ความซื่อสัตย์ด้วยค่าใช้จ่ายของตัวเอง

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. ถ้า, 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. ภูเขา 18:1 [LK 9:46], มค 9:33, มค 10:28 [LK 18:28], ภูเขา 20:21 [มค 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 (ภูเขา 17:14 [มค 9:14, LK 9:37]) and Peter’s failure to walk on water, despite Jesus’ command (ภูเขา 14:28).
• Their own failure to understand Jesus’ message and mission:
  • concerning what Jesus told them about his death and resurrection (เจน 2:19, ภูเขา 17:22 [มค 9:31, LK 9:44], ภูเขา 16:21 [มค 8:31, LK 9:22], ภูเขา 20:17 [มค 10:32, LK 18:31], เจน 16:16-32, ภูเขา 28:17, มค 16:8,11,13,14, LK 24:11,25, เจน 20:2,25).
  • Peter being told as a result, ‘Get thee behind me, ซาตาน,’ โดยพระเยซู (ภูเขา 16:23 [มค 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 (ภูเขา 17:4 [มค 9:5, LK 9:33]),
• Their failure to even stay awake when Jesus was in Gethsemane (ภูเขา 26:36 [มค 14:32, LK 22:40])
• The disciple’s insistence they would never deny Jesus(ภูเขา 26:31 [มค 14:27, LK 22:31]), followed by their abandonment of him (ภูเขา 26:56 [มค 14:50], ภูเขา 26:69 [มค 14:66, LK 22:54])
• The assault on the high priest’s servant (ภูเขา 26:51 [มค 14:47, LK 22:50])
• The reports that the disciples stole the body (ภูเขา 28:11)

Material which opponents could use to criticise Jesus

• His own family’s unbelief (เจน 7:5), even thinking he was insane (มค 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 (ภูเขา 13:58 [มค 6:5, LK 4:23]
• His exasperation with the disciples (ภูเขา 17:17 [มค 9:19, LK 9:41])
• His forcible eviction of the money-changers (เจน 2:14, ภูเขา 21:12 [มค 11:15, LK 19:45])
• Allowing the devils to enter the Gadarene swine (ภูเขา 8:38 [มค 5:11, LK 8:32])
• His treatment of the Syrophoenician woman (ภูเขา 15:22 [มค 7:25])
• His admission that he didn’t know the timing of his own return (มค 13:32 [ภูเขา 24:36])
• His fear and near refusal of the cross in Gethsemane (ภูเขา 26:37 [มค 14:33, LK 22:41])
• His cry from the cross, ‘My God, พระเจ้าของฉัน, เหตุใดคุณจึงทอดทิ้งฉัน?’ (ภูเขา 27:46 [มค 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 (พระราชบัญญัติ 6:1) and circumcision (พระราชบัญญัติ 11:2, 15:1).
• Paul’s arguments with Barnabus (พระราชบัญญัติ 15:37) และปีเตอร์ (Gal 2:11).
• Their failure to believe in Peter’s deliverance from prison, even when told (พระราชบัญญัติ 12:12).

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