Questions
(Answers at End of Quiz)
1. Was there a guard at the tomb?
2. Why did the woman/women come to the tomb?
3. When did the woman/women obtain the spices?
4. How many and who were the first visitor(s) to the tomb?
5. What time of day was it when the first visitor(s) arrived.
6. Was there a stone over the entrance to the tomb when the first visitor(s) arrived?
7. Was there an earthquake?
8. Who else was at the tomb?
9. What did the visitor(s) do immediately thereafter?
10. Where were the disciples to first see Jesus?
11. By whom were the disciples told that they would meet the risen Jesus in Galilee?
12. Where was Jesus’ very first post-Resurrection appearance?
13. To whom did the risen Jesus first appear?
14. What was the order of post-Resurrection appearances?
15. Did the risen Jesus want to be touched?
16. Did those who first heard this story believe or disbelieve?
17. When did Jesus ascend to Heaven?
18. When did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit?
19. Was the risen Jesus recognized by those who saw him?
20. Was the risen Jesus physical?
21. How many times was the risen Jesus seen by the disciples?
22. How many disciples were present when Jesus appeared to them?
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Answers
1. Was there a guard at the tomb?
a. Yes.
MT 27:62-66
b. Apparently not.
MK 15:42-16:8, LK 23:50-56, JN 19:38-42
c. No guard–the women were planning to anoint the body with spices.
MK 16:1-3, LK 24:1
2. Why did the woman/women come to the tomb?
a. To anoint the body with spices.
MK 16:1-2; LK 24:1
b. Just to look.
MT 28:1; JN 20:1
3. When did the woman/women obtain the spices?
a. On Friday before sunset.
LK 23:54-56; 24:1
b. After sunset on Saturday.
MK 16:1
4. How many and who were the first visitor(s) to the tomb?
a. 2: Mary Magdalene & the other Mary.
MT 28:1
b. 3: Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, & Salome.
MK 16:1
c. 5 or more: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women.
LK 23:55-24:1, 24:10
d. Only 1: Mary Magdalene.
JN 20:1
5. What time of day was it when the first visitor(s) arrived.
a. Toward dawn.
MT 28:1
b. After sunrise.
MK 16:2
c. Early dawn.
LK 24:1
d. Still dark.
JN 20:1
6. Was there a stone over the entrance to the tomb when the first visitor(s) arrived?
a. Yes. It was rolled away later.
MT 28:1-2
b. No. It had already been rolled or taken away.
MK 16:4, LK 24:2, JN 20:1
7. Was there an earthquake?
a. Yes.
MT 28:2
b. Apparently not.
MK 16:5, LK 24:2-4, JN 20:12
8. Who else was at the tomb?
a. 1 angel who rolled back the stone and then sat on it.
MT 28:2
b. 1 young man sitting inside the tomb.
MK 16:5
c. 2 or more men suddenly appear standing inside the tomb.
LK 24:2-4
d. 2 angels sitting inside the tomb.
JN 20:12
9. What did the visitor(s) do immediately thereafter?
a. Ran to tell the disciples.
MT 28:8
b. Said nothing to anyone.
MK 16:8
c. Told the eleven & all the rest.
LK 24:9
d. The disciples returned home, Mary remained outside weeping.
JN 20:10-11
10. Where were the disciples to first see Jesus?
a. In Galilee.
MK 16:7; MT 28:7,10,16
b. In Jerusalem.
MK 16:14; LK 24:33, 36; JN 20:19; AC 1:4
11. By whom were the disciples told that they would meet the risen Jesus in Galilee?
a. By the women, who had been told by an angel of the Lord, then by Jesus himself after the Resurrection.
MT 28:7-10; MK 16:7
b. By Jesus himself, before the Crucifixion.
MK 26:32
12. Where was Jesus’ very first post-Resurrection appearance?
a. Fairly near the tomb.
MT 28:8-9
b. In the vicinity of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem.
LK 24:13-15
c. Just outside the tomb.
JN 20:13-14
13. To whom did the risen Jesus first appear?
a. Mary Magdalene alone.
JN 20:14; MK 16:9
b. Cleopas and another disciple.
LK 24:13, 15, 18
c. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.
MT 28:1, 9
d. Cephas (Peter) alone.
1CO 15:4-5; LK 24:34
14. What was the order of post-Resurrection appearances?
a. Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, the eleven.
MT 28:1-18
b. Mary Magdalene, two others, the eleven.
MK 16:9-14
c. Two, Simon (Peter?), the eleven.
LK 24:15-36
d. Mary Magdalene, the disciples without Thomas, the disciples with Thomas, then the eleven again.
JN 20:14-21:1
e. Cephas (Peter?), the twelve (?–one disciple was dead), 500+ brethren (120 in AC 1:15), James, all the Apostles, Paul.
1CO 15:5-8
15. Did the risen Jesus want to be touched?
a. No.
JN 20:17
b. Yes.
JN 20:27
c. Did not mind being touched.
MT 28:9-10
16. Did those who first heard this story believe or disbelieve?
a. Some doubted, but most believed because they followed the revealed instructions.
MT 28:7-10, MT 28:16
b. The initial reaction was one of disbelief–all doubted.
MK 16:11, LK 24:11
17. When did Jesus ascend to Heaven?
a. The day of the Resurrection.
MK 16:9, 19; LK 24:13, 28-36, 50-51
Note: the original Gospel of Mark ends at MK 16:8
b. Forty days after the Resurrection.
AC 1:3, 9
c. We are not told that he ascended to Heaven.
MT 28:10, 16-20; JN 21:25
18. When did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit?
a. 50 days after the Resurrection.
AC 1:3, 9
b. In the evening of the same day as the Resurrection.
JN 20:19-22
19. Was the risen Jesus recognized by those who saw him?
a. Yes.
MT 28:9; MK 16:9-10
b. Not always.
MK 16:12; LK 24:15-16, 31, 36-37; JN 20:14-15
20. Was the risen Jesus physical?
a. Yes.
MT 28:9; LK 24:41-43; JN 20:27
b. No.
MK 16:9, 12, 14; LK 24:15-16, 31, 36-37; JN 20:19, 26; 1CO 15:5-8
21. How many times was the risen Jesus seen by the disciples?
a. Presumably only once.
MT 28:16-17
b. Twice.
MK 16:12-14; LK 24:13-15, 33, 36-51
c. Three times.
JN 20:19, 26; 21:1, 14
d. Many times.
AC 1:3
22. How many disciples were present when Jesus appeared to them?
a. 11.
MT 28:16-17; LK 24:33, 36
b. 12.
1CO 15:5
Afterword
The New Testament Empty Tomb and Resurrection stories are of vital importance to traditional Christianity, yet they are riddled with inconsistencies of detail, inconsistencies which one could reasonably expect would not exist had their authors been inspired by a perfect and omnipotent God, inconsistencies which might well tend to make it seem that these stories are at least somewhat fictitious–if not entirely so. For more, see: Introduction to the Bible and Biblical Problems.
Copyright 2003 & 2008, Donald Morgan.