S
StRaphael
Guest
I believe the original manuscripts of the Bible are entirely inerrant, but that there have been some copyist errors with respect to numbers. I have reached this conclusion after having read pro-inerrancy arguments and anti-inerrancy arguments for three years. So, don’t be troubled by claims that the Gospels contradict each other! Here are just a few examples of atheists alleging contradictions where there are none.
I highly recommend The Harmony of the Gospels by St. Augustine of Hippo; see the electronic version at newadvent.org/fathers/1602.htm.
The following are excerpts from my posts on Theodore M. Drange’s “The Argument from the Bible” (1996) at my blog The Banana Republican.
“39. Was Joseph’s father Jacob? Yes (Mt 1:16); No - It was Heli (Lu 3:23).” See the Catholic Answers thread at forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=124060.
“58. Was it near the end of his ministry that Jesus cleansed the temple? Yes (Mt 21:10-12); No - It was near the beginning (John 2:11-15).” Jesus cleansed the temple twice.
“63. Did Simon the Cyrenian bear Jesus’s cross? Yes (Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lu 23:26); No (John 19:16-17).” Simon the Cyrenian bore Jesus’ cross after Jesus became too weak to handle it.
“68. Was Jesus crucified at the third hour? Yes (Mk 15:25); No - The sixth or ninth hour (John 19:14-16; Mk 15:34).” Both are true because the Gospel authors made use of different clock systems; Jesus Christ was crucified at about 9:00 A.M. The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) used the Hebrew clock, which commenced at 6:00 A.M. (dawn). John used the Roman clock (midnight to noon system.)
“72. Did Judas hang himself? Yes (Mt 27:5); No - He fell & burst open (Ac 1:18).” These are not mutually exclusive; Judas the traitor fell and burst open after hanging himself.
“38. Did Jesus descend from David through David’s son Solomon and grandson Roboam? Mt 1:1-7 (Through David’s son Nathan and grandson Mattatha) Lu 3:23,31”
Already addressed in hyperlinked thread above.
“62. Did the soldiers clothe Jesus in scarlet (the color of royalty)? Mt 27:28 (It was purple, the symbol of infamy.) Mk 15:17”
Purple was the type of dye [cf. Acts 16:14] which resulted in scarlet fabric.
Here are Christ’s seven statements on the Cross in chronological order:
“3. Did Mary Magdalene tell any men about the tomb? Mt 28:8; Lu 24:9-10; John 20:2 Mk 16:8”
She didn’t tell anyone at first.
“10. Did Peter go alone? Lu 24:12 John 20:2-6”
Due to space limitations, St. Luke condenses the story so as to be able to talk about Emmaus [Lk 24:13-33]. St. Luke’s priority was what St. Peter saw, not the identity of his companions.
“15. Did she recognize him immediately? Mt 28:9; Mk 16:9-10 John 20:14”
Mt 28:9 and Mk 16:9-10 simply say that St. Mary Madgalene recognized Jesus, not how soon she did. At first, she thought He was the gardener [Jn 20:14].
“27. Did Jesus ascend to heaven from Bethany? Lu 24:50-51 (From Mt. Olivet) Ac 1:9-12; (Jerusalem) Mk 16:14-19”
Did He ascend from New York, New York City, or Queens? Bethany is on the slopes of Mt. Olivet, which is on the east side of Jerusalem.
I highly recommend The Harmony of the Gospels by St. Augustine of Hippo; see the electronic version at newadvent.org/fathers/1602.htm.
The following are excerpts from my posts on Theodore M. Drange’s “The Argument from the Bible” (1996) at my blog The Banana Republican.
“39. Was Joseph’s father Jacob? Yes (Mt 1:16); No - It was Heli (Lu 3:23).” See the Catholic Answers thread at forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=124060.
“58. Was it near the end of his ministry that Jesus cleansed the temple? Yes (Mt 21:10-12); No - It was near the beginning (John 2:11-15).” Jesus cleansed the temple twice.
“63. Did Simon the Cyrenian bear Jesus’s cross? Yes (Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lu 23:26); No (John 19:16-17).” Simon the Cyrenian bore Jesus’ cross after Jesus became too weak to handle it.
“68. Was Jesus crucified at the third hour? Yes (Mk 15:25); No - The sixth or ninth hour (John 19:14-16; Mk 15:34).” Both are true because the Gospel authors made use of different clock systems; Jesus Christ was crucified at about 9:00 A.M. The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) used the Hebrew clock, which commenced at 6:00 A.M. (dawn). John used the Roman clock (midnight to noon system.)
“72. Did Judas hang himself? Yes (Mt 27:5); No - He fell & burst open (Ac 1:18).” These are not mutually exclusive; Judas the traitor fell and burst open after hanging himself.
“38. Did Jesus descend from David through David’s son Solomon and grandson Roboam? Mt 1:1-7 (Through David’s son Nathan and grandson Mattatha) Lu 3:23,31”
Already addressed in hyperlinked thread above.
“62. Did the soldiers clothe Jesus in scarlet (the color of royalty)? Mt 27:28 (It was purple, the symbol of infamy.) Mk 15:17”
Purple was the type of dye [cf. Acts 16:14] which resulted in scarlet fabric.
Here are Christ’s seven statements on the Cross in chronological order:
- Father forgive them; for they know not what they do. [Lk 23:34a]
- Woman here is your son; son here is your mother. [Jn 19:25-27]
- Truly I say unto you, today you will be with Me in paradise. [Lk 23:43b]
- My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? [Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34] Note that he spoke in Hebrew because He said “Eli” which the people mistook for the abbreviated form of Elijah (Eliyahu). If He spoke in Aramaic He would have said Eloi, which can only mean “My God.”
- I am thirsty. [Mt 27:48; Jn 19:28-29]
- It is finished. [Jn 19:30]
- Immediately before dying Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” [Lk 23:46a]
“3. Did Mary Magdalene tell any men about the tomb? Mt 28:8; Lu 24:9-10; John 20:2 Mk 16:8”
She didn’t tell anyone at first.
“10. Did Peter go alone? Lu 24:12 John 20:2-6”
Due to space limitations, St. Luke condenses the story so as to be able to talk about Emmaus [Lk 24:13-33]. St. Luke’s priority was what St. Peter saw, not the identity of his companions.
“15. Did she recognize him immediately? Mt 28:9; Mk 16:9-10 John 20:14”
Mt 28:9 and Mk 16:9-10 simply say that St. Mary Madgalene recognized Jesus, not how soon she did. At first, she thought He was the gardener [Jn 20:14].
“27. Did Jesus ascend to heaven from Bethany? Lu 24:50-51 (From Mt. Olivet) Ac 1:9-12; (Jerusalem) Mk 16:14-19”
Did He ascend from New York, New York City, or Queens? Bethany is on the slopes of Mt. Olivet, which is on the east side of Jerusalem.