The New Testament books describing the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
4
votes
2answers
42 views
Did Martin Luther take exception to the gospels in any way?
I was watching a video* that was about the "heresy" of Protestantism. It briefly discussed Martin Luther and his exceptions with certain books. He removed the so called "apocrypha" and also took ...
-2
votes
2answers
47 views
Did the Catholic Church have evidence to discredit the Gospel of Judas?
Christians accept four legitimate Gospels from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
My Question: Did the Catholic Church have evidence to discredit the Gospel of Judas?
3
votes
2answers
45 views
Why do Matthew and Luke contain genealogies of Jesus, while Mark and John do not?
Both Matthew and Luke contain genealogies of Jesus, Matthew to Abraham, and Luke to Adam. However, neither Mark nor John contain genealogies. What is the reason for this--both for why Matthew and ...
8
votes
3answers
109 views
Are the gospel authors who we believe them to be?
What I'm wondering is whether the actual authors of the book of John, Luke, Matthew, and Mark are who we believe them to be. I go to a Catholic high school, and in our version of the Bible it says, in ...
4
votes
2answers
64 views
What is significant about shaking dust from your feet?
If a house or town does not receive the Gospel, you are to shake dust off of your feet:
Matthew 10:12
12 As you enter a house, wish it peace.
13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come ...
5
votes
3answers
138 views
What was Jesus trying to convey in the parables of the mustard seed and yeast?
What message did Jesus Christ tried to give by comparing the Kingdom Of God(Isn't that Heaven?) with the mustard seed and yeast?
-3
votes
2answers
106 views
Is Jesus God? Or part of God? These verses are from Gospels, what they tell is that Jesus can't be God [closed]
I just found out these verses, from one video on youtube, and wanted to ask if you have read them and know about them. What Christians think about Jesus? Do you think he is a God or (from trinity) ...
8
votes
1answer
140 views
Are there any references to “four canonical Gospels” prior to 100 AD?
According to the "Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung" eleven manuscripts of NT are from within the second century alone, which include: P52 (100-150), P90, 104 (2nd century), P66 (c. AD ...
9
votes
2answers
338 views
What is meant by “Get behind me Satan”?
Considering
Matthew 16:23:
Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Why did Jesus ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Were exactly three people crucified on Golgotha the night Jesus was crucified?
We know for certain that Jesus and two other men who were convicted of crimes were crucified on the same hill. Is there any basis for believing that there may have been other convicts?
9
votes
2answers
128 views
Why were both criminals that were crucified with Jesus abusing him in Mark, and not in Luke?
Mark 15:27-32
They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy ...
5
votes
1answer
350 views
What were Jesus's last words on the cross?
I've been comparing the same events written across different gospels recently, and although I was aware of the differences between the gospel accounts of Jesus's very last moments before death I ...
2
votes
1answer
70 views
Resist not evil! What this means, not to fight evil?
Matthew 5:39:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
What does this mean? Not to fight evil? Does that mean ...
6
votes
3answers
89 views
How does leaving a 'gift at the altar' reconcile with reformed views of the need to 'approach the throne of grace' in everything?
Jesus said:
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
How long is it necessary to repent for an act of sin? [closed]
How long is it necessary to repent for an act of sin?
For example, can just the thought "forgive me for my sin, Lord" immediately after the sin is committed enough (and truly mean it)....or does a ...
4
votes
3answers
211 views
Were the Gospels considered Scripture when the rest of the New Testament was written?
When the New Testament was written1, were the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John already considered Scripture?
1 Acts - Revelation. Obviously there is overlap in when these were written (they are ...
11
votes
4answers
302 views
Why does God often permit his children to suffer in this world more than the wicked?
Jesus said:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
What kind of clothes did Jesus wear?
There are a couple references in the gospels indicating what Jesus wore but not many. His undergarment was 'seamless' according to John 19:23. He also may have had the 'fringes' or 'tassels' of the ...
2
votes
2answers
153 views
Did Jesus' parables have different meanings to the different Gospel writer's congregations?
My parish priest uses the example of Matthew 13:18-23 to explain that this one explanation of the parable of the sower was the one that Matthew, wanted to put in his Gospel to drive home some ...
4
votes
1answer
476 views
What kind of Roman cross was used to crucify Jesus? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Crucifixion — torture stake or cross?
Apparently there were at least three kinds of crosses used by the Romans to crucify criminals. One was called ‘Crux ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Difference between Gospel and Bible
The title almost says it all:
What's the difference between the Gospel and The Bible? did one contain another of what?
What does each one include?
Where did every one come from (or who authored ...
