Welcome to “Ehrman Errs,” a blog series devoted to using our conversational AI to refute each alleged biblical contradiction that is posed in the article on Bart Ehrman’s website: 50 Contradictions in the Bible: The Biggest, Most Shocking Differences.
Today’s alleged contradiction:
#50 – Where Did the Disciples Go After the Resurrection?
A final example concerns Jesus’ post-resurrection instructions to his disciples and their immediate actions. In Luke’s Gospel (24:49-53), Jesus explicitly tells his disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they are “clothed with power from on high,” referring to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In contrast, Matthew 28:10, 16-20 records Jesus instructing his disciples to go to Galilee, where they meet him on a mountain and receive the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
How Does Ehrman Err?
Bart Ehrman’s claim of contradiction between Luke 24:49–53 and Matthew 28:10, 16–20 arises from treating the two resurrection accounts as if they must describe the same event in the same moment of time. However, when each Gospel is read carefully and in sequence—according to a historical-grammatical approach—these texts are complementary, not contradictory.
1. Understanding the Two Contexts
- Matthew 28:10, 16–20
After the resurrection, Jesus tells the women at the tomb, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” The disciples indeed go to Galilee, where Jesus meets them and gives what we now call the Great Commission:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19‑20, ESV).
- Luke 24:49–53
Later, Luke records that Jesus met with the disciples in and around Jerusalem and instructed them:
“Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49, ESV).
2. The Order of Events and Luke’s Condensed Narrative
Luke’s account is highly condensed. When read together with Luke’s second volume—the book of Acts—the chronological order becomes clear:
- Jesus appeared to the disciples multiple times over forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3).
- During that time, the disciples both went to Galilee (as Matthew states) and later returned to Jerusalem, where they were told to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4–5).
- The ascension then took place near Bethany (Luke 24:50–51; Acts 1:9–12).
Thus, Luke’s Gospel summarizes events that occurred over an extended period as though they were one continuous scene. This style of summarization (“telescoping”) is common among ancient historians.
3. No Contradiction, but Sequential Harmony
The instructions were not simultaneous:
- First instruction (in Matthew): “Go to Galilee.”
→ The disciples obey, meet Jesus there, and receive the Great Commission. - Second instruction (in Luke and Acts): Upon returning to Jerusalem, Jesus instructs them to remain there until the Holy Spirit is given.
Note the connection in Acts 1:4‑5 (Luke’s follow-up account):
“He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father.”
This occurred after many post-resurrection appearances. Thus, the narrative harmonizes naturally—there is a Galilee appearance and then the Jerusalem wait.
4. The Purpose and Theology of Each Gospel
Each Gospel writer emphasizes different aspects of the risen Christ’s mission:
- Matthew focuses on Jesus’ universal mission—the call to spread the gospel to all nations.
- Luke highlights the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence before mission work begins. As Precept Austin notes, Jesus “commanded his disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they were empowered by the Spirit… for only then would they be equipped to communicate the gospel” (PreceptAustin.org, Luke 4 Commentary).
Luke’s theological emphasis therefore looks forward to Pentecost, while Matthew points to the missional future of the Church. Both are true and complementary facets of the same historical reality.
5. Supported by Scripture and the Wider Context
- Acts 1:3–5 – confirms multiple appearances over forty days, explaining the time for both Galilean and Jerusalem events.
- Luke 24:49 – commands the disciples to stay after their time seeing the risen Jesus.
- Matthew 28:7, 10, 16 – the Galilee meeting happens earlier, not at odds with Luke’s later summary.
- Furthermore, Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 capture both passages’ essence:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Here, the geographic progression from Jerusalem outward mirrors the sequence of events after the resurrection.
6. Summary
| Gospel | Command | Location | Purpose | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew 28 | “Go to Galilee” | Galilee | Receive Commission | Shortly after Resurrection |
| Luke 24 / Acts 1 | “Stay in Jerusalem” | Jerusalem | Await the Spirit | Just before Ascension |
When understood sequentially, there is no contradiction. The disciples obeyed both—the first instruction preceded the second.
7. Theological Reflection
Rather than a discrepancy, the two accounts together display the fullness of Christ’s post-resurrection ministry.
- In Galilee, He gave the mission.
- In Jerusalem, He gave the power.
As Jesus Himself promised, “You will be clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49)—a beautiful image of the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence, as also discussed on GotQuestions.org.
In short:
Jesus first met His disciples in Galilee to commission them (Matthew), and later in Jerusalem to empower them (Luke/Acts). The two passages describe distinct but consecutive events. There is no contradiction—only complementary records showing how Christ’s mission and the Spirit’s power came together to launch the Church.