How Do Resurrection Scenes Differ from One Another in the Gospels?
You have probably noticed that reporting can present different narratives; there is no doubt about that. For instance, when the migrant crisis hit Europe in 2015, we all remember how media coverage differed. Western European media, for example, often approached the crisis with sympathy, highlighting a humanitarian perspective. In contrast, Eastern European and Baltic media emphasized the need to secure borders and often expressed a more negative view regarding quota policies for accepting migrants. Nevertheless, the point is that media - and not only the media - tend to reframe narratives.
That being said, just as in the example above, it is clear that the canonical Gospels differ in how they tell the story of Jesus Christ. Why is this the case? We will not go into depth here; however, we will examine specific scenes in the New Testament that the Roman Church will commemorate in three days.
Disclaimer: the example of the migrant crisis is used only as an introductory illustration.
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The First Mention of the Resurrection
The earliest preserved reference to the Resurrection of Jesus is found in the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:3–8), written by the Apostle Paul around 50–55 AD. This text is considered the earliest Christian creed and differs significantly from the canonical Gospels.
In his account, Paul does not mention women or the empty tomb but instead presents a list of witnesses. He names Cephas (Peter), the Twelve, more than 500 brothers at once, James, all the apostles, and finally himself. Unlike the four Gospels, which use a narrative style that brings the story to life, Paul writes in a more formal manner, simply stating: “Christ died… was buried… was raised… appeared.” In this way, Paul presents what could be seen as “evidence” – a list of people who testify to the Resurrection.
How Do the Canonical Gospels Portray the Resurrection?
The Gospel of Mark is generally considered the oldest of the four canonical Gospels, written around the year 70. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke were written later, and it is widely believed that Mark’s Gospel served as their primary source, forming the basis of the so-called Synoptic Problem. While Matthew (80–90 AD) focuses on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and Luke (80–90 AD) emphasizes a historiographical narrative and the role of Jerusalem, the Gospel of John (90–100 AD) represents the most theologically developed layer, with a strong emphasis on Jesus’ divine identity.
In the Gospel of Mark (Mk 16:1–8), the scene of the Resurrection begins with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome arriving at Jesus’ tomb, where they find the stone rolled away and a young man, often interpreted as an angel. He announces to the women that Jesus has risen and instructs them to inform the disciples. However, the women flee in fear and, in the original ending of the text, do not tell anyone; there is no appearance of the risen Jesus.
The Gospel of Matthew (Mt 28) presents a somewhat different account, introducing apocalyptic elements such as an earthquake and an angel descending from heaven before the guards, who collapse in fear as if dead. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary encounter the risen Jesus on their way from the tomb. He delivers the message of the Resurrection and sends them to inform the other disciples.
In his Gospel, Luke (Lk 24) emphasizes the role of a larger group of women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and others), who encounter two men in dazzling clothes at the tomb. Luke is also the first to mention the disbelief of the disciples when the women report that Jesus has risen. Because of this lack of trust, Peter goes to the tomb himself to verify the claim. Luke then goes on to describe the appearances in greater detail.
The Gospel of John (Jn 20–21) presents the Resurrection in the most detailed and intimate way. Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb alone and, upon seeing that it is empty, runs to inform Peter, the “beloved disciple.” The central part of the narrative is the moving encounter between Mary and Jesus, whom she does not recognize at first. John also describes Jesus’ appearances to the other disciples, including the well-known scene with “doubting” Thomas.
Differences Among the Canonical Gospels
Although the Gospels recount the same story, there are noticeable differences between them. The first clear difference appears in the number of women who visit the tomb. In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene is the only woman present, while Mark and Luke describe a group of women.
The second difference concerns the number of heavenly messengers: Mark and Matthew speak of one angel (or young man), while Luke and John mention two figures or angels.
The third difference is reflected in the reactions of the witnesses. In Mark’s Gospel, the women flee in fear after encountering the angel who brings the good news. The other Gospels describe personal encounters with Jesus and active testimony.
The final difference lies in how the events are portrayed. Matthew alone includes the earthquake and the guards, emphasizing external drama, while the others focus more on the inner experiences of the characters.
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Gnostic and Apocryphal Gospels on the Resurrection
(Nag Hammadi Codices, Codex Tchacos, Papyrus Berolinensis 8502)
Most of the texts from Nag Hammadi are Coptic manuscripts dated to the 4th century. However, the works themselves were written earlier, mainly in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The Codex Tchacos, also a Coptic manuscript, dates to the 3rd or 4th century, while its original text was likely composed in Greek in the 2nd century. The youngest of these is Papyrus Berolinensis 8502, written in Coptic and dated to the 5th century. Despite their differences, these texts share a common perspective on the Resurrection.
