MATTHEW 22:39—Does Jesus want us to love ourself first or others? PROBLEM: Jesus says in Matthew that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. But, if we love ourselves first, before we love…
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.…
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…
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,…
MATTHEW 20:1ff—Are rewards the same for all, or do they differ in degree? PROBLEM: Jesus told a parable of His kingdom in which each servant got the same pay even though each had worked a…
MATTHEW 16:28—Did Jesus make a mistake about His disciples seeing the kingdom come in their lifetimes? PROBLEM: Jesus told His disciples that some of them would not see death until they saw Him coming in…
MATTHEW 16:18—Is Peter the rock on which the church is built? PROBLEM: Roman Catholics use this passage to support their belief in the primacy of Peter, that is, that he is the rock on which…
MATTHEW 11:12—How can God’s sovereign and peaceful kingdom be entered by force? PROBLEM: Paul declared that the kingdom (rule) of God is “peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). However, Matthew says “the…
MATTHEW 5:14—Are believers the light of the world, or is Jesus? PROBLEM: In this passage, Jesus said to His disciples, “You are the light of the world.” However, in John 9:5, Jesus declared, “I am…
MATTHEW 4:14–16—Why does Matthew incorrectly quote Isaiah? PROBLEM: Matthew does not seem to quote Isaiah 9:1–2 accurately. Rather, he seems to have changed it. SOLUTION: It is not necessary to quote a passage verbatim to…