*If you have a specific Gospel Contradiction question, not answered in these five feel free to leave a comment and I will get back up to you and try to post a new entry*
I'm reading through the Gospels side by side and it is truly an amazing experience and I highly recommend it to others:
Awesome Parallel Gospel Account Site
There is a frequent charge against the Bible that the Gospel accounts contradict each other and so I have set out to answer these supposed contradictions. I will update this entry as I go along and if you have any questions please feel free to comment.
1) Who did God address at Christ's Baptism?
| Matthew 3.13-17 "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." | Mark 1.9-11 "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." | Luke 3.21-22 "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." | John 1.29-34 No account of voice given |
The Matthean account account differs with the Markan and Lukan account with God voice saying "This is my ..." instead of "You are my..."
Let's first look at the Transfiguration accounts in which all the Synoptics have God referring to Christ as "This"
Matthew 17:5 "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"
Mark 9:7 "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!"
Luke 9:35 "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!"
What can we say from this? We know that God was talking to the 3 at the transfiguration, so in the Matthean account of Jesus' baptism God addresses the crowd, while in the Markan and Lukan account God address Christ Himself.
As for the Transfiguration accounts differing, this just a matter of preferential editing:
"This is My beloved Son, My Chosen One, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"
For more answered contradictions check out these entries:
Gospel Contradictions Answered! Part 2
Gospel Contradictions Answered! Part 3
Gospel Contradictions Answered! Part 4
Gospel Contradictions Answered! Part 5
4 comments:
Dear Matthias,
I took off your comment b/c it had your personal email on it and I didn't want your private email for everyone to see (unless you really don't mind).
But if you could be a little bit more specific about what difficulties you are having about the Last Supper, perhaps I can answer you better.
Hi,
I was just wondering if you could explain the use of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15
Dear Anonymous,
Here is an answer to your question:
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From the article "Hermeneutics of Discontinuity" by Paul Feinberg in the book "Continuitity and Discontinuity"
[o]ne such passage is Matthew 2:15 ["This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'"] which is quoted from Hosea but I contend that we put the emphasis on the wrong word. When we say "out of Egypt" we are misinterpreting the text. First of all, it is cited by Matthew when Jesus goes into Egypt, not where he comes out, so he's about seven versus too early with his quotation if that's what he means. I argue that the quotation should be emphasized as, "out of Egypt I have called my son." The emphasis should be on the words, "my son" which is used back in Exodus 4:22 with "Israel is my firstborn son." All of Israel is called God's son in a corporate way. We would understand it a little better if Hosea had said, "out of Egypt I called my seed." We miss the meaning if we place the emphasis on geography and the exodus of Egypt. So just as God brought "my son" out of Egypt so once again God is giving deliverance and salvation to the one he calls "my son." Jesus is the "Son" or "Seed" par excellence, for in the concept of "corporate solidarity," he, as the One, sums up the many who believe in Israel.
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