Revelations

God asked me one day… “Katt, do you ever wonder why Christians seem confused about their religion? They frequently say one thing, yet they do another.

And not only that… it seems they need someone to explain to them constantly what it means to be Mine… and it really is so very simple!

All that is because the book they follow is full of contradictions… and I’m not only talking about the stuff that has already been pointed out… timelines, etc… I’m talking about serious, important stuff.”

So… I went in search of these contradictions God was talking about, and sure enough, there they were! ….staring right back at me from my Bible.

And so with that in mind, I have compiled a brief, yet thorough, synopsis of my findings for you to examine as well.

I would encourage you to take your time with each subject and figure out what it is that you believe because even though this is a fairly fast and easy read, it’s vitally important to your faith in God.

Chapter 1

The Way It Was Before The Bible

Back in the days of old, prophets received messages from God and then they would relay those messages to whomever God told them to. Now, over the years, the Jewish faith grew to believe that these writings and teachings from God needed a way to be handed down from generation to generation, so they compiled twenty-four of their separate books into one… the Tanakh… the Hebrew Bible that is still used today as the Jewish guidestone for learning and doing.

Then Jesus came on the scene and began preaching in a different way, a way that was foreign to the Jews living during that time…

You see, at the time Jesus lived, people didn’t have the New Testament yet. They had the Scriptures… the Tanakh… which Christians now call the Old Testament.

So how did the New Testament come into being? In a much different way than the Tenakh did… you see, the Tenakh is filled with history and writings of the prophets… these are historical facts and God’s own words.

In contrast, the New Testament was written by men… followers of Jesus… who were themselves still trying to figure out what had just happened… who was this man from Galilee?

Since that time we’ve been forced to rely on the understanding and interpretations of those who have studied the Scriptures… God’s Word as we know it… and those who knew Jesus while he was alive.

But as we talked about a minute ago… they didn’t all agree, and so a group of church leaders convened in what is now called the Council of Nicaea. They pooled together all of the writings available at the time and then they voted on which ones to keep and which ones to toss… and then the writings that survived the cut were compiled into the New Testament.

So… here’s the thing. There are many, many more writings about Jesus’ life and works than are included in the New Testament. The excluded writings are most commonly known as the Apocryphal Gospels and the Gnostic Gospels.

And since we don’t know what criteria they used when deciding which documents to include and which ones to leave out…

You won’t find this information in the Bible, but it is important for you to be aware that the earliest followers of Jesus did not agree on many things… things that we now just accept as facts of our faith because the Council of Nicaea voted on each subject and then their majority opinion became the Christian Creed… thereafter being taught *as fact* throughout the ages.

The Way it Was Before Jesus

In days of old, prophets received messages from God and then they would relay the messages to whomever God told them to… and that is what we find in the Old Testament… God’s words.

But have you noticed that when Jesus died, God’s audible voice went silent for almost 2,000 years.

And since that time we’ve been forced to rely on the understanding and interpretations of those who have studied the Scriptures… God’s Word as we know it… and those who knew Jesus while he was alive.

You see, at the time Jesus lived, people didn’t have the New Testament yet. They had the Scriptures… which Christians now call the Old Testament… and so they had to rely upon their own personal understanding and interpretations of what Jesus said and did while he was here. Then their writings were compiled into the New Testament.

Now… here’s the thing. There are many, many more writings about Jesus’ life and works than are included in the New Testament. So how did they decide which documents to include and which ones to leave out?

And more importantly…

How Can We Tell if the Writings That Are Included in the New Testament Are Accurate?

We’ve discussed the importance of finding Scriptural evidence (God’s Words) to form the basis of our beliefs, but the New Testament is not comprised of God’s words… it is a compilation of writings by the followers of Jesus, after his death, that attempt to describe what had just happened and why people should follow his example.

So when reading the words of someone other than God Himself, it boils down to being able to discern between what is accurate and what is conjecture. If three accounts of a specific event agree, then we can be reasonably certain that they are accurate and therefore deserving to be included in the New Testament.

Let’s put some of the books of the New Testament side by side to see how they stank up in our accuracy test.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke Compared to John

There are four gospels included in the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – and each give direct accounts of Jesus’ life. Each one contains a little bit of information not found in the others, but that’s because they were written by different people, in different locations, and at different times. What seemed important and was included by one writer may not have seemed that important to another writer and was therefore left out… so we will ignore those kinds of variances and focus on the accounts they give when describing the same event.

Where They Agree

There are several major events in Jesus’ life that all four authors include in their writings. Let’s look first at what they agree on… Matthew, Mark, and Luke each give extremely similar accounts of Jesus’ baptism, his testing by Satan, the calling of his disciples, and his last days here on earth.

All three – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – agree that:

God spoke directly from Heaven right after Jesus came up out of the water from being baptized.

After his baptism, as soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved son, and I am wonderfully pleased with him.” – Matthew 3:16-17

The moment Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending on him, and a voice from heaven said, “you are My beloved son; you are My delight.” – Mark 1:10-11

Then one day, after the crowds had been baptized, Jesus himself was baptized; and as he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove settled upon him, and a voice from heaven said, “you are My much loved son, yes, My delight.” – Luke 3:21-22

After his baptism, Jesus was lead immediately into the wilderness to be tempted and tested by Satan.

Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted there by Satan. – Matthew 4:1

Immediately the Holy Spirit urged Jesus into the desert. There, for forty days, alone except for desert animals, he was subjected to Satan’s temptations to sin. – Mark 1:12-13

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River, being urged by the Spirit out into the barren wastelands of Judea, where Satan tempted him for forty days. – Luke 4:1-2

They agree on the situations that Satan used to test Jesus with opposites and conjecture.

Then Satan tempted him to get food by changing stones into loaves of bread. “It will prove you are the son of God,” he said. But Jesus told him, “No! For the Scriptures tell us that bread won’t feed men’s souls: obedience to every word of God is what we need.” Then Satan took him to Jerusalem to the roof of the temple. “Jump off,” he said, “and prove you are the son of God; for the Scriptures declare, ‘God will send his angels to keep you from harm,’… they will prevent you from smashing on the rocks below.” Jesus retorted, “It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!” Next Satan took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. “I’ll give it all to you,” he said, “if you will only kneel and worship me.” “Get out of her, Satan,” Jesus told him. “The Scriptures say, ‘Worship only the Lord God. Obey only Him.’ “ – Matthew 4:3-10

Satan said, “If you are God’s son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” But Jesus replied, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘Other things in life are much more important than bread!’ “ Then Satan took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time; and the devil told him, “I will give you all these splendid kingdoms and their glory – for they are mine to give to anyone I wish – if you will only get down on your knees and worship me.” Jesus replied, “We must worship God, and Him alone. So it is written in the Scriptures.” Then Satan took him to Jerusalem to a high roof of the temple and said, “If you are the son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say that God will send His angels to guard you and to keep you from crashing to the pavement below!” Jesus replied, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Do not put the Lord you God to a foolish test.’ “ – Luke 4:3-12

They also agree that the tempting and testing in the wilderness lasted forty days.

For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry. – Matthew 4:2

Immediately the Holy Spirit urged Jesus into the desert. There, for forty days, alone except for desert animals, he was subjected to Satan’s temptations to sin. – Mark 1:12-13

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River, being urged by the Spirit out into the barren wastelands of Judea, where Satan tempted him for forty days. – Luke 4:1-2

At the end of the tempting and testing, Jesus went to the Sea of Galilee.

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned home to Nazareth in Galilee; but soon he moved to Capernaum, beside the Lake of Galilee, close to Zebulun and Naphtali. – Matthew 4:12-13

One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew fishing with nets, for they were commercial fishermen. – Mark 1:16

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, full of the Holy Spirit’s power. – Luke 4:14

While at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began to call his disciples to ‘come follow him’.

Jesus called out, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men!” – Matthew 4:19

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me! And I will make you fishermen for the souls of men!” – Mark 1:17

… Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for the souls of men!” – Luke 5:10-11

They also agree on Simon Peter and Andrew’s activities when they became disciples.

One day as he was preaching on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the Word of God. He noticed two empty boats standing at the water’s edge while the fishermen washed their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push out a little into the water, so that he could sit in the boat and speak to the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “No go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!” “Sir,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, we’ll try again.” And this time their nets were so full that they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, sir, please leave us – I’m too much of a sinner for you to have around.” For he was awestruck by the size of their catch, as were the others with him, and his partners too – James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid! From no on you’ll be fishing for the souls of men!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and went with him. – Luke 5:1-11

And on what James and John, sons of Zebedee, were doing when they became disciples.

A little farther up the beach he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and he called to them to come too. At once they stopped their work and, leaving their father behind, went with him. – Matthew 4:21-22

A little farther up the beach, he saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat mending their nets. He called them too, and immediately then left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with him.

