4 — According to the seventeenth verse of the first chapter of Matthew, the grandfathers attributed to Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ from Ibrâhîm ‘alaihis-salâm’ to Yûsuf-u-Najjâr (Joseph the Carpenter), make up forty-two generations. The names given above, nevertheless, count only forty. According to Luke’s account, on the other hand, the number reaches fifty-five.
From the time when the Gospels first appeared to our time, Christian scholars have remained in utter perplexity as to this question. Some of them made such untenable explanations as would not be admitted by anyone with common sense. For this reason, scholars such as Eckharn, Keiser, Haisee, Ghabuth, Wither, Fursen, etc. admitted the fact by saying that “These Gospels contain lots of contradictions pertaining to meaning.” This is the truth of the matter. For inconsistencies and errors are not only in this matter but also in all the other matters.
Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ came to this world without a father. Nevertheless, while Jews persistently calumniate him by calling him an illegitimate child [May Allâhu ta’âlâ protect us from saying so!], Christians attribute a paternal case history to him and accept Yûsuf as his father, though he is not his father; this is a consternating ignorance and a paradoxical state. In Qur’ân al-kerîm, the âyats concerning Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ use such terms as “Îsâ ibn Maryam,” which means “Îsâ the son of Maryam.” It is declared clearly in the Qur’ân al-kerîm that Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ did not have a father.
5 — It is written as follows in the twenty-second and twenty-third verses of the first chapter of Matthew: “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,” (Matt: 1-22) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Em-man’u-el, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (ibid: 1-23) According to Christian priests, by the word ‘Prophet’, Îshâyâ (Isaiah) ‘alaihi-salâm’ is meant. As an evidence for this, they put forward the fourteenth verse of the seventh chapter of the Book of Isaiah, which reads, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Im-man’u-el.” (Is: 7-14) Rahmatullah Efendi explains this matter in detail in his book Iz-hâr-ul-haqq. He states that their inference is wrong for three reasons:
First; the word which the translators of the Gospel and the translator of the Book of Isaiah translated as azrâ (=virgin) is ’ilmatun, which is the feminine gender of the word ’ilm (=knowledge). According to Jewish scholars the meaning of this word is young woman. They say that this term is also used to mean married woman, whether virginal or not, in the thirtieth chapter of the Sifr-ul-emthâl (Proverbs of Solomon). In the three Greek versions of the Book of Isaiah translated by persons named Ikola, Thedusien, and Semiks, this term is interpreted as (young woman). These translations, according to Christian clergy, are quite old; it is narrated that the first was translated in 129, the second in 175, and the third in 200. All these translations, especially the Thedusien, were warmly accepted by the early Christians. Therefore, according to Jewish scholars and the interpretations of these three translators, the expression used by Matthew is apparently wrong. Fery, in his discourse on the Hebrew lexicon in a book of his which is popular and accepted among Protestant priests, says that this word, i.e. (Azrâ), means (young woman). They (Protestants) say that according to this explanation the two meanings are common in this word. Yet the native speakers of the language, i.e. the Jews, in response to this interpretation of the priests, state that firstly Matthew’s expression is wrong and secondly translating the word as Azrâ (=virginal woman), which runs counter to the early translations of the Jewish interpretations, requires sound proofs. The priest who wrote the book Mîzân-ul-haqq says in his book Hall-ul-eshkal that the meaning of the word is certainly Azrâ; he is wrong. The two evidences we have mentioned above would suffice to refute him.
Second; the twentieth verse of the first chapter of Matthew reads as follows: “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt: 1-20) And the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth verses say: “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:” (Matt: 1-24) “And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” (ibid: 1-25)
The first chapter of Luke, on the other hand, states that the angel was seen by hadrat Maryam herself. According to the thirty-first verse of the same chapter, the angel said to hadrat Maryam: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” (Luke: 1-31)
While Matthew states that the angel appeared to Joseph in his dream, Luke says that hadrat Maryam saw the angel in person.
Furthermore, it is written as follows in the twenty-third verse of the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and shall call his name Em-man’u-el, ...” (Matt: 1-23) This is, at the same time, the fourteenth verse of the seventh chapter of the Book of Isaiah. It is wrong, because Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ never said that his name was Em-man’u-el.
