If you have never read a harmony of the gospels for Jesus’ burial and resurrection, I compiled one for you. It’s like examining several police reports, or going through the footage of several surveillance cameras to determine the order of events.
Read these verses slowly, in order, and watch the events from that decisive weekend unfold before your heart. What happened that weekend—the death of Jesus—forever sealed the death of death, hell, and the devil. And His resurrection assures us that, not only did God accept His death as the once-for-all, permanent sacrifice for our sins, but He will also resurrect us to an eternal life after our pitiful existence on earth.
What a Savior! He is risen.
The burial of Jesus
Mark 15:42
42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached,
Luke 23:50–51
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.
Mark 15:43
43 Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)
Luke 23:52
52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.
Mark 15:44–45
44 Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. 45 The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.
John 19:38b–39
asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.
Mark 15:46
46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.
Luke 23:55
55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed.
Matthew 27:59–60
59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.
Luke 23:53–54
53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.
John 19:40–42
40 Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
Matthew 27:61
61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.
Luke 23:56
56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.
Mark 15:47
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.
Saturday
Matthew 27:62–66
62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”
65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.
Mark 16:1
16 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body.
Sunday morning
John 20:1–18
Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— 9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.
11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.
“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
16 “Mary!” Jesus said.
She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.
Mark 16:9–11
9 After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. 11 But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.
Matthew 28:1
1 Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
Mark 16:2
2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.
Luke 24:1
But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
Mark 16:3–4
3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.
Luke 24:2–4
2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
Matthew 28:2–7
2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
Mark 16:5–8b
5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”
8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened. Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions.
Luke 24:5–8
5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” 8 Then they remembered that he had said this.
Matthew 28:8–10
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
Luke 24:9–12
9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened.11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.
Matthew 28:11–15
11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
HE IS RISEN.
HE IS RISEN, INDEED!
Have a great Resurrection weekend!
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES IN ORDER with link to Bible Gateway
The burial of Jesus
Mark 15:42 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A42&version=NLT
Luke 23:50–51 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A50-51&version=NLT
Mark 15:43 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A43&version=NLT
Luke 23:52 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A52&version=NLT
Mark 15:44–45 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A44-45&version=NLT
John 19:38b–39 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A38b-39&version=NLT
Mark 15:46 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A46&version=NLT
Luke 23:55 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A55&version=NLT
Matthew 27:59–60 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A59-60&version=NLT
Luke 23:53–54 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A53-54&version=NLT
John 19:40–42 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A40-42&version=NLT
Matthew 27:61 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A61&version=NLT
Luke 23:56 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A56&version=NLT
Mark 15:47 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A47&version=NLT
Saturday
Matthew 27:62–66 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+27%3A62-66&version=NLT
Mark 16:1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A1&version=NLT
Sunday morning
John 20:1–18 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A1-18&version=NLT
Mark 16:9–11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A9-11&version=NLT
Matthew 28:1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A1&version=NLT
Mark 16:2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A2&version=NLT
Luke 24:1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A1&version=NLT
Mark 16:3–4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A3-4&version=NLT
Luke 24:2–4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A2-4&version=NLT
Matthew 28:2–7 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A2-7&version=NLT
Mark 16:5–8b https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A5-8b&version=NLT
Luke 24:5–8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A5-8&version=NLT
Matthew 28:8–10 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+28%3A8-10&version=NLT
Luke 24:9–12 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A9-12&version=NLT
Matthew 28:11–15 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A11-15&version=NLT
All scripture today was from the New Living Translation.
