The following is a detailed discussion of sample contradictions contained in the biblical accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus:
Who Carried Jesus’ Cross?
In the Passion narratives, did Jesus carry his own cross or not?
Mark 15:21, Matthew 27:32, Luke 23:26 – Jesus got help from Simon of Cyrene
John 19:17 – Jesus carried his own cross the whole way
Did Jesus Drink Wine or Vinegar?
Jesus was given something to drink while he was on the cross, but what?
Mark 15:23- Jesus was given wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not drink
Matthew 27:48, Luke 23:36 – Jesus was given vinegar, but he did not drink
John 19:29-30 – Jesus was given vinegar and he drank
Jesus and the Centurion:
Romans supposedly witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, but what did they think?
Mark 15:39 – A centurion is cited as saying: “Truly this man was the son of God!”
Matthew 27:54 – A centurion is cited as saying: “Truly this was the son of God.”
Luke 23:47 – A centurion is cited as saying: “Truly this man was innocent.”
John – No centurions say anything
Women Watched the Crucifixion:
The gospels describe several women as having followed Jesus around, but what did they do when Jesus was crucified?
Mark 15:40, Matthew 27:55, Luke 23:49 – Several women watched Jesus from afar
John 19:25-26 – Several women were close enough that Jesus could talk to his mother, contrary to Roman practices
The Day Jesus Crucified
What is the exact day Jesus was crucified?
Mark 14:12, Matthew 26:17, and Luke 22:7 – Jesus offered the Lord’s Supper “on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb”. That would mean Jesus said the first Mass on Thursday, the fourteenth of Nisan. This was “the day of preparation” for the Passover when the lambs were slain and the meal prepared to be eaten in the evening according to Ex. 12:6.
John 19:31 – John tells us that Jesus was crucified on the “day of preparation”. That would seem to make Friday, the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of preparation. Saturday would then have been both the Sabbath and the Passover.
Computer software programs – Jesus was presumably crucified and entombed on a Wednesday afternoon, not on Friday. For more information, click on the following link: http://www.ucg.org/doctrinal-beliefs/jesus-wasnt-crucified-friday-or-resurrected-sunday/
The Hour Jesus Crucified
The crucifixion of Jesus is the central event of the Passion narrative, but the narratives don’t agree on when the crucifixion occurred.
Mark 15:25 – Jesus was crucified on the “third hour.”
John 19:14-15 – Jesus was crucified on the “sixth hour.”
Matthew, Luke – It’s not stated when the crucifixion started, but the “sixth hour” occurred during the crucifixion
Jesus’ Last Words:
Jesus’ last words before dying are important, but no one seems to have written them down.
Mark 15:34-37, Matthew 27:46-50 – Jesus says: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (but they use different Greek words for “God” — Matthew uses “Eli” and Mark uses “Eloi”)
Luke 23:46 – Jesus says: “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.”
John 19:30 – Jesus says: “It is finished.”
Earthquake after the Resurrection:
Was there an earthquake when Jesus died?
Matthew 27:51-53 – At the moment Jesus died, a massive earth quake struck and opened tombs where dead people rose again
Mark, Luke, John – No earthquake is mentioned. No earthquake and no massive influx of formerly dead people were mentioned in any historical records, which is strange given how monumental such an event would be.
Was Jesus Crucified on a Tree or Cross?
Some gospels narrate that Jesus was crucified on a cross. Others relate that he was crucified on a tree. Which gospel should we believe?
Acts 5, Acts 10, and Acts 13 – Jesus was hanged on and taken down from a tree.
Matthew 27, Mark 15 – the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, mocked Jesus and wondered if he could come down from the cross.
John 19 – Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross.
Was Jesus Seen Alive after Crucifixion?
Who saw Jesus after crucifixion?
Luke 24:1 – the women came to the tomb with medicine and found Jesus gone.
John 20:15 – Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was a gardener, after he healed and rose back up.
John 20:17 – Jesus was still in pain, he told Mary Magdalene “touch me not!”
John 20:19-29 – Jesus showed his original body to the disciples, and they checked it.