WRONG TOMB THEORY

Some people claim that Mary Magdalene and the other women went to the wrong tomb on the third day after Jesus’ crucifixion. Given that it was still dark when they set out (John 20:1) and that they were emotionally disturbed, they argue it’s possible the women simply made a mistake. If that were true, the disciples might have believed Jesus had risen only because they visited the wrong burial place. This explanation is known as the “Wrong Tomb Theory.”

But the “Wrong Tomb Theory” is itself full of problems. For one thing, if it had been so dark that morning, why did Mary think she was speaking with a gardener (John 20:15)? Evidently it wasn’t too dark to see clearly. And when Peter and John ran to the tomb later that morning (vv. 3–4), there was certainly enough daylight for them to notice the linen strips and burial cloth inside (vv. 4–6). If everyone had truly gone to the wrong tomb, then whose tomb was it that appeared empty? Would we not also have to conclude that someone else had been resurrected?

Moreover, if Jesus’ followers had mistaken the tomb, the Jewish authorities could easily have gone to the correct one and displayed His body to silence the resurrection story. They had both the motive and the time to do so, yet they never produced a corpse.

Suppose, however, that everyone really did go to the wrong tomb. That would mean not only Mary and the women—who had watched Jesus’ burial a few days earlier (Luke 23:55)—but also the Jewish leaders, the guards posted at the site, and Joseph of Arimathea himself, the owner of the tomb, all forgot the location. Even the angels would have appeared at the wrong place! Such a sweeping collective mistake strains all credibility.

Finally, this theory cannot account for the multiple post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. The empty tomb alone did not transform the disciples’ fear into bold faith; in fact, when Mary first reported that the tomb was empty, the others did not believe her (Mark 16:11). What changed them was meeting the risen Christ Himself, encounters that compelled them to proclaim the good news despite persecution and death. Even if someone insisted that everyone visited the wrong tomb, the undeniable fact remains: somewhere there was—and is—an empty tomb. Stay Curious.