Hoe can the bible be reliable when the 4 gospels conflict each other?

Question

Concerning who went to the tomb:


Mary Magdalene & the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matt 28:1)

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, & Salome bought spices (Mark 16:1)

The women took the spices & went to the tomb (Luke 16:1)

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb (John 20:1)


Concerning what they saw:


There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven & rolled back the stone & sat on it. (Matt 28:2-3)

They saw that the stone had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side (Mark 16:4-5)

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.. suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. (Luke 24:2-3)

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb & saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter (John 20:1)

CONCERNING THE TIME OF DAY:


After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week (Matt 28:1)

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise (Mark 16:2)

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning (Luke 24:1)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark (John 20:1)

So... which is it?

Did Mary go to the tomb alone, was she with Jesus' mother? Or were there a group of women?

Was there an angel when they got there who rolled away the stone, or was it already rolled away when they got there? Was it 1 man, or 2 men there, or did Mary just see the stone gone, and run away?

Was it still dark, dawn or after sunrise?

I have wanted to believe, but find it difficult when the book that is supposed to be the cornerstone of faith is so very flawed... please... tell me how to have faith under these circumstances???

Answer 1

oh man. yes i've heard it so many ways too!

i've heard:
- the stone was rolled away
- an angel moved the stone and jesus walked
-they opend the tomb and saw nothing
- jesus's mother went to the tomb

i also went to 4 diffrent churches lol

Answer 2

You just answered your own question, did you know that? If you look at the verses you have copied here, then you would know that you did just that.
The first three gospels are synoptic. The gospel of John does not follow what Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote. THe apostle that wrote John was the disciple whom Jesus loved, so naturally that disciple would be closer to Him.
All the women who followed Jesus could have gone to the tomb, but does that mean that the gospels contradict each other? NO! The time of the day is all the same time, so I don't even have to answer that part.
As to what the women saw, women did go running to Peter, after they saw that the stone had been rolled away.

My advice to you would be to go read everything in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and see that they do not contradict one another!

Answer 3

Simon Greenleaf, a well-known and accepted authority of what constitutes reliable evidence in a court of law, examined the four Gospels from a legal perspective. He noted that the type of eyewitness accounts given in the four Gospels, in which one finds agreement but with each writer choosing to omit or add details that the others chose to include or omit respectively, is typical of reliable, independent sources that would be accepted in a court of law as strong evidence. Had the Gospels contained exactly the same information with the same details provided and written from the same perspective, it would be an indication of collusion, i.e., of there having been a time when the writers had gotten together beforehand to "get their stories straight" in order to make their writings seem credible. The differences between the Gospels, even the apparent contradictions of details upon first examination, give indication of the independent nature of the writings. Thus, the independent nature of the four Gospel accounts, agreeing in their information but differing in perspective, amount of detail, and which events were recorded, indicate that the record that we have of Christ's life and ministry as presented in the Gospels is factual and reliable.

Answer 4

I have heard that someone has drawn up an account that can harmonise the accounts.

However, even if there are minor differences that can't be resolved you should observe that the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 is the ultimate validation of the truth of the Christ's status, resurrection and the fact that He brought salvation.The Holy Spirit is active in the Church now as right through church history since that Pentecost.

Read the gospels, and ask God (in Jesus' name if you want better response) in prayer questions that you have. Persist and I would imagine you can be pretty sure of grace being given to you.

Once you believe you can have very real evidence that is true, although one often has to walk in faith in my experience, trusting before receiving.

Answer 5

Check Matthew 1:1 - 16 versus Luke 3:23 - 25 if you want to see a real mess.

Answer 6

Each writer had a different perspective. If you and would witness an event, we wouldn't write exactly the same thing. Is there a serious contradiction. Like the times... I would say it was early. But the important point is the resurrection. Who was there... several. Is it a lie if one person only mentions one and someone else others. If the gospels said .. "only _______ was there", then I would see a problem.

Answer 7

How can science be reliable with six variants of Sting Theory and a dozen variants on Evolution.

Just today I was reading that there is a conflict on if Neaderthal and Spaiens ever met or of they inbreeded

So which is right. Which is science. Which is truth or is EVERYTHING a lie and and everyone who buys into religion, government and science just a bunch of CULT followers.

Maybe the only rational people are the ones that don't come to Y/A because they know better and buy into NOTHING.

Answer 8

have you ever been at a family occasion and in discussing it later come to find out that you, your borhter, mother, father, aunt and uncles (or whomeber) all saw the same thing but all saw it differently? what you think is important to tell or what you may have seen will be different based upon your vision, your ideals and things that stand out to you. your bother may remember one thing, you another and so on and so on - doesn't mean that all isn't relevent, just that all have different, yet similar stories -- they do not contradict each other, but rather enhance the reality.
God Bless.
YSIC

Answer 9

The differences you have listed are very minor, the main idea remains intact. If my husband and I have a shared experience and relate it to someone else, I doubt very seriously every detail will be identical. The Bible is God's inspired Word, meaning it is the message He wants us to hear. The Bible was written by men inspired by God. The message comes through loud and clear, unadulterated.

Answer 10

The gospels each tell the story from a different angle. It would be like if we were all describing a lake from a different location we would each add different details.