Jesus Delivered to Pilate
Jesus was bound and brought to Pilate, who asked him if he was king of the Jews. He replied "you have said so". The chief priests accused him of many things and Pilate asked him if he has any answers for it and Jesus says nothing further. Everyone is amazed at Jesus.
When this happened in Matthew and when I read it this time, I was wondering why everyone is so amazed that Jesus isn't saying anything. But I was just thinking, is Jesus being tortured here? We know he is bound but they don't say anything about him being beat up, but I thought that might explain why everyone is amazed that he isn't answering questions. I feel like I'm just making stuff up here, but it does fit in with the story. Thoughts?
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
As was customary, Pilate let the crowd choose a prisoner to go free. He thought that Jesus was only there because of envy of the chief priests, so he put Jesus up against a very bad man Barabbas. He figured the crowd would surely let Jesus go instead of that guy, but the priests stirred up the crowd and got them to let Barabbas go and crucify Jesus.
A stirring scene. A demonstration that group-think is bad and dangerous. A reminder not to just go along with the crowd but to think things through perhaps?
Jesus Is Mocked
The soldiers led Jesus into the palace, put on a purple cloak and a crown of thorns and saluted him calling him king of Jews. They then beat him up. Then they put his clothes back on and led him out to crucify him.
There's the torture I was wondering about.
The Crucifixion
Someone helped Jesus carry his cross. Then Jesus was crucified, his garments were split up and taken by people. They crucified him at 9AM.
They seem to be throwing in a lot of random details here
They crucified robbers along with him. Passersby derided Jesus saying he healed other people but can't save himself. Even the other people being crucified along with him also reviled him.
Seems crazy that the other people being killed would revile him, seems like they have their own problems.
The Death of Jesus
There was a darkness over the whole land from noon till 3. Then Jesus cried out "My God, why have you forsaken me?" When he died the curtain of the temple ripped from top to bottom.
No zombie uprising this time?
Jesus Is Buried
Joseph of Arimathea saw that Jesus was dead and asked Pilate for the body. Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, but had a guard verify and then gave Joseph the body. He put the body in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock and put a boulder at the entrance. Mary saw where his body lay.
Its interesting since he doesn't say anything.. In John he makes a speech. http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/john/passage.aspx?q=john+18:33-38
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter, my book is littered with the differences from the other gospels. Most are minor though, but its really enough
Here:
Pilate's soldiers put on the purple robe. (Verse 15-17). Luke 23:11 says Herod's soldiers. Matthew says the robe was scarlet (27:28) To be fair, I'm not really good with different shades of colors, but purple vs red?
(I ignored him carrying the cross vs Simon because it could have just been omitted, which is plausible, but seems like an important detail)
Here:
They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh. (Verse 23) The other gospels are all different. http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=matthew+27:34;luke+23:36;john+19:29-30 I guess it is a minor detail, and I've heard it explained away (poorly), but in John instead of refusing the drink, as he does here, he drinks it. Definitely different.
Here:
Differences in time. http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=mark+15:25;john+19:14
I've heard apologists try to explain this away by saying that the Romans had a different way of measuring time. However, no one has ever produced ANY evidence and just assert that that's the way it is. This is probably one of the worst explanations for a discrepancy in the bible. I would consider it more honest if someone just said that there was probably a mistake. But this would open up a lot of other questions. If this is wrong, what else is?
Here: (“minor” however, these are the kinds of details that you'd think to remember when something so important is happening. I say minor mostly because they are all pretty close)
What is said on the top of the cross.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=matthew+27:37;mark+15:26;luke+23:38;john+19:19
Here:
Verse 32 those who were crucified mocked him. In Luke only one mocks him.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=mark+15:32;luke+23:39-42
Differences:
All of the big events. (You are right, no zombies).
Timing on the ripping of the veil. http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=mark+15:37-38;luke+23:45-46
Centurion's words concerning Jesus.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=mark+15:39;luke+23:47
Burial.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/passage.aspx?q=mark+15:43-46;john+19:38-42;acts+13:27-29 I've heard this explained away by saying that some people just weren't mentioned in certain accounts and they were all probably there.
It is interesting that in John he makes a speech and here he is silent. Often people will say that the differences are minor, sometimes it could just be details one writer left out while the other included it. But here, we have a case where in one it explicitly says he was silent and makes a point of people being amazed at the silence, and in another account he makes a speech. I can't imagine a way to reconcile this.
ReplyDeleteThe last one you posted as well, differences about the burial. This is such a big deal in Christianity you would think this story would be consistent. Of all things to get details wrong, this?
The rest of it, and the many other little details you left out, there is also a question of volume of mistakes. The more mistakes you see the more it might make you think something is up. But it all just points back to why a divinely inspired book would be full of errors.