Mark’s account is relatively “dry” in comparison to the floral and fantastic accounts of the tomb written in the second century. None of the other Gospels mentions this appearance. These two men tell them that Jesus has risen and left. This ending says that the risen Jesus made his first appearance to Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb before dawn with the other women, but as soon as they all spotted the open doorway, she parted from her companions. He formed them unto Himself, that they might show forth His praise. Chart 10-18 lists eighteen recorded appearances of the resurrected Christ. They were in fact experiences meeting the threshold for the law of witnesses in which at least two witnesses testified who were eye witness to the same event (For law of witnesses, see Deuteronomy 19:15, 2 Corinthians 13:1). . Attempts have been made to reconcile them, but the effort necessarily involves loose interpretations and implausible arguments. .Now consider what would have been the probable effect of a public exhibition of His resurrection. The apostle Paul made this claim to people living in Corinth knowing they could easily investigate the truthfulness of his claim because they lived in the area where the events occurred and eyewitnesses to the events were still alive and could be questioned. One of the earliest records of Christ's appearing after the resurrection is by Paul. On this same morning the eleven disciples were separated into two groups. Submissions Partly for this reason, many scholars believe that this gospel's original ending has been lost. Journal Indexes In summary, more than five hundred people saw Jesus after His dead body had been deposited in a sealed tomb. Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus. Let all "who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity" be quite sure, that weak though they seem, and solitary, yet the "foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." The women then go to the male disciples and tell them what happened at the tomb. Jesus referred to this principle when urging believers to maintain good relationships within the Church (Matthew 18:16-17), a… Jesus’ wounds seen; may have eaten food (Acts 1:4), Eleven disciples (including Thomas aka Didymus), John 20:26-28; Luke 24: 36-49; Mark 6:14-18. Other Resources, Interpreter Radio . Thus, according to this account, Mary Magdalene and another woman also named Mary were the first eyewitnesses to the resurrection. Eventually she looked into the tomb again and saw two angels, who asked her why she was weeping. But when he spoke her name, she immediately knew who he was. Eyewitness testimony of the resurrection, as recorded in the New Testament, is the basis of faith in Jesus as Christ. In response to the assertion that the resurrection best explains the multiple post-crucifixion appearances of Jesus, skeptics offer a variety of alternative explanations to attempt to explain away the appearances. After His disciples returned to Galilee, seven of them met Him on the shore of the sea (John 21:1-22). How do you decide when to take someone at his or her word, when to wait for proof or when to disregard someone’s story entirely? . Were there resurrection witnesses during the resurrection of Jesus Christ? One of these followers is named Cleopas, but the other one isn't identified. And thus in a dark world Truth still makes way in spite of the darkness, passing from hand to hand. 15:7). He appeared in Galilee to a gathering of more than five hundred followers (Matt. Along the way they met Jesus (8). It would have been open to the greater number of them still to deny that He was risen. The Resurrection Best Explains the Transformation of Jesus’ Disciples from Fearful Fleers to Faithful Followers, The Resurrection Best Explains Jesus’ Empty Tomb — Introductory Summary, God’s Attributes — What is God Like? Copyrights & Content. . The angel then instructs them to tell the male disciples that they can see Jesus in Galilee. Since each Gospel writer pared down his narrative of this day to convenient simplicity, the four narratives differ and overlap at the same time. (If the gospel authors wanted to fabricate a story about Jesus’s empty tomb, they would have used male witnesses.). and this is my answer:  "Because this was the most effectual means of propagating His religion through the world.".