Was the stone moved away before Mary arrived at Jesus’ tomb or not? Some critics of Christianity assert that there is a contradiction between the gospels of the New Testament regarding the chronology of the arrival of the women at Jesus’ tomb and when the stone was rolled away. Was the stone moved before or after the women arrived at the tomb? Let’s take a look at the four gospels that record this event:
Were the women close or far from the cross? Matthew, Mark, and Luke all seem to say that the women at the cross watched from a distance. John, however, seems to place them close to the cross. Is this a contradiction? Let’s take a look:
These are the last seven sayings that Jesus said on the cross. Sometimes they are referred to as the “Seven Words.” There’s also a bit of a debate on the exact order of the sayings, but the following is a complete list with a plausible order. You might notice that some of the things he said were quotes from the Old Testament.
Problem: John writes that Jesus’ last words were, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30). However, Luke writes, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Lk. 23:46). Which is true?
Problem: If Christ did not go to heaven until at least three days after His death, how can the thief be in paradise the day Christ died?
What was written on the sign that was hung on the cross above the head of Jesus? How many languages was the inscription written in?
Did Jesus or Simon of Cyrene carry the cross? Actually, both did.
Who arrested Jesus? There is no contradiction in the Bible regarding who arrested Jesus. All we need to do is look at the context.
Some passages say that Jesus came to bring peace, but others declare that he did not. Isn’t this a blatant contradiction? No, actually. Let’s take a look.
Denies before cock crows
Mathew 26:34,74-75, “Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a cock crows, you shall deny Me three times…74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a cock crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”