​For many years a church I once attended presented a Passion Play every Easter, portraying the last week before Jesus died and the crucifixion.  I could never watch it without my heart being so moved at seeing Jesus on the cross that tears rolled down my face. The Bible tells us that it was at “the third hour” that the Romans began the process of crucifying Jesus.  They nailed his hands and feet to the cross and placed the cross upright to begin the cruel process. The Jewish “third hour” denotes the third hour after dawn, so it would be around 9 A. M.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded that at “the sixth hour,” or about noon, darkness fell on the land. Luke 23:45 says, “for the sun stopped shining.” Though God could have made this occur in any way He pleased, scientists say the timing would not have a fit the timing for a natural eclipse. It was possibly a thick cover of dark clouds that completely covered the sun. The backdrop of the Passion Play showed dark clouds.

Matthew 23:46 and Mark 15:34 both recorded that at the about “the ninth hour,” or about 3:00 in the afternoon, Jesus cried out, “ ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ ” [He was quoting from prophetic Psalm 22.] In that period of time, God must have placed the sins of the entire world upon His Son, and His Son for a time experienced the separation from God that results from sin. Jesus’ cry in His Aramaic language was “ ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ ’’ Some thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah to come and rescue Him.

The loss of body fluids during crucifixion caused intense thirst. Psalm 22 says “my mouth is dried up like a potsherd [a fragment of broken pottery], and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, . . .”

John 19:28-29 tells us that Jesus  realized His task had been accomplished and declared that He was thirsty, to make certain that He had fulfilled all of the prophecies He was intended to fulfill. Psalm 69:21 says, “ ‘They put gall in my food and game me vinegar for my thirst.’ ” Mark 15:23 records that Jesus had earlier been offered “wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.” According to gotquestions.org website, “In the Bible the word gall most often refers to a bitter-tasting substance made of a plant such as wormwood or myrrh.” It goes on to say that a mixture of wine and myrrh was used to dull pain. Most seem to agree that Jesus refused it so that He could fully experience the suffering, in order to take the punishment for our sin.

An article called “Jesus’ Seven Last Words” on the jesuswalk.com ​website states that wine vinegar diluted with water, called “posca,” was a popular drink in the Roman army. It was cheap, quenched thirst better than plain water, provided prevention of scurvy, and killed bacteria present in the water. I Peter 2:23 says, “When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.” It was suggested that perhaps Jesus’ loving attitude motivated a soldier to share his own sponge and drink with this kind Someone he was assigned to help crucify, when He said, “I thirst.” I didn’t see anywhere that the Bible indicated that the vinegar Jesus later accepted to quench his thirst was mixed with water, so I’m not certain whether it was. My curiosity makes me wonder about such things. John 19:30 records, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said ‘It is finished.’ ”  His work of redemption was completed. Luke 24:46 tells us, “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.”

What happened after the crucifixion of Jesus?

Matthew 27:51-54 tells us the dramatic events that followed:

• At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
• The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.
• The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’ ” The Passion Play production simulated the effect of an earthquake with a rumbling sound.  I vividly remember how the Roman centurion took off his helmet and knelt beside the cross afterwards. This, too, touched my heart. It was at this point that a song called “Behold the Lamb” was played in the background and my tears began to flow uncontrollably. The reality of just how much Jesus had to love us in order to bear the shame and torment of the cross hit me hard. I am gratified to have found the exact same arrangement of that song on YouTube. I decided to share it with you right in the middle of this blog post. Click on the arrow in the video below if you’d like to hear the song that was played during the Passion Play.

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Matthew and Mark both revealed that the darkness that fell on the land ended at the ninth hour.

So when God was finished laying the judgment of the world on His Son Jesus, the darkness lifted. The thick darkness that fell while Jesus was crucified and lifted when He died, the forgiving attitude of Jesus, and Jesus’ cries up to Heaven were surely enough to make the soldiers suspect that there was something very significant about this crucifixion. They could not see the curtain of the temple torn bottom to top, showing that man could now approach God directly by asking God’s forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice. They could not see the graves opening and those who were once dead walking around. But when “the earth shook” and “the rocks split” at the very moment Jesus gave up His spirit, they could no longer doubt that this was no ordinary man. This was the Son of God!

