2 Kings 8:26 (NKJV) "Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king..." 2 Chronicles 22:2 (NKJV) "Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king..." Contradiction: 22 vs. 42 — the 42 would make him older than his own father (who died at 40). - Christians may try and justify that this isn't a contradiction by claiming Ahaziah ruled at two different time periods. But when you check the modern translations such as the NIV/ESV etc, 2 Chronicles has been updated to 22 years of age instead of 42 because of the earlier manuscripts.

Matthew 27:5 (NKJV) “Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.” This verse plainly states that Judas hanged himself after returning the blood money he received for betraying Jesus. Acts 1:18 (NKJV) “Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.” Here, Judas is said to have fallen headlong (face-first), and his body burst open, spilling his intestines. Conclusion: Matthew says Judas died by hanging himself, while Acts says he died by falling headfirst and bursting open and two conflicting accounts that differ in cause, sequence, and details, making them irreconcilable without inserting assumptions.

Matthew 1:16 (NKJV) “And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Luke 3:23 (NKJV) “Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli...” Conclusion: Matthew says Joseph was the son of Jacob, while Luke says he was the son of Heli. Two incompatible genealogies that cannot both be true without speculative assumptions.

2 Samuel 24:9 (NKJV) “Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. There were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.” 1 Chronicles 21:5 (NKJV) “Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.” 2 Samuel says Israel had 800,000 fighting men and Judah 500,000, but 1 Chronicles says Israel had 1.1 million and Judah 470,000—clear numerical contradictions in the same census event.

Matthew 28:2–5 (NKJV) “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven... and came and rolled back the stone... But the angel answered and said to the women…” 1 angel is explicitly mentioned. Mark 16:5 (NKJV) “And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side...” 1 angel-like figure, described as a “young man”. Traditionally understood to be an angel, but only one is mentioned. Luke 24:4 (NKJV) “And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.” 2 angels (appearing as men in radiant clothing). John 20:12 (NKJV) “And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet...” Clearly states 2 angels. Matthew and Mark say there was one angel at the tomb, while Luke and John say there were two angels, creating a direct numerical contradiction in eyewitness accounts of the resurrection. Both cannot be correct.

Matthew 28:1 (NKJV) “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.” 2 women: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (likely mother of James). Mark 16:1 (NKJV) “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices...” 3 women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. Luke 24:10 (NKJV) “It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them...” At least 5 women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and unnamed others. John 20:1 (NKJV) “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark...” Only 1 woman is mentioned: Mary Magdalene. John presents Mary Magdalene alone at the tomb, while the other Gospels list two, three, or even more women, creating an inconsistent and contradictory picture of who discovered the empty tomb.

Matthew 28:1–2 (NKJV) "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it." In Matthew, the women witness the stone being rolled away. It happens after they arrive. Mark 16:3–4 (NKJV) "And they said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?' But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, for it was very large." In Mark, the stone is already rolled away before they arrive. Luke 24:2 (NKJV) "But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb." In Luke, the stone is also already rolled away when they get there. John 20:1 (NKJV) "Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb." In John, the stone is already moved when Mary arrives. Matthew says the women saw the angel roll the stone away after arriving, while Mark, Luke, and John all say the stone was already rolled away before they got there. Creating a clear contradiction in the resurrection timeline.

Leviticus 11:20–23 (NKJV) “All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you.” Contradiction with Reality: The text repeatedly refers to insects that “creep on all fours” or have “four feet.” But all insects have six legs, not four — this includes locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers, which are specifically named here.

2 Samuel 6:23 “Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” 2 Samuel 21:8 “So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel...” Some claim she merely “raised” the kids. But the Hebrew verb "yalad" used here means to give birth, not adopt. Contradiction: One verse says Michal had no children ever; another says she had five sons.

1 Samuel 17:50 “So David prevailed over the Philistine... and killed him(Goliath).” 2 Samuel 21:19 “...Elhanan... killed Goliath the Gittite…” Contradiction: Both can't have killed Goliath. Some Bibles quietly alter 2 Samuel to say Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath, but that word “brother” does not exist in the Hebrew text.

Matthew 27:46,50 (NKJV) "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' ...And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit." Last words: Unspecified loud cry after “Why have You forsaken Me?” Mark 15:34,37 (NKJV) "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?'... And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last." Last words: Same as Matthew: “Why have You forsaken Me?” then an unspecified loud cry. Luke 23:46 (NKJV) "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last." Last words: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” John 19:30 (NKJV) "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." Last words: “It is finished!” CONTRADICTION: Each Gospel reports a different final saying: Matthew & Mark: "My God, why have You forsaken me?" followed by another loud cry (not quoted). Luke: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” John: “It is finished.” If all of these were said together, it is not explicitly stated in any single account. Each Gospel presents its version as the final words, implying a contradiction in what Jesus’ actual last words were.

