Luke 24:1–12

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.

1.         Matthew’s account of the resurrection of Jesus is only 10 verses long. Mark’s is 8, Luke’s 12, and John’s is 10. Arguably, the most incredible event in history and each account amazingly brief. Yes, the account of the crucifixion is absolutely incredible, and again the Gospel writer’s accounts are short.

2.         “Just the facts” Joe Friday of the fifty’s television series Dragnet, says. And this is what we find in our Bible, too, just the facts. Why is this?

3.         Here I think the Holy Spirit of God was directing the writing. Any attempt to “puff” the resurrection would likely come off as over-much, an attempt to glorify by human means an event that simply needed to be stated.

4.         Then, it was a group of women who first were made aware of the rising of Jesus. And in Judaism, in that day, women had no credibility and were largely ignored regarding anything religious.

5.         Then we find an interesting discrepancy among the four Gospel authors in terms of the angel, or two angels, or one man, or two men who met with and spoke with the women at the graveside. Interesting indeed, and there was no attempt to reconcile the accounts.

6.         And even more incredible is that the story of the women about finding the tomb empty, along with the speaking with the angel, angels, man, men, was discounted by the apostles. It all has the ring of authenticity.