Problem: After being flogged with a dreadful Roman scourge, Jesus was taken by Pilate’s soldiers into the governor’s headquarters where the whole garrison gathered around Him. It was here that the soldiers placed a crown of thorns on His head, a reed in His hand, and a robe on His body. Skeptics maintain that a contradiction exists between the Gospel accounts because they describe the color of the robe differently. Whereas Matthew says that the soldiers “put a scarlet robe” on Jesus (27:27-28), Mark says that “they clothed Him with purple ” (15:16-17), and John states that the soldiers put “a purple robe” on Him (19:1-2). These differences have lead some to believe and advocate that the Gospel writers wrote under their own power with no help from a Higher Being, and thus they contradicted one another in their narratives. Because increasingly more people are swallowing such allegations blindly and rejecting the inerrancy of the Scriptures, logical answers are required. The question is, do such valid answers exist for the differences in the Gospel narratives concerning the robe placed upon Jesus after His scourging?
Continue reading →

Problem: One of the most commonly neglected rules of interpretation that Bible critics overlook when attacking Scripture is that extra information is not necessarily contradictory information. When one Bible writer offers more details than another on a particular subject, it is inappropriate to assume that one of the writers is mistaken. When a journalist in the 21st century writes about a man on the side of the road who has just escaped death following a particular catastrophe, while another journalist writes how this same man and his wife (standing next to him) are suffering survivors of the devastating disaster, it does not mean that the first journalist was dishonest in his representation of truth. Similarly, countless times throughout Scripture, and especially within the gospel accounts, extra information is given that critics cannot justifiably prove to be contradictory.
Continue reading →

Problem: According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, before His crucifixion, Jesus sent disciples to prepare the Passover meal, killing the Passover lamb. They note that this task was completed on “the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” the 14^th of Nisan on the Jewish calendar, the day before Jesus’ crucifixion (cf. Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7)—identifying for us that the meal was prepared on a Thursday. In accordance with the Law of Moses, Jesus then ate the Passover meal that evening—Thursday night to the modern mind, but the beginning of the Jewish Friday to the Israelite (the Jewish day began at sunset). Jesus’ crucifixion then occurred the next day on Friday (the same day as the initial Passover meal to Jews), before the Jewish Sabbath Day began Friday evening (the Jews’ Saturday). [NOTE: While some believe the crucifixion, and hence the Passover meal, was earlier in the week, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, and Matthew 27:62 indicate that the crucifixion took place on Friday, “the day before the Sabbath,” with Jesus dying as “the Sabbath drew near.” Backing up through the synoptic narratives reveals Jesus being arrested the night before (Thursday night), while Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane immediately after His last supper with the disciples. The resurrection took place on Sunday, “three days” later, according to the Jewish idiomatic reckoning of the chronology (Mark 16:9; Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1; cf. Lyons, 2004; Lyons, 2006; Bullinger, 1898, pp. 845-847; Robertson, 1922, pp. 289-291).] John, however, seems to indicate that Jesus’ crucifixion actually took place before the Passover even began (John 13:1; 18:28; 19:14). Thomas Nelson’s The Chronological Study Bible says, “The Synoptics [i.e., Matthew, Mark, and Luke—JM] present the Last Supper as being the Passover meal…. In John’s Gospel, the Last Supper was not the Passover meal” (2008, p. 1217). Jennifer Viegas, writing for Discovery News, said, “The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan…. John’s gospel differs from the synoptics; apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan” (2012). Respected biblical scholar J.W. McGarvey highlights the debate over the matter stating that,
Continue reading →

Problem: Perhaps the most famous alleged Bible contradiction centers on Peter’s triple denial of Jesus and the crowing of a rooster. For years, skeptics have charged that Mark’s account of this event blatantly contradicts the other gospel accounts, thus supposedly “proving” the imperfection of the Scriptures. Even Bible believers have questioned the differences surrounding this event, yet relatively few have taken the time to understand them. Whenever people ask us about Peter’s denials and the differences within the gospel accounts, we often fail to give an adequate answer to their questions (see 1 Peter 3:15). This lack of understanding and poor defense of God’s Word has led skeptics to become more confident in their position (that the Bible is not God’s Word), and has caused some Bible believers to abandon their position on the infallibility of the Scriptures.
Continue reading →

Problem: “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22)
Continue reading →

Problem:

• John 18:20, “I spoke openly to the world, I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.”
• Mark 4:12, “in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceived; and while hearing they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven.”
• Mark 4:34, “and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.”

Continue reading →

Problem: Did Jesus knowingly, purposefully lie to the Jews?
Continue reading →

Problem: At what hour was Jesus crucified? The answer is easy when you realize that two different time systems were being used.
Continue reading →

Problem: A concerned Bible student once wrote our offices regarding the apostle Peter’s triple denial of Jesus. It was not the usual inquiry regarding how many times the rooster crowed following Peter’s denials of Christ. Rather, his question focused on the charges made against Peter prior to each of his denials. All four gospel writers first testify that a “servant girl” confronted Peter (Matthew 26:69; Mark 14:66; Luke 22:56; John 18:17). The writers then seem to “go their separate ways.”
Continue reading →

Problem: Did Peter deny Christ in the courtyard of Annas or Caiaphas? According to Matthew, Peter denied Jesus three times in the courtyard of Caiaphas, the high priest (26:57-75). John, however, seems to indicate that Peter was in the courtyard of Annas (Caiaphas’ father-in-law) when he denied Christ (18:13-27). Which is it?
Continue reading →

Problem: Who arrested Jesus? There is no contradiction in the Bible regarding who arrested Jesus. All we need to do is look at the context.
Continue reading →

Problem: John writes that Judas brought a “Roman cohort” with him and the Pharisees and chief priests to arrest Jesus. Merrill Tenney writes, “The Greek word for ‘detachment of soldiers’ (speira) has been traditionally rendered ‘cohort,’ from the Latin cohors, which denotes a tenth of a legion, or about six hundred men.” Is it really historically plausible that the Pharisees would have hired a 600-soldier battalion to arrest just one man?
Continue reading →

Problem: Over the last several years I have received multiple phone calls from a Jehovah’s Witness seeking to prove to me that Jesus Christ is not God.  His argument is based on John 17:3.  About every year I receive a call from this gentleman, and he always presents the same argument.  I have always responded to him by using 1 John 5:20, and I will show you his response to that verse shortly.  I’m not sure what his motive is or why he calls me repeatedly, but I thought it might be helpful to share his argumentation and my response.
Continue reading →

Problem: John 17:1-5—“These things Jesus spoke, and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the
hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee; as thou hast given him authority over
all flesh, that as to all that thou hast given to him, he should give them life eternal. And this is the
eternal life, that they should know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should
do it; And now glorify me, thou Father, along with thyself, with the glory which I had along with
thee before the world was.”
Continue reading →