(9) (part 2)
(9.1) Did the sign posted on the cross include Jesus’ name?
Matthew (27:37): “This is Jesus the king of the jews”
Mark (15:26): “The king of the jews”
Luke (23:38): “This is the king of the jews”
John (19:19): “Jesus of Nazareth the king of the jews”
While these are all reasonably close, no two gospels quite agree on what the accusation on the cross said. But that isn’t the only part of this scene that they disagree on. Almost every detail that is related by the gospel authors appears in at least two contradictory forms.
(9.2) Did both the thieves crucified with Jesus revile him, or did one repent on the cross and receive a promise of redemption from Jesus?
Matthew (27:44): “The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.”
Mark (15:32): “They that were crucified with him reviled him.”
Luke (23:39-43): “One of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
John does not say anything about these 2 men except that they were crucified along with Jesus.
John (19:18): “Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”
(9.3) What was Jesus given to drink, while on the cross?
Matthew (27:34): “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.”
Mark (15:23): “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.”
Luke (23:36): “And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.”
John (19:29): “there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”
(9.4) What time of day did the crucifixion occur?
Matthew (27:45-46): “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say my god my god why hast thou forsaken me.”
Mark (15:33): “When the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.”
Luke (23:44): “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.”
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have Jesus on the cross at the sixth hour (noon). John has the sundial strike 12 while Jesus is in the judgment hall with Pilate.
John (19:14): “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”
(9.5) What were Jesus’ last words on the cross?
Matthew (27:46): “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Mark (15:34): “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Luke (23:46): “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
John (19:30): “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
(9.6) Was Jesus killed by the romans or the jews? Was Jesus crucified on a cross, or hung from a tree?
All 4 of the gospel accounts describe Jesus being crucified, yet in the book of Acts, both Peter and Paul state that his method of execution was hanging. And Peter is quoted as using the odd phrase “whom ye slew and hanged on a tree” while talking to the Pharisees.
Acts 5:30
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Acts 10:39
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Acts 13:29
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
While crosses were traditionally made from wood, it should be self evident that a cross and a tree are not the same thing.
(9.7) What did the centurion in charge of the crucifixion say after Jesus died?
Matthew (27:54): “Now then the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
Mark (15:39): “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”
Luke (23:47): “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.”
(9.8) Was there an earthquake coinciding with the death of Jesus? Was Jerusalem overrun with zombies?
Matthew (27:51-53): “The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
Matthew tells us these ghouls “appeared unto many”. They did not appear unto Mark, Luke, or John. Mark and Luke mention the veil being rent, but no earthquake or zombies. John makes no mention of any of this.
(9.9) What did the roman soldiers do with Jesus’ clothes?
Matthew (27:35): “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” (on a side note this is one of those misquotes I was hinting at earlier)
John (19:23-24): “The soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.”
These may all seem like minor details. And to be fair, each of them individually, are relatively minor. But taken together these discrepancies give the impression that these four witnesses are describing four entirely separate executions.
All of the new testament authors agree that this was one of the most important moments in all of human history. They just don’t seem to agree on what actually happened.
Moving on to the resurrection…
(9.10) Who discovered that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb?
Matthew (28:1): “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.”
Mark (16:1): “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.”
Luke (24:10): “It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.”
John (20:1): “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.”
(9.11) Was the stone still there when they got to the tomb?
Matthew (28:2): “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.”
Mark (16:4): “And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.”
Luke (24:2): “And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.”
John (20:1): “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.”
(9.12) Were there angels at Jesus’ tomb? Where they actually angels or just men? Was there one or two of them? Were they inside or outside the tomb? Were they there before Mary (and pals?) arrived or did they appear after?
Matthew (28:2): “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.”
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 affrighted.”
Luke (24:3-4): “And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.”
John (20:11-12): “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.”
(9.13) What (if anything) did the man/men/angel/angels say?
Matthew (28:5-7): “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”
Mark (15:6-7): “Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.”
Luke (24:5-7): “And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
John (20:13): “And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him.”
(9.14) What did Mary do after she talked to the men/angels?
Matthew (28:8): “And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.”
Mark (16:8): “And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.”
Luke (24:8-9): “And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.”
John (20:14-15): “And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”
Okay. Mini-bible-study over.
Note: All quotes that I have used here (or anywhere on this thread) are from the King James Version. If you check in a KJV you will find the exact words that you see in my posts. If you wish to use another version such as NIV or NKJV you will find that cleaned up language aside, the bible still says exactly what I quote it as saying.