Third; the following episode prevents the naming of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ as Em-man’u-el: When Râsîn (Rezin, or Rasun), the Aramean ruler, and Fâqâh (Pekah), the Israelite ruler, brought their armies together in Jerusalem in order to fight the Judah ruler, Âhâz bin Yûsân was alarmed by their alliance. Jenâb-i Haqq inspired Isaiah ‘alaihis-salâm’ to calm Âhâz. So he gave Âhâz the good news: “O thou Âhâz! Don’t be afraid! They cannot beat you. Their sovereignties will soon be destroyed and perish.” He also stated its harbinger as follows: “A young woman shall become pregnant and have a son. Before this boy distinguishes between good and bad the empires of these two monarchs shall become annihilated.” Fâqâh’s sovereignty was destroyed exactly twenty-one years after this news. Then this boy must have been born before the annihilation of Fâqâh’s sovereignty. On the other hand the birth of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ took place seven hundred and twenty-one years after the annihilation of Fâqâh’s country. Therefore, people of the book fell into disagreement as to the authenticity of the narrative. Some Christian clergy and Bens [Dr. George Benson], a doctor of history, stated that by ‘young woman’ Isaiah ‘alaihis-salâm’ meant his own spouse and told the story accordingly. This explanation seems to be the most acceptable and the most plausible.
6 — It is narrated in the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew that Yûsuf-u-Nejjâr (Joseph the Carpenter), for fear of Hirodes (Herod), took Maryam and Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and went to Egypt. And the fifteenth verse of the second chapter reads as follows: “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” (Matt: 2-15) The Prophet meant here is Yûshâ’ (Hosea). Thus the author of the Gospel of Matthew refers to the first verse of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Yûshâ (Hosea) in the Old Testament. This is wrong, because this verse has nothing to do with Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. The correct form of the verse exists in the Arabic translation printed in 1226 [A.D. 1811], and reads as follows: “I loved Israel since his childhood and invited his children from Egypt.” This verse is a sign of the favour Allâhu ta’âlâ conferred upon the Israelites in the time of Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. The author of Matthew changed this verse in the Old Testament by replacing the plural form ‘children’ with the singular ‘son’ (ibn) and using the first person singular pronoun (my) instead of the third person (his). Following his example, the author of the Arabic version published in 1260 [A.D. 1844] made [intentional] changes, [thus changing the meaning altogether]. However, when the verses following it are read, the reason for this change becomes clear. As a matter of fact the next verse, the second verse of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hosea, purports: “As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Ba’al-im[22] , ...” (Hos: 11-2). This cannot be the case with hadrat Îsâ, nor with the Jews contemporary with Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ or even with the Jews that lived five hundred years before the birth of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. For it is written clearly in history that five hundred and thirty-six years before the birth of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, that is, after their salvation from slavery in Babel, Jews desisted from worshipping idols and turned away from idols in penitence. It is a recorded fact that after that time they kept off idols.
7 — It is written in the nineteenth and following verses of the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,” “Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: ...” “And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.” “... he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:” “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Mat: 2-19 thr. 23) This is wrong, too. None of the books of Prophets contains a word of this sort. Jews reject this word and say that it is a lie, a slander. [In fact, Jews hold the belief that no Prophet lived in the region of Galilee, let alone Nazareth. As it is narrated clearly in the fifty-second verse of the seventh chapter of John, “They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” (John: 7-52) This verse of John’s contradicts the verse of Matthew we have mentioned above.] If the Christian priests have other information in this respect, they ought to declare it.
8 — As is written at the beginning of the fourth chapter of Matthew; the devil wanted to test Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. He was taken to the desert by the Spirit. Fasting for forty days and nights, he became hungry. Then the devil took Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ to the blessed city and made him mount the dome of the temple, and said, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: ... He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, ...” (Matt: 4-6) Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ answered the devil: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” (ibid: 4-7) Then he took him into the mountains and said: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” (ibid: 4-9) Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ said to the devil: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (ibid: 4-10)
It is written in the twelfth and later verses of the first chapter of Mark: “And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.” “And he was there in the wilderness for forty days, tempted of Satan: he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” (Mark: 1-12, 13) No remark is made here as to the manner of the devil’s testing or the forty days’ fasting by Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’.
