Problem: Mark and John refer to Jesus’ robe as “purple” (Jn. 19:2; Mk. 15:17), while Matthew refers to it as “scarlet” (Mt. 27:28). Luke doesn’t mention the color, merely calling it a “gorgeous robe” (Lk. 23:11). Which color was Jesus’ robe?
Problem: Critics claim that Matthew made a mistake in his quotation here. There is no reference to a “potter’s field” in Zechariah, and the original incident does not seem to deal with the actions of Judas. Some critics of the NT claim that Matthew got his names wrong, when he wrote this.
There is no contradiction about who bought the potter’s field in the Bible. It was the Jews who technically did the purchase, but they did it in the name of Judas which is why it is attributed to Judas.
Problem: Matthew states, “[Judas] went away and hanged himself” (Mt. 27:5). However, Luke writes, “[Judas] burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out” (Acts 1:18). New Testament critic Bart Ehrman refers to these passages as “flat out contradictory.”[1]
By hanging
(Matthew 27:3-8) – “Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” 5And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” 7And they counseled together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. 8For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.”
Problem: Whom did Jesus see first upon His arrest, Annas or Caiaphas? It was Annas.
Problem: Matthew declares that Judas hanged himself. However, in Acts 1:18 it says that he fell and his body burst open.
Problem: When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter took out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus told Peter to put back the sword because those who take up the sword will die by the sword. Some use this verse to support pacifism and to oppose capital punishment, which the Bible affirms elsewhere (Gen. 9:6).
There is no contradiction in the Bible regarding who arrested Jesus. All we need to do is look at the context.
Denies before cock crow:
(Mathew 26:34,74-75) – “Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a cock crows, you shall deny Me three times . . . 74Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a cock crowed. 75And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”
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?
Problem: Jesus said, “This is My body” (Mt. 26:26). A literal reading of the text would mean that the bread became Jesus’ body. Catholic apologist David Currie writes, “If he had meant to teach Evangelicalism, he could have said in a clear way ‘This bread only represents my body.’ But he didn’t say either. Yet he was clear. In the clearest way he could say it, he said, ‘This is my body’ (Mt. 26:26-28).”[1] Is this the case?
Problem: According to Jesus’ statement here, He would not always be with the disciples, for He said: “but Me you do not have always” with you. On the other hand, in Matthew 28:20 Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Does Matthew 25:31-46 teach salvation by works since Jesus is talking with the judgment day as judging people based on what they did? In order to answer the question we must first look at the section of Scripture.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone,” (Matt. 24:36).
“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone,” (Mark 13:32).