Mark 14:12 "On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, 'Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?'" John 19:14 "It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. 'Here is your king,' Pilate said to the Jews." Explanation: Mark indicates that Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, suggesting the crucifixion occurred after Passover. John, however, places the crucifixion on the day of Preparation, before the Passover meal. This presents a chronological contradiction.

Matthew 27:12–14 (NIV) "When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer... But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge..." John 18:19–21 (NIV) "Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 'I have spoken openly to the world,' Jesus replied..." Explanation: Matthew portrays Jesus as completely silent. John shows him defending himself in detail. Christian Refute: Jesus was silent in front of Pilate but spoke to the high priest earlier. They refer to different moments. Muslim Refutation: Both texts describe the same trial period. Matthew claims “not even a single word”, yet John gives a full conversation. This is a contradiction in what Jesus actually said during his trial.

Matthew 27:28 (NIV) "They stripped him and put a scarlet (Red) robe on him..." Mark 15:17 (NIV) "They put a purple robe on him..." Explanation: One says scarlet, the other says purple. These are clearly not the same colour. Christian Refute: The robe may have been a blend of red and purple, or it appeared different depending on the light. Muslim Refutation: These are eyewitness accounts. “Scarlet” and “purple” are not vague shades, they had symbolic meanings in Roman context. If the robe’s colour can’t be consistently described, it questions the reliability of the sources.

Matthew 27:6–7 (NIV) "The chief priests picked up the coins and... bought the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners." Acts 1:18 (NIV) "With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field..." Explanation: Matthew says the priests bought the field. Acts says Judas bought it. Christian Refute: They argue the priests bought it in Judas’s name, using his money. Refutation: This isn’t stated in either verse. The texts present two separate purchasers, both explicitly. Reading Judas as a proxy is an assumption.

1 Samuel 31:4–6 (NIV): “Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through...’ But his armour-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it... So Saul and his three sons and his armour-bearer and all his men died together that same day.” 2 Samuel 1:8–10 (NIV): “‘Who are you?’ he asked me. ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered. Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death...’ So I stood beside him and killed him...” Explanation: 1 Samuel says Saul killed himself. 2 Samuel has an Amalekite claiming he killed Saul. The stories are mutually exclusive. Christian Refute: The Amalekite was lying to gain favour with David, thinking it would be a reward-worthy story. Refutation: The narrator never says the Amalekite lied. David believes the account and executes him. If it was clearly false, the text would say so. Two accounts, two deaths, one contradiction.

Matthew 1:12 (NIV): “After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.” Luke 3:27 (NIV): “...the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri.” Explanation: Matthew says Shealtiel’s father was Jeconiah. Luke says his father was Neri. One man cannot have two biological fathers. Christian Refute: One is the legal line, one is biological. Perhaps through adoption or levirate marriage. Muslim Refutation: The text does not say anything about adoption or legal lineage. That’s a later invention to reconcile the contradiction.

2 Samuel 24:1 (NIV): "Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, 'Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.'" 1 Chronicles 21:1 (NIV): "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel." Explanation: In 2 Samuel, God incites David to take a census, whereas in 1 Chronicles, Satan is the one who incites David. Christian Refute: God allowed Satan to tempt David as a form of judgment; thus, both statements are true from different perspectives. Refutation: The two accounts attribute the action to entirely different beings without clarification, suggesting a contradiction in the narrative.

