Luke - General
Luke 1:5-6 - According to the Psalms 14:3, 53:3 and Romans 3:10, 23, no human has ever been righteous. But Luke tells us that both Elisabeth and Zacharias were "righteous before God" and "blameless".
Luke 1:15 - John the Baptist was "great in the sight of the Lord," so of course he drank "neither wine nor strong drink."
Luke 1:41, 67 - Elisabeth and Zacharias were filled with the Holy Ghost. But how could they have been, since "the Holy Ghost had not yet been given"? (Jn.7:39)
Luke 2:14 - This verse claims that Jesus came to bring peace, but Jesus denies this in Mt.10:34 and Lk.12:51.
Luke 2:22 - Even Mary had to be "purified" after giving birth to Jesus. Was she defiled by giving birth to the Son of God?
Luke 2:23 - Males are holy to God, not females.
Luke 2:25-26 - Ec.7:20 says that there has never been a just man. But according to this verse Simeon was not only just, but he was also filled with the Holy Ghost, before the Holy Ghost had even been given (Jn.7:39).
Luke 2:39 - Luke says that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to Nazareth soon after Jesus' birth; Matthew disagrees (Mt.2:14), saying they went not to Nazareth, but to Egypt.
Luke 2:43-49 - When Jesus' parents begin the long trip back to Nazareth, the twelve year old Jesus stays behind, without even asking for their permission. Mary and Joseph search for him for three days and when they finally find him, Jesus doesn't apologize. Rather, he blames them for not knowing that he was doing his real father's business.
Luke 2:52 - How could an omniscient being "increase in wisdom"? And how could God increase "in favour with God."?
Luke 3:14 - "Be content with your wages", no matter how unjust they may be.
Luke 3:23 - Luke says that Joseph's father (Jesus' grandfather) was Heli; Matthew 1:16 says his name was Jacob. Notice that the genealogy of Jesus given here is entirely different than that in Mt.1:6-16. Luke lists 43 generations from David to Jesus, Matthew has only 29, and except for David at one end and Jesus at the other, only three names in the two lists are the same (and they are completely out of order). Of course we are told to ignore boring genealogies like this in 1 Tim.1:4 and Tit.3:19. So why are they in the Bible then?
Luke 3:35-36 - Luke says that the father of Salah was Cainan, but Genesis (Gen.10:24, 11:12) says Salah's father was Arphaxad.
Luke 4:5 - The devil takes Jesus to the top of a mountain and shows him "all the kingdoms of the world." I guess the world was flat in those days.
Luke 4:12 - Jesus says that we shouldn't tempt God. But according to James 1:13, it is not possible to tempt him.
Luke 4:38 - Peter, who Catholics consider the first pope, was married.
Luke 5:11 - Peter and his partners (James and John) abandon their wives and children to follow Jesus.
Luke 6:16 - Luke says that Judas the brother of James was one of the apostles, but neither Matthew 10:2-4 nor Mark 3:16-19 include him in their lists. Instead they mention Thaddeus, who isn't listed in either Luke or Acts 1:13.
Luke 6:29-30 - Invite someone that has hit you to do it again, and if someone steals from you offer them something additional. Don't turn down any borrowers (Do Christian bankers follow this one?), and when you loan something don't ask for it back.
Luke 6:31 - The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Too bad God doesn't follow this rule.
Luke 6:35 - "Love your enemies." Well, it's a nice thought. But it seems strange coming from someone who damns his enemies to hell in Mk.16:16.
Luke 6:36 - "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Well I'm glad Jesus thinks we should be merciful. But the Old Testament God is a strange role model for mercy! (See 1 Sam.15:2-3 for an example of the OT God's mercy.)
Luke 6:37 - Jesus says, "Judge not," but Paul (1 Cor.5:3, 12-13, 6:2-3) judges people and tells others to do so.
Luke 7:19 - John the Baptist, who is about to die, is still unsure about Jesus. He sends his disciples to Jesus asking: "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?" Well, if he's not sure, how can anyone else be?
Luke 7:21 - Jesus cures those with "evil spirits."
Luke 8:10 - Jesus says that he speaks in parables so "that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." At least he is honest.
Luke 8:20-21 - Jesus, when told that his mother and brothers want to see him, ignores and insults them by saying that his mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.
Luke 8:42 - Both Luke and Mark 5:23 say that Jarius' daughter was dying, but was not ye dead when Jarius asked Jesus for help. But in Matthew 9:18 she is already dead when Jarius approaches Jesus for help.
Luke 9:3 - In this verse Jesus tells his disciples not to carry a staff, but in Mark 6:8-9 he tells them to carry one.
