Matthew 28:1-20 and Luke 24:1-53

Dr. Bart Ehrman is a well-known scholar who questions the authenticity of the New Testament. His books have gained wide popularity among skeptics.

Bart and I are alike in many ways. We are around the same age, went to similar schools, and both studied New Testament Textual Criticism. We also faced similar challenges. However, our lives took different paths. I became a documentary filmmaker and have remained an evangelical Christian. Whereas Bart moved away from Christianity and has become an agnostic.

One of the things I greatly appreciate about Dr. Ehrman is his willingness to engage with those who completely disagree with him. As a historian, he has confronted the Jesus mythers. And as a liberal agnostic, he has debated conservative evangelicals (such as William Lane Craig, Mike Licona, and James White).

Recently I was asked about comments Bart made at a conference where all the speakers, except for Dr. Ehrman, were evangelicals. Here is that YouTube link: https://youtu.be/AymnA526j9U

In it, Dr. Ehrman lists three “irreconcilable contradictions” and two “historical inaccuracies.” I will address these in time, but for now, I want to focus on the third irreconcilable difference Dr. Ehrman cites (see video around the 34:23 time stamp).

In Matthew and Mark, the disciples, after the resurrection, are told to go to Galilee, but in Luke’s Gospel, they are told to remain in Jerusalem. Since these two locations are three days apart from one another on foot (about 80 miles apart), this must be a contradiction… or is it?

Ehrman questions whether the disciples saw Jesus after his resurrection in Galilee or if they remained in Jerusalem (Matthew 28:1-20; Luke 24:1-53). This may appear contradictory, but there are important factors to consider.

1. Contrary to what Dr. Ehrman says, both Matthew and Luke mention the angel talking about Galilee in their writings (Matthew 28:7 and Luke 24:6).

2. Ehrman also does not mention that Luke, who continues his narrative in the book of Acts, tells us that Jesus spent 40 days after his resurrection appearing to his followers before His Ascension (Acts 1:1-3).

3. The passage in Luke 24:50 likewise mentions the Ascension where we are told that afterward the disciples returned to Jerusalem (as we have in Acts chapter 1).  So clearly Luke 24:50 is after the 40 days as Luke in Acts 1 tells us.

Ancient writers sometimes combined or condensed historical events when writing, which is known as “telescoping” or “periscoping.” This can create the appearance of contradictions if not considered in its historical context.

Ancient readers were not as concerned about chronology as we are, they were more interested in a continuous narrative. Luke provides a continuous narrative at the end of his Gospel, concluding with the command to remain in Jerusalem. This is exactly where we find them at the beginning of the book of Acts, but there we are told additional information, namely that Jesus had spent 40 days from the time of his resurrection until his ascension where “. . . He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over forty days and speaking about the things concerning the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3 LSB)

We should also consider that most scholars (including Dr. Ehrman) believe Mark was written first, and that both Matthew and Luke relied on his Gospel. Luke certainly tells us that he consulted others (Luke 1:1-4). It stands to reason that Luke, therefore, knew about Mark’s reference to Jesus’ promise to appeal to His disciples in Galilee (Mark 16:7). If Luke had access to Mark, then there would be no reason to end his Gospel in Jerusalem unless he was using a literary device.

Besides the Gospels we have non-biblical sources using this same literary device. For example, Plutarch, a first century philosopher and historian, uses periscoping and conflates various historical evidence for the sake of a highly compressed narrative. In their book, Rome in Crisis, Scott-Kilvert and Pelling provide several examples regarding Plutarch; such as Plutarch conflating two events occurring on two different dates as one for the sake of a flowing narrative. Likewise, Dr Mike Licona in his book, Why Are There Differences In The Gospels? has a whole chapter entitled “Parallel Pericopes in Plutarch’s Lives” where he provides a number of other examples (pp. 23-111).

If one wishes to see this as a contradiction they are free to do so, but to call it “irreconcilable” in light of ancient historical literature, the use of Galilee in all the Synoptics, and Luke’s explanation in Acts 1 is intellectually unwarranted.

Finally, let’s suppose that this is a contradiction (which I do not accept based on the above reasons). How would this establish the inaccuracy of the Gospels as reliable historical documents? We certainly do not question other historical documents because of such literary devices. The only reason to do so would be one’s personal bias against Scripture in general and the resurrection in particular.

Both accounts of Christ’s resurrection seem credible and are written in a way that aligns with what readers of that time would expect. Although the exact order of events and appearances after His resurrection is not known, a possible sequence could be as follows:

1. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene John. 20:14-18; Mark 16:9

2. Jesus appears to the women returning from the tomb Matthew 28:8-10

3. Jesus appears to Peter later in the day Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5

4. Jesus appears to the disciples going to Emmaus in the evening Luke 24:13-31

5. Jesus appears to the apostles (except Thomas) Luke 24:36-45; John 20:19-24

6. Jesus appears to the apostles a week later (Thomas present) John 20:24-29

7. Jesus appears in Galilee to the seven by the Lake of Tiberias John 21:1-23

8. Jesus appears in Galilee on a mountain to the apostles and 500 believers 1 Corinthians 15:6 (which very well could be those at the time of His ascension)

9. Jesus appears in Jerusalem and Bethany again to James 1 Corinthians 15:7

10. Jesus appears on Mt. Olivet and the ascension Acts 1:3-12

11. Jesus appears to Paul near Damascus Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8

12. Jesus appears to Stephen outside Jerusalem Acts 7:55

13. Jesus appears to Paul in the temple Acts 22:17-21; 23:11

14. Jesus appears to John on Patmos Revelation 1:10-19