The tension: Matthew 16:16-17 has Peter confess Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God" at Caesarea Philippi, and Jesus explicitly tells Peter this knowledge came…
The tension: The Synoptic Gospels record Jesus making at least three explicit, detailed passion predictions to the disciples (Matt 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; Mark 8:31; 9:3…
The tension: Matthew 17:1 and Mark 9:2 both state that the transfiguration occurred "after six days" following Jesus' prediction about some standing there not tasting death…
The tension: Matthew 17:22-23 reports the disciples' reaction to Jesus' second passion prediction: "they were exceeding sorry" (*elypēthēsan sphodra*), indicating comprehen…
The tension: The Synoptic Jesus tells his followers they must become like little children to enter the kingdom — receive it, in fact, *as* a little child or stay locked out.
The tension: Matt 20:23 has Jesus admit that assigning the right- and left-hand seats in his kingdom 'is not mine to give' — that prerogative belongs to the Father.
The tension: John 2 places Jesus' violent cleansing of the temple at the very beginning of his public ministry, right after the Cana wedding miracle and years before his ar…
The tension: Matthew 21:1-7 has Jesus dispatch two disciples to fetch *an ass and her colt*, and the disciples bring back both animals; Matthew even depicts Jesus sitting o…
The tension: Matthew 21:19-20 says the fig tree 'presently' withered after Jesus cursed it, and the disciples marveled at the speed: 'How soon is the fig tree withered away…
The tension: Matthew 23:1-3 has Jesus tell the crowds that because the scribes and Pharisees 'sit in Moses' seat,' the listeners should 'observe and do' whatever the Pharis…
The tension: The Synoptic apocalyptic discourses and Revelation 1:7 stack up to say the return of the Son of Man will be a universally visible event: every tribe of the ear…
The tension: In the Synoptic Gethsemane scene (Matt 26:36-42, Mark 14:35-36, Luke 22:41-42) Jesus prays explicitly that the cup of suffering pass from him — 'let this cup p…
The tension: The three Synoptic arrest scenes (Matt 26:47-49, Mark 14:43-45, Luke 22:47-48) all have Judas identify Jesus by approaching and kissing him — the prearranged s…
The tension: John 2:19-21 has Jesus straightforwardly speak this saying as a public pronouncement at the temple cleansing, and the narrator helpfully tells us he meant the…
