CAN
CHRISTIANS TRUST ANY OF THE GOSPELS?
Hugh
Did you ever stop to think how the authors of the four gospels
could write about the crucifixion and resurrection events so convincingly, when
they were not even there? The only way
they could have written such stories were from second hand information at
best―40 or more years after the fact―or
they simply made them 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 the authors of the gospels 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. I think God knew who was present, don’t you?
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 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, God 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 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 Gospels 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.
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 G-d. Christians do not even question why the authors cannot agree, and yet
they will place their souls on a myth that cannot be proven and is full of
doubts.
Phineas T. Barnum’s words ring loud and clear; “There's a sucker born every minute.”
Copyright © 2004, Hugh