The Gospels..... those 'Difficult' verses!

[oldbadger]

I don't get it.
Why, for instance, would the gospel of Mark include an anecdote about Jesus being told that his Mother and brothers had come to speak with him, waiting outside, and Jesus told his followers 'You are my Mother and my brothers'. ??

Mark: And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? {3:34} And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

There must be many other verses which Christians could find difficulty with.... do you know any more? This is intended as a debate, obviously, but a list of these strange verses would be useful....

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by oldbadger]

Why not include it, if it Happened it has its place in a gospel account. What exactly for you find "difficult" or "strange" with the verse?

[oldbadger]

[Replying to post 2 by JehovahsWitness]

I have never met with any JW who could find any difficulty with any verse in any part of the bible.

However, I have met with and debated with thousands of people who have found difficulties with the gospels..... you know that this is true. You know that I myself have difficulties with them.

I simply grasped an example of a verse or two that some critics have snatched at before. If this hel;ps any members to think of verses that they identify as difficult then I need to collect these for a particular (quite benign) research.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 3 by oldbadger]


Thank you for your reply, however I cannot glean from what you said the answer to my question which was: What exactly for you find "difficult" or "strange" with the verse [mentioned]?

Mark: And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? {3:34} And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

[oldbadger]

[Replying to post 3 by oldbadger]

If you find the my example is without any difficulty, then I ask you to say so.
I personally have found that Christians can tend to falter over Jesus's words that good friends are of more value than bad family. It utterly confounds the proverb that 'blood is thicker than water'.

Would you prefer an example which you might identify more closely with? I'll dig up half a dozen if you like to choose?

[tam]

[Replying to post 5 by oldbadger]

He didn't say that good friends are of more value than bad family. (although I think there are many people who agree with that sentiment)

He said,

“Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?� Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."


I see no problem with this verse. He spoke the truth.


Peace to you!
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[oldbadger]

[Replying to post 5 by oldbadger]

He didn't say that good friends are of more value than bad family. (although I think there are many people who agree with that sentiment)

I see no problem with this verse. He spoke the truth.


Peace to you!
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

And peace to you.

Look at the two sentences, above....
You agree that many find difficultry with that sentence.
You personally don't.

I'm interested in those who do find difficulty with ceretain verses.
Here are some more: Do you tghink that any of these cause difficulty..... for other folks?

Mark{15:34} And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 6:5 Pray in secret

Mark: {6:52} For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Matthew {11:19} The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.

Matthew {13:57} And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. {13:58} And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew {10:35} For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew . {10:37} He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 19:21 & Mark 10:21 Sell your possessions to give to the poor etc.

[JehovahsWitness]

Mark{15:34} And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 6:5 Pray in secret

Mark: {6:52} For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Matthew {11:19} The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.

Matthew {13:57} And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. {13:58} And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew {10:35} For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew . {10:37} He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 19:21 & Mark 10:21 Sell your possessions to give to the poor etc.

Those verses are perfectly clear and agreable to me. I cannot speak for anyone else. What about you? Do you see any of them as problematic? If so, would you be able to express in written words in English what that problem is?

JW

[marco]

I don't get it.
Why, for instance, would the gospel of Mark include an anecdote about Jesus being told that his Mother and brothers had come to speak with him, waiting outside, and Jesus told his followers 'You are my Mother and my brothers'. ??

This is a "difficult" verse because Jesus is being abominably rude about his mother in particular. He seems to have forgotten God's command: Honour thy father and thy mother. This arrogant dismissal of his own family does the man no favours.

We might also call to mind the impertinent tone used when telling his mother he didn't see what shortage of wine had to do with him.

"Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come."

Allowances, of course, must be made for the times where woman were possibly expected to shut up, especially in church. A modern writer may have written:

Jesus hugged his mother and said: "Listen mum, you know I'd do anything for you but this is a little premature for me. All the same, seeing as how it's you that asked, I will do it."

[oldbadger]

Mark{15:34} And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 6:5 Pray in secret

Mark: {6:52} For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Matthew {11:19} The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.

Matthew {13:57} And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. {13:58} And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew {10:35} For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew . {10:37} He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 19:21 & Mark 10:21 Sell your possessions to give to the poor etc.

Those verses are perfectly clear and agreable to me. I cannot speak for anyone else. What about you? Do you see any of them as problematic? If so, would you be able to express in written words in English what that problem is?

JW

You've given your answer.
You are perfectly clear and in agreement with all of the given verses.
You cannot speak for anybody else. It would appear as if nobody has ever given you any feedback on any of the above verses.

If you would like to help, please could you show any verses that have ever givenm any other person difficulty that you know about?

Me? I can find difficulties with some of them, but at this time in finding anybody else who either has difficulties with any one of the verses or who has ever met anybody who has...... in the gospels.... only the gospels.

If everybody is agreeable with them in your l;ocality then you might expect a lot of conversions?