Another Earthquake

And that would not be the only time the earth would shake because of God’s plan of salvation being finally set in place, after being planned from the foundations of the world. In Matthew 28:1-7, we find these words: “After the Sabbath, at dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples. “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you.’ ”

In Matthew 28:11-15 we find that some of the soldiers went into the city to tell the priests what had happened. The priests bribed the soldiers to say that Jesus’ disciples stole the body while they slept. There is no mention of the soldiers reporting that the women witnessed the angel’s opening of the tomb that caused the earthquake. It’s quite possible that the Roman guards were the only ones who witnessed the angel rolling away the stone and causing the earthquake. I will explore the details of the resurrection, including other reasons to believe that it was only the Roman soldiers who witnessed the rolling away of the stone by the angel.

THE FOUR ACCOUNTS OF THE RESURRECTION

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John recorded the events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus in somewhat different ways, leaving out details that made them seem contradictory, without some careful study.

Only Matthew the tax collector and John were part of Jesus’ original disciples. In John’s account, he referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” I believe John thought of himself and Jesus as “best friends.” John 13:23-25 records that John leaned against Jesus at the Last Supper. (They reclined with their heads toward the table and leaned on their left elbows while eating with their right hands.) John 19:25-27 reveals that Jesus, while dying on the cross, declared His wish that from then on John would be like a son to his mother. Based upon Acts 12:12, it is assumed that Mark was the son of a widow in Jerusalem, in whose home early believers met. It is believed that Jesus’ well known disciple, Peter, was the source of Mark’s information. A website called coldcasechristianity.com gives some clues as to why. One clue is that outside historical sources say that Mark wrote Peter’s memoir. Another clue is that Mark left out accounts of Peter’s downfalls, probably to save his friend from embarrassment. Luke was a companion of the apostle Paul and a doctor. Colossians 4:14 identifies him as a doctor.

He is also the author of the book of Acts.

I will give you a brief summary of the four Gospels’ accounts of the basic events of Jesus’ resurrection:

1. Matthew 28:1-10 (1) At dawn on Sunday Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” went to see the tomb. (2) There was a violent earthquake when an angel came down from heaven and rolled the stone away from the tomb. (3) The Roman soldiers guarding the tomb were so afraid of the angel that they shook and fell down as though dead. (4) The angel told the women Jesus was not there because He had risen. He invited the women to look in the tomb and urged them to go and tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee. (5) The women joyfully ran to tell the disciples, and Jesus met them on the way and told them to tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
2. Mark 16:1-8 (1) Just after sunrise on Sunday, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. (2) When they arrived, the stone was rolled away and a young man dressed in white in the tomb frightened them. (3) the “young man” in white told them Jesus was not there because He had risen. He invited them to look in the tomb and asked them to tell Jesus’ disciples  to meet Him in Galilee. (4) The women fled and said nothing to anyone because they were frightened.
3. Luke 24:1-12 (1) Very early in the morning on Sunday, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others with them took spices they had prepared to the tomb. (2) They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. (3) Suddenly two men in gleaming clothes stood beside them. (4) The two men said Jesus was not there because He had risen. They reminded the women of Jesus’ words that He must be crucified and rise again. (5) The women returned to tell the 11 disciples what had happened, but their words seemed like nonsense to the disciples. (6) Peter ran to the tomb and saw strips of linen inside.
4. John 20:1-18 (1) While it was still dark on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb.(2) She saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance of the tomb. (3) She ran to Peter and John and told them that Jesus had been taken out of the tomb and that they didn’t know where they had taken Him. (4) Peter and John ran to the tomb, but John beat Peter there. (5) Peter and John went in the tomb and saw the linen strips. (6)The disciples went back home, but Mary stood there crying. (7) Mary looked in the tomb and saw two angels in white. They asked why she was crying, and she told them it was because she didn’t know where they had taken Jesus’ body. (8) Mary turned around and saw Jesus, thinking He was the gardener. (9) Mary told Him why she was crying, and when Jesus said her name, she recognized Him. (10) Jesus said to go and tell His “brothers” (the disciples) that He was returning to His Father. (11) Mary went and told the disciples she had seen the Lord and what He said.

WHAT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES?

