Why Doesn’t the Gospel of Mark include any Resurrection Eyewitness Accounts like the Other Gospels?
Why doesn’t the Gospel of Mark contain any resurrection eyewitness accounts when the other three gospels do? This question has fascinated biblical scholars for generations. In this episode, New Testament professor Kristofer Phan Coffman from Luther Seminary tackles this complex issue, explaining why Mark — considered the earliest written gospel — ends so abruptly without Jesus appearing to his followers after the resurrection.
Through expert analysis of ancient manuscripts like Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, Coffman reveals how the “longer ending” of Mark was likely added later to address this very concern. He explores the literary context of ancient Greek writings, the relationship between Paul and the original disciples, and what Mark’s unique ending tells us about early Christian communities. Rather than undermining the resurrection, Mark’s approach may actually invite readers into the ongoing story of faith in ways that makes the question of the resurrection eyewitnesses less problematic than it initially appears.
ORIGINAL QUESTION SUBMITTED BY A LISTENER LIKE YOU:
“What does it mean that Mark, the oldest gospel (and so maybe the most historically accurate?), is the only gospel with no eye witnesses to the resurrection (not counting the longer ending)?”
BIBLE REFERENCES:
- Mark 16:9-20
- Book of Acts
- Book of Jonah
- Letter to the Galatians
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- The Oxford Handbook of the Synoptic Gospels (2023)
- The Iliad by Homer
- The Odyssey by Homer
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