Resurrection

By: Gary E Farrell

One of the two most likely dates for the resurrection of Christ is April 5, 33 AD. In 2026 Easter also falls on April 5. This provides an opportunity for spiritual reflection. As we live through the coming days, let us consider what happened on exactly that day 1993 years earlier.

THE RESURRECTION APPEARANCES

April 3, 33 AD Good Friday afternoon (Jerusalem area):

Jesus had died on the cross. Two men now take charge of his burial.

Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin. He is described as good and righteous, a rich man who was secretly a disciple of Jesus.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. He once came at night, apparently in secret, to speak with Jesus. (John 3:1-21) Later he attempted to defend Jesus before the Sanhedrin.
(John 7:50-52)

Joseph of Arimathea found the courage to ask Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus, and it was granted to him. Nicodemus came with a large amount of burial spices. Pope Benedict XVI observed that this was a royal burial, as the quantity of spices was much greater than usual. (Jesus of Nazareth, vol. 2, p.228) The body was wrapped in burial cloths with the spices, and Joseph of Arimathea laid the body of Jesus in his own tomb. They had not had time to complete all of the usual burial preparations, as the sabbath rest was about to begin. Some of the women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee were looking on and noticed this. They returned home to prepare additional burial spices but stopped their work for the Jewish sabbath.

Both Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus show a steady growth in courage. At first, they were secret disciples. Later Nicodemus challenges the Sanhedrin and Joseph of Arimathea is bold enough to speak with the Roman procurator. Then we come to the burial. It had to be done before the sabbath began at sunset. The two men thus went about their task in broad daylight for all to see.
Mt 27:57-61, Mk 15:42-47, Lk 23:50-56, Jn 19:38-42

April 4, 33 AD daytime:
The chief priests and Pharisees were concerned that the body of Jesus would be stolen so that the claim could be made of him rising from the dead. A guard was placed over the tomb, and a seal placed on the stone that closed it.
Mt 27:62-66

April 4, 33 AD evening:
The sabbath rest ended at sunset, and the women purchased additional spices.
Mk 16:1

April 5, 33 AD Easter Sunday morning before dawn:
The women finished preparing the spices and left for the tomb to further anoint the body of Jesus. Lk 24:10 lists three of them and “the other women with them”. That implies at least two more. The following were in the group:

Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons. (Mk 16:9, Lk 8:2) Some have tried to identify her with either Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, or with the penitent woman of Lk 7:36-50, but these are probably different women.

Mary the mother of James, as she is identified in Mt 23:56, Mk 16:1, and Lk 24:10, is probably the same as Mary the wife of Cleophas (or Clopas or Alphaeus) in Jn 19:25. Her sons James, Joseph (or Joses), Simon, and Jude are mentioned in Mt 13:53-58 and Mk 6:1-6 as being relatives of Jesus who also were from the Nazareth area. Writings from the early years of the Church claim that Cleophas was the brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary. We see why she came. Jesus himself would be her nephew.

Salome appears to be the wife of Zebedee and the mother of the apostle brothers James and John. That is based on a comparison of Mt 27:56 with Mk 15:40. In Mt 20:20-21 she is bold enough to ask Jesus for the favor of having of having her two sons sit at his right hand and at his left in his kingdom.

Joanna is mentioned in both Lk 24:10 and earlier in Lk 8:3, where she is said to be the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza. This shows how disciples of Jesus thrive in the most hostile of environments. Herod had put to death John the Baptist and treated Jesus with contempt, yet in the family of one of his employees was a woman devoted to Christ. In the same way, as the hostility of the Sanhedrin grew until they plotted the death of Christ, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who were members, remained faithful. So we must be amid a hostile world.

There was at least one other woman present. The group was drawn from those who followed Jesus in his travels in Galilee. (Lk 23:49) One possibility is that she was Susanna, who is mentioned in Lk 8:3 as doing this. This is only a guess.