– Mark 1:19-20

One day as he was preaching on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the Word of God. He noticed two empty boats standing at the water’s edge while the fishermen washed their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push out a little into the water, so that he could sit in the boat and speak to the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “No go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!” “Sir,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, we’ll try again.” And this time their nets were so full that they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, sir, please leave us – I’m too much of a sinner for you to have around.” For he was awestruck by the size of their catch, as were the others with him, and his partners too – James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for the souls of men!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and went with him. – Luke 5:1-11

They agree that Peter, James, and John went with Jesus to pray before he was arrested.

He took Peter with him and Zebedee’s two sons James and John, and began to be filled with anguish and despair. – Matthew 26:37

He took Peter, James and John with him and began to be filled with horror and deepest distress. – Mark 14:33

And that Jesus prayed for God to “take the cup” from him.

He went forward a little, and fell face downward on the ground, and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me. But I want your will, not mine.” – Matthew 26:39

And he said to them, “My soul is crushed by sorrow to the point of death; stay here and watch with me.” He went on a little further and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the awful hour awaiting him might never come. “Father, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take away this cup from me. Yet I want Your will, not mine.” – Mark 14:34-36

He walked away, perhaps a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed this prayer: “Father, if you are willing, please take away this cup of horror from me. But I want Your will, not mine.” – Luke 22:41-42

They agree on the manner in which Judas approached Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

At that very moment while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived with a great crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the Jewish leaders. Judas had told them to arrest the man he greeted, for that would be the one they were after. So now Judas came straight to Jesus and said, “Hello, master!” and embraced him in friendly fashion. Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed him. – Matthew 26:47-50

“Come! Get up! We must go! Look! My betrayer is here!” And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas (one of his disciples) arrived with a mob equipped with swords and clubs, sent out by the chief priests and other Jewish leaders. Judas had told them, “You will know which one to arrest when I go over and greet him. Then you can take him easily.” So as soon as they arrived he walked up to Jesus. “Master!”” he exclaimed, and embraced him with a great show of friendliness. Then the mob arrested Jesus and held him fast. – Mark 14:42-46

But even as he said this, a mob approached, led by Judas, one of his twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek in friendly greeting.- Luke 22:47

What Jesus said to the officials.

Then Jesus spoke to the crowd. “Am I some dangerous criminal,” he asked, “that you had to arm yourselves with swords and clubs before you could arrest me? I was with you teaching daily in the temple and you didn’t stop me then. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. – Matthew 26:55-56

Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous robber, that you come like this, armed to the teeth to capture me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the temple? I was there teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill the prophecies about me.” – Mark 14:48-49

Then Jesus addressed the chief priests and captains of the temple guards and the religious leaders who headed the mob. “Am I a robber,” he asked, “that you have come armed with swords and clubs to get me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment – the time when Satan’s power reigns supreme.” – Luke 22:52-53

And the first place officials took Jesus to be questioned.

Then the mob led him to the home of Caiaphas the High Priest, where all the Jewish leaders were gathering. – Matthew 26:57

Jesus was led to the High Priest’s home where all of the chief priests and other Jewish leaders soon gathered. – Mark 14:53

So they seized him and led him to the High Priest’s residence… – Luke 22:54

All three also agree that Jesus did not carry his own cross; Simon of Cyrene carried it for him.

As they were on the way to the execution grounds they came across a man from Cyrene, in Africa – Simon was his name – and forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. – Matthew 27:32

Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country just then, was pressed into service to carry Jesus’ cross. – Mark 15:21

As the crowd led Jesus away to his death, Simon of Cyrene, who was just coming into Jerusalem from the country, was forced to follow, carrying Jesus’ cross. – Luke 23:26

Matthew, Mark, and Luke also agree that darkness fell from noon until 3 o’clock during Jesus’ crucifixion.

“That afternoon, the whole earth was covered with darkness for three hours, from noon until three o’clock.” – Matthew 27: 45

“About noon, darkness fell across the entire land, lasting until three o’clock that afternoon.” – Mark 15:33

“By now it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land for three hours, until three o’clock.” – Luke 23:44

What events that finally pushed the officials over the edge and made them decide to get rid of Jesus…

The order of events after finding the empty tomb.

Matthew 28

Mark 16:1-11

Luke 24:1 –

With all three accounts agreeing so closely, we can be reasonably certain that the writers’ interpretations of the evens are accurate.

But there are four gospels… so how does the Book of John compare to the other three?

While the three major gospels – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – all agree on the previous events almost exactly, the Book of John gives an extremely different account of those same events.

Did God Speak After Jesus’ Baptism or Did John Testify?

As we read before, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all agree that God spoke immediately after Jesus was baptized. Let’s read what John has to say about that event…

Then John told about seeing the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending from heaven and resting upon Jesus. “I didn’t know he was the one,” John said again, “but at the time God sent me to baptize He told me, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone – he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw it happen to this man, and I therefore testify that he is the son of God.” – John 1:32-34 (bold mine)

So, according to the Book of John, God did not speak directly after Jesus’ baptism, calling him His son… John the Baptist “testified” to it.

And we can be certain that this was the same event they were writing about because all four mention the dove descending to Jesus.

Did Jesus Spend Forty Days and Nights in the Wilderness Being Tempted and Tested By Satan or Did He Spend That Time Socializing With His Family?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all specify that Jesus was led “immediately” into the wilderness with Satan after his baptism. But instead of being in the wilderness with Satan for the forty days and nights following his baptism, the Book of John has Jesus walking along the Jordan River the next day…

The following day as John was standing with two of his disciples, Jesus walked by. – John 1:35

And then says that Jesus moved on to Galilee two days after his baptism…

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. – John 1:43

Where he attended a wedding with his mother two days after that…

Two days later Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee, and Jesus and his disciples were invited too. – John 2:1-2

And then Jesus traveled to Capernaum for a few more days…

After the wedding he left for Capernaum for a few days with his mother, brothers, and disciples. – John 2:12

Afterwards, he went to Jerusalem for the annual Passover… overturning tables and chasing the merchants from the temple while he was there…

Then it was time for the annual Jewish Passover celebration, and Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices, and moneychangers behind their counters. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out, and drove out the sheep and oxen, scattering the moneychangers’ coins over the floor and turning over their tables! Then, going over to the men selling doves, he told them,”Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s house into a market!” – John 2:13-16

Let’s stop and recap here for a moment…

During the exact time period that Matthew, Mark, and Luke specifically say Jesus was in the wilderness with Satan, John claims Jesus was walking along the Jordan River, traveling to Galilee, attending a wedding feast, spending a few days with his mother, brother, and disciples in Capernaum, and then attending Passover in Jerusalem.

But he can’t have been doing both at the same time.

… and we may be tempted to think that it is a difference in translation, but no reasonable person can change “immediately” into “it never happened at all.”

… so we may also be tempted to think that John just didn’t include the forty-day period with Satan and skipped right to the next events in Jesus’ life, but there is one additional indication of the timing of these events.

Matthew and Mark say that Jesus returned to Galilee after his forty days with Satan…

Then Satan went away, and angels came and cared for Jesus. When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. – Matthew 4:11-12

Immediately [after his baptism] the Holy Spirit urged Jesus into the desert. There, for forty days, alone except for desert animals, he was subjected to Satan’s temptations to sin. And afterwards the angels came and cared for him. Later on, after John was arrested by King Herod, Jesus went to Galilee to preach God’s Good News. – Mark 1:12-14

John says that Jesus returned to Galilee two days after his baptism…

I saw it happen to his man, and I therefore testify that he is the son of God. (at the end of Jesus’ baptism) – John 1:34

The following day… – John 1:35

John 1:36 – 42 relates the events of that evening.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. – John 1:43

Matthew and Mark say that it was soon after he found out that John was in prison that Jesus returned to Galilee and began to call disciples…

Jesus called out, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men!” – Matthew 4:19

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me! And I will make you fishermen for the souls of men!” – Mark 1:17

This leads us to another discrepancy between John and the other three…

Did Jesus Call His Earliest Disciples to Come Follow Him or Did They Begin to Follow Him of Their Own Accord?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke place Jesus along the Sea of Galilee (Gennesaret) when he saw Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John all fishing and called for them to come follow him.

