Like the birth narratives, all the gospels tell slightly different versions of Jesus' resurrection. Who saw what first, the number of angels sighted at the tomb, Jesus' appearance, all vary from book to book. Unlike Paul's accounts, however, all the gospels are interested in the details that surrounded this miraculous event, each adding their own personal touches to the story to make it come alive for new readers.

In John, the fragile emotional state of Jesus' followers is used to give a tender poignancy to the narrative. John begins by bringing a grieving Mary Magdalene to the tomb even before daylight has returned. Although John mentions only Mary specifically, her later words indicate that, as in the other gospels, she was accompanied by other women. Discovering the tomb open, Mary Magd…