Luke 9:7-8 - There were various opinions about the identity of Jesus. Some thought he was Elijah or one of the prophets; others that he was the risen John the Baptist. With such a credulous populace, is it surprising that some people would later claim, and probably even believe, that they had seen the risen Christ?
Luke 9:27 - Jesus falsely predicts that some of his listeners would live to see him return and establish the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:50 - The disciples see some other guys casting out devils in Jesus' name (It was a common pastime in those days). But Jesus says it's OK with him because those who are not against him are for him. But elsewhere Jesus says that those who are not for him are against him. I don't know where that leaves me, since I'm neither for or against him.
Luke 9:52-53 - These verses say that the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, but John 4:39-40 says that they believed in him and convinced him to stay with them for two days.
Luke 9:54 - James and John ask Jesus if they can call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans who didn't much care for Jesus' teaching. They'd like to kill people the way Elijah did. But shucks, Jesus won't let them.
Luke 9:59-62 - Jesus won't even let his followers bury their dead parents or say farewell to their families before abandoning them.
Luke 10:10-15 - Jesus says that entire cities will be violently destroyed and the inhabitants "thrust down to hell" for not "receiving" his disciples.
Luke 10:21 - Jesus thanks God that only the ignorant and foolish will listen to him.
Luke 10:25-28 - Jesus tells the lawyer that those who love God and their neighbour will be saved. But this is contrary to many New Testament passages that clearly teach that there are other requirements for salvation. (Mt.12:37, Mk.16:16, Jn.3:18, 36) And, of course, it also contradicts the many New testament verses that claim that salvation is by faith alone.
Luke 11:9-10 - Jesus says that "he who seeketh findeth." But later (13:24) he says that "many ... will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." And Proverbs 1:28 quotes God as saying that they "shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me." Which is it?
Luke 11:23 - Jesus says, "He that is not with me is against me." But Mark 9:40 and Luke 9:50 confuse the issue by having Jesus say, "He that is not against me is for me."
Luke 11:24-26 - Jesus says it is impossible to get rid of unclean spirits. If you manage to evict one, he'll soon return with seven others "more wicked than himself" and you'll be worse off than you were before. So just learn to live with whatever unclean spirits that are currently possessing you.
Luke 11:27-28 - Once again, (see 8:20-21) Jesus shows disrespect for his mother by denying that she is blessed.
Luke 11:29 - Jesus refuses to perform any signs. Yet elsewhere (Mk.16:20, Jn.3:2, 20:30, Acts.2:22) the Bible claims that he performed many signs.
Luke 11:40 - Jesus calls his critics fools, thus making himself, by his own standards (Mt.5:22), worthy of "hell fire."
Luke 12:10 - In this verse Jesus says there is an unforgivable sin. But Acts 13:39 says that all sins can be forgiven.
Luke 12:46-47 - Jesus says that God is like a slave-owner who beats his slaves "with many stripes."
Luke 12:51 - Jesus says that he has not come to bring peace, but rather war and division. If so, then those verses (Lk.2:14, Jn.14:27, Acts 10:36) that claim that he came to bring peace are untrue.
Luke 12:53 - Jesus prophesies that families will be divided because of him and his teachings. Sadly, this is one prophecy that has been fulfilled.
Luke 12:56 - Jesus calls the people hypocrites because they cannot "discern this time."
Luke 13:23-30 - In Mt.7:7-8 and Lk.11:9-10 Jesus says that "he who seeketh findeth." But in this verse he says that "many ... will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." He says that only a few will be saved; the vast majority will suffer eternally in hell where "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Luke 14:26 - Jesus says that his disciples must hate their families (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children) and themselves.
Luke 14:33 - If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must abandon everything, including your family.
Luke 16:15 - "That which is highly esteemed among men [love, wisdom, honesty, courage, etc.] is an abomination in the sight of God."
Luke 16:16 - Jesus says that the Old Testament laws were applied only until the time of John the Baptist. But he contradicts himself immediately in the next verse.
Luke 16:17 - All of the vicious Old Testament laws will be binding forever, contrary to Lk.16:16, Rom.7:4-6, and Eph.2:15.
Luke 16:19-31 - In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man goes to hell, because as Abraham explains, he had a good life on earth and so now he will be tormented. Whereas Lazarus, who was miserable on earth, is now in heaven. This seems fair to Jesus.
Luke 17:29-32 - Jesus also believes the story about Noah's flood and Sodom's destruction. He says, "even thus shall it be in the day the son of man is revealed ... Remember Lot's wife." This tells us about Jesus' knowledge of science and history, and his sense of justice.
