Who Was First To See Jesus

Here is a table summarizing who saw Jesus first after his resurrection according to the four Gospels and Paul's writings, along with verse citations:

Source	First Witness(es)	Verse Citations
Matthew	Mary Magdalene and the other Mary	Matthew 28:1, 28:9-10
Mark (Shorter Ending)	Mary Magdalene	Mark 16:9
Luke	Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus, followed by Peter	Luke 24:13-16, 24:34
John	Mary Magdalene	John 20:1, 20:14-18
Paul (1 Corinthians)	Cephas (Peter), then the Twelve	1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Summary of Each Account:

1. Matthew 28:1, 28:9-10:

   • Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb. Jesus meets them, and they worship him.

2. Mark 16:9:

   • In the longer ending of Mark, which is not found in early manuscripts, it states that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene. Note that the earliest manuscripts of Mark end at 16:8, and the verses following (including verse 9) are part of the longer ending that was added later.

3. Luke 24:13-16, 24:34:

   • The first encounter described in detail is with two disciples (Cleopas and another) on the road to Emmaus. Later, it is mentioned that Jesus appeared to Simon Peter.

4. John 20:1, 20:14-18:

   • Mary Magdalene is the first to see Jesus after the resurrection when she goes to the tomb and speaks with him in the garden.

5. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5:

   • Paul summarizes the tradition he received: Jesus appeared to Cephas (Peter) first, and then to the Twelve. This is a different emphasis compared to the Gospel narratives, focusing on the appearances to key leaders in the early church.

These accounts provide different perspectives on who first saw the resurrected Jesus. Mary Magdalene is prominently featured in three of the four Gospels as the first witness, whereas Paul emphasizes Peter's role in his account.