One day as he was walking along the beach beside the Lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – out in a boat fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men!” And they left their nets at once and went with him. A little farther up the beach he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and he called to them to come too. At once they stopped their work and, leaving their father behind, went with him. – Matthew 4:18-22

One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew fishing with nets, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me! And I will make you fishermen for the souls of men!” At once they left their nets and went along with him. A little farther up the beach, he saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat mending their nets. He called them too, and immediately they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with him. – Mark 1:16-20

One day as he was preaching on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the Word of God. He noticed two empty boats standing at the water’s edge while the fishermen washed their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push out a little into the water, so that he could sit in the boat and speak to the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “No go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!” “Sir,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, we’ll try again.” And this time their nets were so full that they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, sir, please leave us – I’m too much of a sinner for you to have around.” For he was awestruck by the size of their catch, as were the others with him, and his partners too – James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for the souls of men!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and went with him. – Luke 5:1-11

John, however, says that Jesus was still along the Jordan River the day after his baptism when John the Baptist’s disciples decided to follow him on their own…

The following day as John was standing with two of his disciples, Jesus walked by. John looked at him intently and then declared, “See! There is the lamb of God!” Then John’s two disciples turned and followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. “Sir,” they replied, “where do you live?” “Come and see,” he said. So they went with him to the place where he was staying and were with him from about four o’clock that afternoon until the evening. “One of these men was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.) Andrew then went to find his brother Peter and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” And he brought Peter to meet Jesus. Jesus looked intently at Peter for a moment and then said, “You are Simon, John’s son – but you shall be called Peter, the rock!” The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Come with me.” (Philip was from Beth-saida, Andrew and Peter’s home town.) Philip now went off to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the Messiah! – the very person Moses and the prophets told about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth!” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael, “Can anything good come from there?” “Just come and see for yourself,” Philip declared. – John 1:35-46

Did You Notice the Difference in What Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John (the sons of Zebedee) Were Doing at the Time They Became Jesus’ Disciples?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all say that they were fishing at the time that Jesus called out to them to come along with him; John says that Andrew was helping John the Baptist in the Jordan River when he decided to follow Jesus of his own accord. Andrew then went and found Peter and brought him to Jesus… instead of Jesus finding them together fishing in the Sea of Galilee.

At this point, things even out in the four gospels for a short time because all four authors just offer accounts of their various experiences. It isn’t until the end of Jesus’ life that we see additional discrepancies in the accounting of specific events…

Did Judas Pre-Plan to Betray Jesus or Did Jesus Send Him Off to Do It After They Had Eaten the Last Supper?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all say that Judas contacted the Jewish officials before the Last Supper to make arrangements to betray Jesus into their hands…

Jesus now proceeded to Bethany, to the home of Simon the leper. While he was eating, a woman came in with a bottle of very expensive perfume, and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant. “What a waste of good money,” they said. “Why, she could have sold it for a fortune and given it to the poor.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you criticizing her? For she has done a good thing to me. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. And she will always be remembered for this deed. The story of what she has done will be told throughout the whole world, wherever the Good News is preached.” The Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, went to the chief priests, and asked, “How much will you pay me to get Jesus into your hands?” And they gave him thirty silver coins. From that time on, Judas watched for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them. On the first day of the Passover ceremonies, when bread made with yeast was purged from every Jewish home, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where shall we plan to eat the Passover?” – Matthew 26:6-17

Meanwhile Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper; during supper a woman came in with a beautiful flask of expensive perfume. Then, breaking the seal, she poured it over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant among themselves about this “waste,” as they called it. “Why, she could have sold that perfume for a fortune and given the money to the poor!” they snarled. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why berate her for doing a good thing? You always have the poor among you, and they badly need your help, and you can aid them whenever you want to; but I won’t be here much longer. “She has done what she could, and has anointed my body ahead of time for burial. And I tell you this is solemn truth, that wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and praised.” Then Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, went to the chief priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. When the chief priests heard why he had come, they were excited and happy and promised him a reward. So he began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus. On the first day of the Passover, the day the lambs were sacrificed, his disciples asked him where he wanted to go to eat the traditional Passover supper. – Mark 14:3-12

And now the Passover celebration was drawing near – the Jewish festival when only bread made without yeast was used. The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot – a possibility they greatly feared. Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward. So he began to look for an opportunity for them to arrest Jesus quietly when the crowds weren’t around. Now the day of the Passover celebration arrived, when the Passover lamb was killed and eaten with the unleavened bread. – Luke 22:1-7

But the Book of John tells a different story… instead of Judas leaving after the perfume anointing event to go and pre-arrange the betrayal with the Jewish officials in secret, the Book of John says he was sent out by Jesus to do it just after they ate the Last Supper.

Jesus knew on the evening of Passover Day that it would be his last night on earth before returning to the Father. During supper the devil had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that this was the night to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. And how he loved his disciples! So he got up from the supper table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his loins, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him……. Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit and exclaimed, “Yes, it is true – one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. Since I was sitting next to Jesus at the table, being his closest friend, Simon Peter motioned to me to ask him who it was who would do this terrible deed. So I turned and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” He told me, “It is the one I honor by giving the bread dipped in the sauce.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas had eaten it, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry – do it now.” None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. Judas left at once, going out into the night. – John 13:1-5, 21-30

There is also a discrepancy regarding the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion…

Did Jesus Pray to God to Take the Cup He Was About to Fulfill Or Did He Make a Statement That He Would Not Ask Such a Thing?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke give similar accounts regarding this event… Jesus prayed for God to “take the cup” from him.

He went forward a little, and fell face downward on the ground, and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me. But I want Your will, not mine.” – Matthew 26:39

But the account as it is written in John says that Jesus did not pray for the cup to be taken, but rather made a statement about not praying that way…

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Shall I pray, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead’? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory and honor to Your name.” – John 12:27-28

And there is a discrepancy in the way that Jesus was identified in the Garden of Gethsemane …

Did Judas Identify Jesus By A Friendly Greeting or Did Jesus Step Forward and Turn Himself Over to the Jewish Officials?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all say that Judas came up to Jesus and greeted him in a friendly way, thereby identifying him to the Jewish officials.

But even as he said this, a mob approached, led by Judas, one of his twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek in friendly greeting.- Luke 22:47

According to John, Jesus approached the officials and turned himself over to them.

The chief priests and Pharisees had given Judas a squad of soldiers and police to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons they arrived at the olive grove. Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him. Stepping forward to meet them he asked, “Whom are you looking for?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said, and as he said it, they all fell backwards to the ground! Once more he asked them, “Whom are you searching for?” And again they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I told you I am he,” Jesus said; “and since I am the one you are after, let these others go.” He did this to carry out the prophecy he had just made, “I have not lost a single one of those you gave me…” – John 18:3-9

There is also a discrepancy in regards to the first place the officials took Jesus to be questioned.

Did the Jewish Officials Take Jesus Straight to Caiaphas the High Priest’s House For Questioning Or Did They Stop At Caiaphas’ Father-In-Law’s House First?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke have the officials taking Jesus straight to Caiaphas’ house for questioning first…

Then the mob led him to the home of Caiaphas the High Priest, where all the Jewish leaders were gathering. – Matthew 26:57

Jesus was led to the High Priest’s home where all of the chief priests and other Jewish leaders soon gathered. Peter followed far behind and then slipped inside the gates of the High Priest’s residence and crouched beside a fire among the servants. – Mark 14:53-54

So they seized him and led him to the High Priest’s residence, and Peter followed at a distance. The soldiers lit a fire in the courtyard and sat around it for warmth, and Peter joined them there. – Luke 22:54-55

The Book of John would have them go to Annas’ house first…

So the Jewish police, with the soldiers and their lieutenant, arrested Jesus and tied him. First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the High Priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who told the other Jewish leaders, “Better that one should die for all.” Simon Peter followed along behind, as did another of the disciples who was acquainted with the High Priest. So that other disciple was permitted into the courtyard along with Jesus, while Peter stood outside the gate. Then the other disciple spoke to the girl watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. The girl asked Peter, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?” “No,” he said, “I am not!” The police and the household servants were standing around a fire they had made, for it was cold. And Peter stood there with them, warming himself. – John 18:12-18

Then Annas sent Jesus, bound, to Caiaphas the High Priest. – John 18:24

And we can be certain that they were talking about the same event because Mark, Luke, and John each reference Peter warming himself by the fire.

Then after all of the questioning and taunting was over…

Did Jesus Carry His Own Cross Or Did Simon of Cyrene Carry It For Him?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke maintain that Jesus did not carry his own cross; Simon of Cyrene carried it for him.

As they were on the way to the execution grounds they came across a man from Cyrene, in Africa – Simon was his name – and forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. – Matthew 27:32

Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country just then, was pressed into service to carry Jesus’ cross. – Mark 15:21

As the crowd led Jesus away to his death, Simon of Cyrene, who was just coming into Jerusalem from the country, was forced to follow, carrying Jesus’ cross. – Luke 23:26

But the Book of John states that Jesus carried his own cross…

So they had him at last, and he was taken out of the city, carrying his cross to the place know as “The Skull,” in Hebrew, “Golgotha.” – John 19:17

And there is a discrepancy regarding the timing of Jesus’ crucifixion…

Was There Darkness From Noon Until Three O’Clock Or Was Jesus Still On Trial At Noon?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all state that Jesus’ crucifixion was well underway and that darkness fell from noon until 3 o’clock that afternoon.

