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Michael J. Alter is the author of the copiously researched, 913-page volume,\u00a0The Resurrection: a Critical Inquiry<\/em><\/a> (2015). I initially offered\u00a0 59 \u201cbrief\u201d replies to as many alleged New Testament contradictions<\/a> (March 2021). We later engaged in amiable correspondence and decided to enter into a major ongoing dialogue about his book. He graciously (and impressively!) sent me a PDF file of it, free of charge, for my review.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mike describes himself as \u201cof the Jewish faith\u201d but is quick to point out that labels are often \u201cmisleading\u201d and \u201cdivisive\u201d (I agree to a large extent). He continues to be influenced by, for example, \u201cReformed, Conservative, Orthodox, and Chabad\u201d variants of Judaism and learns \u201cfrom those of other faiths, the secular, the non-theists, etc.\u201d Fair enough. I have a great many influences, too, am very ecumenical, and am a great admirer of Judaism, as I told Michael in a combox comment<\/a> on my blog.<\/p>\n He says his book \u201ccan be described as Jewish apologetics\u201d and one that provides reasons for \u201cwhy members of the Jewish community should\u00a0not\u00a0convert to Christianity.\u201d I will be writing many critiques of the book and we\u2019ll be engaging in ongoing discussion for likely a long time. I\u2019m quite excited about it and am most grateful for Mike\u2019s willingness to interact, minus any personal hostility.<\/p>\n To see all the other installments, search \u201cMichael J. Alter\u201d on either my Jews and Judaism<\/a> or Trinitarianism & Christology<\/a> web pages. That will take you to the subsection with the series.<\/p>\n I use RSV for all Bible verses that I cite. His words will be in blue<\/span>.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Michael Alter wrote:<\/span><\/p>\n CONTRADICTION #99<\/em> Initial Contradictory Responses of\u00a0Jesus to His Disciples<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mark 16:14 reported that Jesus verbally rebuked his disciples for their\u00a0disbelief and hardness of heart: \u201cAfterward he appeared unto the eleven<\/span> Matthew did not describe an initial response in Jerusalem. Neither did\u00a0Matthew record Jesus\u2019s initial response to the disciples\u2019 lack of faith when it\u00a0was reported that some doubted while meeting him in the Galilee.<\/span><\/p>\n In direct contradiction to Mark, Luke has Jesus attempting to reassure his\u00a0disciples by demonstrating that he was really a physical and fully materialized\u00a0person. This he tried to accomplish by showing his hands and feet and by\u00a0eating.<\/span><\/p>\n Similar to Luke, in John, Jesus seemingly tried to allay and dispel any\u00a0thought that he was not physically risen from the dead. Here, too, he showed\u00a0the disciples his hands. However, Jesus did not offer to show his feet. Instead,\u00a0he offered to show his side.<\/span> (p. 578)<\/p>\n It\u2019s no contradiction at all. Jesus had all along rebuked His disciples for being slow to believe. Thus, Mark expresses something that was rather \u201cold hat\u201d by that time. Jesus had told His disciples many times that He would suffer, be killed, and rise again after three days. But they just didn\u2019t \u201cget it\u201d till it actually happened. And we can understand that because these are no ordinary events.<\/p>\n Matthew happens not to mention this motif in his description of the post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus, but not mentioning something is not a contradiction<\/em>, as I have reiterated over and over. It\u2019s not like Matthew never talks about unbelief in his Gospel. He certainly does<\/em>:<\/p>\n Matthew 13:58<\/strong>\u00a0And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.<\/p>\n Matthew 16:1-4<\/strong>\u00a0And the Pharisees and Sad\u2019ducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.\u00a0[2] He answered them, \u201cWhen it is evening, you say, \u2018It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.\u2019\u00a0[3] And in the morning, `It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.\u2019 You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.\u00a0[4] An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.\u201d . . . (cf. 12:38-42; Mk 8:11-12)<\/p>\n Matthew 16:21-23<\/strong>\u00a0From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.\u00a0[22] And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, \u201cGod forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.\u201d\u00a0[23] But he turned and said to Peter, \u201cGet behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.\u201d [this is right after Jesus renamed Peter \u201cRock\u201d and made him the head of His Church (i.e., the first pope) that He was to establish]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Alter noted that Matthew did<\/em> state that \u201csome\u201d of the \u201celeven\u00a0 disciples\u201d who saw the risen Jesus \u201cdoubted\u201d (28:16-17). He simply doesn\u2019t provide the details of how they verbally doubted and what Jesus said in reply. He is under no obligation to do so. God in His providence, in inspiring the supernatural revelation of the NT,\u00a0 saw that this was incorporated into other accounts. But so far, Mark and Matthew don\u2019t contradict in the slightest.<\/p>\n Alter claims that the Gospel of Luke contradicts Mark because it describes Jesus eating and showing His pierced hands (i.e., empirical evidence that He was physically<\/em> \u2014 not just \u201cimmaterially\u201d \u2014 resurrected). But no one can say that Mark (and Matthew) denied<\/em> this. They simply didn\u2019t include<\/em> it. Nor does Luke in his Gospel omit all rebukes of Jesus for lack of faith simply through hearing:<\/p>\n Luke 11:29-32\u00a0<\/strong>When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, \u201cThis generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.\u00a0[30] For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nin\u2019eveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation.\u00a0[31] The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.\u00a0[32] The men of Nin\u2019eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.