Contradiction No. 76

A comparison of chapter 9 of Matthew with chapter 5 of Mark reveals contradictions in the reports of the two evangelists concerning the ruler’s daughter. Matthew reports:

“There came a certain ruler .... saying my daughter is even now dead.”

While Mark says :

“He fell at his feet... saying, my little daughter lieth at the point of death” [Mark 5:22,23]

Further he says that Jesus went with the ruler, but on the way people came from the synagogue and said, “Thy daughter is dead.”

Some early scholars have admitted that incompatibility existed between the two texts. Some of them favoured the text of Matthew while some others preferred the text of Mark. Luke’s text is similar to the text of Mark except that he writes that the report of the daughter’s death was given only by one man. [Luke 8:49]

The death of the ruler’s daughter has consistently been a point of confusion among scholars of the Bible. There is disagreement on the question of whether the daughter had died or was just looking as if she was dead. The learned scholar Nander is not convinced that she was dead. He said that, in fact, she was not dead but only looked as if she was. The scholars Balish, Sliemasher and Sassoon are also of the opinion that she was not dead but only unconscious. This is also supported by the statement of Jesus [Luke 8:52]:

“Weep not, she is not dead, but sleepeth.”

According to these opinions this event does not serve the purpose of proving the miracle of the resurrection of the dead.

Contradiction No. 77

It is understood from Matthew and Luke that when Christ sent his disciples to preach, he forbade them to keep staves with them [Matt 10:10], while on the contrary the text of Mark says that Jesus allowed them to keep their staves [Mark 6:8].

Contradiction No. 78

It is said in chapter 3 of Matthew that:

“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” [Matt. 3:13]

Further in the chapter it says:

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water ... and he saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove... “

And the Gospel of John describes this event in these words:

“And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” [John 1:32,33]

The Gospel of Matthew contains this statement in chapter 11:

“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto him. Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another.” [Matt. 11:2]

The first statement gives us to understand that John knew Jesus before the descending of the Spirit on him. Contrary to this the second statement quotes the words of John, “I knew him not”, implying that John did not know Jesus before the descent of the Spirit on him. While the third takes a middle position.

Contradiction No. 79

The Gospel of John has reported Christ as saying:

“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” [John 5:31]

And the same Gospel has reported Christ as contradicting this:

“Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true.” [John 8:14]

Contradiction No. 80

It appears from Matthew chapter 15 that the woman who came to Jesus crying for her daughter was from Canaan [Matt. 15:22]. This information is contradicted by the Gospel of Mark chapter 7 where he reports that she was a Greek and a Syrophoenician by tribe [Mark 7:26].

Contradiction No. 81

We read in the Gospel of Mark [Mark 7:32]:

“And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech.”

It is clearly understood from this that the man who was deaf and dumb, was a single person, but the description in the Gospel of Matthew plainly contradicts this, saying:

“And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet, and he healed them.” [Matt. 15:30]

This exaggeration is similar to the one made by John, the author of the fourth Gospel who says at the end of the book:

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” [John 21:25]

What one should think of such statements? They are supposed to be men of inspiration beyond any criticism.

Contradiction No. 82

We read in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus, addressing his disciples, said:

“...I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me, ... then Judas answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.” [Matt. 26:21-25]

The same event is described by John in a way that is greatly different from the above:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me, Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”

“Simon Peter, therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus’s breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.” [John 13:21-26]

Contradiction No. 83

The Gospel of Matthew, describing the event of the arrest of Jesus says in chapter 26:48-50:

“Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Hail, Master; and kissed him... Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”

The Gospel of John gives the same story with great differences in chapter 18:

Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am He, they went backward and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.... Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him.” [John 18:2-12]

Contradiction No. 84

All the four Gospels give a description of Peter denying Jesus after his arrest. But each description is different from the other in eight respects.

1. According to the reports of Matthew [Matt. 26:6-75] and Mark [Mark 14:66-72] there were two maids who claimed that Peter was one of the disciples of Jesus, and some other men who “stood by”. While Luke’s description claims that there was one maid and two other men.

2. According to Matthew, when the first maid spoke to Peter he was sitting on the outside of the palace, while according to Luke, he was “in the midst of the hall,” [Luke 22:55] and according to Mark, he was “beneath in the palace”, and according to John he denied him when he was inside the palace.

3. The wording of the maid’s question to Peter is different in all the four Gospels.

4. According to the reports of Matthew, Luke and John, the cock crew only once after Peter had denied Jesus three times, while according to Luke, the cock crew three times; once just after the first denial of Peter, and twice, after the second denial.

5. According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus had foretold Peter that he would deny Jesus thrice before the cock crew that night, while Mark has reported it differently, saying that Jesus said to Peter that he would deny him three times before the cock crew twice that night.

