Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead,
  how say some among you that there is no resurrection of
the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead,
  then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14

The resurrection of Jesus following his death on the cross ranks as the most important element of the entire Christian belief system because, as stated by the apostle Paul, without it all else is meaningless. Therefore it is quite legitimate to ask, "Can the resurrection be shown to be a true historical event"? In an attempt to answer this important question the resurrection accounts recorded in each of the four canonical gospels as well as that of Paul are herein compared and analyzed for the purpose of judging their historical credibility, and determining the validity or lack thereof of this most important claim. In so doing it should be noted that as arranged in the New Testament the gospels are out of chronological order. Most Bible scholars agree that the Gospel of Mark is the oldest, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were written after Mark, with John being the most recent gospel2. They are here considered in that order followed by the account in  Acts of the Apostles. However, the earliest extant Christian writings are the authentic letters of the self appointed apostle Paul. So, let us begin there.

The Apostle Paul’s brief rendition of the resurrection appears in I Corinthians 15:3-8 which reads: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. This brief account stands as the earliest extant reference to a resurrection tradition, and is, in fact, the only account the Christian Church had until the early seventies when Mark was written. But there are big problems. First, Paul's reference to  scripture is puzzling since no one has yet been able to locate it. Second, "the twelve" apparently refers to the disciples. Here Paul, a contemporary of Jesus, shows no awareness of Judas Iscariot and the events associated with his alleged betrayal of Jesus and his death as recorded in Matthew 27:5. For more information on this question see "Judas vs Peter" on this web site. Also contradicted are Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:33 where it state that following his resurrection Jesus appeared to "the eleven". So, was it eleven or was it twelve? Third, Paul never mentions Mary Magdalene who, according to Mark (long ending) and John was the first to encounter the resurrected Jesus. Fourth, who were the "more than five hundred"? They are never identified nor is there any mention of them anywhere in the gospels. So what it comes down to is that it’s Paul’s word, and his alone.

The New Testament gospels never reveal exactly when, or under what circumstances, the actual resuscitation of the dead Jesus occurred3. We can only surmise that it took place sometime after the burial late Friday afternoon (Thursday according to the Gospel of John) and the following Sunday morning when the empty tomb was discovered. So it opens not with the actual resurrection, as one would expect, but at the tomb early on that fateful Sunday morning.

In Mark 15:46 we are told that Joseph of Arimathea had the stone place at the tomb's entrance. Matthew agrees with Mark here but adds (27:66) that Roman guards later came and sealed the stone to make doubly sure no one stole the body. Luke 24:2 acknowledges that the tomb entrance was blocked "by a large stone" but never tells us how it got there. Like Luke, John agrees that there was a large stone blocking the tomb's entrance (20:1) but does not say who put it there nor do either Mark, Luke or John mention any guards. However, all four gospels agree that there were women at the tomb. Who were they and how many?

According to Mark 16:1 three women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, arrived at the tomb early on the first day of the week when the sun had risen. But Matthew 28:1 says that only two women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, arrived at the tomb at dawn. Luke 24:1-10 agrees with Mark and Matthew that the women arrived at the tomb at dawn but disagrees with them as to who they were. Luke identifies the women as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other (unidentified) women. Luke never tells exactly how many there were. The Gospel of John tells a totally different story. In John 20:1 we are told that only one woman, Mary Magdalene, came to the tomb and she arrived while it was still dark. Except for Mary Magdalene there is no agreement among the gospels as to how many women were there or who they were. Was it daylight or was it still dark when they arrived? Also, exactly who rolled away the large stone blocking the entrance to the tomb? These are legitimate questions for which there are no acceptable answers.

In Mark 16:4 we are told that when the women arrived at the tomb the large stone had already been rolled away. Just how and by whom it was rolled away is never revealed. But in Matthew 28:2 we learn that as the women stood there a great earthquake occurred and an angel descended from heaven and proceeded to roll away the stone as they watched. Luke 24:3 and John 20:1 both agree with Mark that the stone had already been rolled away when the women arrived. Except for Matthew's fanciful story, how the large stone got rolled away is never revealed. What happened next?