“That afternoon, the whole earth was covered with darkness for three hours, from noon until three o’clock.” – Matthew 27: 45

“About noon, darkness fell across the entire land, lasting until three o’clock that afternoon.” – Mark 15:33

“By now it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land for three hours, until three o’clock.” – Luke 23:44

But there is no three-hour darkness in the Book of John; in fact, it states that Jesus was still on trial at noon…

“At these words Pilate brought Jesus out to them again and sat down at the judgment bench on the stone-paved platform. It was now about noon of the day before Passover. And Pilate said to the Jews, ‘Here is your king!’ ‘Away with him,’ they yelled. ‘Away with him – crucify him!’…” …John 19:13-15 (bold mine)

Reconciling the Differences… ?

With this many substantial discrepancies and a consistent three to one accuracy score, there may not be a way to reconcile the differences between John and the other three accounts.

So now it becomes your decision… which one(s) do you believe and trust? Because it cannot have happened both ways.

And maybe you’re wondering if it’s even important… how important is how/when Jesus got his disciples, etc.

But it is… it’s extremely important.

This many major discrepancies from one author in one writing casts doubt in valuing the rest of the author’s writings. Each of them wrote of way more than just the events of Jesus’ life, and these writings provide the foundation for the Christian faith. It’s extremely important that each and every one of them is valid and correct because if not… portions of that faith may be incorrect.

Just remember… everyone has to make this decision for him / herself to be able to say that you now own your own faith!

So Where Do We Go From Here?

And now it’s up to you…

But before you can say that you own your own faith, the only thing left to do is search your heart and ask God for His guidance…

He will tell you.

On a personal note, I believe that one of the worst things a person can do is to open a door to God and then send the new believer off on their own with no way to get in touch if they have questions… so with that thought in mind, my contact information is listed below. If you have any questions or concerns that you simply are unable to find answers for yourself, feel free to contact me and together we will delve straight in!

~ Kat

KathleenElizabethKelly@gmail.com

Sin’s power over you is dead…

“Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin; for when you are deadened to sin you are freed from all its allure and its power over you.” …Romans 6:6-7

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism, hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group…” …Galatians 5:19-20

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Sin’s power over you is dead…

“But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and His benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life.” …Romans 6:22

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“Be careful – watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.” …1Peter 5:8

Sin’s power over you is dead…

“And since your old sin-loving nature ‘died’ with Christ, we know that you will share his new life.” …Romans 6:8

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. So don’t be misled, dear brothers.” …James 1:14-16

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Sin’s power over you is dead…

“No one who has become part of God’s family makes a practice of sinning, for Christ, God’s son, holds him securely and the devil cannot get his hands on him.” …1John 5:18

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“So do not refuse these rights to each other. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from the rights of marriage for a limited time, so that they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterwards, they should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control.” …1Corinthians 7:5

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Paul even contradicts himself on the subject two verses away…

Sin’s power over you is dead…

“But the Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from Satanic attacks of every kind.” …2Thessalonians 3:3

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“As I was saying, when I could bear the suspense no longer I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that perhaps Satan had gotten the best of you and that all our work had been useless.” …1Thessalonians 3:5

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Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

“…Surely we don’t need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God” …Hebrews 6:1

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough; we need to do good deeds also…

“These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.” … Titus 3:8

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Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

“This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven – makes us right in God’s sight – when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, ‘The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.’ “ Romans 1:17 (bold mine)

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough; we need to do good deeds also…

“Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying that you have faith and are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone?” …James 2:14

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.” …James 3:17-18

“It is as the Scriptures say: ‘The Godly man gives generously to the poor. His good deeds will be an honor to him forever.’ “…2Corinthians 9:9

Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

“But the Jews, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping His laws, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to be saved by keeping the law and being good instead of by depending on faith. They have stumbled over the great stumbling stone.” …Romans 9:31-32

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough; we need to do good deeds also…

“In every nation He has those who worship Him and do good deeds and are acceptable to Him.” …Acts 10:35

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Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

“…Surely we don’t need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God” …Hebrews 6:1

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough; we need to do good deeds also…

“These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.” … Titus 3:8

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Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

“Then what can we boast about doing, to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds; it is based on what Christ has done and our faith in him. So it is that we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do.”…Romans 3:27-29 (bold mine)

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough; we need to do good deeds also…

“So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all – it is dead and useless. But someone may well argue, ‘You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act. Are there still some among you who hold that ‘only believing’ is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too – so strongly that they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that ‘believing’ is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.” …James 2:17-20 (bold mine)

“Just as the body is dead when there is no spirit in it, so faith is dead if it is not the kind that results in good deeds.” …James 2:26

“I’m sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel – that there is peace with God through Jesus…” …Acts 10:36

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And, if you decide to do good deeds…

Do them publicly for all to see…

“…let your good deeds glow for all to see…” …Matthew 5:16 (????)

Vs.

Or not…

Do not do good deeds publicly, do them secretly…

“…Don’t do your good deeds publicly…when you do a kindness to someone, do it secretly – don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing.” …Matthew 6:1, 6:3

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Jesus came to bring peace…

“I’m sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel – that there is peace with God through Jesus…” …Acts 10:36

Vs.

Jesus did not come to bring peace…

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, rather, a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—“ …Matthew 10:34-35

No need to follow Jewish laws…

“But now you need no longer worry about the Jewish laws and customs because you “died” while in their captivity, and now you can really serve God; not in the old way, mechanically obeying a set of rules, but in the new way, (with all of your hearts and minds).” …Romans 7:6

Vs.

Yes, there are Jewish laws to follow…

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden of Jewish laws on you than to abstain from eating food offered to idols and from un-bled meat of strangled animals, and, of course, from fornication. If you do this, it is enough. Farewell.” …Acts 15:27-29

Strengthen your promise with an oath…

“When a man takes an oath, he is calling upon someone greater than himself to force him to do what he has promised, or to punish him if he later refuses to do it; the oath ends all argument about it.” …Hebrews 6:16

Vs.

Do not use an oath to strengthen your promise…

“But most of all, dear brothers, do not swear either by heaven or earth or anything else; just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned for it”

…James 5:12

Strengthen your promise with an oath…

“Blind guides! Woe upon you! For your rule is that to swear ‘By God’s Temple’ means nothing – you can break that oath, but to swear ‘By the gold in the Temple’ is binding! Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold, or the Temple that sanctifies the gold? And you say that to take an oath ‘By the altar’ can be broken, but to swear ‘By the gifts on the altar’ is binding! Blind! For which is greater, the gift on the altar, or the altar itself that sanctifies the gift? When you swear ‘By the altar’ you are swearing by it and everything on it, and when you swear ‘By the Temple’ you are swearing by it, and by God who lives in it. And when you swear ‘By heavens’ you are swearing by the Throne of God and by God Himself.” …Matthew 23:16-22

Vs.

Do not use an oath to strengthen your promise…

“Again, the law of Moses says, ‘You shall not break your vows to God, but must fulfill them all.’ But I [Jesus] say: Don’t make any vows! And even to say, ‘By heavens!’ is a sacred vow to God, for the heavens are God’s throne. And if you say ‘By the earth!’ it is a sacred vow, for the earth is His footstool. And don’t swear ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the capital of the great King. Don’t even swear ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Say just a simple ‘Yes, I will’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.”

…Matthew 5:33-37 (bold mine)

Cast out your sinful brother…

“There is no use trying to bring you back to the Lord again if you have once understood the Good News… and then have turned against God. You cannot bring yourself to repent again if you have nailed the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to mocking and to public shame.” …Hebrews 6:4-6

Vs.

Help your sinful brother back to Christ…

“Dear brothers, if anyone has slipped away from God and no longer trusts the Lord and someone helps him understand the Truth again, that person who brings him back to God will have saved a wandering soul from death, bringing about the forgiveness of his many sins.” …James 5:19-20

Gently and humbly help your sinful brother back to Christ…

“Dear brothers, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong.” …Galatians 6:1

Vs.

Confront your sinful brother and if he does not listen, excommunicate him…

“If a brother sins against you, go to him privately and confront him with his fault. If he listens and confesses it, you have won back a brother. But if not, then take one or two others with you and go back to him again, proving everything you say by these witnesses. If he still refuses to listen, then take your case to the church, and if the church’s verdict favors you, but he won’t accept it, then the church should excommunicate him.”

…Matthew 18:15-17

(And the one that trumps them all is the 490 rule… 70 times 7 forgivenesses…)

Confront a sinful brother…

“If a brother sins against you, go to him privately and confront him with his fault. If he listens and confesses it, you have won back a brother. But if no, then take one or two others with you and go back to him again, proving everything you say by these witnesses. If he still refuses to listen, then take your case to the church, and if the church’s verdict favors you, but he won’t accept it, then the church should excommunicate him.”

…Matthew 18:15-17

Vs.

Don’t confront (criticize) a sinful brother…

“Don’t criticize, and then you won’t be criticized. For others will treat you as you treat them. And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own?” …Matthew 7:1-4

Don’t correct (criticize) a sinful brother…

Vs.

