[net.religion] Contradictions explained

david@ssc-vax.UUCP (David Norris) (12/17/83)

	Laura is having problems with the following passages in Scripture.  I
will offer the following explanation, for those interested.

> On the other hand, there are instances in the Bible where
> one passage flatly contradicts the other. The Jesus in John goes out
> and converts a whole Samaritan village -- the Jesus in Matthew tells
> his disciples not to enter a Samaritan village. The Jesus in John seems
> to know very well that he is God at all times -- the Jesus in the synoptics
> *doesn't*. In John, John the Baptist knows that Jesus is the coming one --
> in Matthew he asks while in prison *if* Jesus is the coming one...

	The Samaritans were, at the time, hated by Jews because of their
mixed breeding and religion.  The commandment was a temporary one, anyway
(lifted in Acts).  But this is not a contradiction.  I might tell my own son
to stay out of a dog fight, but try to break it up myself.  This is not
contradiction, but protection.  Now this may or may not have been the reason
Jesus told his disciples to temporarily stay out of Samaritan villages, but
it is one explanation.

	Where in the synoptic Gospels does Jesus not know he is the Son of God?
If you mean the passages where Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees, He never
denies His Diety.  But He knew what the church officials were thinking, and
how they would respond (and, finally, did respond - "blasphemy") to Him.

	Some time had elapsed since John had been in prison when he made the
statement, Art Thou the One?  (Jesus has been out performing miracles, for the
most part).  This story can be found in Matthew 10 and Luke 7.  It is unfair
to assume that John is contradicting himself.  John prophesied that part of
what Jesus was about was to judge, and he heard no evidence of that.  He may
have wondered whether there was to be a second Messiah (Elijah), to fulfill
the rest of his prophecy.  If one were to read on, Jesus asked the disciples
to tell John of the miracles He was performing, which would demonstrate to
John His Messianic qualifications.  Don't assume that John new what was going
on in the outside world.

	-- David Norris
	-- uw-beaver!ssc-vax!david