The Treatise on the Resurrection states that the Resurrection is a present reality, not something that will happen in the future. It can be experienced during one’s lifetime. It also claims that the world is an illusion rather than the Resurrection:
“What, then, is the resurrection? It is always the disclosure of those who have risen… It is no illusion, but it is truth!”
The Gospel of Peter is the only non-canonical gospel that vividly depicts the Resurrection scene. It describes soldiers guarding the tomb; suddenly, the stone moves by itself, Jesus exits the tomb, and gigantic figures appear together with a speaking cross. The account is highly dramatic.
The Gospel of Thomas does not mention the Resurrection but focuses on Christ’s sayings, emphasizing spiritual enlightenment:
“Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.”
The Gospel of Philip presents the Resurrection not as physical but as a spiritual transformation, emphasizing an inner resurrection that must occur before death:
“Those who say they will die first and then rise are in error.”
The only gospel attributed to a woman, the Gospel of Mary, describes Jesus appearing to the apostles after his death not in bodily form, but in a vision. It does not describe an empty tomb. Its focus is on secret knowledge (gnosis) and intimate revelation:
“Do not weep… for his grace will be entirely with you.”
Other Nag Hammadi texts also refer to the Resurrection. The Apocryphon of John describes the risen Jesus appearing in a vision, not in bodily form:
“I am the one who is with you always.”
The Second Treatise of the Great Seth suggests:
“It was another… who drank the gall… it was not I,”
implying that Jesus did not truly suffer physically.
The Gospel of Truth emphasizes knowledge as the path to salvation:
“He who has knowledge… has turned toward him who calls.”
Conclusion on the Gospels
Three key points are consistently reflected across New Testament sources: that Jesus truly died, was buried, and rose on the third day, appearing to his followers; that is, most canonical texts present the Resurrection as a physical return to life.
On the other hand, Gnostic and apocryphal gospels portray Jesus’ Resurrection as a spiritual and revelatory reality. Rather than emphasizing an empty tomb or bodily appearances, these texts describe the risen Christ as a transcendent presence who passes on hidden knowledge (gnosis) to his followers. Resurrection is thus understood as an inner transformation or awakening that can be experienced in the present, rather than a future event.
Conclusion on the text
First and foremost, all the texts mentioned above differ in their portrayal of Christ’s life, which is understandable given that they were written by different authors at different times. Many manuscripts overlap due to the use of earlier sources.
Similarly to modern media, where journalists sometimes rely on shared sources, narratives may be shaped by perspective. As shown above, the Gospels tell the same story, but with different voices—and sometimes different meanings, especially when comparing canonical and gnostic texts. Much like contemporary media outlets, which often reflect particular editorial or ideological positions, these differences influence how stories are told and, ultimately, how audiences understand the world.
What do you think about the differences in the descriptions of the Resurrection? Do these differences suggest that the Resurrection was experienced in multiple ways rather than recorded as a single historical event?
#biblicaltime #newtestament #biblestudies #canonicalgospels #gnosticgospels #apocryphalgospels #essaysonmedialiteracy #isuschrist #resurrectionofjesuschrist
Sources:
James McConkey Robinson, Judine tajne. Priča o neshvaćenom učeniku i njegovu izgubljenom evanđelju, Zagreb: vbz, 2006
Novi Zavjet (New Testament), Zagreb: Kršćanska sadašnjost, 1990
James M. Robinson, (ed.), The Nag Hammadi Library in English, Harper San Francisco, 1990 https://gnosis.study/library/%D0%93%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%81/%D0%98%D1%81%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F/ENG/The%20Nag%20Hammadi%20Library.%20The%20Definitive%20Translation%20of%20the%20Gnostic%20Scriptures%20Complete%20in%20One%20Volume.pdf
Ware, James. „The Resurrection of Jesus in the Pre-Pauline Formula of 1 Cor 15.3–5.“ New Testament Studies, 60, 2014
Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony. 2nd ed. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2017
Loke, Andrew. Investigating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: A New Transdisciplinary Approach, Routledge, 2020
EJO, “Research: How Europe’s Newspapers Reported The Migration Crisis” https://en.ejo.ch/research/research-how-europes-newspapers-reported-the-migration-crisis
Further read:
Jean-Pierre Isbouts, “Mary Magdalene probably wasn’t a prostitute. Was she actually rich?”, National Geographic https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/was-mary-magdalene-a-rich-woman