PARADOXES BETWEEN THE GOSPELS
There are an infinite variety of divergences among the Gospels. Attention was drawn to this point first by the Church Fathers. The Christians try to reconcile the
differences claiming that the gospels were revealed by God and that in spite of different interpretations the incidences recounted did not vary.
Yet the said diversity proves that the texts in question were not of divine origin but written by humans. Scholars are persuaded that the Gospels were not committed
to paper during the lifetime of Jesus by any of his companions who had been witnesses. God's words would certainly clash with each other.
The Evangelists drew on the oral tradition, the original gospel no longer existent and Paul's letters adding their own culture, knowledge and thoughts.
Jesus Christ neither wrote nor dictated any gospel during his lifetime. The typical evidence of the fact that the Gospels were the work of humans is apparent in
the introductory part of the Gospel according to St. Luke. « Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most
surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word, It seemed good to me also,
having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus.» (Luke 1 1/3)
A Few examples to contradictions in question
The following passage was added to the Gospel according to St. Matthew to fit in the Trinity concept: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew, 28/18-20)
Moreover, these verses do not exist in other Gospels; during the first century in which the Gospel according to St. Matthew had been written the baptism was performed
not in the name of the Trinity but of Jesus Christ.
The genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew consists of 42 names (Matthew 1/1, 6), instead of 75 names in the Gospel of Luke (3/23, 38); and they
differ considerably.
Solomon, son of David (Matthew 4/12,17), is Natan, son of David according to Luke (3/31)
Matthew (4/12, 17) and Mark (1/14-15) claim that Jesus' ministry had begun after the imprisonment of John, while St. John says that His ministry had started
before the imprisonment of John (3/24).
According to Matthew (1/16) Mary's husband Joseph was the son of Jacob while according to Luke, Joseph was the son of Heli.
According to Mark (15/21) and Luke (23/26) it was Simon of Cyrene who had carried the cross, while according to St.John (19/17) it was Christ himself.
According to Matthew (9/27) two blind men were healed while according to Mark (10/51) the number of blind men healed was just one
Mark says (15/32) that two other men crucified had reviled him, while according to Luke (23/39,43) one had railed at him, the other had rebuked him.
Matthew (5/39,40) writes: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if
any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Whereas he writes elsewhere (10/34) Think not that I am come to send peace
on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword which is self-contradictory.
In the Gospel of Matthew (10/10) it is stated that the apostles should take with them no staff, but in Mark (10/10) a staff is permitted.
In Matthew (25/15) the number of servants are three, in Luke (19/13) the number is ten,
In the note of the Gospel of John (7/53 and (8/11) the following is written: The earliest manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11) which shows that additions
had been made in some gospels while not in others.
JESUS CHRIST AND DIVINENESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
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