Mark 15:25 (NIV) "It was nine in the morning when they crucified him." John 19:14–16 (NIV) "It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. 'Here is your king,' Pilate said to the Jews... Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified." SIMPLE EXPLANATION: Mark says Jesus was crucified at 9:00 AM. John says Jesus was still on trial at around 12:00 PM (noon) — before the crucifixion. That’s a 3-hour contradiction — in a timeline that only spans a few hours total. HOW DID PEOPLE TELL TIME BACK THEN? Jewish Timekeeping (used by Mark): The day started at sunrise (around 6 AM). Hours were counted from that point. So: 3rd hour = 9:00 AM 6th hour = 12:00 PM (noon) 9th hour = 3:00 PM Roman Timekeeping (possibly used by John): Some scholars argue John may have used a Roman system, starting at midnight. But this is debated, because elsewhere John’s Gospel doesn’t consistently use Roman time. Most modern scholars agree John was using Jewish time too. SO WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM? If both authors are using the same Jewish time system (which most believe they are), then: Mark has Jesus already on the cross at 9:00 AM. John has Jesus still before Pilate at noon... not yet crucified. That’s a conflict. You can’t be crucified before you’re sentenced. CHRISTIAN REFUTE: Many Christian scholars say: “The time references were estimates, not precise. The Gospel writers didn’t have watches. One writer rounded to 9 AM, another to noon.” Or they might say: “John was using Roman time (starting at midnight), so his ‘sixth hour’ means 6 AM, which fits.” REFUTATION: That explanation has major issues: If the Bible is divinely inspired, shouldn’t such a critical moment of Jesus’ death be clearly recorded? Timekeeping might have been approximate, but this isn’t a 10-minute rounding. It’s a 3-hour contradiction. John doesn’t show signs of using Roman time elsewhere. This defence is speculative, not based on the text. If a text can’t get the hour of execution right, how can it be fully trusted on theological claims? FINAL SUMMARY FOR BEGINNERS: Two Gospels say different times for the crucifixion. Most likely, both used the same clock system. One says Jesus was already on the cross at 9 AM, the other says he was still on trial at 12 PM. This is a clear contradiction, not a minor detail. Attempts to reconcile it involve guessing which system John used. But the Bible itself doesn’t say.

Job 1:6 – “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” Context: The heavenly court scene. Who: The “sons of God” here are angels, presenting themselves before God, with Satan among them.

Job 2:1 – “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.” Context: Heavenly court scene like Job 1. Who: Angels with Satan appearing before God.

Job 38:7 – “…when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Context: God is describing creation to Job. Who: Angels (“sons of God”) rejoicing when God laid the foundations of the earth.

Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Context: Sermon on the Mount. Who: Jesus calls people who make peace “children of God.”

Luke 20:36 – “For they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” Context: Jesus explaining resurrection to the Sadducees. Who: The righteous who are raised from the dead are God’s children.

Romans 8:14 – “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Context: Paul teaching about life in the Spirit. Who: Believers guided by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:19 – “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” Context: Paul describing future glory. Who: Believers who will be revealed as God’s children at the end.

Galatians 3:26 – “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” Context: Paul on faith over the law. Who: Christians who believe in Jesus.

1 John 3:1 – “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Context: John emphasizing God’s love. Who: Believers in Jesus are called children of God.

Exodus 4:22 – “Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.’” Context: God’s command to Moses before confronting Pharaoh. Who: Israel (the nation) as God’s son.

Deuteronomy 14:1 – “You are the children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead.” Context: Moses teaching Israel about holy living. Who: The Israelites as children of God.

Hosea 1:10 – “…In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’” Context: Hosea’s prophecy about Israel’s restoration. Who: The people of Israel being restored to God.

Luke 3:38 – “…the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” Context: Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. Who: Adam, called son of God because he was directly created by God.

Psalm 2:7 – “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’” (NKJV) Context: A royal psalm, originally about the king of Israel (David or his descendants) being adopted into a father-son covenant with God. Who: The Davidic king is called God’s "begotten" son

Genesis 2:4 – “…in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” Context: Creation account. Who: Yahweh (God). Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH) Greek (LXX): κύριος (Kyrios) Exodus 3:15 – “…This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.” Context: God reveals His covenant name to Moses. Who: Yahweh. Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH) Greek (LXX): κύριος (Kyrios)

John 20:28 – “And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” Context: Thomas’ confession after Jesus’ resurrection. Who: Jesus. Hebrew: — (NT passage, Greek only) Greek: κύριός (Kyrios) Philippians 2:11 – “…that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Context: Paul on Christ’s exaltation. Who: Jesus. Hebrew: — Greek: κύριος (Kyrios)

