Restored!

“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Matthew 8:2, Mark 1:40, Luke 5:12

Have you ever been questioned about something you witnessed? Have you heard two people who shared the same experience telling slightly different stories?

Each person has a unique perspective and will remember parts of their story while forgetting others. We observe this phenomenon in the synoptic¹ gospels, where the authors sometimes share parts of the story almost word-for-word and then add information that wasn’t previously mentioned on. 

Let’s read and compare two stories we find in the gospels. Read Matthew 8:1-4.

Why did Jesus ask the Leper not to tell others about his miraculous recovery?

Read Mark 1:40-44 and Luke 5:12-16.

Does reading the other versions help you answer the question above?

What other information did you learn from reading the different versions?

Now read Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10.

As you read these two different accounts, what is the emphasis of each author in their version of the story?

In Luke, the centurion never even comes into Jesus’ presence. Why might Luke feel this was an important part of the story?

Does having two versions of the same story help you believe it is true, or does it make you doubt its veracity? 

“I am willing,” [Jesus] said. “Be clean!” Matthew 8:3, Mark 1:41, Luke 5:13

1. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar or sometimes identical wording. (Wikipedia) ↩︎