Mark 16

Resurrection Evidence (16:1-8)

1. The Empty Tomb (16:1-6)
a. The Stolen Body Theory (Matthew 28:13-15)
b. The Wrong Tomb Theory
c. The Lettuce Theory (John 20:15)
d. The Swoon Theory
e. The Hallucination Theory
f. The Twin Brother Theory

2. The Appearances (16:7-8)
a. He was seen by the Women (Matthew 28:9, John 20:16-17)
b. He was seen by the Disciples (Matthew 28:16-17, Luke 24:36-51, John 20:19-21:14, Acts 1:3-9)
c. He was seen by 2 travelers (Luke 24:31)
d. He was seen by 500 witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6)

3. Historical evidence
a. The transformation of the Disciples is hard to explain w/o resurrection
b. The growth of the Church is difficult to understand w/o resurrection
c. Neither Rome nor Judaism offered counter-evidence
d. Early Christians changed the day of Sabbath observance
e. Jesus predicted His role in the judgment of Jerusalem in AD70

Manuscript Debate (16:9-20)

Reasons to Accept
1. Most manuscripts that have been found include these verses
2. Without 9-20 the ending of Mark is too abrupt
3. The long ending has been accepted for years (KJV)

Reasons to Reject
1. Two of the best manuscripts found exclude these verses
2. Many church fathers reveal no knowledge of these verses
3. Some manuscripts separate it from the text
4. Some manuscripts have a totally separate ending to Mark
5. Historians claimed other manuscripts ended at verse 8
6. An abrupt ending fits the style of Mark’s Gospel
7. The long ending is not like Mark’s writing style
8. The flow from 8 to 9 is awkward
9. Some question the theology of 15-18