CAN CHRISTIANS TRUST ANY OF THE GOSPELS

CAN CHRISTIANS TRUST ANY OF THE GOSPELS?

Hugh Fogelman

Did you ever stop to think how the unknown authors of the four gospels could write about the crucifixion and resurrection events so convincingly, since they were not even there? Did these unknown authors simply made it up.

Christian apologists will say, these could not be any made up stories since all four gospels wrote generally on the same topics, the crucifixion and the resurrection. Well now, this opens another very real possibility; that these unknoown gospel authors copied from one each other. It is generally accepted by modern scholars that Mark was the first gospel.

Mark, and only Mark, wrote that three women came to the tomb after Jesus died:

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Mark 16:1 (KJV)

Being the first Gospel author, Mark could not copy from anyone. Since he was not there he had to rely on, at the very best, second hand information.

HOWEVER, Matthew, as usual, sees this differently.

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. Matthew 28:1 (KJV)

1. Matthew is saying that Mark’s information is all wrong; there were only TWO people (Marys) at the tomb. What happened to Salome?

2. If this is true, why did Matthew not know the name of the other Mary? Was she the mother of James the brother of Jesus? Or was she yet another Mary? It is very strange that Matthew did not know whether or not it was Jesus’ mother.

3. Why would anyone take Matthew’s story over what the original author of Mark wrote? THINK! Both the authors of Mark and Matthew cannot both be right. There can only be one correct answer.

Then we have yet another body count and a different story by Luke. Luke says that Mark and Matthew both got it wrong; there were really at least four women present.

It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. Luke 24:10 (KJV)

Which James? Salome and Mary both had a son named James. And who is this mystery woman, Joanna? Luke, and only Luke, wrote that Joanna was early Christian. Can you imagine so many women in a small tomb?

And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. Luke 8:3 (KJV)

It is strange that Luke could identify this early Christian by the name of Joanna, but did not know the names of the other Mary, and the “other women.”

This is really getting complicated now. First one writer says two women came. Another wrote, no, it was three women, and yet another writer said all the other writers were wrong, that there were at least four women there in the tomb. WHICH WRITER IS CORRECT?

Oh, but Christians claim this is the inspired word of God ― the Invisible Man in the Sky. Wouldn't a god know who was present?

A recap: So far we have four gospels and no one agrees how many women came to the tomb. Let’s see what the author of John wrote:

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. John 20:1 (KJV)

Now we have only one woman at the tomb? This tells us that the other writers did not know what they were talking about. It seems that John just alluded that everyone else was wrong, and he is correct―there was just one woman at the tomb. And when John’s Mary came to the tomb “it was yet dark,” but Matthew said “as it began to dawn.”

All four unknown gospel writers could not possibly be right. Saying this in another way, if the New Testament (NT) was really inspired by god as Christianity claims, (s)he/it had to have whispered lies into the ears of three of the NT authors.

THINK! If Jesus supposedly went throughout the countryside preaching for years, accompanied by his faithful, one would think that the disciples would know the names of all the principle characters by the name of Mary, especially Jesus’ mother.

Paul said to his listeners, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain.” I Corinthians 15:14

To make Paul’s words come true is it possible that the unknown authors of the gospels tried so hard to make the resurrection story seem real that their stories got completely out of hand?

And have you noticed, the pulpit never compares the gospel stories to each other, knowing the errors, yet refusing to tell you the truth. Your clergy does not want you to think for yourself; much less analyze the New Testament. Simple blind faith is all they wish you to have and to write checks to god, but with your preacher's name on it. Presto, the wave of a magic wand called blind faith makes all the errors disappear; or does it?

Strange that Christians are not upset that a simple body count of one to four cannot be agreed upon by the same authors they claim were inspired by their Invisible Man in the Sky. Christians do not even question why the authors cannot agree, and yet they are betting on a myth.

Phineas T. Barnum’s words ring loud and clear; “There's a sucker born every minute.”

"Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith, I consider a capacity for it terrifying and absolutely vile." — Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007)

RETURN