Problem: Was Jairus’ daughter alive or dead when he came to Jesus? The gospels seem to give conflicting accounts as to whether or not Jairus’ daughter was already dead when he came to Jesus or if she died later while Jesus was on the way to heal her. Let’s consider the verses:
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Problem: Was the tax collector named Matthew or Levi? While all three synoptic gospels describe Jesus calling a tax collector to come and follow him, they seem to disagree on the name, offering both Matthew and Levi. Is this a contradiction? Let’s take a look.
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Problem: It is a popular view these days. Many people have the impression that the Bible is simply an outdated book of fairytales and contradictions.
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Problem: Matthew recorded that Jesus commanded demons to come out of two men (8:29). This account is recorded in all three of the synoptic gospel accounts, but with two different renderings of the name of the place where the miracles occurred. The Greek word commonly accepted in Mark 5:1 and Luke 8:26 as the basis for the name of the people who inhabited the place where Jesus and the disciples went is rendered Gerasenes in English (Metzger, 1975, pp. 84,145). The Greek word in Matthew 8:28, however, reveals that Jesus went to the country of the Gadarenes (p. 23). Were the writers of the synoptic gospel accounts confused about where Jesus was when He healed the men? Albert Barnes explained the difference between Gadara and Gerasa:
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Problem: Did Jesus meet the demoniacs in Gerasene or Gaderenes? Matt. 8:28, Mark 5:1-2, and Luke 8:26-27
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Problem: How many men came out to meet Jesus in Gerasene? Matt. 8:28, Mark 5:1-2, Luke 8:26-27. Was it one or two?
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Problem: Jesus referred to Himself most often as the Son of Man. This seems to point to His humanity more than His deity. If He was really the Messiah, the Son of God, why did He use the self-description, “Son of Man”?
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Problem: Jesus described hell as a place of “outer darkness” (Matt. 8:12; cf. 22:13 and 25:30). By contrast, the Bible says hell is a place of “fire” (Rev. 20:14) and “unquenchable flames” (Mark 9:48). But, fire and flames give off light. How can hell be utterly dark when there is light there?
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Problem: In comparing the two accounts of Jesus healing the centurion’s servant, Matthew indicates that the centurion came to Jesus personally. At the same time, Luke explains that he sent others to plead with Jesus on his (and his servant’s) behalf. How can both of these accounts be true?
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Problem: A man who instructs a person to refrain from doing something he deems inappropriate, but then proceeds to do the very thing he forbade the other person to do, is considered a hypocrite. A preacher who teaches about the sinfulness of drunkenness (cf. Galatians 5:21), but then is seen a short while later stumbling down the street, intoxicated with alcohol, could be accused of being guilty of hypocrisy. Some have accused Jesus of such insincere teaching. Allegedly, in the very sermon in which He condemned the Pharisees for their unrighteousness (Matthew 5:20), Jesus revealed His own sinfulness by way of condemning those who used a word He sometimes uttered. Based upon His forbiddance of the use of the word “fool” in Matthew 5:22, and His use of this word elsewhere, skeptics have asserted that Jesus (Whom the Bible claims “committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”—1 Peter 2:22; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21), was guilty of hypocrisy.
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