Last Supper: Contradictions in Gospel Accounts of Last Supper of Jesus & Disciples

Comments

April 9, 2006 at 12:45 am

(1) Angela Collier says:

You say they all differ? I read them all and yes they are a little different in their own interpretation, just as four people today would give slightly different accounts of any given event. However, I am struck by exactly how SIMILAR accounts the gospels give of this same events. IN fact, I found no contradictions whatsoever. Some of the gospels differed in the order in which things were said. Also, some were more inclusive than another. Matthew and Mark were especially similar. Furthermore, I doubt that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all rushed out and recorded these happenings the same day. Maybe they did. Maybe they did not. We simply do not know, do we?
Are there any historical events that are recorded in exactly the same way? Does everyone who witnesses any event have the same interpretation? Noone discounts completely any other historical event outright in the way that you the atheist do the Bible. Is it simply because of varying interpretations that you question it’s integrity? I think not!! The real truth is, only the Bible is continuously put under scrutany and questioned this way. For example, Noone questions that the civil war was fought. But look up any single battle and you will find hundreds of differing accounts. Only a court stenographer with proper equipment can give an exact account of any dialog.
Having said all of this, I am amazed that the Bible is so consistent when reading it in its INTIRETY. Why don’t you try it sometime? Maybe instead of questioning the Bible and its values and our Creator, you should be questioning your own heart and why it something so tried with time is now considered “controversial” today. The answer will lie in the question of “What will you do with the knowledge you find? What if it is real? What will you do with it? What if Jesus was real? What if he is still? What would you do with this knowledge. My prayer is that you will find this hidden treasure, the pearl of great price!! The Scripture say, You will find it when you search for it with all your heart! Happy Searching! – if you dare!

April 9, 2006 at 7:30 am

(2) atheism says:

IN fact, I found no contradictions whatsoever. Some of the gospels differed in the order in which things were said.

Differing in order: that’s called a contradiction, because not all the accounts can be true. You’re forgetting the fact that different gospels place the event at different times relative to Passover – no minor difference.

Furthermore, I doubt that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all rushed out and recorded these happenings the same day.

You mean, there might be mistakes in some?

Noone discounts completely any other historical event outright in the way that you the atheist do the Bible.

Whether the events in the gospels are “historical” or not is precisely the question. There is a lot of evidence that few, if any, events are historical

Is it simply because of varying interpretations that you question it’s integrity? I think not!!

Then think again, because not all accounts can be true. Therefore, some – if not all – must be false.

The real truth is, only the Bible is continuously put under scrutany and questioned this way. For example, Noone questions that the civil war was fought. But look up any single battle and you will find hundreds of differing accounts.

We have accounts that were written immediately after the events in question; that’s not the case with the Bible. Moreover, if we have a report from such a battle with no independent evidence verifying it, we don’t place much weight on its accuracy.

From Bart D. Ehrman’s Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet:

No one knows for certain when Jesus died, but everyone agrees that it was sometime around 30 CE In addition, as I’ve already indicated, most historians think that Mark was the first of our Gospels to be written, sometime between the mid-60s to early 70s. Matthew and Luke were probably produced some ten or fifteen years later, perhaps around 80 or 85. John was written perhaps ten years after that, 90 or 95. These are necessarily rough estimates, but almost all scholars agree within a few years.

Perhaps the most striking thing about these dates for the historian is the long interval between Jesus’ death and the earliest accounts of his life. Our first written narratives of Jesus appear to date from thirty-five to sixty-five years after the fact. Thirty-five to sixty-five years. This perhaps does not seem like a long time; after all, these books and Jesus all come from the first century.

But think about it in modern terms. For the shortest interval, this would be like having the first written record of John F. Kennedy’s presidency appear today, thirty-five years after the fact (the gap between Jesus and Mark). Imagine having no other written records — for example, no newspaper or magazine articles to go on, but simply oral traditions! For the longest interval, between Jesus and John, it would be like having stories of a famous preacher from the height of the Great Depression, say 1935, show up in print for the first time this week.

In such a situation, every intelligent and sane adult would question the accuracy of those records.

Having said all of this, I am amazed that the Bible is so consistent when reading it in its INTIRETY. Why don’t you try it sometime?

Try what, reading it? I’ve read the Bible several times. In several translations. In multiple languages.

The answer will lie in the question of “What will you do with the knowledge you find? What if it is real? What will you do with it? What if Jesus was real? What if he is still? What would you do with this knowledge.

Nothing different from how I live now. Your Jesus is as irrelevant to how I live my life as are Zeus and Odin. I wouldn’t behave any differently, I wouldn’t act any differently, and I wouldn’t treat people any differently. By presuming to “dare” me, you presume that your religious beliefs are much more important to others than they really are. The truth is, if it weren’t for people like you constantly trying to push your religion, I’d generally ignore it. It has as much credibility and connection with reality as astrology or palm reading.

January 27, 2009 at 3:51 pm

(3) Tim says:

Why do you always criticize Christianity and never any other religion? I always enjoyed reading your blog but I would really appreciate some variety in your topics. This would seperate you from all those American so called „Atheists“ who are only „Anti-Christians“ in the end.

January 27, 2009 at 4:21 pm

(4) Austin Cline says:

Why do you always criticize Christianity and never any other religion?

I do critique other religions. Just do a search for other religions to see.

I always enjoyed reading your blog but I would really appreciate some variety in your topics.

Variety, as in philosophy, politics, etc.?

This would seperate you from all those American so called Atheists“ who are only Anti-Christians“ in the end.

There are valid and important reasons why atheists in the west tend to focus on Christianity rather than, say, Buddhism or Taoism.

January 28, 2009 at 6:01 am

(5) The Sojourner says:

I promise you, if other religions tried to cram themselves down my throat like Christianity does, especially in the USA, I would be just as vehement about my distaste for their views.

This country is not now, nor has it ever been a theocracy. Nor will it ever become one, get over it! I grow weary of those who continuously try to warp this free country into a Christian Taliban-like form.

Everybody doesn’t believe in your Jesus or do they care to. Leave us alone, and keep yourselves unto yourselves! You have no divine right to spread your poison through our laws and people. This is America, not Afghanistan or Iraq!

If I sound angry, I am, you betcha! If Palin and McCain had won, I would have moved to Canada! With Obama in the driver’s seat, maybe this once wonderful and respected country still has a chance to regain its former glory.

January 28, 2009 at 1:13 pm

(6) ChuckA says:

Gee whillikers…and all this time, I thought the true text of the whole made-up, warped, Sun-mythologically based tale read…
“…Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him before his cock GROWS…(three times?)”
I sorta recalled it as…
Jesus’ Viagra prophecy.
Oh well…I guess the print, somehow, got smeared a bit; in my personal copy of the BuyBull.

January 28, 2009 at 1:35 pm

(7) Errancy says:

Another difference between the accounts is this:

In Matthew, when Jesus says that one of his disciples will betray him, this is quickly identified as Judas: “Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’” [Matthew 26:25]

In Luke, the disciples are left wondering who it might be: “Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this.” [Luke 22:23]

January 29, 2009 at 5:05 pm

(8) Dewhurst says:

Seeing as how everyone appears to have different standards for integrity and reliability concerning these accounts it should suffice simply to say: it is all just hearsay!

The New Testament is pure and utter hearsay. So, whether the accounts fare well or not on investigation hardly matters when no one can show that we should trust a single letter in them anyway.