9 — The sixth and seventh verses of the twenty-sixth chapter of Matthew purports: “Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,” “There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.” (Matt: 26-6, 7)
The third verse of the fourteenth chapter of Mark reads: “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” (Mark: 14-3)
As it is purported in the thirty-sixth and later verses of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke, “And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house and sat down to meat.” “And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,” “And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.” (Luke: 7-36, 37, 38) “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.” (ibid: 7-48)
On the other hand, the same episode is narrated as follows in the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of John: “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.” “There they made him a supper; and Martha served: ...” “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: ...” (John: 12-1, 2, 3) [As it is seen, the same one episode is narrated differently in the four Gospels.]
10 — It is written in the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first verses of the first chapter of John: “... when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?” “And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.” “And they asked him, What then? Art thou E-li’as? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” (John: 1-19, 20, 21)
On the other hand, according to the fourteenth verse of the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated about Yahyâ (E’li’as) in front of the people: “And if ye will receive it, this is E-li’as, which was for to come.” (Matt: 11-14) And again Matthew writes in the tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth verses of the seventeenth chapter: “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that E-li’as must first come?” “And Jesus answered and said unto them, E-li’as truly shall first come, and restore all things.” “But I say unto you, That E-li’as is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.” “Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” (Matt: 17-10, 11, 12, 13) As is understood from this final passage, Yahyâ (John the Baptist) is the promised, expected E-li’as. According to the Gospels of John and Matthew, the statements of Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ contradict those of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. [For in the Gospel of John, Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ declares that he is not E-li’as. One of the reasons why Jews did not accept Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was because they had been expecting the coming of E-li’as before him. The contradiction here is as obvious as the sun.]
11 — In the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the angel who gives the good news of hadrat Yahyâ to Zakariyya (Zachariah), or Zach-a-ri’as) ‘alaihis-salâm’ recounts the qualities of Yahyâ, and says in the seventeenth verse: “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of E-li’as, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; ...” (Luke: 1-17) This verse runs counter to the verses of Matthew narrated above, For it would be paradoxical for Yahyâ both to be E-li’as himself and to have virtues and merits common with E-li’as.
12 — The twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth verses of the fourth chapter of Luke state: “And he said, Verily I say unto you, ...” “... many widows were in Israel in the days of E-li’as, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when famine was throughout all the land;” “But none of them was E-li’as sent, save unto Sa-rep’ta, a city of Si’don, unto a woman that was a widow.” (Luke: 4-24, 25, 26) Since this event did not take place in the time of Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, this narrative is obviously contrary to the narrative of Matthew. [For it is stated in the Gospel of Matthew that Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ lived in the time of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and that he was E-li’as. On the other hand, contrary to the narrative in the Gospel of Luke, the event of the sky remaining closed three years and six months did not take place in the time of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ or Yahyâ (John the Baptist), who is represented as E-li’as.]
13 — The fifty-third and fifty-fourth verses of the ninth chapter of Luke purport: “And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.” “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as E-li’as did?” (Luke: 9-53, 54) Hence, even the apostles of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ knew that E-li’as had lived before them and that Yahyâ was not E-li’as. This narrative contradicts the narrative of Matthew, too.
14 — It is written in the first, second and third verses of the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew that Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ sent forth two apostles of his to a nearby village and ordered them to bring back with them a donkey tied there and its foal. The other Gospels do not mention the donkey and refer only to the foal.
15 — The sixth verse of the first chapter of Mark writes that Yahyâ ate locusts and wild honey. The eighteenth verse of the eleventh chapter of Matthew, on the other hand, says that Yahyâ did not eat or drink anything. [Their statements are quite opposite to each other.]
16 — The thirteenth to seventeenth verses of the third chapter of Matthew narrate that “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.” “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and cometh thou to me?” “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.” “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:” “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt: 3-13, 14, 15, 16, 17) Again, the second and third verses of the eleventh chapter of Matthew state that “Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,” “And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matt: 11-2, 3)
Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ remained imprisoned in the dungeon until he was killed there. Baptism of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ by Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was before his imprisonment. According to Matthew, Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ knew of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ before the baptism. [In the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the third chapter, as we have quoted above, Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ asks Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ to baptize him and says, “I need to be baptized by you.” and yet in the eleventh chapter it is narrated that when Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was in the dungeon he did not know Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was the Messiah and that “he sent his disciples to find out who he was.” But the actual fact is that Yahyâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ remained in the dungeon and was martyred there by Herod. This fact is stated also by Matthew in the fourteenth chapter. Accordingly, the verses on this subject in the third chapter and those in the eleventh chapter belie each other.]