Do correct a sinful brother…

Be gentle in your correction of sinners…

Vs.

Be stern in your correction of sinners…

“…So speak to the Christians there as sternly as necessary to make them strong in the faith.” …Titus 1:13

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Forgive… forgive, forgive, forgive! (What Jesus actually says…)

“Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Sir, how often should I forgive a brother who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No!’ Jesus replied, ‘seventy times seven!’ “

…Matthew 18:21-22

Vs.

(Then he CHANGES IT!!!)but not because this actually comes first in the chapter…but anyway… Three times and you’re out!

…Matthew 18:15-17

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Jesus was adamant that he was sent to help only Jews…

“Right away a woman came to him whose little girl was possessed by a demon. She had heard about Jesus and now she came and fell at his feet, and pled with him to release her child from the demon’s control. (But she was Syrophoenician – a “despised Gentile!”) Jesus told her, ‘First I should help my own family – the Jews. It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” …Mark 7:25-27

“Jesus sent them out with these instructions: ‘Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel – God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” …Matthew 10:5-7

Vs.

Jesus gladly stayed with the Samaritans for a couple of days while preaching to them…

“Many from the Samaritan village believed he was the Messiah because of the woman’s report: ‘he told me everything I ever did!’ When they came out to see him at the well, they begged him to stay at their village; and he did, for two days.” …John 4:39-40

ANOTHER DIFFERENCE BETWEEN John and the other three…

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If you are a slave, that should not bother you… you should work even harder for your owners…

“Usually a person should keep on with the work he was doing when God called him. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you…” …1Corinthians 7:20-21

“Christian slaves should work hard for their owners and respect them; never let it be said that Christ’s people are poor workers. Don’t let the name of God or His teaching be laughed at because of this. If their owner is a Christian, that is no excuse for slowing down; rather they should work all the harder because a brother in the faith is being helped by their efforts.” …1Timothy 6:1-2

“Servants, you must respect your masters and do whatever they tell you – not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are tough and cruel.” …1Peter 2:18

Vs.

In Paul’s letter to Philemon regarding Philemon’s run-away slave, Onesimus…

“Now I want to ask a favor of you. I could demand it of you in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do, but I love you and prefer just to ask you…” …Philemon 1:8

“My plea is that you show kindness to my child, Onesimus… I am sending him back to you…” …Philemon 1:10 & 1:12

“no longer as a slave, but something much better – a beloved brother [in Christ]…” …Philemon 1:16

Do not stay unevenly yoked…

“Don’t be teamed with those who do not love the Lord, for what do the people of God have in common with the people of sin? How can light live with darkness? And what harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a Christian be a partner with one who doesn’t believe? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols?” …2Corinthians 6:14-16

Vs.

If you are unevenly yoked, stay to help your partner find Christ…

“Here I want to add some suggestions of my own. These are not direct commands from the Lord, but they seem right to me: if a Christian has a wife who is not a Christian, but she wants to stay with him anyway, he must not leave her or divorce her. And if a Christian woman has a husband who isn’t a Christian, and he wants her to stay with him, she must not leave him. For perhaps the husband who isn’t a Christian may become a Christian with the help of his Christian wife. And the wife who isn’t a Christian may become a Christian with the help of her Christian husband. Otherwise, if the family separates, the children might never come to know the Lord; whereas a united family may, in God’s plan, result in the children’s salvation.” …1Corinthians 7:12-14

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“If anyone sins deliberately by rejecting the Savior [Jesus] after knowing the truth of forgiveness, this sin is not covered by Christ’s death; there is no way to get rid of it.”

…Hebrews 11:26

Vs.

“I solemnly declare that any sin of man can be forgiven, even blasphemy against me [Jesus]; but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven. It is an eternal sin.”

…Mark 3:28-29 (bold mine)

Circumcision is performed in deference to the Jewish law because you are not able to admit that only Jesus saves (not circumcision)…

“It doesn’t make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not; what counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.”

…Galatians 6:15

“Those teachers of yours who are trying to convince you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason: so that they can be popular and avoid the persecution they would get if they admitted that the cross of Jesus alone can save.” …Galatians 6:12

“For instance, a man who already has gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision before he became a Christian shouldn’t worry about it; and if he hasn’t been circumcised, he shouldn’t do it now. For it doesn’t make any difference at all whether a Christian has gone through this ceremony or not…” …1Corinthians 7:18-19 (bold mine)

Vs.

Yet, Paul felt it necessary to circumcise Timothy in deference…

“Timothy was well thought of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul asked him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he [Paul] circumcised Timothy before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek (and hadn’t permitted this before).” …Acts 16:2-3 (bold mine)

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he directly contradicts Jesus’ teaching…

“You can be sure of this: The Kingdom of God will never belong to anyone who is impure or greedy, for a greedy person is really an idol worshiper – he loves and worships the good things of this life more than God. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible wrath of God is upon all those who do them. Don’t even associate with such people.” …Ephesians 5:5-7 (bold mine)

Vs.

“As Jesus was going on down the road, he saw a tax collector, Matthew, sitting at a tax collection booth. [Note: Tax collectors were notorious for their greed and the way they cheated citizens.] ‘Come and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him, and Matthew jumped up and went along with him. Later, as Jesus and his disciples were eating dinner (at Matthew’s house), there were many notorious swindlers there as guests! The Pharisees were indignant. ‘Why does your teacher associate with men like that?’ ‘Because people who are well don’t need a doctor! It’s the sick people who do!’ was Jesus’ reply. ‘Now go away and learn the meaning of this verse of Scripture, “It isn’t your sacrifices and your gifts I want – I want you to be merciful.” For I have come to urge sinners, not the self-righteous, back to God.” …Matthew 9:9-13 (bold mine)

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Paul speaks ill of young widows to Timothy…

“Besides, they [young widows] are likely to be lazy and spend their time gossiping around from house to house, getting into other people’s business.” …1Timothy 5:13

Vs.

However, that is not the way to behave…

“They must not speak evil of anyone, nor quarrel, but be gentle and truly courteous to all.” …Titus 3:2

“… An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it. And I tell you this, that you must give account on Judgment Day for every idle word you speak.” …Matthew 12:35-36

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“Listen, all of you. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse you; implore God’s blessing on those who hurt you.” …Luke 6:27-28

“If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen do that.” …Matthew 5:46-47

Vs.

“When you ask permission to stay, be friendly, and if it turns out to be a godly home, give it your blessing; if not, keep the blessing.” …Matthew 10:12-13

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Jesus’ teaching…

“Under the laws of Moses the rule was, ‘If you murder, you must die.’ But I have added to that rule, and tell you that if you are only angry, even in your own home, you are in danger of judgment! If you call your friend an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse him, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”

…Matthew 5:21-22

Vs.

Paul to Timothy…

“Anyone who says anything different is both proud and stupid…” …1Timothy 6:4

Jesus will judge by himself…

“The Father has life in Himself, and has granted His son to have life in himself; and to judge the sins of all mankind because he is the son of man.” …John 5:26-27

Vs.

Jesus only judges as he is told by God…

“But I pass no judgment without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told.”

…John 5:30

Vs.

Jesus will not judge at all…

“If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge – for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.” …John 12:47

John CONTRIDICTING HIMSELF!!!

Vs.

“How is it that when you have something against another Christian, you “go to law” and ask a heathen court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other Christians to decide which of you is right? Don’t you know that some day we Christians are going to judge and govern the world? So why can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?” …1Corinthians 6:1-2

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Jesus came to save the world…

“If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge – for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.” …John 12:47

Vs.

Jesus did not come to save (the Savior brings peace to) the world…

ARE THERE ANY REFERENCES TO THIS IN Mark and Luke, BECOMES ANOTHER DIFFERENCE BETWEEN John and the three…

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“Don’t be afraid of those who threaten you…” …Matthew 10:26

“Don’t be afraid of those who can kill only your bodies – but can’t touch your souls! Fear only God who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” …Matthew 10:28

“…For you will be arrested and tried, and whipped in the synagogues. Yes, and you must stand trial before governors and kings for my sake. This will give you the opportunity to tell them about me, yes, to witness to the world.”

…Matthew 10:17-18 (bold mine)

And actually, that’s exactly what happened to Paul… on his way to Rome, he witnessed to ____, ________, __________, and ___________. He may or may not have been able to get an audience with those respected leaders had he not needed to tell them why he was being tried in a court of law.

Vs.

“When you are persecuted in one city, flee to the next!” …Matthew 10:23 (bold mine)

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Jesus spoke in parables to reveal mysteries…

“Jesus constantly used these illustrations when speaking to the crowds. In fact, because the prophets said that he would use so many, he never spoke to them without at least one illustration. For it had been prophesied, ‘I will talk in parables; I will explain mysteries hidden since the beginning of time.’ “ …Matthew 13:34-35 (bold mine)

Vs.

