How did the myth of Jesus' resurrection originate?

[max-greece]

Drich,

Perhaps it wasn't clear. Mark is chronologically the closest report we have to the events. Mark, without the later addition, would, therefore, be worth considering at the most accurate account - with less embellishments than the others.

Its simply the old "how big was the fish that my grandfather caught?" Tale.

Why would the priests care whether the body was stolen or not?

Notice also, as the accounts get more distant chronologically that stone seems to get bigger. In Mark, Joseph of A. rolls the stone in place on his own.

Any chance of addressing the rest of the questions raised from Mark in the meantime, just for completeness?

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n Mat's account The priest compeled pilate to place gaurds at the tomb to ensure that His body was not stolen.

Yeah...an obvious editorial device to deal with the obvious objection that his followers had stolen the body.

Occam's Razor, Drippy. You should use it.

Judging by Mark's account its not clear the followers knew the location of the tomb. Seems much more likely to me that Joe of A. and this young man (both of whom appear conveniently just for this story) took it.

Matthew's account has a whole cock and bull story about guards, angels, bribes and this "story being widely circulated amongst Jews till this very day."

That last bit is a very strange part of Matthew - it is the only time he gives the impression of a long passage of time between the events and his recounting of them. To be honest this whole bit looks very bolted on to me - just as the last 11 verses of Mark were.