17 — On the other hand this episode is narrated in an altogether different way in the Gospel of John. The thirty-second and thirty-third verses of the first chapter state that “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.” “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” (John: 1-32, 33) According to this narrative, Yahyâ did not know Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ before. He learned of him when the Spirit descended on him. This narrative is contrary to the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the first chapter of Matthew, which we have cited above.
18 — In the thirty-first verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ says: “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” (John: 5-31) Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, again, says in the eleventh verse of the third chapter: “... We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; ...” (John: 3-11) These two statements are absolutely irreconcilable.
19 — In the twenty-seventh verse of the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew he says: “What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.” (Matt: 10-27) And in the third verse of the twelfth chapter of Luke he says: “Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” (Luke: 12-3) As is seen, the statement was derived from the same one source but was changed afterwards.
20 — It is stated in the twenty-first and later verses of the twenty-sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew that “And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” “And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?” “And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.” (Matt: 26-21, 22, 23) “Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.” (ibid: 26-25)
The twenty-first and later verses of the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of John say: “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” “Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.” “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.” “Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.” “He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?” “Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.” (John: 13-21 thr. 26) The difference between the two narratives is apparent.
21 — The twenty-sixth chapter of Matthew, while narrating how the Jews caught and imprisoned hadrat Îsâ, writes as follows beginning in the forty-eighth verse: “Now he that betrayed him gave him a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.” “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.” “And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.” (Matt: 26-48, 49, 50)
The third and later verses of the eighteenth chapter of John narrate that “Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.” “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?” “They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.” “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” “Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.” “Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:” (John: 18-3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Contradiction between the two narratives is manifest.
22 — There are many opposite narratives as to Peter’s denial of knowing Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ in the Gospels. The sixty-ninth and later verses of the twenty-sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew state that “Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee.” “But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.” “And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” “And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.” “And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.” “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.” “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” (Matt: 26-69 thr. 75)
On the other hand, it is narrated as follows between the sixty-sixth and seventy-second verses of the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark: “And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:” “And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.” “But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.” “And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.” “And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilæan, and thy speech agreeth thereto.” “But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man whom ye speak.” “And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.” (Mark: 14-66 thr. 72)
The fifty-fifth and later verses of the twenty-second chapter of the Gospel of Luke narrate that “And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.” “But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.” “And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.” “And after a while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them, And Peter said, Man, I am not.” “And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilæan.” “And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.” “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” (Luke: 22-55 thr. 62)
The twenty-fifth and later verses of the eighteenth chapter of the Gospel of John write that “And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.” “One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?” “Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.” (John: 18-25, 26, 27) These kinds of contradictions in these four narratives are palpable to men of reason.
23 — In the thirty-sixth verse of the twenty-second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, hadrat Îsâ, on the day he would be caught, says to the Apostles: “... But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” (Luke: 22-36) In the thirty-eighth verse the Apostles say to hadrat Îsâ: “... Lord, behold, here are two swords. ...” (ibid: 22-38) And hadrat Îsâ says to them: “... It is enough.” (ibid) In the forty-ninth, fiftieth, fifty-first and fifty-second verses: “When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?” “And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.” “And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye that far. And touched his ear, and healed him.” (ibid: 22-49, 50, 51) Nevertheless, the other three Gospels do not contain the events of buying swords and curing the excised ear.
24 — It is narrated as follows in the fifty-first and later verses of the twenty-sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew: “And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.” “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve regions of angels?” “But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matt: 26-51, 52, 53, 54) The other Gospels, on the other hand, do not contain anything concerning these spiritual soldiers, angels.
25 — In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, as Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was being taken away for crucifixion, they had a person named Simon of Cy-re’ne carry the cross, [Matt: 27-32; Mark: 15-21; Luke: 23-26]. But John says, in the seventeenth verse of the nineteenth chapter, that Jesus carried the cross himself.
26 — According to the writings of Matthew and Mark, two of the malefactors who were to be hanged with Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ kept railing on him. In the Gospel of Luke, though, “One of them railed, but the other rebuked the former and asked Jesus to remember him in his kingdom.” [Luke: 23-39, 40, 41, 42, 43.]
27 — The writings about the resurrection of