Matthew-Luke

Matthew

Principles of Harmonizing Bible Difficulties We have not treated every problem passage in the gospels, but this article offers basic principles for solving most difficulties in the gospels.

Introduction to Matthew

(Mt. 1:1-17) Do Matthew and Luke’s genealogies contradict each other? (cf. Lk. 3:23-38)

(Mt. 1:12) How could Jesus be the Messiah, if God cursed the descendants of King Jehoiachin (Jer. 22:30)?

(Mt. 1:12) Who is Shealtiel’s father? Jeconiah or Neri? (cf. Lk. 3:27)

(Mt. 1:17) Why does Matthew emphasize 14 generations?

(Mt. 1:20) Did God commit adultery with Mary? Did God break his own commandment?

(Mt. 1:23) Did Isaiah really predict a virgin birth?

(Mt. 1:24) When did Joseph take Mary as his wife? (Lk. 2:5)

(Mt. 2:6) Did Micah predict the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem or not?

(Mt. 2:14-15) How could Matthew quote Hosea as a “fulfillment” of Jesus, when Hosea was referring to the nation of Israel?

(Mt. 2:16) Did Herod really commit a mass genocide of babies?

(Mt. 2:18) Does Matthew quote Jeremiah 31:15 out of context?

(Mt. 2:23) Why does Matthew say this is from the Old Testament, when the Old Testament NEVER mentions “Nazareth” or “being a Nazarene?”

(Mt. 3:11) Does this passage support the concept of a second blessing?

(Mt. 3:15) Why was Jesus baptized?

(Mt. 4:4-10) Why does Jesus cite these OT passages?

(Mt. 4:3-10; Lk. 4:3-12) Why do Luke and Matthew place Satan’s conversation out of order?

(Mt. 4:14-16) Why does Matthew cite Isaiah 9:1-2?

(Mt. 5:1ff) How do we interpret the Sermon on the Mount?

(Mt. 5:1ff) Is this the same as Luke’s account in Luke 6:20-49?

(Mt. 5:31-32) What does this passage tell us about divorce and remarriag

(Mt. 5:34) Are we allowed to make oaths? (cf. Jas. 5:12; Hos. 4:2)

(Mt. 6:1) Should we show our good works to others or not?

(Mt. 6:6) Did Jesus abolish corporate prayer meetings?

(Mt. 6:7) Does this passage preclude persistent prayer? (cf. Luke 11:5-10)

(Mt. 6:15) Is forgiveness conditional or unconditional?

(Mt. 6:16-18) Should believers fast?

(Mt. 7:1) Are we allowed to judge or not?

(Mt. 7:6) What does it mean to cast pearls before swine?

(Mt. 7:13-14) Does this verse teach that many people will go to hell and few will go to heaven?

(Mt. 7:19) Do believers have to bear fruit in order to be saved?

(Mt. 7:21-23) Does Jesus teach that those who call out to him in the sinner’s prayer will actually go to hell?

(Mt. 8:3) Jesus breaking the law in touching a leper?

(Mt. 8:5-13) Does this contradict the account in Luke 7:1-10?

(Mt. 8:21-22) Wasn’t this insensitive and cruel?

(Mt. 9:13) Why does Jesus quote Hosea 6:6?

(Mt. 10:1-15) Does the commissioning of the Twelve contradict Mark and Luke’s account (cf. Mk. 6:7-13; Lk. 9:1-6)?

(Mt. 10:5-6) Was Jesus cruel in not ministering to the Gentiles? (cf. 15:24)

(Mt. 10:13-14) Isn’t it cruel to not pursue unwilling people?

(Mt. 10:22) Does this passage deny eternal security?

(Mt. 10:23) Does this passage support Preterism?

(Mt. 11:4-5) Did Jesus fulfill Isaiah 35:4-6?

(Mt. 11:10) Why does Jesus cite Malachi 3:1?

(Mt. 11:14) Could John the Baptist be a figurative Elijah?

(Mt. 11:14) Did Jesus believe in reincarnation?

(Mt. 11:25) Why would God hide his truth?

(Mt. 11:27) Does this support Calvinism?

(Mt. 12:2) What is Jesus’ defense for his disciples breaking the Sabbath?

