In this blog the period between the crucifixion and the end of the Gospels will be compared. These comparisons will convince us that the Gospels were not written by eyewitnesses, nor did the authors appear to interview eyewitnesses. The endings are so different from the others and from the UB. Starting with the Gospel of Matthew who is not really the disciple Matthew, we are told the following: * Sunday morning, the third day, Mary Magdeline and ‘the other Mary’ came to the tomb where they found an angel rolling the stone from the entrance of said tomb. ** He told the women to go quickly and tell the disciples that Jesus is in Galilee and to meet him there. *** They met Jesus in Galilee, but were confused when Jesus said, “All power in heaven and earth has been given to me.” They still didn’t ‘get it’, that he was God of the universe and the Father had given him total sovereignty over his domain. At this time he sent them out to make disciples of others, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19). This is an important verse because it is evidence that the Trinity is mentioned as early as the first century and by Jesus himself. Of course, this verse could have been inserted later by a scribe.
Mark’s real Gospel has a very abrupt ending.* Mary Magdeline, Mary the mother of Joses, and Salome arrive at the tomb early Sunday morning. ** A young man is at the tomb who tells them that Jesus has risen and to Peter and the disciples and tell them that he has gone to Galilee and to meet him there. *** The women told nobody anything because they were too terrified. And that’s all she wrote… *** Scribes or translators or copiers have put 2 Longer Endings on Mark. *The Longer Ending says that Jesus rose and appeared to Mary Magdeline.** She ran and told the disciples the good news, but they didn’t believe her.*** Then Jesus appeared to the 11 locked in the Upper Room and told them to go out into the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. ****After he spoke to them, “he was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” And the disciple went all around preaching the Word, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the Word through signs (Mark 16:19-20). This is a nice ending; too bad it isn’t Mark’s. Mark is thought to be Peter’s secretary because he vowed to follow Peter and record everything he said and did, but scholars still don’t think that Mark wrote the Gospel. Scholars think that the disciples were illiterate peasants. Jesus could read and speak Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek. He was not an illiterate peasant.
Luke’s Resurrection narrative is much more extensive than Mark’s. He even grandly devotes a “VIII: The Resurrection Narrative: Chapter 24” to it. *Several women come to the tomb with spices to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. **They found the tomb open, and they found two men in dazzling white who told them not to seek Jesus among the dead. ***The women went to the apostles and told them Jesus was raised. ****They were scoffed at, except for Peter, who went to the tomb to see for himself. Even more happens in Luke. *Jesus disguises himself and walks with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They don’t recognize him until they are eating dinner and Jesus breaks the bread and blesses it. **The two disciples hurried back to Jerusalem. ***Jesus appeared among the disciples in the Upper room, which terrified them, thinking he was a ghost. ****He said “Peace be with you.” And they recognized him. He invited them to touch him and experience his physicality, after which he asked for something to eat. ***** He explained the theology of the Resurrection, that “everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, saying, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentence for sins would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high” (24:44-49). After he spoke, he led them out to Bethany, raised his hands and blessed them as he was rising up to heaven. The disciples were filled with great joy and were continually in the Temple praising God.
Next blog will be John’s Gospel and the Urantia Book. So far, none of the Gospels have recorded the numerous appearances Jesus made after his Resurrection.
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys 