Gospel Agreement

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Matthew 28:1. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. Mark 16:2. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. Luke 24:1. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. John 20:1.

Critics of the New Testament often talk about the dissimilarities or presumed conflicts between the gospels. That red herring holds no water with the resurrection. If you fail to notice that the Mary and Mary went to the tomb early on the first day of the week, the fact that haven’t cracked open even one of the gospels becomes obvious.

Jesus has inspired more books in the last 2,000 years than any other historical figure. I would guess the resurrection takes first place in the number of discussions contained in this massive body of writing. For the believer, the resurrection marks the contextual middle of temporal history.

Everything before the resurrection prepares for it and it colors everything after. For thousands of years, a small middle-eastern people group foreshadowed the resurrection through rituals, prophecy, and writings. For thousands of years after the resurrection, the Christian faith, fueled by the power of the resurrection spread to the corners of the world and became the bedrock of western civilization.

The volume of specific historical and logical proofs for the actual, physical, time-space event of Jesus’ resurrection bury competing explanations six feet under. Though these proofs provide us with intellectual comfort by confirming that our faith sees through the lens of fact, our changed lives provide the most significant personal proof.

On the eternal scale, Jesus’ resurrection marks the beginning of all the rest. If Jesus had died and not risen, the promise of new life would have been born still. Because Jesus lives, union with Him – moving beyond the restoration of the first man-God relationship to a more glorious destiny - becomes possible.

The fellowship enjoyed by the apostles who walked with Him continues with us through the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:18-21). We speak to Him in prayer (e.g., 2 Cor. 12:8) and He speaks to us through the Spirit (John 16:13-15; 2 Cor. 12:9). We dwell in Him and He dwells in us (John 14:20). I now live by Christ living in me (Gal. 2:20) and I put on Christ (Gal. 3:27). Because the resurrection vindicates Jesus, we receive justification (Rom. 4:25; 5:18-9). His identity is exchanged with ours and in Him we were crucified and died (Gal. 2:20), raised (Col. 3:1), seated in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), and are made sons (Gal. 4:4-5). We become heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29), a spiritual house and holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5). We not only have union with Jesus, but with Father and the Spirit (John14:16; Eph 2:18).