(Mt. 12:17-21) Why does Matthew cite Isaiah 42 to refer to Jesus? Does Jesus fulfill the prophecy about the anonymous Suffering Servant?

(Mt. 12:32) Blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

(Mt. 12:32) Does this passage support the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory?

(Mt. 12:40) Was Jesus dead three days and three nights or a day and a half?

(Mt. 12:46) Did Jesus have brothers, or was Mary a perpetual virgin as Roman Catholicism claims?

(Mt. 13:11-16) Did Jesus not want people to repent and know him?

(Mt. 13:31-32) Was Jesus wrong in saying that the mustard seed is the smallest seed?

(Mt. 13:44-46) Do we need to sell everything in order to come to Christ?

(Mt. 13:54-58) How was Jesus rejected? (cf. Mk. 6:1-5; Lk. 4:16-30)

(Mt. 13:55) Did Jesus have brothers, or was Mary a perpetual virgin as Roman Catholicism claims?

(Mt. 13:58) Could Jesus not perform miracles? (cf. Mk. 6:5-6)

(Mt. 14:4) Why was is “not lawful” for Herod to marry Herodias?

(Mt. 15:22-28) Was Jesus cruel to this Canaanite woman?

(Mt. 16:14) Why did people confuse Jesus with the prophet Jeremiah? (see introduction to Jeremiah)

(Mt. 16:18) Did Jesus give papal authority to Peter?

(Mt. 16:19) What does binding and loosing mean?

(Mt. 16:28) Did Jesus make a false prediction about his second coming?

(Mt. 18:3) Are believers supposed to be gullible like children?

(Mt. 18:21-22) What did Jesus mean by forgiving someone 77 times?

(Mt. 19:3-12) Is adultery the only reason for divorce? Are other reasons permitted?

(Mt. 19:17) Is Jesus not God? (see comments on Lk. 18:19)?

(Mt. 21:5) How did Jesus fulfill Zechariah 9:9?

(Mt. 21:9) Why did the crowds shout out Psalm 118:26?

(Mt. 21:12) When did Jesus cleanse the Temple?

(Mt. 21:12) Why did Jesus get so angry? Was his anger justified? (cf. Lk. 19:45-46, Jn. 2:14-15 , and Mk. 11:15-17)

(Mt. 21:18) What is the significance of the fig tree?

(Mt. 21:18-22) Does this account of Jesus cursing the fig tree contradict Mark’s account? (Mk. 11:11-15, 19-25)

(Mt. 21:43) Is Jesus saying that the Jews are permanently out of God’s plan, because they rejected the Messiah?

(Mt. 22:37-39) Does Jesus misquote Deuteronomy 6:5?

(Mt. 22:41-46) Is Psalm 110 a prophecy of Jesus?

(Mt. 23:35) Jesus claims that the last Hebrew martyr was Zechariah the son of Berechiah, but this is the wrong Zechariah.

(Mt. 23:37-39) Does this passage support Preterism?

(Mt. 24:2) Why doesn’t Matthew (or Mark) mention the destruction of the Temple?

(Mt. 24:13) Does this verse threaten eternal security?

(Mt. 24:14) Does this predict the evangelization of the globe (as futurists claim) or the evangelization of the Roman Empire (as preterists claim)?

(Mt. 24:15-16) Does this refer to the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, as Preterist interpreters claim?

(Mt. 24:22) Is Jesus using hyperbole when he says “no life would have been saved” as Preterists claim?

(Mt. 24:26-27) Is the lightning symbolic of God’s judgment as Preterists claim?

(Mt. 24:30) Are the clouds symbolic for God’s judgment (as Preterists claim), or are they literal (as Futurists claim)? Also does the citation of Daniel 7:13 support Preterism?

(Mt. 24:31) Is the gathering symbolic (as Preterists claim) or literal (as futurists claim)?

(Mt. 24:34) Did Jesus make a false prediction about his second coming?

(Mt. 25:31-46) Does this passage teach salvation through good works?

(Mt. 26:26) Does this statement support the Roman Catholic view of transubstantiation? (cf. Mk. 14:22; Lk. 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-25)

(Mt. 27:5) How did Judas die?

(Mt. 27:9-10) Did Matthew misattribute Zechariah 11:12-13 to Jeremiah?