6. Peter’s answer to the maid who first challenged Peter is reported by Matthew as: “I know not what thou sayest.” [Matt 26:70] While according to John he only said, “I am not.” [John 18:25] Mark, on the other hand, has reported it in these words: “I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.” [Mark 15:68] And Luke has put it this way: “Woman, I know him not.” [Luke 22:57

7. Peter’s second answer is also reported differently by all the Evangelists. According to Matthew ..... Peter denied him with an oath and said, “I do not know the man,” [Matt. 26:72] and according to John his answer was, ”I am not,” [John 18:25] while Mark has just said, “And he denied it again,” [Mark 14:70] and according to Luke his answer was, “Man, I am not.” [Luke 22:58]

8. The people who “stood by” at the time of Peter’s denial were, according to Mark, outside the palace, while Luke reports them as being, ”in the midst of the hall”.

Contradiction No. 85

Describing the event of crucifixion of Jesus Luke says:

“And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.” [Luke 23:26]

This statement is contradicted by the Gospel of John, where it says that Jesus, bearing his cross himself, went forth to the place of crucifixion. [John 19:17]

Contradiction No. 86

The first three Gospels agree that Christ was on the cross at the sixth hour on the day of crucifixion [Matt. 27:45, Mark 15:23 and Luke 23:44], but contrary to this the Gospel of John reports him to be in the court of Pilate exactly at the sixth hour on the same day. [John 19:14]

Contradiction No. 87

The Gospel of Mark says regarding the thieves who were crucified with Jesus:

“And they that were crucified with him reviled him” [Mark 15:32]

while Luke reports that one of them reproached Jesus and the other said,

“Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Then Jesus replied to him, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:43]

The Urdu translators of the editions 1839, 1840, 1844 and 1846 changed the texts of Matthew and Mark to avoid this difference to the effect that there was only one person who was crucified with Jesus. It is a common practice of Christian scholars to change the texts of their Holy scriptures whenever they think they should.

Contradiction No. 88

It is understood from chapters 20 and 21 of Matthew that Jesus arrived in Jerusalem after departing from Jericho [Matt. 20:29; 21:1], while from John we learn that Jesus, departing from Ephraim, arrived in Bethany, where he stayed for the night. [John 11:54; 12:1]

Contradiction No. 89

The Resurrection of Jesus:

We learn from Matthew [Matt. 27:56] that when Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, arrived near the grave, an angel of God descended from the heaven, and the stone rolled back from the grave and he sat upon it, and said to the women not to fear and go home quickly. [Matt. 28:5,6]

The Gospel of Mark describes this incident as follows:

“Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James and Salome.... Came unto the sepulchre,.... and when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away.... And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment.” [Mark 16:1-6]

Luke’s description of this is:

“And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, and they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus..... behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.” [Luke 24:2-4]

Contradiction No. 90

It is expressly mentioned in Matthew that after the angels informed the women of Jesus’ resurrection, they returned from there, and on the way they met Jesus. Jesus hailed them and asked them to tell the people to go to Galilee where they would see him. [Matt. 28:8-10]

But Luke differs from this statement when he says:

“And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 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. And their word seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.” [Luke 24:9-11]

On the other hand we learn from the Gospel of John that Jesus met Mary Magdalene near the grave. [John 20:13-15]

Contradiction No. 91

The Gospel of Luke says in chapter 11:

“From the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: Verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation.” [Luke 11:51]

But we read this in the Book of Ezekiel:

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” [Ez. 18:20]

However in other places in the Old Testament there are several passages which imply that the children of a man will be accountable for the sins of their father up to three or four generations.

Contradiction No. 92

Paul’s first letter to Timothy contains this statement:

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Saviour, who will have all the men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth.” [1Tim. 2:3,4

This statement is incompatible with, and contradicts, Paul’s statement in his second letter to Thessalonians:

“And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” [2 Thess. 2:11,12]

It may be noted how Paul’s two statements contradict each other. The first text gives us to understand that God’s aim is to redeem all the men and take them to knowledge of the truth, while the latter statement would have us believe that God sends strong delusions to them so that they believe in falsehood like a truth; and God will punish them for that. The Protestants raise the same objection against other religions. .According to them God first deludes them to make them stray from the right path, and then punishes them for unrighteousness.

Contradictions No. 93-96

Acts 9:22 and 26 give a description of Paul’s conversion to Christianity. The texts of all three chapters are different in many respects. We intend to give only three discrepancies in this book.

1. We read in Acts this statement:

“And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.” [Acts 9:7]

This statement is contradicted by the following statement:

“And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.” [Acts 22:9]

The contradiction between ”hearing a voice” and ”heard not the voice of him” speaks for itself.

2. Again in Chapter 9 we find Paul quoting these words of Jesus:

“...and the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee, what thou must do.” [Acts 9:7]

Chapter 22 also contains this:

“Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.” [Acts 22:10]

But in Chapter 26 we are told a different story:

“But rise, and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou has seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” [Acts 26:16-18]

It may be noted that according to the first two texts, Jesus did not assign any duty to Paul at this occasion, but he was promised that he would be told after he arrived in Damascus, while the later statement shows that Jesus explained his duties at the time of his appearance.

3. It is understood from the first text that the people who were with Paul stood there silently, while the third text shows them as having fallen onto the ground, and the second text does not mention it at all.