Mark 16:5-8 says that when the women entered the tomb they saw a young man clothed in a long white garment. He told them not to be afraid. He said to them, "Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. There will ye see him, just as he told you". The presumption is that the disciples are still in Jerusalem. Galilee is approximately 94-miles away which in those days meant a 7 to 10 day’s journey by foot. Even if they made this journey in the minimum time of seven days, it would still put the appearance well outside the three-day time frame that was promised. Also, the purpose of the meeting in Galilee is to commission the disciples to go spread the word, not to convince them of his resurrection. Couldn’t Jesus have done that just as well in Jerusalem? But according to the writer of Mark's short ending (16:8) the women then fled from the tomb in fear and amazement saying nothing to anyone thereby disobeying the angel's order.

Verse eight of chapter sixteen is recognized by most Bible scholars as the end of the Gospel of Mark as originally written with verses nine through twenty being a later addition. In the original there is no mention of the resurrected Jesus having appeared to anyone. Surely had there been any reports of a resurrection circulation in Mark's time, he would have mentioned them. In view, therefore, of this disappointing ending, later Christian scribes were compelled to expand Mark. Therefore, Mark 16:9-20, the stands as a recognized forgery4.

Mark 16:9-20, called the "long ending5," contains several very interesting innovations along with some significant contradictions. First, we are told in verse nine that the resurrected Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene thereby contradicting the short ending in which there is no record of anyone having seen him. Also, there is no mention in the long ending of the other women only of Mary Magdalene. In Matthew 28:9 the resurrected Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as they were departing from the tomb thus contradicting both the short and long endings of Mark. According to Luke 24:31 the resurrected Jesus first appeared not to Mary Magdalene, as in Mark's long ending and in Matthew and John, but to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-16). In John 20:14 the resurrected Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene who was the only one there at the time, and she at first mistook him for the gardener. In Mark's short ending the women fled from the tomb in terror and amazement and said nothing about it to anyone. But, in the long ending, as well as in Matthew and John, Mary Magdalene went straight way and told the disciples. So, there is wide disagreement here. It's enough to make one wonder if the gospel writers weren't  referring to different people in an altogether different situation.

Mark 16:10-11 says that when Mary Magdalene informed the disciples of the resurrected Jesus they refused to believe her. Jesus next appeared "in another form" to two of the disciples as they walked in the country (suspiciously reminiscent of Luke 24:13-16). They went back to inform the others but were not believed. Later Jesus appeared to the disciples and upbraided them for their lack of belief which he had every right to do. He then instructed them to, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature". Jesus went on to say, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; They shall speak with new tongues; 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". Here it should be noted that these astounding pronouncements appear no where else in the New Testament. The long ending of Mark concludes with Jesus being levitated bodily up into heaven.

In Matthew 27:62-66 we learn that a detachment of guards was posted at Jesus' tomb to make sure his body was not stolen by the disciples. The guards proceeded to seal the large stone placed there earlier by Joseph of Arimathea (v 66). When the women arrived there early Sunday morning the stone was still in place blocking the tomb's entrance. Then suddenly there was a "great earthquake" and an angel appeared. Apparently the guards saw the angel (28:4) but were placed in a deep hypnotic trance as the angel descended and rolled away the large stone. Although the guards saw and heard nothing after that, they must have been there when the actual resurrection occurred. In Matthew 28:11-15 we are told how the guards were bribed by the Jewish officials to report to Pilate that, "His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept". This element of Matthew's resurrection story does not make sense for the following reasons. First, tomb guards are not mentioned in any of the other gospels. Second, they were not posted until the day following the crucifixion so the body could have been stolen on the first night. Third, for a military guard to be caught asleep while on duty meant summary execution. Fourth, they well might have served as eyewitnesses to the resurrection thereby confirming it had it actually occurred. The guard story is shown to be an obvious hoax.

In Matthew 28:10 it is Jesus himself, not an unidentified young man, who orders the women to go inform the disciples of his resurrection and to meet him in Galilee which they did. There Jesus instructed them to, "Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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". The Gospel of Matthew ends there with no account of Jesus mysteriously levitating up into the clouds of Heaven as does Mark. What does Luke have to say about this?

In Luke 24:16 the author says that two disciples whom the resurrected Jesus first encountered on the road to Emmaus did not at first recognize him. Jesus, feigning ignorance, asked them what they were talking about. They were utterly amazed that he had not heard the news of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus since everybody in Jerusalem was talking about it. Still unaware of who he was, the disciples told him that they had heard rumors that Jesus was alive. Changing the subject rather abruptly, Jesus proceeded to explain to them that all of the (Old Testament) prophecies were referring to him and him alone. Later that same day, when they sat down to eat, the two disciples recognized Jesus whereupon he suddenly vanished. The two disciples returned to Jerusalem and while they were telling the other disciple what had happened out of the blue Jesus suddenly appeared among them. There is nothing in Mark, Matthew or John remotely like this.