Jesus spoke in parables for people to hear and see, but not to understand…

“…that is why I use these illustrations, so people will hear and see but not understand. ‘This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: “They hear, but don’t understand; they look but don’t see! For their hearts are fat and heavy, and their ears are dull, and they have closed their eyes in sleep, so they won’t see and hear and understand and turn to God again, and let Me heal them…” …Matthew 13:13-16 (bold mine)

Jesus’ disciples were the only ones permitted to understand the parables…

“His disciples came and asked him, ‘Why do you always use these hard-to-understand illustrations?” Then he explained to them that only they were permitted to understand about the Kingdom of Heaven, and others were not.” …Matthew 13:10-11

Vs.

But they didn’t understand at all…

“Then, leaving the crowds outside, he went into the house. His disciples asked him to explain to them the illustration of the thistles and the wheat.” …Matthew 13:36

“Then Peter asked Jesus to explain what he meant when he said that people are not defiled by non-kosher food. ‘Don’t you understand?’ Jesus asked him.”

…Matthew 15:15-16

“Jesus knew what they were thinking and told them, ‘O men of little faith! Why are you so worried about having no food? Won’t you ever understand?” …Matthew 16:8-9

“Then he went into a house to get away from the crowds, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the statement he had just made. ‘Don’t you understand either?’ he asked.” …Mark 7:17-18

“Jesus realized what they were discussing and said, ‘No, that isn’t it at all! Can’t you understand? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? Your eyes are to see with – why don’t you look? Why don’t you open your ears and listen?’ “ …Mark 8:17-18

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Paul to the Corinthians: A widow should not marry again…

“So I say to those who aren’t married, and to widows – better to stay unmarried if you can, just as I am.” …1Corinthians 7:8

“The wife is part of her husband as long as he lives; if her husband dies, then she may marry again, but only if she marries a Christian. But in my opinion she will be happier if she doesn’t marry again…” …1Corinthians 7:39-40

Vs.

Paul to Timothy: A widow should marry again…

“So I think it is better for these younger widows to marry again…” …1Timothy 5:14

Paul identifies himself as the “father” of the Corinthians…

“For although you may have ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, remember that you have only me as your father.” …1Corinthians 4:15

Vs.

Jesus said that only God should be addressed as “Father”…

“Don’t ever let anyone call you that. For only God is your Rabbi and all of you are on the same level, as brothers. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven should be addressed like that.” …Matthew 23:8-9

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden of Jewish laws on you than to abstain from eating food offered to idols and from un-bled meat of strangled animals, and, of course, from fornication. If you do this, it is enough. Farewell.” …Acts 15:27-29 (bold mine)

Vs.

“As for myself, I [Paul] am perfectly sure on the authority of Jesus that there is nothing really wrong with eating meat that has been offered to idols.” …Romans 14:14

Vs.

“What I [Paul] am saying is that those who offer food to these idols are united together in sacrificing to demons, certainly not to God. And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons when you eat the same food, along with the heathen, that has been offered to these idols.” …1Corinthians 10:20

Vs.

[Paul to the Corinthians] “You are certainly free to eat food offered to idols if you want to…” …1Corinthians 10:23

Paul tells us here that by participating in Communion… sharing the blood and body of Christ (today it would be wafers and grape juice)… we are all joined together, as one with Christ, in this sacrificial ceremony. And in the same way, idol-worshipers are joined together, as one with their sacrificial meat, in their ceremony.

“So, dear friends, carefully avoid idol-worship of every kind. You are intelligent people. Look now and see for yourselves whether what I am about to say is true. When we ask the Lord’s blessing upon our drinking from the cup of wine at the Lord’s Table, this means, doesn’t it, that all who drink it are sharing together the blessing of Christ’s blood? And when we break off pieces of the bread from the loaf to eat there together, this shows that we are sharing together in the benefits of his body. No matter how many of us there are, we all eat from the same loaf, showing that we are all parts of the one body of Christ. And the Jewish people, all who eat the sacrifices, are united by that act. What am I trying to say? Am I saying that the idols to whom the heathen bring sacrifices are really alive and are real gods, and that these sacrifices are of some value? No, not at all. What I am saying is that those who offer food to these idols are united together in sacrificing to demons, certainly not to God. And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons when you eat the same food…” …1Corinthians 10:14-20 (bold mine)

What Paul is trying to do here is compare the bread and wine (wafers and grape juice) that we use in communion with the meat that idol-worshipers used in their sacrifices.

So what Paul is saying is that by participating in Communion… sharing the blood and body of Christ (wafers and grape juice)… we are all joined together, as one with Christ, in this sacrificial ceremony. And in the same way, idol-worshipers are joined together, as one with their sacrificial meat, in their ceremony.

Vs.

“Here’s what you should do. Take any meat you want that is sold at the market. Don’t ask whether or not it was offered to idols, lest the answer hurt your conscience.” …1Corinthians 10:25

I guess that way you can ingest the demon-laden meat without guilt, but… that doesn’t nullify the fact that the meat is sacrificial meat and so… knowingly or not, now there’s demon-laden meat inside your body!

Paul has obviously reasoned that the object of sacrifice is uniquely tied and binding to those who eat it, so the question becomes… “How could a teacher of the faith say anything other than to stay as far away from it as possible, and if you find yourself in a situation where there could be such meat…ask!”

And…

“As for myself, I [Paul] am perfectly sure on the authority of Jesus that there is nothing really wrong with eating meat that has been offered to idols.” …Romans 14:14

Paul has obviously reasoned that the object of sacrifice is uniquely tied and binding to those who eat it, and so it bothers me personally that a teacher of the faith would… COULD… say anything other than to stay as far away from it as possible, and if you find yourself in a situation where there could be such meat…ask!

Don’t just recite the same prayer again and again… that is how heathen behave…

“Don’t recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” …Matthew 6:7-8

Vs.

Here, pray like this…

Almost everyone knows, or has at least heard of, the prayer titled… Our Father. You know, it goes like this… Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven… give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us… and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil… for Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever. Amen.

Well, it comes from this passage in the Bible…

“Pray along these lines: ‘Our Father in heaven, we honor your Holy Name. We ask that Your Kingdom will come now. May Your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us our food again today, as usual, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Don’t bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One. Amen.’ “ …Matthew 6:9-13

Paul to the Romans…

“…For sin’s power over us was broken when we became Christians and were baptized to become a part of Jesus; through his death the power of your sinful nature was shattered. Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died, and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy.” …Romans 6:3-4 (bold mine)

Vs.

His same letter to the Romans, the next chapter…

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to – what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can’t help myself, because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can’t make myself do right. I want to but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don’t; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. Now if I am doing what I don’t want to, it is plain where the trouble is: sin still has me in its evil grasp.”…Romans 7:15-20 (bold mine)

Paul told the Romans to let God tell His servants if they are right or wrong, it is not their place to do so…

“Give a warm welcome to any brother who wants to join you, even though his faith is weak. Don’t criticize him for having different ideas from yours about what is right and wrong… They are God’s servants, not yours. They are responsible to Him, not to you. Let Him tell them whether they are right or wrong. And God is able to make them do as they should.” …Romans 14:1 and 14:4 (bold mine)

Vs.

But Paul publicly chastised Peter for doing what he thought was wrong…

“But when Peter came to Antioch I had to oppose him publicly, speaking strongly against what he was doing for it was very wrong. For when he first arrived he ate with the Gentile Christians (who don’t bother with circumcision and the many other Jewish laws). But afterwards when some Jewish friends of James came, he wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore because he was afraid of what these Jewish legalists, who insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation, would say.” …Galatians 2:11-12 (bold mine)

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“Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.” …Matthew 7:13-14

Vs.

“And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, ardent multitudes have been crowding toward the Kingdom of Heaven” …Matthew 11:12

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“I am sending you out as sheep among wolves…” …Matthew 10:16

“Don’t be afraid of those who threaten you…” …Matthew 10:26

“Don’t be afraid of those who can kill only your bodies – but can’t touch your souls! Fear only God who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” …Matthew 10:28

…Matthew 10:17-18 (bold mine)

Vs.

“When you are persecuted in one city, flee to the next!” …Matthew 10:23 (bold mine)

“If anyone sins deliberately by rejecting the Savior after knowing the truth of forgiveness, this sin is not covered by Christ’s death; there is no way to get rid of it.”

…Hebrews 11:26

Vs.

“I solemnly declare that any sin of man can be forgiven, even blasphemy against me [Jesus]; but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven. It is an eternal sin.”

…Mark 3:28-29

Do as I say…

“It doesn’t make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not; what counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.”

…Galatians 6:15

Vs.

Not as I do…

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians…

Vs.

