Expert: Fr. Michael - 11/18/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello, Fr. Jerome.  

As I read the Gospels, I noticed that they seem to contradict each other.  For instance, three of the four Gospels have the last words spoken by Jesus on the cross just before dying.  Each of these three versions is different.  If the Gospels are supposedly accurate and true, how could the last words of Jesus be different, especially considering how extremely important something like that is.  If there are three different versions of such a specific thing, then at least two of them must be wrong.  There are many other examples of contradictions that cannot be explained by simple translation errors.  What is the story with that?

ANSWER: Differences are not contradictions.  The Church has regarded these accounts as *supplementary* to one another.  When four people are describing events, two of whom were not even present, you are certainly going to get a different focus.

This would explain why St. John's Gospel, for example, is so much more detailed about the final hours of Christ's life on earth, as he was an eyewitness at the foot of the Cross.  St. Matthew was not present, nor, of course, were the Evangelists Mark and Luke.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Fr. Jerome,

Thank you for your answer.  I am not trying to be picky, but it seems that if the versions are different, and all are thought to be the true word of God, then something is amiss.  I'm just trying to understand the Scripture better.  

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Luke 23:46

"It is finished." John 19:30

These three quotes are different not only by their words but even by their underlying message.  They appear entirely different and contradictory.  I don't see how they can possibly be supplementary.  For instance, if you are asked: "According to the New Testament, what were the last words of Jesus?", what would you answer?  You would be forced to say that there are three different possible statements, all different.  How is this not contradictory?

With best regards,
Bruce

Answer
There is nothing contradictory at all about these three statements, and Holy Mother Church has traditionally considered them as adding to each other.  The traditional Seven Last Words of Christ, for example, are not found in any single Gospel, but are collated from the accounts all four Holy Evangelists.

This is not hard to understand at all.  Just try to get four people to describe the same event that they have seen, and you will find that the accounts naturally different, not contradicting each other, but supplementing each other.