Resurrection discrepancies in the four Gospels?

I was talking with a friend recently about how the accounts of the resurrection of Christ in the four Gospels seem to differ. I spent some time looking into the question and thought I'd put my results here. First, I laid out the accounts in parallel (see below), and used same colors to highlight like events across the accounts (for e.g. I've used navy blue to highlight Jesus' giving up His spirit across all four accounts even though it's the first thing in Mt, Mk, Jn and 2nd in Lk). Comparing the four accounts this way, it seems to me there's two problems to address: (1) differences in what actually happened at Jesus' death, the other (2) is the order of events when the Resurrection is discovered.

On (1) the death, note that the problem isn't direct conflicts (apart from what the centurion says - “this was the Son of God” [Mt/Mk] or “This man was innocent” [Lk], and here, he could easily have said both. The “son of God” statement means more to the reader than it would have to the Centurion: he probably wasn't saying “I believe the yet-to-be-articulated doctrine of the Trinity!” He was probably saying, “I believe what this man said about himself”; and remember he was probably speaking in Latin [as a Roman] or Aramaic [as a resident of Palestine], depending on his nationality, while the story is being written in Greek, so exact words of dialogue aren't going to translate), but things not reported: Matthew is most dramatic/supernatural with the temple curtain tearing (like Mk/Lk), a rock-splitting earthquake, and mini-resurrections. Luke is next most dramatic with three hours of darkness prior to the curtain tearing, and the crowd viewing a “spectacle” that causes them to beat their breasts (but he doesn't fill in what caused the awed reaction) then Mark just reports the curtain, and John doesn't even do that. That's where I get back to the point that the authors aren't just recording the story, but making specific points. John is very concerned with demonstrating how in control of the process Jesus was and how in accord with Old Testament prophecy He unfolded the story. Since Jesus wasn't the one darkening the sun and was actually dead at the moment of the earthquake/mini-resurrections, and since those things aren't prophesied in OT, John isn't concerned with reporting them—he's just moving on to reporting the next things that fulfill OT prediction.

The eyewitnesses to the events didn't perceive conflicts—and most of the authors themselves were writing with the other authors before them and wouldn't have written in conflicts (unless they were “correcting the record” – but they weren't received as correcting the record so much as affirming the record). Matthew (written late 50s/early 60s) and Luke (written mid-60s) used Mark (written in early 50s) as a source: they didn't contradict but added details. Matthew was an eyewitness—maybe in the power of the event he didn't pay attention to the lighting (or maybe in comparison to the earthquake and mini-resurrections he didn't bother to mention it). Luke was interviewing eyewitnesses: maybe Luke's witnesses didn't mention the earthquake and mini-resurrections. John was the latest (sometime between 70 & 100) and had access to the others—and they were all accepted as accurate and authentic by the Church as they were received, so he's clearly not going to offer a counter without saying he's doing so, and it being noticed that he's doing so. So even if we perceive differences, we'd need to try and put ourselves in the position of an original audience member and try to figure out why they didn't perceive discrepancies or perceive the accounts as differing.

With that in mind, we're turning to the 4 accounts saying “what could have happened that could be accurately described by all of these accounts?” (bearing in mind too that this question is more about satisfying our concerns about authenticity, not about correct interpretation: in interpretation the text has authority, so meaning is not in reconstructing the specifics of the event, but in understanding the point being made in the telling—believing the telling is an accurate representation of the event).

So I'll try to put together a timeline of the discovery of the Resurrection that makes sense of the four accounts. In the columns above I noted that Matthew includes a whole story line the other authors ignore: the input from the soldiers. I have shown this story line in blue. If we understand this storyline as information from the guards, not from the women, it does much to resolve apparent discrepancies: Mt 27:62-66 sets up the story, 28:1 is an interlude getting the women to the tomb, and then 28:2-4 describes what happened prior to the women's arrival to explain the scene they encounter when they arrive. So the first thing to happen, coming from a soldier's account (probably confided secretly since he was payed to say something else: Mt 28:13-15) is the earthquake when the angel of the Lord descends to open the tomb. The guards feint. Then Mary Madeline and several women come in the dark, toward dawn (Mt 28:1, Mk 16:1-3, Lk 24:1, Jn 20:1), find the empty tomb, and go to tell the apostles (we might note here that probably it's just Mary that goes to tell the apostles [Jn 20:2] while the others do nothing [Mk 16:8]); two of whom go to check out their story (Jn 20:2-10, Lk 24:12). Mary and other women return to the tomb and encounter two angels (Mt 28:5-7, Mk 16:5-8, Lk 24:4-8, Jn 20:11-13). Jesus reveals Himself to Mary and the women (Mt 28:9-10, Mk 16:9, Jn 20:14-17), and the women go to tell the disciples not just that the tomb is open and Jesus is gone, but that He has risen (Mt 28:8, Mk 16:10-11, Lk 24:9-11, Jn 20:18). This would mean that Luke conflates the complex activity related in John, probably because he had more limited sources (John was one of the two who respond to Mary's call in 20:2-10; Luke appears to have been relating info from Peter in in 24:12. He's telling the short version, and John comes along a number of years later and fills out details from his own experience.

Matthew 27/28: 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. 62 Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” 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 tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” 11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Mark 15/16: 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. 42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. 16:1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back— it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 9 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

Luke 23/24: 44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. 50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. 24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

John 19/20: 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness— his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth— that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” 38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. John 20:11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she 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 Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.