In Luke 24:44-53 Jesus gives his final instructions to the disciples. As in Mark and Matthew he tells them to go forth and spread the word. However, he adds that they are to remain in Jerusalem until they have been "invested with power from on high". We are never told when or if the investiture ever took place. Anyway, Jesus accompanied them as far as Bethany where he blessed them and, as in Mark, levitates bodily up into heaven. In Luke 24 we are told that the resurrection and the ascension took place on the same day. However, this contradicts Acts 1:3 where we are told that there was a 40 day interval between the resurrection and the ascension. Since Luke and Acts were written by the same author, what are we to believe?

The resurrection story in the Gospel of John includes chapters twenty and twenty-one with a combined total of fifty-six verses making it longer, and more convoluted, than that of any of the three synoptic gospels. In John 20:14 we learn that while Mary Magdalene was standing alone at the tomb the resurrected Jesus suddenly appeared to her, but she did not recognize him. She mistook him for the gardener. Later, however, she did recognize him (20:16) whereupon she rushed to let the disciples know about it. That evening, when the disciples were gathered securely behind locked doors, Jesus miraculously materialized out of the blue among them in a most supernatural way. He bequeathed unto them the power to forgive sins as well as to withhold forgiveness (20:23). Such a significant grant, so useful to the church, is mentioned no where else.

Verses 30 and 31 provide a natural ending to chapter 20 and, for that matter, to the entire Gospel of John. They say, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 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". As originally written the Gospel of John ended here. Chapter twenty-one is judged to be a later addition6, i.e., a forgery. But, what does it say?

John 21 begins with the resurrected Jesus mysteriously appearing on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias where seven of his original disciples were fishing. They had apparently abandoned their gospel-spreading mission in favor of returning to their original profession. This is a curious development indeed. Had they forgotten that a few days earlier the resurrected Jesus had appeared to them under mysterious circumstances instructing them to go out as missionaries of his faith (Mt. 28:18-19) and that he had in fact granted them the power of the Holy Ghost (20:22-23) whereby they could forgive sins or withhold such forgiveness? Were they that dumb?

As he stood on the shore, Jesus, instead of admonishing them to get back to spreading God's word, proceeds to tell them how they could catch a lot more fish which they did. But all this time the disciples failed to recognize him. Finally the disciple "whom Jesus loved" (whoever that was) told Peter that their mysterious benefactor was none other than Jesus himself. The disciples then came ashore and they all sat down and ate breakfast together. After breakfast Jesus took Peter aside for a little heart-to-heart talk. Three times during the talk Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. Each time Peter assured Jesus that he did. Jesus concluded the talk by telling Peter to, "tend and feed my sheep". John 21 ends at verse 25 which says "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". This closing statement is certainly questionable considering that there is not one scintilla of extra-Biblical evidence that such a person as Jesus of Nazareth ever existed, but, if he did, he was in all probably totally illiterate.

The resurrection story in the Gospel of John bears very little resemblance to those of the synoptic gospels. There is no mention of Jesus instructing the disciples to spread his teachings throughout the world. Neither is there any report of Jesus levitating bodily into heaven as there is in Mark and Luke.

The reaction of the apostles to the news that Jesus had resin is astonishing to say the least. There was every reason for them to expect it because Jesus had told them repeatedly that it would happen. Several times he warned them that following his crucifixion and burial he would be raised up in three days. But when informed that it had actually happened their reaction was one of skepticism. In view of the fact that they had been amply forewarned, shouldn't they have been camped out at the tomb awaiting Jesus' resurrection with excitement and anticipation? Yet they were either at home or off lollygagging about somewhere else. Were the apostles that incredibly dense? The enemies of Jesus knew all about it. That's why, according to Matthew 27:62-66, they asked Pilate to post a guard at the tomb. It was to prevent the disciples from stealing the body and claiming that the resurrection prophecy had been fulfilled. To add to the absurdity of this story, however, the request for guards was not made until "the next day". Therefore, the body could have been removed the night before. It makes absolutely no sense.

