1001 Errors in the Christian Bible

Mark -- Errors 224-230

#224

Mark 12: (KJV)

29 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

Compare to:

Matthew 22: (KJV)

37 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

“Matthew’s” not as sure as “Mark” about just how many “Lord’s” there are, especially with the “Lord said to my Lord” parable up next, and needs to take a reign check to think about just how many Lords there are.

#225

Mark 12: (KJV)

32 “And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”

Compare to Matthew:

“ ”

“Matthew” deletes all of this which doesn’t fit his later Christian theology. Matthew thinks there may be someone other than God, this person should also be loved, sacrifices shouldn’t be so easily dissed, a scribe wouldn’t or shouldn’t be shown giving a good answer and couldn’t or shouldn’t be portrayed as not far from the kingdom of God. What “Mark” has to say here versus what “Matthew” won’t say is one of the best examples in the Christian Bible of how Christian theology was changing with time.

#226

Mark 12: (KJV)

34 “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”

According to “Matthew” Jesus’ disciples were still asking Jesus questions after this incident and I think they were men and Jesus was also asked questions at his trial. What’s interesting about this story in Mark is that for the first and only time Jesus is asked a sincere question, gives an understandable and direct answer which is understood, appreciated and complimented and Jesus compliments in return. Then the author writes that no man dared ask Jesus any more questions (even though the author later writes that they did). It would appear that it was more important for the author to present his ironical Greek tragedy theme of Jesus responding to insincere questions with insincere answers that weren’t understood which instead of frustrating the Jews just invited more insincere questions and then the illustration of a sincere question generating a sincere answer which stopped the Jews’ motivation to ask any more questions than it was to present a believable story based on common sense.

#227

Mark 12: (KJV)

34 “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”

Compare to:

Matthew 22: (KJV)

45 “If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”

Note that Mark’s “no more questions” is after the commandments story which fits Mark’s irony theme but is out of place from a common sense standpoint. Matthew puts “no more questions” after a parable stumper which is a more logical placement apparently wanting to copy as much of Mark as possible but seeing that Mark’s placement of the no more questions sentence was ridiculous.

#228

Mark 12: (KJV)

35 "And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?”

Compare to:

Matthew 22: (KJV)

41 “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,”

According to “Mark” Jesus is talking about the Pharisees. According to “Matthew” Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. That’s because Mark has already used his “no more questions” divider.

#229

Mark 13: (KJV)

1 “And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2 And Jesus answering said unto him”

Compare to Matthew 24: (KJV)

1 “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them”

Oh Matthew McGoo, you’ve done it again.

#230

Mark 13: (KJV)

1 “And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Maybe Herod had Temple insurance but was too cheap to elect replacement value so that only the Western Wall could be rebuilt.

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