Genesis 18:12 – “Sarah… saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’” Context: Sarah speaking about Abraham. Who: Abraham. Hebrew: אֲדֹנִי (Adoni) – “my lord.” Greek (LXX): κύριός μου (Kyrios mou) – “my lord.” Genesis 32:4 – “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says…’” Context: Jacob addressing Esau. Who: Esau. Hebrew: אֲדֹנִי (Adoni) – “my lord.” Greek (LXX): κυρίῳ μου (Kyriō mou) – “to my lord.” Genesis 39:20 – “Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison…” Context: Potiphar jails Joseph. Who: Potiphar. Hebrew: אֲדוֹן (Adon) – “master.” Greek (LXX): κύριος (Kyrios) 1 Samuel 25:24 – “So she fell at his feet and said: ‘On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be!’” Context: Abigail speaking to David. Who: David. Hebrew: אֲדֹנִי (Adoni) Greek (LXX): κύριέ μου (Kyrie mou) – “my lord.” 2 Kings 2:19 – “Then the men of the city said to Elisha, ‘…as my lord sees; but the water is bad…’” Context: Men of Jericho to Elisha. Who: Elisha. Hebrew: אֲדֹנִי (Adoni) Greek (LXX): κύριε (Kyrie) Matthew 27:63 – “…saying, ‘Sir, we remember…’” Context: Pharisees to Pilate. Who: Pilate. Hebrew: — Greek: κύριε (Kyrie) – “lord, sir.”

John 4:11 – “The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with…’” Context: Samaritan woman to Jesus. Who: Jesus (addressed respectfully). Hebrew: — Greek: κύριε (Kyrie) Acts 16:30 – “…‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” Context: Philippian jailer to Paul and Silas. Who: Paul and Silas. Hebrew: — Greek: κύριοι (Kyrioi) – plural, “lords/sirs.”

Matthew 5:17–19 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Context: Sermon on the Mount. Explanation: Jesus declares the Law unabolished and binding until heaven and earth pass—directly contradicts Paul’s teaching of being “no longer under law” (Rom. 6:14; Gal. 3:25). Luke 16:17 “It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.” Context: Teaching on divorce and the Law’s permanence. Explanation: Jesus stresses the Law is permanent, while Paul claims Christ abolished “the law of commandments” (Eph. 2:15). John 5:46–47 “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” Context: Dispute with Jews over authority. Explanation: Jesus anchors His message in Mosaic authority, whereas Paul de-centers Mosaic writings (Rom. 10:4–5).

Matthew 19:16–19 “Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ ‘Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.’ ‘Which ones?’ he inquired. Jesus replied, ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’” Context: The rich young ruler asks about eternal life. Explanation: Jesus ties eternal life to Mosaic commandments, contrary to Paul’s claim that “a person is not justified by works of the law” (Gal. 2:16). Mark 10:19 “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” Context: Same rich ruler encounter. Explanation: Direct appeal to Mosaic commandments as the way of life. Luke 18:20 “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” Context: Same account in Luke. Explanation: Repetition reinforces continuity with Mosaic Law. Luke 10:25–28 “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered, ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”’ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’” Context: Dialogue with a Jewish lawyer. Explanation: Jesus affirms eternal life comes through obeying the Law’s commands.

Matthew 23:2–3 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” Context: Rebuke of Pharisees. Explanation: Jesus instructs obedience to Mosaic Law (from teachers of Moses), even while rejecting their hypocrisy. Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” Context: Condemnation of Pharisaic hypocrisy. Explanation: Jesus affirms both tithing and moral commands should be practiced, whereas Paul emphasizes faith apart from law. Matthew 15:3–4 “Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, “Honor your father and mother” and “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.”’” Context: Dispute over purity traditions. Explanation: Jesus upholds Mosaic law above human traditions. Mark 7:8–10 “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions. And he continued, ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, “Honor your father and mother,” and, “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.”’” Context: Parallel passage. Explanation: Jesus condemns replacing Mosaic commands with man-made customs.

Luke 2:21–24 “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus… And when the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord… and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons.’” Context: Jesus’ early life. Explanation: Jesus’ family obeyed Mosaic law (circumcision, purification, temple offerings). Matthew 8:4 “Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” Context: Healing of a leper. Explanation: Jesus directs obedience to Mosaic sacrificial law. John 7:22–23 “Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath?” Context: Defense of healing on Sabbath. Explanation: Jesus assumes Torah circumcision must be kept, and uses it to justify mercy. Matthew 12:1–8 “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.’ He answered, ‘Haven’t you read what David did…? …If you had known what these words mean, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’” Context: Sabbath dispute. Explanation: Jesus interprets, not abolishes, Sabbath. Upholding Law but prioritizing mercy. Luke 13:14–16 “Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’ The Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey…? Then should not this woman… be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’” Context: Healing in synagogue. Explanation: Jesus honors the Sabbath while showing its true purpose.

Matthew 22:36–40 “‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Context: Pharisees test Jesus. Explanation: Jesus affirms Torah (Deut. 6:5, Lev. 19:18) as the essence of Law. Mark 12:29–31 “‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’” Context: Debate with teachers of the Law. Explanation: Jesus quotes Torah as the heart of His message.