KING OF THE JEWS? WHICH SIGN?
A sign is a static description, right
or wrong. A sign painted on wood cannot be the same as someone telling you
something, because verbal tales can be exaggerated or minimized over time. But
a sign stays put; it is tangible display.
This leads to yet another so-called
multiple witness report in the four gospels; who saw what at the crucifixion.
Let’s look at the simple sign that cannot be agreed upon!
Mark 15
26 And the
superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
But Matthew says no, Mark was wrong because Matthew says he saw:
Matthew 27
37 And set up
over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then Luke writes that both Mark and Matthew are wrong, because he
saw:
Luke 23
38 And a
superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE
JEWS.
However, John ― Jesus' 'beloved' disciple ― said all
the others are wrong because what he reported is supposedly the truth:
John 19
19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the
cross. And the writing was JESUS OF
It has just been proven that these self-claiming witnesses cannot
agree on a simple small sign. And just comparing
the four gospels to each other of the larger sign of the crucifixion and
resurrection, we clearly see they again cannot agree to the exact facts. So
here is a recap,; you decide which one sign was there, four with one being a
three line sign, or perhaps
six―tacked up and down the cross.
KING OF THE JEWS
THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS
THIS IS THE KING OF
THE JEWS in Greek
THIS IS THE KING OF
THE JEWS in Latin
THIS IS THE KING OF
THE JEWS in Hebrew
JESUS OF
Christian theologians, clergy and apologists claim that it makes no difference because the
story is the same even though the details are different, and Christian layman
(sheeple) will all agree without giving it any thought at all. However, this
brings up more questions.
1. Which gospel can
Christians feel is the right or accurate gospel ― the one that was
inspired by their god himself ― their "Invisible Man in the Sky?" All the unknown authors of those
gospels could not possibly have been guided by a god for any god worth his salt
does not make mistakes. The Invisible Man
in the Sky would not tell one writer one story and then tell another writer
a different story.
2. Were these unknown writers
truly witnesses to all the events they wrote about? Or were they given second
and third hand information at best? You know the answer already! NO!
For example, If Matthew was one of Jesus’ disciples, why did he
have to copy Mark who was not there and never met Jesus and was never one of
his original disciples?
The Abingdon Bible
Commentary (ABC, p. 953) agrees with Christian scholars that Mark was the
first gospel, saying; “One of the assured
results of devout criticism is that almost the whole of Mark is incorporated in
“Matthew.” ABC continues;
“This conclusion
can be verified by any student who cares to examine in a synopsis a parable or
incident which is found in both Matthew and Mark. This discovery
indicates that the author was not one of the twelve, for one who had been an
eyewitness himself would not report to the work of a secondary witness.
The incorporation
of the material by the compiler of Matthew has not been done in a slavish, mechanical
way but in a manner which reveals distinctly the compiler’s own individual
prepossessions and ideas; he does not hesitate to change, omit, tone down, and otherwise adapt the material in his
sources for his purpose, showing clearly
that he did not consider that Mark’s account was complete.”
Another question arises. Was Luke ever there? Did he actually
witness anything, or did he receive most of his information from Paul? If you
answer “yes,” then you have to answer the question “where in the Christian
bible, the New Testament, does it say that? This question comes up because,
just like Mark, Luke never met Jesus, and was never one of the original
disciples. So how can anyone take what he says as truthful? Think!!! If Luke got his information from someone who
got it wrong, then whatever Luke wrote would also be wrong.
So, direct questions just keep coming up! And keep in mind,
Christians are betting their very souls on these gospel writers―could all
the authors of those gospels have been godly written? As said above, no Invisible Man in the Sky worth his salt would ever make a mistake;
let alone tell one writer one story and then another a different story.
Christians, THINK! Think before you continue to play, as Groucho Marx used to
say, “You Bet Your Life!”
"The way to see by faith is to shut
the eye of reason." -Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
FOOTNOTE:
The
Abingdon Bible Commentary (copyright 1929 by the Abingdon
Press, Inc.] says it “reaches out to the
“thoughtful pastors, intelligent laymen, and teachers in Sunday and Week-Day
schools of religious education.”
Copyright © 2004, Christianity-Revealed. All rights reserved.