Inquiry:
Who did the women see at the tomb? Was it an angel (Matthew 28:2), a young man (Mark 16:5), two men (Luke 24:4), or two angels (John 20:12)? Is there a contradiction?
Response:
First, let us address the question of whether the women saw angels or men at the tomb.
What does an angel look like? Most pictures that artists have painted or drawn of angels show a human like figure, glowing white, with wings. Some picture a full grown human body, while others picture a child-like body, referred to as cherubs.
The only time the Bible speaks about angels with wings is when speaking about cherubim (Ezekiel 1; Revelation 4) or seraphim (Isaiah 6). Neither of these spirit beings appear as a man.
Given the description in the gospel accounts of those whom the women saw at the tomb, an also the description in Genesis 18-19 of those who came to Abraham and Lot, it seems that angels appear as men when they come to men.
Now, how many angels were there? Oddly enough, if all four writers agreed, some would accuse them of collusion. As it is, Matthew and Mark say one, Luke and John say two. It would seem then that there were at least two. Why then do Matthew and Mark only mention one? Is it possible that only one of the two spoke, and it is he that Matthew and Mark refer to?
I might tell my wife that a Jehovah’s Witness stopped by to discuss the Bible with me. Of course they always work in pairs, but it would not be inaccurate for me to simply say one came by to talk about the Bible if only one spoke. That is possibly the case with the number of angels who were at the tomb. Two were present, one spoke.
There is no contradiction.
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