Two Versions: One Story
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stopping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. Luke 24:12, NRSV.
The most interesting thing about today's verse is that it does not appear in many modern translations of the Bible. Thus one can read the Revised Standard Version, the Revised English Bible, and others with the text moving immediately from verse 11 to verse 13, with verse 12 in a footnote stating that not all Greek manuscripts contain that passage. On the other hand, such versions as the New King James, the New American Standard Bible, and the New International Version contain the passage.
Here we have a problem that we should be aware of. Different Greek manuscripts vary at times, but the good news is that nearly all of the variations in the text are found in other parts of the Bible and thus very little is lost in the presentation. Beyond that, no major teaching of the Bible is at risk.
The interesting thing about Luke 24:12 is that John's Gospel takes up the same story. But John tells us that it was both he and Peter who, even though they had some doubts, ran to the tomb to see if the women's report might just be correct after all.
In John's account, "they both ran, but the other disciple [John] outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stopping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but did not go in" (John 20:4, 5, RSV). You see here that two of the "greatest" disciples still have some competitive spirit. But it is a transformed spirit. John goes on to give Peter his just credit: "Then Simon Peter came, following him [John], and went into the tomb....Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes" (verses 6-10).
We note several interesting things about John's and Mark's (Peter's) accounts of the event. One is that each of them presented it from his own perspective. The other is the truly wonderful fact that the four Gospels supplement each other, with each providing details left out by the others.
Inspiration never destroys the personalities of those who wrote the books of the Bible. Rather, the various personalities working under the guidance of the Holy Spirit gives us differing insight into how God related to and uses diverse individuals.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stopping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. Luke 24:12, NRSV.
The most interesting thing about today's verse is that it does not appear in many modern translations of the Bible. Thus one can read the Revised Standard Version, the Revised English Bible, and others with the text moving immediately from verse 11 to verse 13, with verse 12 in a footnote stating that not all Greek manuscripts contain that passage. On the other hand, such versions as the New King James, the New American Standard Bible, and the New International Version contain the passage.
Here we have a problem that we should be aware of. Different Greek manuscripts vary at times, but the good news is that nearly all of the variations in the text are found in other parts of the Bible and thus very little is lost in the presentation. Beyond that, no major teaching of the Bible is at risk.
The interesting thing about Luke 24:12 is that John's Gospel takes up the same story. But John tells us that it was both he and Peter who, even though they had some doubts, ran to the tomb to see if the women's report might just be correct after all.
In John's account, "they both ran, but the other disciple [John] outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stopping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but did not go in" (John 20:4, 5, RSV). You see here that two of the "greatest" disciples still have some competitive spirit. But it is a transformed spirit. John goes on to give Peter his just credit: "Then Simon Peter came, following him [John], and went into the tomb....Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes" (verses 6-10).
We note several interesting things about John's and Mark's (Peter's) accounts of the event. One is that each of them presented it from his own perspective. The other is the truly wonderful fact that the four Gospels supplement each other, with each providing details left out by the others.
Inspiration never destroys the personalities of those who wrote the books of the Bible. Rather, the various personalities working under the guidance of the Holy Spirit gives us differing insight into how God related to and uses diverse individuals.
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