2
votes
1answer
218 views
Why did Jesus refuse to accommodate the Pharisees insistence on washing hands before eating bread?
In the New Testament we find various rules of accommodating others in the spirit of love and peace. For example:
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became ...
7
votes
3answers
247 views
When Jesus gave Peter his name (rock) what is the significance that he then said upon a ‘different’ kind of rock he would build his church?
When Peter made his famous confession, Jesus responded by saying:
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (NIV ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the significance of water from Jesus' side?
John 19:34 "one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear,
bringing a sudden flow of blood and water."
I know this is supposed to be something great as in the next verse the apostle ...
3
votes
2answers
199 views
Why did Jesus say the Son of Man was Lord over the Sabbath because the Sabbath was made for man?
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (NIV Mark 2:27-28)
There seems to be a connection with the Sabbath ...
15
votes
4answers
225 views
How did Peter recognize Elijah and Moses?
Matthew 17:3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah,
talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you
wish, I will put up three ...
2
votes
1answer
452 views
Does ‘palm branches’ in Palm Sunday draw meaning from Jewish culture, or Greco-Roman culture that the Jews adopted?
Two verses connected two 'palm branches' are:
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of ...
6
votes
2answers
437 views
What does the account of pigs and demons mean?
Luke 8
31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the
Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons
begged Jesus to let them go ...
10
votes
4answers
247 views
What official statements represent Christianity's position on the Gospel of Barnabas?
The Gospel of Barnabas is a text that has turned up in the form of 16th century manuscripts in Italian and Spanish. The text claims to be the witness of Jesus' disciple Barnabas, however its content ...
2
votes
2answers
324 views
Why was Jesus baptised by John the Baptist?
We know the story:
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus ...
8
votes
3answers
218 views
Should we 'let our light shine' and tell people the good works that we do?
There are two subjects that could be construed as contradictory in our Lords sermon on the mount. Here is an instance:
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be ...
10
votes
2answers
761 views
What was the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees?
Jeusus often encountered these two groups:
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 ...
5
votes
2answers
142 views
Why did Jesus keep some in the dark by using parables?
I once heard someone say that parables are the best way to teach, because Jesus used them. Of course this makes no sense because parables are very difficult to understand unless explained.
Jesus ...
4
votes
1answer
87 views
What kind of Elijah did the Jews expect?
In Malachi 4:5 we find:
See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.
From this verse and possibly also because Elijah had been, like Enoch, ...
1
vote
4answers
343 views
Why doesn't the Bible tell us that Jesus was a virgin?
Christian religions constantly remind us that Mary was "forever virgin".
So why doesn't the Bible tell us that Jesus was also a virgin?
3
votes
3answers
355 views
How did Jesus reconcile his teachings with Judaism?
The Gospels tell us that Jesus was a Jew.
Yet Jesus revealed that he was the Son of God.
It seems to me that Jesus' contemporaries must have been forced to decide if his teachings were either:
...
7
votes
1answer
219 views
When are lay men and women permitted to read the Gospel in a Catholic church?
I know that reading the Gospel at Mass is restricted to ordained folks. But, is it permissible for a lay man or woman to lead a word and communion service and read from the Gospel? Can they lead a ...
10
votes
4answers
325 views
Did the gospels really copy from each other?
In school, I learned that the different gospels did copy a lot from each other. This was the explanation for why there are so many overlapping events between the gospels.
Is there substantial ...
3
votes
1answer
175 views
Can these three “2nd greatest commandments” be put into one sentence?
I was playing my homemade Catholic Jeopardy with the Faith Formation class last night and I asked. "What is the 2nd greatest commandment". The kids were all like, "umm obey your parents", "Don't ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views
What is the doctrinal significance of repetition between the Gospels?
The four Gospels each cover roughly the same events, but the details differ, as illustrated here.
Leaving aside the difference in similarity between the Synoptic Gospels and John, is there ...
14
votes
2answers
276 views
When and how did the names Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John get attached to the gospels?
Most of the books of the New Testament—all the letters except Hebrews, plus the Revelation—give the author's name at the beginning. The gospels do not. Only one gospel identifies its ...
23
votes
4answers
2k views
Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke called the synoptic gospels?
The first three gospels are sometimes known as the "synoptic" gospels. What does this term mean, and how does it differentiate them from the gospel of John?
15
votes
3answers
1k views
Why (how) does Jesus' coat have no seam?
When Jesus is arrested and His captors take His clothes, they split them in four parts. However, His coat they did not split, as John records, "the coat was without seam, woven from the top ...