<\/p>\n Luke 16:27-31\u00a0<\/strong>And he said, `Then I beg you, father [Abraham], to send him to my father\u2019s house,\u00a0[28] for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.\u2019\u00a0[29] But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.\u2019\u00a0[30] And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.\u2019\u00a0[31] He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'\u201d [story told by Jesus, thus revealing His views about \u201cnecessary\u201d (?) empirical evidence]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Moreover, in Luke, right before Jesus ate with His disciples and showed them His physical hands and feet, He also<\/em> said:<\/p>\n Luke 24:25-27<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cO foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!\u00a0[26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?\u201d\u00a0[27] And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Then Alter acts as if John has a different, contradictory view. He doesn\u2019t. He has Jesus disdaining the demand for signs as well:<\/p>\n John 2:18-21\u00a0<\/strong>The Jews then said to him, \u201cWhat sign have you to show us for doing this?\u201d\u00a0[19] Jesus answered them, \u201cDestroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.\u201d\u00a0[20] The Jews then said, \u201cIt has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?\u201d\u00a0[21] But he spoke of the temple of his body.<\/p>\n John 4:48<\/strong>\u00a0Jesus therefore said to him, \u201cUnless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In the Gospel of John, we have the famous episode of Doubting Thomas, who refused to believe until He touched the risen Jesus. So Jesus, in His mercy for those who are slower than others, appeared to and for Thomas, knowing that he<\/em> <\/strong>would believe if this evidence were provided. And indeed, Thomas did; even calling Jesus \u201cLord\u201d and \u201cGod\u201d as a result (Jn 20:28). But note what Jesus said right after that:<\/p>\n John 20:29<\/strong>\u00a0Jesus said to him, \u201cHave you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Jesus\u2019 behavior and the four Gospel descriptions of it are utterly consistent throughout His ministry: He was reluctant to, or outright refused to do miracles and signs when He knew (in His divine omniscience) it was to no avail; that those who opposed Him would not be swayed by them. They would simply say He was possessed or did miracles through a diabolical rather than divine power. Nothing was good enough for them.<\/p>\n But when He was, on the other hand, with those He knew would believe and be positively affected by His miracles (like Thomas the disciple), He would perform miracles, and appear after He rose. This is the key to understanding what Alter\u00a0doesn\u2019t<\/em> understand, thus leading him to (what else<\/em>?) his usual misguided, misinformed cry of \u201ccontradiction!\u201d. Well, atheists and skeptics like Alter are in good company: the disciples were also clueless until they themselves saw the risen Jesus. It\u2019s only by the grace of God that any of us come to believe in God and in Jesus as the incarnate God.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Photo credit:\u00a0<\/strong>Selva Rasalingam as Jesus in the The Gospel of Luke<\/em> (2016, Netflix USA)<\/span> <\/span>[Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/\u00a0Creative Commons<\/a>\u00a0CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication<\/a><\/span>]<\/p>\n Summary<\/em>: Michael Alter\u00a0claimed that Jesus & the Gospels were contradictory with regard to Jesus\u2019 view of unbelief & evidence. They were not at all, as I explain. It\u2019s more \u201cpseudo-contradictions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Tags<\/em>:\u00a0alleged Bible contradictions,\u00a0alleged Resurrection contradictions,\u00a0Bible \u201ccontradictions\u201d,\u00a0Bible \u201cdifficulties\u201d,\u00a0Bible Only,\u00a0biblical inspiration,\u00a0biblical prooftexts,\u00a0biblical skeptics,\u00a0biblical theology,\u00a0exegesis,\u00a0hermeneutics,\u00a0Holy Bible,\u00a0inerrancy,\u00a0infallibility,\u00a0Jewish anti-Christian polemics,\u00a0Jewish apologetics,\u00a0Jewish critique of Christianity,\u00a0Jewish-Christian discussion,\u00a0Michael J. Alter,\u00a0New Testament,\u00a0New Testament critics,\u00a0New Testament skepticism,\u00a0Resurrection \u201cContradictions\u201d,\u00a0Resurrection of Jesus,\u00a0The Resurrection: A Critical Inquiry,\u00a0Jesus\u2019 view of unbelief & evidence<\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Michael J. Alter is the author of the copiously researched, 913-page volume,\u00a0The Resurrection: a Critical Inquiry (2015). I initially offered\u00a0 59 \u201cbrief\u201d replies to as many alleged New Testament contradictions (March 2021). We later engaged in amiable correspondence and decided to enter into a major ongoing dialogue about his book. He graciously (and impressively!) sent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":56098,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[448,172],"tags":[4129,12966,525,524,514,2637,1879,1633,1878,1387,1386,535,4068,140,13619,13451,13448,13445,13457,13454,282,13495,13498,13261,1347,13481],"class_list":["post-56645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jews-judaism-old-testament","category-trinitarianism-christology","tag-alleged-bible-contradictions","tag-alleged-resurrection-contradictions","tag-bible-contradictions","tag-bible-difficulties","tag-bible-only","tag-biblical-inspiration","tag-biblical-prooftexts","tag-biblical-skeptics","tag-biblical-theology","tag-exegesis","tag-hermeneutics","tag-holy-bible","tag-inerrancy","tag-infallibility","tag-jesus-view-of-unbelief-evidence","tag-jewish-anti-christian-polemics","tag-jewish-apologetics","tag-jewish-critique-of-christianity","tag-jewish-christian-discussion","tag-michael-j-alter","tag-new-testament","tag-new-testament-critics","tag-new-testament-skepticism","tag-resurrection-contradictions","tag-resurrection-of-jesus","tag-the-resurrection-a-critical-inquiry"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nas they sat at meat and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness\u00a0of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was\u00a0risen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n