NO CONTRADICTION

Matthew 7: 7-11 records the  same teaching that Jesus gave in Luke 11:5-13.  But the two accounts give different time contexts and slightly different wordings. 

That DOES NOT INDICATE A CONTRADICTION.

The fact is that preachers not only tend to give complicated answers to simple questions.  We also tend to repeat ourselves.  We make the same point at different times using slightly different words.

(Which I just did.)

Also, keep in mind that Jesus didn’t burn any cd’s or post any messages to His blog.   So, He had to sorta repeat the basic points of His message every time He preached/ taught it at a different time or location.

Shoot, sometimes preachers repeat and rephrase in the same lesson.

That’s not a contradiction.

(See what I did right there?) 

In fact, the record of slightly different wordings across the gospels actually presents a more credible record of events than if the gospels showed Jesus only making each point one time, exactly the same way, and never going over the same material or rephrasing things as He retaught.

A sterile record with no rephrasing would mean that the 4 gospel authors had just copied and pasted off somebody rather than recording eye witness accounts.

So it isn’t that Matthew and Luke record the same event differently (and therefore, inaccurately). 

It’s that Matthew records the time  Jesus said, If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7: 11)   ; but Luke wrote down the time Jesus said,  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11: 13)

Both true.  Both truth.  Both the inspired, reliable WORD OF GOD.

Keep reading.  See you Sunday morning.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
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To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

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