(Mt. 27:28) Was Jesus’ robe “scarlet” or was it “purple”? (cf. Mk. 15:17; Jn. 19:2)

(Mt. 27:51-53) Is this passage really historical?

(Mt. 28:5) Were there two angels or one?

Mark

Principles of Harmonizing Bible Difficulties We have not treated every problem passage in the gospels, but this article offers basic principles for solving most difficulties in the gospels.

Introduction to Mark

Mark’s Messianic Secret: Why did Jesus silence those who confessed him?

(Mk. 1:2) Why does Mark cite Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3?

(Mk. 1:9) Why was Jesus baptized?

(Mk. 1:40-42) Was Jesus breaking the law in touching a leper?

(Mk. 2:26) Was the high priest Abiathar or Ahimelech?

(Mk. 3:29) Blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

(Mk. 4:31) Was Jesus wrong in saying that the mustard seed is the smallest seed?

(Mk. 6:1-5) How was Jesus rejected? (cf. Mt. 13:54-58; Lk. 4:16-30)

(Mk. 6:5-6) Could Jesus not perform miracles?

(Mk. 6:7-13) Does the commissioning of the Twelve contradict Mark and Luke’s account (cf. Mt. 10:1-15; Lk. 9:1-6)?

(Mk. 7:26-29) Was Jesus cruel to this Canaanite woman?

(Mk. 10:2-12) Is adultery the only reason for divorce? Are other reasons permitted?

(Mk. 10:14-15) Are believers supposed to be gullible like children?

(Mk. 10:18) Is Jesus not God? (see comments on Lk. 18:19)?

(Mk. 11:11-15, 19-25) Does this account of Jesus cursing the fig tree contradict Mark’s account? (Mt. 21:18-22)

(Mk. 11:15) When did Jesus cleanse the Temple?

(Mk. 11:15-17 ) Why did Jesus get so angry? Was his anger justified? (cf. Lk. 19:45-46, Jn. 2:14-15 , and Mt. 21:12 )

(Mk. 13:2) Why doesn’t Mark (or Matthew) mention the destruction of the Temple?

(Mk. 13:10) Does this predict the evangelization of the globe (as futurists claim) or the evangelization of the Roman Empire (as preterists claim)?

(Mk. 13:14) Does this refer to the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, as Preterist interpreters claim?

(Mk. 13:26) Are the clouds symbolic for God’s judgment (as Preterists claim), or are they literal (as Futurists claim)? Also does the citation of Daniel 7:13 support Preterism?

(Mk. 13:30) Did Jesus make a false prediction about his second coming?

(Mk. 14:22) Does this statement support the Roman Catholic view of transubstantiation? (cf. Mt. 26:26; Lk. 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-25)

(Mk. 15:17) Was Jesus’ robe “scarlet” or was it “purple”? (cf. Jn. 19:2; Mt. 27:28)

(Mk. 15:25) Was Jesus crucified on the third hour or the sixth hour? (cf. Jn. 19:14 )

(Mk. 16:8) Does Mark not mention the resurrection?

(Mk. 16:9-20) What happened to the end of Mark? Is this section Scripture or a scribal addition?

Luke

Principles of Harmonizing Bible Difficulties We have not treated every problem passage in the gospels, but this article offers basic principles for solving most difficulties in the gospels.

Introduction to Luke-Acts

(Lk. 1:6) How can Zacharias and Elizabeth be righteous, if none are righteous?

(Lk. 1:28) Does this passage support the Roman Catholic view of the sinlessness of Mary?

(Lk. 1:42) Was Mary sinless?

(Lk. 1:80) Was John the Baptist an Essene?

(Lk. 2:2) Is this passage about Quirinius a historical contradiction?

(Lk. 2:3) Why would Mary have to travel to Joseph’s place of birth?

(Lk. 2:5) When did Joseph take Mary as his wife? (Mt. 1:24)

(Lk. 2:34-35) Does this passage support the Roman Catholic doctrine of the co-redemptrix nature of Mary?

(Lk. 2:40; c.f. 2:52) How could Jesus increase in wisdom, if he was God?

(Lk. 2:42) Why don’t the gospels give us many details about Jesus’ childhood and young adult years?

(Lk. 2:50) How could they not understand this statement, if they knew Jesus was the Messiah?