Eerlikheid op eie koste

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

Material which opponents could use to criticise Jesus

• His own family’s unbelief (Joh 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 (Mt 13:58 [MK 6:5, Lukas 4:23]
• His exasperation with the disciples (Mt 17:17 [MK 9:19, Lukas 9:41])
• His forcible eviction of the money-changers (Joh 2:14, Mt 21:12 [MK 11:15, Lukas 19:45])
• Allowing the devils to enter the Gadarene swine (Mt 8:38 [MK 5:11, Lukas 8:32])
• His treatment of the Syrophoenician woman (Mt 15:22 [MK 7:25])
• His admission that he didn’t know the timing of his own return (MK 13:32 [Mt 24:36])
• His fear and near refusal of the cross in Gethsemane (Mt 26:37 [MK 14:33, Lukas 22:41])
• His cry from the cross, ‘My God, My God, waarom het jy my verlaat?’ (Mt 27:46 [MK 15:34])
• Telling the disciples to carry swords on the night of his arrest (Lukas 22:36)

Material which reflected badly on the church

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

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