Many modern believers have sought to compile a harmony of the day of the resurrection, Jesus’ appearances, the women who came to the tomb, and where and about what time of day these things occurred. For example, it is implied that Matthew’s women told the disciples of Jesus’ resurrection, for not only had the angels told them, but Jesus appeared to them on their way (Matthew 28:5-11). Luke names some of the women, and definitely says they told the disciples, but no one believed them (Luke 24:4-11). However, Mark’s women, except for Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11), said nothing to no one (Mark 16:4-8). How do we account for such discrepancies?[1] When and where did Jesus appear to the women, and when was it that he appeared to the disciples? Who was there and who was not?
John is extremely brief in his description of the sepulcher. According to the text, Mary Magdalene came to the site of the tomb very early in the morning, when it was still dark on the west side, Jerusalem’s side of Mount Olives. When she set out on her journey, probably from Bethany, the eastern sky had just begun to lighten the dark horizon. To her surprise when she arrived at the site of the sepulcher, she saw that the stone had already been rolled away (John 20:1; cp. Mark 16:3). Nothing is recorded of angelic appearances at this time, because none of that occurred until after Mary left for Jerusalem to tell Jesus’ disciples what she thought she knew.
Therefore, having left the group of women who came with her at the gravesite Mary ran to tell Jesus’ disciples what she thought occurred. She found Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved and told them that the Jewish authorities had removed Jesus’ body from the tomb, and it wasn’t known where they had taken him (John 20:2).
Hearing the news, Peter and the other disciple ran to the place where they had buried Jesus. By this time, however the angels had appeared to the two groups of women and told them Jesus had arisen, but they had left the gravesite to alert Jesus’ disciples. Meanwhile, the other disciple arrived at the scene first and waited for Peter, but he did look into the cave and saw how the linen cloths were lying (John 20:3-5).
When Peter caught up, he went into the tomb first and took note of how the linen cloths were lying in one area, but the napkin that was placed upon Jesus’ face was folded up and lying in another area by itself (John 20:6-7). This seems significant, because the napkin was placed upon Jesus’ face, and then he was wrapped with the linen cloths. Yet, when the two disciples entered the tomb, the linen cloths, still lying as though they wrapped something, were in one area of the tomb, but the napkin wasn’t inside the wrappings, but lay folded in an area by itself. In other words, when Jesus arose, he passed through the linen wrappings, and as he did, he took the napkin with him! This is the only explanation that agrees with what the disciples saw when they entered the tomb.
Then the other disciple went in and saw the same things Peter saw, and believed (John 20:8), but what did he believe? Consider the fact that the very next verse (John 20:9) says they didn’t yet know the scripture that shows Jesus would rise from the dead! Therefore, he couldn’t have believed in Jesus’ resurrection. The only possibility that fits the context is, he believed what Mary told them, that the authorities had stolen Jesus’ body. Finally, the disciples left the tomb and returned to where they were lodging (John 20:10).
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[1] In my study of the Gospel of Luke which I published in 2016-2018, I presented 4 studies that speak to the problems in harmonizing what occurred on the day Jesus rose from the dead. They are: Jesus’ Post Resurrection Appearances; How Many Came to Anoint Jesus’ Body; Why Were the Women Afraid; and A Hidden Highlight in Jesus’ Appearances. More studies followed this in my own effort to harmonize the events of the day, but these four involve the women who came to the tomb.
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