Problem: 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.
Solution: Passages on when the stone was rolled away
I have arranged the Scripture on the right with the analysis of the verses on the left.
In Matthew, it says that Mary Magdalene and Mary went to the grave on the first day of the week. The same thing is said in Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, and John 20:1. The first day of the week is, of course, Sunday, which, incidentally, is why Christians worship on Sunday, the Lord’s day, the first day of the week.
The first day of the week. As mentioned in several places in the New Testament.
- Mark 16:9, “Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.”
- John 20:19, “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’”
- Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.”
- 1 Corinthians 16:2, “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper so that no collections be made when I come.”
Conclusion
No information exists that gives us a specific chronology of the stone being moved other than that when the women got to the tomb, the stone had already been moved away. Therefore, there is no contradiction in the gospels regarding the chronology of the moving of the stone which occurred on the first day of the week, Sunday.
