this page black = Matt's account
Orange = John's account
blue = my narration showing how they fit in one harmony. I use Matt to stand in for all three synoptic because the other two are not as difficult to harmony with Matt.
Matt 28: harmonized with other accounts:
Matt 28: 1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.
Two Mary's and probalby undisclosed grou pf women.first thing they see is the stone rolled away. Agreement with all other accounts: Luke 24:2, Mark 16:4, Peter 13:55, John 20:2, at this point Mary Magdeline leaves to get the others, thinking the body has been stolen. She sdoes not look in side the tomb, this is agreement with John 20:2.
John 20:
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark,and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved...,
Begin Flashback:
2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his R1151 appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
end flashback
Women don't don't see this event,it happened the night before.
5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
angel begins to speak to the women in v5. We are not told where they first saw or heard him, inside the tomb or outside. meanwhile MM goes back to the desciples and tells them:
and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." 3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.
Meanwhile, back at the tomb, the angel is telling the women to go tell the disciples. 7 "Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." 8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."
We do not know where or how far from the Tomb site the women saw Jesus. As this was happening, MM and Peter, and John were proably reaching the tomb. Peter and John go in, exmaine the empty tomb and grave clothes. This happens as Jesus himself tells the otehr women he is risen.
4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, `I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.' " 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her.