“As Jesus was going on down the road, he saw a tax collector, Matthew, sitting at a tax collection booth. [Note: Tax collectors were notorious for their greed and the way they cheated citizens.] ‘Come and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him, and Matthew jumped up and went along with him. Later, as Jesus and his disciples were eating dinner (at Matthew’s house), there were many notorious swindlers there as guests! The Pharisees were indignant. ‘Why does your teacher associate with men like that?’ ‘Because people who are well don’t need a doctor! It’s the sick people who do!’ was Jesus’ reply. ‘Now go away and learn the meaning of this verse of Scripture, “It isn’t your sacrifices and your gifts I want – I want you to be merciful.” For I have come to urge sinners, not the self-righteous, back to God.” …Matthew 9:9-13

“Usually a person should keep on with the work he was doing when God called him. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you…” …1Corinthians 7:20-21

“Servants, you must respect your masters and do whatever they tell you – not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are tough and cruel.” …1Peter 2:18

Vs.

In Paul’s letter to Philemon regarding Philemon’s run-away slave, Onesimus…

“Now I want to ask a favor of you. I could demand it of you in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do, but I love you and prefer just to ask you…” …Philemon 1:8

“My plea is that you show kindness to my child, Onesimus… I am sending him back to you…” …Philemon 1:10 & 1:12

“no longer as a slave, but something much better – a beloved brother [in Christ]…” …Philemon 1:16

Unevenly yoked…

Go…

Vs.

Or Stay…

Paul tells Titus to remind his people…

“They must not speak evil of anyone, nor quarrel, but be gentle and truly courteous to all.” …Titus 3:2

“… An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it. And I tell you this, that you must give account on Judgment Day for every idle word you speak.” …Matthew 12:35-36

Vs. the way Paul speaks about widows to Timothy…

“Besides, they [young widows] are likely to be lazy and spend their time gossiping around from house to house, getting into other people’s business.” …1Timothy 5:13

“Listen, all of you. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse you; implore God’s blessing on those who hurt you.”

…Luke 6:27-28

Vs.

“When you ask permission to stay, be friendly, and if it turns out to be a godly home, give it your blessing; if not, keep the blessing.” …Matthew 10:12-13

Jesus stated…

…Matthew 5:21-22

Vs.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul stated…

“Anyone who says anything different is both proud and stupid…” …1Timothy 6:4

Jesus will judge by himself…

“The Father has life in Himself, and has granted His son to have life in himself; and to judge the sins of all mankind because he is the son of man.” …John 5:26-27

Vs.

Jesus only judges as he is told by God…

“But I pass no judgment without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told.”

…John 5:30

Vs.

Jesus will not judge at all…

“If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge – for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.” …John 12:47

Jesus came to save the world…

“If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge – for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.” …John 12:47

Vs.

Jesus did not come to save the world…

“Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, ‘A divided kingdom ends in ruin. A city or home divided against itself cannot stand.” …Matthew 12:25

Vs.

“But the Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from Satanic attacks of every kind.” …2Thessalonians 3:3

Vs.

“But Jesus said, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but I, the Messiah, have no home of my own – no place to lay my head.’ “ …Matthew 8:20

Vs.

“Sir,” they replied, “where do you live?” ‘Come and see,’ he said. So they went with him to the place where he was staying…” …John 1:38-39

Jesus was adamant that he was sent to help only Jews…

Vs.

Jesus gladly stayed with and preached to the Samaritans…

“But to answer your question, you can get to heaven if you keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied, “Don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself!”

…Matthew 19:17-19

No mention of God in there anywhere…

So I guess if you want to worship other gods, you’ve got your NT verses to back you up!

Vs.

“Sir, which is the most important command in the laws of Moses?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets stem from these two laws and are fulfilled if you obey them. Keep only these and you will find that you are obeying all the others.” …Matthew 22:36-40

Matthew 17:19-20 “Afterwards the disciples asked Jesus privately, ‘Why couldn’t we cast that demon out?’ ‘Because of your little faith,’ Jesus told them. ‘For if you had faith even as small as a tiny mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move!” and it would go far away. Nothing would be impossible.

Vs.

Matthew 17:21

But this kind of demon won’t leave unless you have prayed and gone without food.’ “

They talk in circles, round about themselves…

Faith vs. pray vs. fast

Internal Physical Physical

Feeling

Belief

New Old Old

Which leads us to another contradiction with this same verse…

That’s where the “new” wineskins etc come in…

Matthew 17:21

But this kind of demon won’t leave unless you have prayed and gone without food.’ “

Vs.

Mark 11:24 “Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it; it’s yours!

…but sometimes you’ll have to fast (the old way of doing things… which is akin to putting new wine in an old wineskin), too.

Matthew 10:8 “ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers, and cast out demons…”

Matthew 17:18 “Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy and it left him, and from that moment the boy was well.”

Vs.

Matthew 12:43-45 “This evil nation is like a man possessed by a demon. For if the demon leaves, it goes into the deserts for a while, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ’I will return to the man I came from.’ So it returns and finds the man’s heart clean but empty! Then the demon finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and all enter the man and live in him. And so he is worse off than before.”

NOTE: Jesus would heal them and send them away… no filling with the Word….

Matthew 7:13-14 “Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.”

Vs.

Matthew 11:12 “ And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, ardent multitudes have been crowding toward the Kingdom of Heaven”

Matthew 6:25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things – food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body – and they are far more important than what to eat and wear.”

Matthew 6:31-33 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and He will give them to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to.”

Matthew 6:34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.

Vs.

Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and you will be given what you ask for. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Anyone who seeks, finds. If only you will knock, the door will open. If a child asks his father for a loaf of bread, will he be given a stone instead? If he asks for fish, will he be given a poisonous snake? Of course not! And if you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask Him for them?”

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come – it isn’t to cancel the laws of Moses and the warnings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them, and to make them all come true. With all the earnestness I have I say: Every law in the Book will continue until its purpose is achieved. And so if anyone breaks the least commandment, and teaches others to, he shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But those who teach God’s laws and obey them shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” …Matthew 5:17-19

Vs.

“But I warn you – unless your goodness is greater than that of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, you can’t get into the Kingdom of Heaven at all!” …Matthew 5: 20

“Dear brothers, I am not writing out a new rule for you to obey, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the start. You have heard it all before. Yet it is always new, and works for you just as it did for Jesus; and as we obey this commandment, to love one another, the darkness in our lives disappears and the new light of life in Christ shines in.” …1John 2:7-8

Vs.

“But now God has shown us a different way to heaven – not by ‘being good enough’ and trying to keep His laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says He will accept and acquit us – declare us ‘not guilty’ – if we trust Jesus to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.” …Romans 3:21-22

“Let me add this, dear brothers: You already know how to please God in your daily living, for you know the commands we gave you from the Lord Jesus himself. Now we beg you – yes, we demand of you in the name of the Lord Jesus – that you live more and more closely to that ideal. For God wants you to be holy and pure, and to keep clear of all sexual sin so that each of you will marry in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion as the heathen do, in their ignorance of God and His ways. And this also is God’s will: that you never cheat in this matter by taking another man’s wife, because the Lord will punish you terribly for this, as we have solemnly told you before. For God has not called us to be dirty minded and full of lust, but to be holy and clean. If anyone refuses to live by these rules he is not disobeying the rules of men but of God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” …1Thessalonians 4:1-8 (bold mine)

Vs.

“Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has hypnotized you and cast an evil spell upon you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus’ death as clearly as though I had waved a placard before you with a picture on it of Christ dying on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by trying to keep the Jewish laws? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you heard about Christ and trusted him to save you. Then have you gone completely crazy? For if trying to obey the Jewish laws never gave you spiritual life in the first place, why do you think that trying to obey them now will make you stronger Christians?”

…Galatians 3:1-3 (bold mine)

“Consequently, it is clear that no one can ever win God’s favor by trying to keep the Jewish laws, because God has said that the only way we can be right in His sight is by faith. As the prophet Habakkuk says it, ‘The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.’ How different from this way of faith is the way of law which says that a man is saved by obeying every law of God, without one slip. But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system by taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself.” …Galatians 3:11-13

Vs.

“Dearly loved friends, I had been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth which God gave, once for all, to His people to keep without change through the years. I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment… my answer to them is: Remember this fact – which you know already – that God saved a whole nation of people out of the land of Egypt, and then killed every one of them who did not trust and obey Him. And I remind you of those angels who were once pure and holy, but turned to a life of sin. Now God has them chained up in prisons of darkness, waiting for the judgment day. And don’t forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, all full of lust of every kind including lust of men for other men. Those cities were destroyed by fire and continue to be a warning to us that there is a hell in which sinners are punished.” …Jude 1:3-7

Sin’s power over you is dead…

“But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and His benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life.” …Romans 6:22

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“Be careful – watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.” …1Peter 5:8

Sin’s power over you is dead…

“And since your old sin-loving nature ‘died’ with Christ, we know that you will share his new life.” …Romans 6:8

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

“Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. So don’t be misled, dear brothers.”

…James 1:14-16

Sin’s power over you is dead…

“No one who has become part of God’s family makes a practice of sinning, for Christ, God’s son, holds him securely and the devil cannot get his hands on him.” …1John 5:18

Vs.

