Ionracas Aig an Costais Fhèin

One of the more striking features of the gospels is that the writers did not hesitate to record facts that might be used against them.

If you have a witness who is trying to distort the truth, one of the first things they will do is withhold information that might be detrimental to their case, or to their personal credibility. Ma tha, as has been suggested, they are actually fabricating evidence to bolster their story it is even less likely that those fabrications would include such material: yet the gospels contain many such items.

In the quotes below I have indicated parallel passages which occur in more than one gospel by citing the duplicates in square brackets.

Material which reflects badly on the disciples themselves

• Their preoccupation with the issue of what was in it for them. Tha Mt 18:1 [Lk 9:46], Mk 9:33, Mk 10:28 [Lk 18:28], Tha Mt 20:21 [Mk 10:37], Lk 22:24.
• The occasions when theory failed to translate into practice for them, such as their inability to deal with the demonized boy (Tha Mt 17:14 [Mk 9:14, Lk 9:37]) and Peter’s failure to walk on water, despite Jesus’ command (Tha Mt 14:28).
• Their own failure to understand Jesus’ message and mission:
  • concerning what Jesus told them about his death and resurrection (Tha Iain 2:19, Tha Mt 17:22 [Mk 9:31, Lk 9:44], Tha Mt 16:21 [Mk 8:31, Lk 9:22], Tha Mt 20:17 [Mk 10:32, Lk 18:31], Tha Iain 16:16-32, Tha Mt 28:17, Mk 16:8,11,13,14, Lk 24:11,25, Tha Iain 20:2,25).
  • Peter being told as a result, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan,’ le Iosa (Tha Mt 16:23 [Mk 8:33])
  • suggesting they call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village (Lk 9:54).
  • Peter’s inane remark on the mount of transfiguration (Tha Mt 17:4 [Mk 9:5, Lk 9:33]),
• Their failure to even stay awake when Jesus was in Gethsemane (Tha Mt 26:36 [Mk 14:32, Lk 22:40])
• The disciple’s insistence they would never deny Jesus(Tha Mt 26:31 [Mk 14:27, Lk 22:31]), followed by their abandonment of him (Tha Mt 26:56 [Mk 14:50], Tha Mt 26:69 [Mk 14:66, Lk 22:54])
• The assault on the high priest’s servant (Tha Mt 26:51 [Mk 14:47, Lk 22:50])
• The reports that the disciples stole the body (Tha Mt 28:11)

Material which opponents could use to criticise Jesus

• His own family’s unbelief (Tha Iain 7:5), even thinking he was insane (Mk 3:21)
• All the insults and allegations made against Jesus (too many to list) some of which were explained at the time, and some not.
• Failure to perform miracles at Nazareth (Tha Mt 13:58 [Mk 6:5, Lk 4:23]
• His exasperation with the disciples (Tha Mt 17:17 [Mk 9:19, Lk 9:41])
• His forcible eviction of the money-changers (Tha Iain 2:14, Tha Mt 21:12 [Mk 11:15, Lk 19:45])
• Allowing the devils to enter the Gadarene swine (Tha Mt 8:38 [Mk 5:11, Lk 8:32])
• His treatment of the Syrophoenician woman (Tha Mt 15:22 [Mk 7:25])
• His admission that he didn’t know the timing of his own return (Mk 13:32 [Tha Mt 24:36])
• His fear and near refusal of the cross in Gethsemane (Tha Mt 26:37 [Mk 14:33, Lk 22:41])
• His cry from the cross, ‘My God, Mo Dhia, c'ar son a thrèig thu mi?’ (Tha Mt 27:46 [Mk 15:34])
• Telling the disciples to carry swords on the night of his arrest (Lk 22:36)

Material which reflected badly on the church

• Church wrangles over widows (Achdan 6:1) and circumcision (Achdan 11:2, 15:1).
• Paul’s arguments with Barnabus (Achdan 15:37) agus Peadar (Gal 2:11).
• Their failure to believe in Peter’s deliverance from prison, even when told (Achdan 12:12).

Air ais chun phrìomh artaigil.