Although these four accounts have striking similarities, it seems difficult to reconcile some of the differences. My insatiable curiosity drove me to find out how the details of this most important story could be reconciled. Thanks to an article called “Christ’s Resurrection—Four Accounts, One Reality” on the answersingenesis.com website, the answers to the puzzle come easier:

(A) The time of day when the women went to the tomb is no problem. “At dawn,” “just after sunrise,” and “very early” agree, and “while it was still dark” could refer to the time they started out.

(B) The number of women visiting the tomb is confusing, but at least five women went. Luke names three and mentions “other women.” Matthew names two women, Mark names three, and John only mentions one, but they did not say that they were the only women who went. They merely focused on certain women that went. Although John only names Mary Magdalene, notice that he recorded her having used the word “we” in saying “we don’t know where they have put him” in John 2:20.

(C) Whether or not the tomb was already open is another question. Mark, Luke, and John recorded that it was already open. Matthew recounted the angel causing an earthquake when he came to roll away the stone after he recounted the women’s arrival at the tomb, but he didn’t say it happened in that order. He may have just been adding an explanation of why they found the stone rolled away. [Also, I noted that Matthew 28:11 says that the guards went into the city to report what had happened “while the women were on their way.” It’s easy to assume that Matthew meant while the women were on their way back to the disciples. But it makes sense that it was while they were on their way to the tomb.]

(D)There is a discrepancy in the number of angels at the tomb. Luke and John recorded two angels, but Matthew and Mark only mentioned one. Matthew and Mark did not specify that there was only one angel present. Describing angels as men in white robes or men in bright clothing, as Mark and Luke did, is not a problem. Angels appeared as men in Genesis 18 and Daniel 9.

(E) The most difficult part of the puzzle is that John reported that Mary Magdalene returned from the tomb to tell Peter and John that Jesus’ body had been taken. Answers in Genesis chose one possible solution as the most likely. It is after her return to the tomb with Peter and John that she is the first to see the risen Jesus. As the five or more women approached the tomb, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. Mary Magdalene may have assumed that the body had been stolen and rushed off to tell Peter and John. She didn’t stay long enough to see the two angels the other women encountered. After the other women received the angels’ message that Jesus had risen, they hurried off to tell His other disciples. There is confusion over how Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene at the tomb and separately to the other women en route to tell the disciples what they had heard and why Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John didn’t cross paths with the others. It is likely that Peter and John were in Jerusalem, which was near the tomb. The other disciples were apparently in some other location, perhaps Bethany. Bethany was a couple miles away from the tomb.

MORE CONTRADICTIONS OF THE RESURRECTION

I thought of two other seeming contradictions not mentioned in the Answers in Genesis article. When Mary Magdalene encountered Jesus, He told her to tell the disciples that He was going to His Father (John 20:17), whereas the other messages were to meet Him in Galilee. The King James Version had Jesus telling Mary “Touch me not,” but apparently a better translation is something like “Do not cling to me” [New King James Version] or “Do not hold on to me” [New International Version]. Scholars seem to agree that Jesus, knowing how much Mary and the other disciples loved Him and didn’t want Him to leave, was reminding her and the disciples not to get attached to Him in the same was as they had before, because He would soon be leaving them (in 40 days) to go to the Father. The other seeming contradiction not addressed is Mark saying that the women fled the tomb in fear and said nothing to anyone, whereas Matthew reported that the women left the tomb joyfully.  No doubt the women experienced shock at seeing angels, joy at knowing Jesus was alive, and yet great fear that the Romans and the Jewish religious leaders would still be out to get Jesus and His followers. So perhaps they hurried on their way and dared say nothing to strangers they encountered.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EARTHQUAKES

The earthquake that occurred while Jesus was on the cross and the one when the stone was rolled away at the tomb mark the events that secured our access to eternal life through faith. II Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The Passion Play portrayed the great joy of Jesus’ followers when they discovered He was alive.

​Mary Magdalene certainly had reason to rejoice. Her life had been drastically changed by Jesus. We learn something about the background of this Mary from Magdala in Luke 8:1-3. It says this: “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” Below is a song loved by many and indelibly associated with Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris—a song that recounts the emotions experienced by Mary Magdalene in the days of the crucifixion and resurrection.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com  The NIV and “New International  Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.TM

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