Mark
MATTHEW 27:37 (cf. Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19)—Why are all the Gospel accounts of the inscription on the cross different? PROBLEM: The wording of the accusation above Christ’s head on the cross is rendered differently in each Gospel account. Matthew: “This is Jesus the king of the Jews” (27:37). Mark: “The king of the […]
MATTHEW 26:34 (cf. Mark 14:30)—When Peter denied Christ, did the rooster crow once or twice? PROBLEM: Matthew and John (13:38) say before the rooster crows once, Peter will have denied the Lord three times. But Mark affirms that before the rooster crows twice Peter will deny Christ three times. Which account is right? SOLUTION: There
MATTHEW 22:30—Will we be like angels (spirits) in heaven, beings without physical bodies? PROBLEM: Jesus said that in the resurrection we will be “like the angels of God” (Matt. 22:30). But angels have no physical bodies—they are spirits (Heb. 1:14). Thus, it is argued that we will have no physical bodies in the resurrection. This,
MATTHEW 21:12–19 (cf. Mark 11:12–14, 20–24)—When was the fig tree cursed by Jesus, before or after the temple was cleansed? PROBLEM: Matthew places the cursing of the fig tree after the cleansing of the temple. But Mark places the cursing before the temple was cleansed. But, it cannot be both. Did one Gospel writer make
MATTHEW 21:2 (cf. Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30)—Were there two donkeys involved in the triumphal entry or just one? PROBLEM: Matthew’s account records Jesus’ request of two disciples to go into a village and get two donkeys. But in Mark and Luke, He requests that the two disciples get just the colt. SOLUTION: Both animals were
MATTHEW 20:29–34 (cf. Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)—Did Jesus heal the blind man coming into or going out of Jericho? PROBLEM: According to Luke, a blind man was healed as Jesus entered the city of Jericho (18:35), but Matthew and Mark declare that the healing took place as Jesus left the city of Jericho. Again, the
MATTHEW 20:29–34 (cf. Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)—Did Jesus heal two blind men or just one? PROBLEM: Matthew says that Christ healed two men, but Mark refers to only one man being healed (10:46). This appears to be a clear contradiction. SOLUTION: Although Mark records one individual getting healed, this does not mean that there were
MATTHEW 20:20 (cf. Mark 10:35)—Who came to talk with Jesus, the mother of James and John or James and John? PROBLEM: In Matthew, the mother of James and John made a request of Jesus. However, Mark states that it was James and John who came to Jesus to make their request. SOLUTION: It is clear
MATTHEW 19:16–30 (cf. Mark 10:17–31; Luke 18:18–30)—If Jesus was God, why did He seem to rebuke the rich young ruler for calling Him good? PROBLEM: The rich young ruler called Jesus “Good Teacher,” and Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Yet on
MATTHEW 16:16—Why does Peter’s confession here differ from that recorded in Mark and Luke? PROBLEM: Peter’s confession of Christ in Caesarea Philippi is stated differently in the three Gospels: Matthew: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Mark: “You are the Christ” (8:29). Luke: “The Christ of God” (9:20). If the Bible