What final messages did Jesus give to the disciples after his resurrection?
*Mark: (not in earliest manuscripts) when he appeared to the eleven as they were eating (in Jerusalem)-" Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." In Jesus's name they would drive out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up snakes, drink poison, and heal sick people.
*Matthew: (on the mountain in galilee?) Jesus said "go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Surely I am with you to the very end of the age."
*Luke: (in Jerusalem) Jesus said "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations...I am going to send you what my father has promised but stay in the city intil you have been clothed with power from on high." (No baptism mentioned.)
*John:(by the sea of Tiberias after eating a breakfast of fish) Jesus tells Peter to feed his sheep then prophesizes about Peter's future. Then he says "follow me!" Nothing about preaching to all nations, miracles, or baptism. He also implies that he will return from an unspecified location.
What was the last sight of Jesus?
*Mark: After the final message, Jesus was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of god. How does the author know this? Does god have hands?
*Matthew: No mention of anything at all happening to Jesus after his final message.
*Luke: Jesus led the disciples from Jerusalem to the vicinity of Bethany and was taken up into heaven.
*John: No mention of anything happening to Jesus after his final message.
Acts, supposedly a continuation of Luke, has Jesus sticking around for forty days before he is taken up and hidden by a cloud. Then two men in white, presumably angels, tell the disciples Jesus is in heaven, but he will come back. Matthew, Mark and Luke do not speak of a return. Other New Testament books speak of Jesus being raised from the dead but give no details. Many passages in the gospels show that the authors believed in resurrection of the dead and have Jesus talking about the resurrection of the righteous, but they also show there were factions of Jews who did not believe this.
What does an empty tomb mean? Only one thing: there is no body there. It doesn't tell you how, when, where, or why. The story in John actually gives the most likely explanation, if a man Jesus actually died and was laid in a tomb. "They took his body and didn't tell us." Christians like to say nobody else's tomb is empty, but that's not true at all. Plenty of tombs are empty for various reasons, usually becuse the body was moved. As simple as that.
Things to remember about these stories: They do not claim to be written by eyewitnesses or to be inspired by god. We don't know who wrote them. There is no knowledge or indication of the year this happened, so it can't be pinned down in history. The stories are written in the third person, told as if these things happened to other people. They have a limited omnicient perspective, being able to show the actions words and feelings of separate people in separate places, but they don't know exactly when or how Jesus was "raised from the dead." That part is left mysterious and magical..
Where is Jesus's tomb supposed to have been?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Sepulchre
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Garden_Tomb
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talpiot_Tomb
More: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus
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