The women were proceeding on hope. They did not know who could move the stone away from the tomb entrance for them. They were also unaware of the guard at the tomb, who would have prevented anyone from moving the stone and entering. Their errand of love seemed doomed.
Mt 28:1, Mk 16:2-3, Lk 24:1

April 5, 33 AD Sunday morning at sunrise:
There is a sudden earthquake. An angel descends from heaven and rolls back the stone covering the tomb entrance. The guards fall unconscious in terror of him. Jesus emerges from the tomb, unseen by human witnesses.
Mt 28:2-4

April 5, 33 AD Sunday morning shortly after sunrise:

The women arrive at the tomb, and see that the entrance stone is rolled back. No one tries to stop them, for the guards have recovered and left. The women enter the tomb and encounter two angels. They tell the women that Jesus is risen and will meet them in Galilee. The women flee in fear.
Mt 28:5-8, Mk 16:4-8, Lk 24:2-8, Jn 20:1

April 5, 33 AD Sunday a little later:
Some of the women are too afraid to speak of what they saw, but Mary Magdalene and others find the courage to speak to the apostles. Some do not believe them. Peter and John run to the tomb and find that it is indeed empty. Peter is amazed. John believes.
Lk 24:9-12, Jn 20:2-10

April 5, 33 AD Sunday a little later:
Mary Magdalene and some other women return to the tomb. As Mary Magdalene stands there weeping, she sees two angels, and then Jesus himself. He speaks her name and she recognizes him. Jesus calls to the others. Mary Magdalene and the other women embrace his feet. Jesus instructs them to tell the apostles that he will meet them in Galilee. Mary Magdalene does so but is still met with disbelief.

When the women had encountered the angels earlier, they had fled in terror, and for a while some were too afraid to even speak of what they had seen. When some of the same women encountered Jesus, they embraced his feet until he asked them to let go. (Jn 20:17) Jesus is love, and love casts out all fear. (1 Jn 4:18)
Mt 28:9-10, Mk 16:9-11, Jn 20:11-18

April 5, 33 AD Sunday about the same time:
The guard at the tomb report to the chief priests what had happened. The guards are bribed to spread a false report that the disciples stole the body while the guards slept. Their story is self-contradictory. How can they claim to know what happened, since they say that they were asleep?
Mt 28:11-15

April 5, 33 AD Sunday late afternoon:
Two disciples are walking to the village of Emmaus. They have heard the report of the angels at the empty tomb, but seem unaware of the report that Jesus had been seen alive. Jesus joins them unrecognized, explains to them the Scriptures that refer to him, and at the breaking of the bread reveals himself to them.
Mk 16:12, Lk 24:13-33

April 5, 33 AD Sunday evening:
The disciples from the Emmaus encounter return to Jerusalem, and find it reported that Jesus has appeared to Simon Peter. They in turn relate their encounter. There is still disbelief.
Mk 16:13, Lk 24:34-35, 1 Cor 15:5a

April 5, 33 AD Sunday evening very shortly later:
Jesus appears to the apostles for the first time as these things are being discussed. He shows himself to be alive, explains the Scriptures that refer to him, and imparts a preliminary gift of the Holy Spirit with the power to forgive sins.
Lk 24:36-46, Jn 20:19-23, 1 Cor 15:5b

April 5, 33 AD Sunday evening a little later:
Thomas returns, hears that Jesus is alive and has appeared to them, and does not believe.
Jn 20:24-25

Soon after:
The apostles leave for Galilee, 90 miles north of Jerusalem. They would not have delayed, as both the angel at the tomb and Jesus himself told them to make this journey. In spite of his unbelief, Thomas accompanies them.
Mt 28:16

Later in the week:
Jesus appears to five hundred people. Scripture does not say where it occurred.
1 Cor 15:6

Still later in the week:
Jesus appears to James. Common opinion is that this means the apostle James the son of Alphaeus, a relative of Jesus who became a leader of the Jerusalem Church. Scripture does not say where the appearance took place.
1 Cor 15:7a

April 12, 33 AD Sunday of Divine Mercy: (Galilee, in a mountainside house)
Jesus appears to the apostles a second time. Thomas confesses him as Lord and God. The apostles are commissioned to preach the gospel to all the world.
Mt 28:17-20, Mk 16:14-18, Jn 20:26-31, 1 Cor 15:7b

Some time later: (Galilee, by the lakeshore)
Jesus appears to the apostles a third time. There is another miraculous catch of fish. Peter affirms his love three times, once for each denial, and is given charge of the Church.
Jn 21:1-25

May 14, 33 AD Ascension Thursday: (Jerusalem area)
The apostles have returned to Jerusalem. Jesus tells the apostles to remain in the city until the coming of the Holy Spirit. He leads them out toward the Mount of Olives, repeats the command to be witnesses of the gospel to all nations, and ascends into heaven.
Mk 16:19-20, Lk 24:47-53, Acts 1:1-14

A little later:
Matthias is chosen as a new apostle.
Acts 1:15-26

May 24, 33 AD Pentecost Sunday 9 AM:
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends in power on the disciples. They are now equipped to bring the gospel to the whole world.
Acts 2:1-42