas present.
Jesus made a number of appearances after His resurrection. According to Acts 1:3, Jesus remained on earth for forty days following His resurrection before he ascended into heaven. The following scriptures describe at least nine separate occurrences where Jesus appeared following his resurrection.
One prevalent theme in the Gospel narratives is the initial skepticism of the witnesses about Jesus' resurrection. On the first day of the week, the women are perplexed when they find the stone rolled away and an empty tomb. There is no rush to conclude that Jesus is resurrected (Luke 24:4). When Peter and John see the empty tomb, they do not connect it with Jesus' teaching about His resurrection (John 20:8-9). Rather than being resurrected, Mary Magdalene is convinced that someone has stolen the body of Jesus (John 20:13-15). The apostles do not believe the women's testimony about seeing the risen Jesus (Luke 24:11 and Mark 16:11). The two disciples traveling to Emmaus are sad because Jesus has been crucified, His body is missing, and their hope in Him as the redeemer of Israel is lost (Luke 24:17-24). When the two Emmaus disciples tell of seeing the resurrected Jesus, they are not believed (Mark 16:12-13). When Jesus appears to the apostles on the resurrection night, they think He is a spirit rather than a flesh and bone physical body (Luke 24:37-43). Being absent at the time, Thomas rejects the testimony of the ten apostles and others present (John 20:24-25).
The clear testimony we have in the Gospels is that the witnesses were not gullible followers wanting to believe their teacher had come back to life. They were not zealots, bent on creating a resurrection myth. Most, if not all, of Jesus' disciples initially dismissed any thought of His resurrection and rejected claims to that effect; however, they were later convinced through personal contact He was alive. The apostles became changed men. Rather than being deniers and deserters as they were before the crucifixion, they now proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. Because of the resurrection, the apostles were so convinced of His message that most died for their beliefs. Their changed behavior is additional testimony to the truth of the resurrection.
The four Gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus can be logically harmonized with very little conjecture. Within each Gospel, all resurrection events occur in a simple, coherent timeline. The integration of four different accounts, based on multiple eyewitnesses, by four different writers, without collusion or coaching, adds enormous credibility to the resurrection story. The combined Gospels are an accurate historical record of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
To view this article in a PDF format which contains all of the above text and a timeline table of all applicable verses click resurrection.
References:
1. Borchanda, Jerry Wayne (1982). Review of The Resurrection Factor by Josh McDowell (originally published in the July/August 1982 issue of The American Rationalist). Retrieved on February 10, 2010 from http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jerry_borchandt/factor.html
2. van den Heuvel, Curt (1997). The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Retrieved on February 10, 2010 from http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/bible/ressur.shtml
3. Martin, Michael (1991). The Case Against Christianity. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. p81.
4. Scott, Bernard B., ed. (2008). Chapter Six by Thomas Sheehan, The Resurrection of Jesus. Santa Rosa, CA: PoleBridge Press. p100.
5. Barker, Dan (2008). Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists. Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press. p116.
6. Ibid, p290.
7. Robertson, A. T. (1922). A Harmony of the Gospels. New York, NY: Harper & Row Publishers inc. pp240-244.
8. Blomberg, Craig L. (2009). Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey, 2nd ed. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic. p413.
9. Habermas, Gary R. and Michael R. Licona (2004). The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal Publications. p122.
10. Wilson, Ralph F. (2010). A Possible Harmonization of the Resurrection Accounts. Retrieved on June 18, 2010 from http://www.jesuswalk.com/resurrection/resurrection-harmonization.htm
11. Wagner, Cart (2010). Putting the Gospel Accounts of The Resurrection in Order. Retrieved on June 18, 2010 from http://www.resurrection.azprophecy.com/harmonizing-the-gospel-accounts.php
12. Rubrico, Ildefonso (2010) Harmonizing the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection. Retrieved on June 18, 2010 from http://biblical-perspectives.org/blog/2007/09/harmonizing-the-gospel-accounts-of-jesus-resurrection/
13. Houdmann, S. Michael (2010). Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized? Retrieved on June 18, 2010 from http://www.gotquestions.org/resurrection-accounts.html
14. Wenham, John (1984). Easter Enigma. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. p82.
15. Thayer, Joseph Henry (1885). The Greek word erchomai, Strong's 2064. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 15th printing, 1974. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. p250.
16. May, Peter (2010). Resurrection + Miracles. Retrieved on June 22, 2010 from http://www.bethinking.org/resurrection-miracles/intermediate/the-resurrection-of-christ-in-matthews-gospel