Sin still lurks…

Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

“…Surely we don’t need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God” …Hebrews 6:1

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough, we need to do good deeds also…

“These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.” … Titus 3:8

Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough, we need to do good deeds also…

“Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying that you have faith and are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone?” …James 2:14

“It is as the Scriptures say: ‘The Godly man gives generously to the poor. His good deeds will be an honor to him forever.’ “…2Corinthians 9:9

Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough, we need to do good deeds also…

“In every nation He has those who worship Him and do good deeds and are acceptable to Him.” …Acts 10:35

Faith alone saves us, not good deeds…

Vs.

Faith alone is not enough, we need to do good deeds also…

“Just as the body is dead when there is no spirit in it, so faith is dead if it is not the kind that results in good deeds.” …James 2:26

Jesus came to bring peace…

“I’m sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel – that there is peace with God through Jesus…” …Acts 10:36

Vs.

Jesus did not come to bring peace…

“As the Scriptures say, ‘If anyone is going to boast, let him boast about what the Lord has done and not about himself.’ “…2Corinthians 10:17 [Paul to the Corinthians]

“As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus…” …Galatians 6:14 [Paul to the Galatians]

Vs.

“I [Paul] may seem to be boasting more than I should about my authority over you – authority to help you, not to hurt you – but I shall make good every claim.” …2Corinthians 10:8

“But we will not boast of authority we do not have. Our goal is to measure up to God’s plan for us, and this plan includes our working there with you.” …2Corinthians 10:13

“Again I plead, don’t think that I have lost my wits to talk like this; but even if you do, listen to me anyway – a witless man, a fool – while I also boast a little as they do.” …2Corinthians 11:16

“Such bragging isn’t something the Lord commanded me to do, for I am acting like a brainless fool” …2Corinthians 11:17

“Yet those other men keep telling you how wonderful they are, so here I go:” …2Corinthians 11:18

“…But whatever they can boast about – I’m talking like a fool again – I can boast about it, too.” …2Corinthians 11:21

“They say they serve Christ? But I have served him far more! (Have I gone mad to boast like this?)” …2Corinthians 11:23

“But if I must brag, I would rather brag about the things that show how weak I am.” …2Corinthians 11:30

Vs.

“This boasting is all so foolish, but let me go on…” …2Corinthians 12:1

“You have made me act like a fool – boasting like this – for you people ought to be writing about me and not making me write about myself.” …2Corinthians 12:11

“The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.” …2Timothy 3:16

Vs.

“Well then, am I suggesting that these laws of God are evil? Of course not! No, the law is not sinful but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known the sin in my heart – the evil desires that are hidden there – if the law had not said, ‘you must not have evil desires in your heart.’

But sin used this law against evil desires by reminding me that such desires are wrong and arousing all kinds of forbidden desires within me! Only if there were no laws to break would there be no sinning.

That is why I felt fine so long as I did not understand what the law really demanded. But when I learned the truth, I realized that I had broken the law and was a sinner, doomed to die.

So as far as I was concerned, the good law which was supposed to show me the way of life resulted instead in my being given the death penalty.

Sin fooled me by taking the good laws of God and using them to make me guilty of death.” …Romans 7:7-11

[ BAD laws…tsk, tsk, tsk… making him feel bad for being a sinner… what a joke… instead of feeling guilty and repenting, he’s going to blame the law for existing and pointing out that he ought not be doing WHAT HE’s DOING!!… Jesus…]

“Take no part in the worthless pleasures of evil and darkness, but instead, rebuke and expose them… But when you expose them, the light shines in upon their sin and shows it up, and when they see how wrong they really are, some of them may even become children of Light!” …Ephesians 5:11 and 5:13

Vs.

“But still, you see, the law itself was wholly right and good. But how can that be? Didn’t the law cause my doom? How then can it be good? No, it was sin, devilish stuff that it is, that used what was good to bring about my condemnation. So you can see how cunning and deadly and damnable it is. For it uses God’s good laws for its own evil purposes.” …Romans 7:12-13

[ WHAT…….??? So we’re trying to say that Satan takes a perfectly good law… or rule… and uses it … for evil…? That’s the exact opposite of Jesus’ explanation of why he did not cast out demons by Satan’s power… Satan does not use what is right against Himself!]

[Paul to the Romans]

Vs.

[Same letter to the Romans, next chapter]

“Give a warm welcome to any brother who wants to join you, even though his faith is weak. Don’t criticize him for having different ideas from yours about what is right and wrong… They are God’s servants, not yours. They are responsible to Him, not to you. Let Him tell them whether they are right or wrong. And God is able to make them do as they should.” …Romans 14:1 and 14:4

Vs.

“But when Peter came to Antioch I had to oppose him publicly, speaking strongly against what he was doing for it was very wrong. For when he first arrived he ate with the Gentile Christians (who don’t bother with circumcision and the many other Jewish laws). But afterwards when some Jewish friends of James came, he wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore because he was afraid of what these Jewish legalists, who insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation, would say.” …Galatians 2:11-12

Vs.

Paul was the worst kind of hypocrite!!! Circumcised timothy in deference…

Said he does in Rome as the Romans to get his “in” then publicly chastised Peter for doing the same thing…Said he does not do things that torture the tender conscience of new believers, then publicly chastised Peter for doing the same thing…said it doesn’t matter if you are circumcised or not, then circumcised Peter in deference… said don’t call people names, then called those others “stupid” (which went against Jesus)… said don’t speak evil of others, then spoke evil…of WIDOWS!!!…Peter did not eat with Gentiles out of deference to the legalists, then Paul’s public chastisement…said the old law was dead with Jesus, then 1Corinthians 10:1-… “For we must never forget, dear brothers, what happened to our people in the wilderness long ago. God guided them by sending a cloud that moved along ahead of them; and He brought them all safely through the waters of the Red Sea. This might be called their “baptism” – baptized both in sea and cloud! – as followers of Moses – their commitment to him as their leader. And by a miracle God sent them food to eat and water to drink there in the desert… yet after all this most of them did not obey God, and He destroyed them in the wilderness. From this lesson we are warned that we must not desire evil things as they did, nor worship idols as they did. And other lesson for us is what happened when some of them sinned with other men’s wives, and 23,000 fell dead in one day. And don’t try the Lord’s patience – they did, and died from snake bites. And don’t murmur against God and His dealings with you, as some of them did, for that is why God sent His Angel to destroy them. All these things happed to them as examples – as object lessons to us – to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them in these last days as the world nears its end.” …1Corinthians 10:1-11. …and when he is with the heathen he does as they do… “When I am with the Jews I seem as one of them so that they will listen to the Gospel and I can win them to Christ. When I am with gentiles who follow Jewish customs and ceremonies I don’t argue, even though I don’t agree, because I want to help them. When with the heathen I agree with them as much as I can, except of course that I must always do what is right as a Christian. And so, by agreeing, I can win their confidence and help them too.” …1Corinthians 9:20-21 …followed by his example of when tender-conscienced people are around him… “When I am with those whose consciences bother them easily, I don’t act as though I know it all and don’t say they are foolish; the result is that they are willing to let me help them. Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him. I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.” …1Corinthians 9:22-23 (bold mine)

Vs.

When in Rome (because Peter was trying to get them to trust him)

This one is for Peter interacting with the Jewish believers…

(The other one is for Peter interacting with Jewish not-yet believers…)

[Paul was speaking in this instance about sacrificed meat, however the gist of it is that there was so much confusion and disagreement about what they were supposed to do… required to do… didn’t have to do… etc. that some believed one way and others believed the other way… circumcision was one of these such issues. So even though Paul is singling out meat here, the overall rationale applies…]

“When I am with those whose consciences bother them easily, I don’t act as though I know it all and don’t say they are foolish…” …1Corinthians 9:22

“… It may be perfectly legal, but it may not be best and helpful. Don’t think only of yourself. Try to think of the other fellow, too, and what is best for him.”

…1Corinthians 10:23-24

“So [if you do something] because you ‘know it is all right to do it,’ you will be responsible for causing great spiritual damage to a brother with a tender conscience for whom Jesus died. And it is a sin against Christ to sin against your brother by encouraging him to do something he thinks is wrong.” …1Corinthians 8:11-12

“In this case his feeling about it is the important thing, not yours. But why, you may ask, must I be guided and limited by what someone else thinks?” …1Corinthians 10:29

“Well, I’ll tell you why. It is because you must do everything for the glory of God, even your eating and drinking. So don’t be a stumbling block to anyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles or Christians. That is the plan I [Paul] follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them, so that they may be saved.” …1Corinthians 10:31-33

Vs.

“Soon the news reached the apostles and other brothers in Judea that Gentiles also were being converted! But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers argued with him. ‘You fellowshipped with Gentiles and even ate with them,’ they accused. Then Peter told them the whole story…” …Acts 11:1-4

Own Your Own Faith

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