Expert: Brian Thompson - 4/22/2009

Question
Hi Brain

The Bible I read THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION doesn't explain who this man is ? Niether Angel or whomever.

St.Mark 16: 5
" And entering into the sepulchre they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment: and they were fightened. "

Again Brain; are we to assume that he was an Angel ?
I guess the Bible leaves that up to us. I perfer to go just by what my NKJV says.

Your views on this Brain.

Thanks Brain
GOD BLESS YOU
Ray M.

Answer
Hi Ray please try to spell my name correctly it is Brian

The idea that this is an angel is Christian tradition  and is supported by John who tells us there were two angels but the greek  of Mark doesn't support that idea nor do more modern translations like the NIV. We are not given to know who it is. Just that there is an seeming inconsistency between Mark and John. John was one who visted the tomb after the ressurrection while Mark writes from what he has been told possibally by Peter. So the possiblity that it was an angel is not excluded by the description of a young man

The Gospel accounts exist so we can make comparisons and perhaps fill out our understanding by seeing one writer expand what another has said, for eye witness accounts you need to look at Matthew and John and remembering that John was probally aware of what others had written.

What is important in both these accounts is that Jesus had risen, he was not found in the tomb and that the circumstances were unusual and unexpected.