1001 Errors in the Christian Bible

Mark -- Errors 203-209

#203

Mark 10: (KJV)

19 “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.”

Compare to:

Matthew 19: (KJV)

18 “He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Same conversation, different commandments. “Mark’s” “defraud not” may have been intended to be a summary of several commandments but “Matthew” was apparently bothered by the fact that there is no such specific commandment so he deleted it when he copied from Mark.

#204

Mark 10: (KJV)

26 “And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?”

The earliest extant manuscripts say “said to him” instead of “saying among themselves”.

#205

Mark 10: (KJV)

29 “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

Contradicts the commandment in the Tanakh to honor your father and mother. The Jews primarily thought of “honor” as supporting parents in their old age. Tough to do if you abandon them. This contradiction is especially blatant considering that a few verses earlier Jesus explained that honoring your father and mother was one of the commandments to follow to obtain eternal life.

#206

Mark 10: (KJV)

34 “And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

Compare to:

Matthew 20: (KJV)

19 “And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

The authors are reporting the same conversation and “Mark” says “kill” while “Matthew” says “crucify” (for the second time). Apparently Mark attached no special significance to the method of execution while Matthew, reflecting subsequent Christian thought, specifically says “crucify”, emphasizing the method of execution.

#207

Mark 10: (KJV)

34 “And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

Compare to:

Matthew 20: (KJV)

19 “And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

KJV has mistranslated (again) “Mark’s” “and the third day” above. The underlying Greek has an “after” that KJV has omitted so it should read “after the third day”. Obviously, KJV mistranslated to make these important verses agree. So “Mark” really said “after three days” and “Matthew” said “on (and) the third day”.

#208

Mark 10: (KJV)

34 “And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

The underlying Greek has the word “after”. “After three days”. A small majority of modern Christian translations ignore the “after” to make Mark 10:34 agree to Matthew 20:19 for this very critical prophecy.

#209

Mark 10: (KJV)

35 “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.”

Compare to:

Matthew 20: (KJV)

20 “Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

“Mark” says the two sons went to Jesus and asked a question while “Matthew” says it was the sons’ mother who went to Jesus and asked the question. As Jesus’ response is critical Matthew illustrates his theme of presenting the disciples in a better light than Mark.

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