The Superscriptions On The Cross
The Superscriptions On The Cross
A second “contradiction,” of which the infidels make a great deal, and by which not a few befievers are puzzled, is that found in the four accounts of the superscriptions on the cross. We read in Matthew 27:37: “And set up over his head his accusation written, This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” We read in Mark 15:26: “And the superscription of his accusation was written over, The King of the Jews.” We read in Luke 23:38: “And there was also a superscription over him, This is the King of the Jews” (RV).
And we read in John 19:19: “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” Now no two of these agree absolutely in the words used. How can all four possibly be right? It is said that at least three must be wrong, at least in part. A great deal is made of this difficulty by those who argue against the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures.
I am surprised that anyone should make so much of it for the answer is found so plainly stated in the very passages cited that it is surprising that any careful student should have overlooked it. John tells us in John 19:20 (RV) that in order that all the different nationalities present might read it, the charge upon which Jesus was crucified was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek; in Hebrew for the common people, in Latin for the Romans, and in Greek, the universal language.
The substantial part of the charge was that Jesus claimed to be “the King of the Jews” and was crucified for making this claim, so these words, “The King of the Jews,” appear in the Hebrew and Latin and Greek. They also appear in all four accounts of the four Gospels.
Matthew (writing for the Jews) would naturally give the inscription as it appeared in Hebrew; Mark (writing for the Romans) would be likely to give it as it appeared in the Latin; and Luke as it appeared in the Greek. Presumably, John gives it in the full Roman form, “Jesus of Nazareth” being a full and explicit statement of who Jesus was, and the charge being His claim to be “the King of the Jews.”
The only thing left to account for is the difference between Mark and John. But if we carefully read Mark 15:26 we see that Mark does not claim to give the full wording that appeared on the cross. He simply says, “The superscription of His accusation was written over.” The accusation was “the King of the Jews,” and this Mark gives, and this alone. The words “This is Jesus of Nazareth” were not the accusation, but the name of the accused.
So all this difficulty, of which so much is made, disappears altogether when we notice exactly what is said and all that is said.
[1]Torrey, R. (1998, c1996). Difficulties in the Bible : Alleged errors and contradictions. Willow Grove: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing.