In what form was Jesus resurrected? Was it as a spirit, or was as a normal flesh-on-bones body? Jesus seems to have settled it when in Luke 24:39 he said to his disciples, "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”. Matthew 28:9 says that when the disciples was the resurrected Jesus they came and "held him by the feet". Thomas, one of the disciples, was not present at the resurrected Jesus' first appearance, so he had his doubts (John 20:24:25). However, he was present at a later meeting when Jesus invited him to, "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”. Thomas did so and was convinced. In Luke 24:41-42 and in Acts 10:40-41 we are told that the resurrected Jesus ate solid food. Any time food is ingested waste is created which must be eliminated. So, did the resurrected Jesus go to the bathroom? Did he appear naked or fully clothed? According to Luke 24:12 he left his clothes in the tomb. But when Mary Magdalene first saw him she mistook him for the gardener (John 20:15). Surely gardeners didn't go around naked in those days. Therefore, Jesus must have appeared fully clothed, and a spirit cannot support clothing. While these passages clearly confirm a bodily resurrection, others do not.

The Apostle Paul says unequivocally in I Corinthians 15:50 that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God”. He says so again in II Corinthians 5:6-8. In that regard, it is true that only a spirit could have done some of the things ascribed to the resurrected Jesus. Matthew 28:2 tells us that when the women arrived at the tomb the entrance was still blocked by a large stone. But when the stone was rolled back the tomb was empty. Therefore the resurrected Jesus had to have passed through solid rock, a thing no normal body could do. Mark 16:12 tells how he, "appeared in another form”. He "suddenly appeared" to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He did it again in Luke 24:36. Luke 24:31 tells how Jesus "suddenly vanished”. John 20:19 and 26 tell of two incidences where Jesus apparently walked right through closed doors. At one point his disciples took him for a ghost (Luke 24:37). These passages support a spiritual resurrection. So the question, "In what form was Jesus resurrected"? remains open.

According to the brief version in Acts the resurrected Jesus spent the next forty days (1:3) among his followers teaching them and preaching to them. But as they watched he was "taken up" in a cloud until he was out of sight (1:9). This brief account of Christianity's most important event openly contradicts Luke's account in which the resurrection and the ascension are said to have taken place on the same day.

The accounts of the resurrection are hopelessly contradictory in addition to being totally irrational. There is very little upon which they agree, and many of the incidents such as earthquakes, angels giving directions, sudden appearances and disappearances, bodily levitations, a spirit passing through solid rock, etc. are obvious gimmicks worthy of pulp fiction. They are little more than early second-century inventions cunningly designed to beguile the masses in an age dominated by the most primitive forms of ignorance and superstition. The resurrection, along with many other gospel claims, cannot be historically or empirical verified. Also, any attempt to successfully harmonize the different versions of the resurrection is bound to meet with failure unless the facts are either ignored or deliberately skewed. The inescapable conclusion is that the Resurrection of Jesus, the center piece of the Christian belief system, is pure fiction. It never happened.

The Easter Challenge⁷: Here is a simple but very serious challenge to all Bible believers, "Tell me what happened on the first Easter," the day that Christianity's most important doctrine, the Resurrection, was born. The conditions are as follows: Using anyone of the many authorized versions of the Bible presently available begin at the arrival of the women at the tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1) and read to the end. Also read Acts 1:3-12 and I Corinthians 15:3-8. Then, write a simple, chronological narrative of the events between the resurrection and the ascension telling what happened first, second, and so on; who said what, when; where these things took place and who was there. Since the gospels and other biblical sources do not always give precise times of day, it is permissible to make approximations. The narrative only needs to give a plausible account of all the facts. The important condition to the challenge is that not one single biblical detail be omitted. Believers should eagerly take up this challenge since without the resurrection there would be no Christianity. This challenge has been made several time in the past. To date no one has been able to successfully resolve it, although several have had the indiscretion to try. Until it is successfully resolved, we have no choice but to view Christianity's resurrection claims as fraudulent.

For an objective analysis of the crucifixion stories see Crucifixion Contradictions on this web site. See also Are The Gospels True?

2 Funk, R. W. and Roy W. Hoover, The Five Gospels, 1996, pg. 128.

3 There is an account of the resurrection in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter.

4 See Famous New Testament Forgeries by Louis W. Cable.

5 The New Standard Revised Version of the Bible.

6 Teeple, Howard M., The Literary Origin of the Gospel of John, Religion and Ethic

7 Adapted from "No Stone Unturned" by Dan Barker in Tom C. Leedom's The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You To Read.