Luke 18:17 - Jesus says that you must be as gullible as a little child if you want to be saved. But Paul 1 Cor.13:11 says that he "put away childish things" including faith in Jesus and believing what the bible tells us?
Luke 18:25 - Jesus says that rich people cannot go to heaven. "For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
Luke 18:29-30 - Abandon your wife and family for Jesus and he'll give you a big reward.
Luke 18:31-33 - Jesus claims that his suffering and death were a fulfilment of prophecy. Hosea 6:2 perhaps? But this verse refers to the people living at the time (hence "us") and therefore cannot be fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Luke 18:33 - Jesus tells his disciples about his impending death and resurrection, but John 20:8-9 says that the disciples had never heard any of this before Jesus' death.
Luke 18:35 - Luke says that there was only one blind man that was healed near Jericho and Mark agrees (10:46), but Matthew 20:30 says that there were two.
Luke 19:22-27 - In the parable of the talents, Jesus says that God takes what is not rightly his, and reaps what he didn't sow. The parable ends with the words of Jesus: "bring them [those who preferred not to be ruled by him] hither, and slay them before me."
Luke 19:35 - Luke says that Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on a colt, but Jn.12:14 says he rode on an ass, and Matthew 21:7 insists that he rode on both an ass and a colt.
Luke 20:35 - Jesus says that everyone in heaven is single. Does that mean that married people can't go there, that they must get a divorce once they arrive, or what?
Luke 20:37 - "Now that the dead are raised ...." But many bible verses say that there is no afterlife.
Luke 20:38 - Dead people have no God.
Luke 20:44 - Jesus says that the Messiah is not the descendent of David. Then why do Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 try so hard to show that he was?
Luke 21:1-3 From his comments on the widow's mites, it appears that Jesus, contrary to today's Christian right, favoured progressive taxation.
Luke 21:16-18 - Jesus says that everyone will hate Christians, and some Christians will be killed, yet no Christian will be harmed in any way.
Luke 21:32 - Jesus says that all that he describes (his return, signs in the sun, moon, and stars, etc.) will occur within the lifetime of his listeners.
Luke 21:33 - Jesus says that heaven won't last forever, but will "pass away" like everything else (including the earth, contrary to several scriptures that say that the earth will last forever).
Luke 22:3, 7 - Luke says that Satan entered Judas before the last supper, but John 13:27 disagrees, saying that Satan entered him after the last supper.
Luke 22:34 Jesus tells Peter that the cock will not crow until Peter denies him three times. But Mark 14:68, 72 says that the cock crowed after Peter's first denial, and crowed twice before his third denial.
Luke 23:26 - Luke says that Simon the Cyrenian bore Jesus' cross, But John 19:17 says that Jesus bore his own cross.
Luke 23:38 - Luke says the sign over Jesus said, "This is the king of the Jews." But none of the other gospels agree (Mt.23:37, Mk.14:26, Jn.19:19).
Luke 23:39-40 - Luke says that only one of the thieves reviled Jesus; the other one (the "good thief") rebuked him for it. But according to Mark 15:32 both thieves reviled Jesus.
Luke 23:43 Jesus tells the "good thief" that they will both be in heaven "today." But how can that be since it's only Friday and , according to the gospels, Jesus lay dead in the tomb Friday night and all day Saturday.
Luke 23:46 - Luke disagrees with Matthew 27:46 and John 19:30 on the last words of Jesus.
Luke 23:49 - Luke says that the women who followed Jesus to his crucifixion watched from "afar off." But John 19:25 says that they "stood by the cross."
Luke 24:2 - Luke says that the women who came to anoint the dead body of Jesus found the tomb open when they arrived. but Matthew 28:2 says that the tomb was closed.
Luke 24:4 - Luke says that the women saw "two men" inside the tomb, but Matthew 28:2 says that they saw "an angel" who was outside the tomb. Mark 16:5 and John 20:12 add further confusion by saying that the visitors saw "a young man" and "two angels," respectively.
Luke 24:6-8 - The angel reminds the women that Jesus told them all about his death and resurrection. Yet John 20:8-9 says that they had never heard any of this before Jesus' death.
Luke 24:9 - Luke says that the women "told all these things to the eleven, and to the rest." But Mark 16:8 says the women "were afraid" and told no one.
Luke 24:10 - None of the evangelists agree on the identity of the visitors. Luke says their were five or more women, Matthew 28:1 says there were only two women, Mark 16:1 says there were three women, and John 20:1 says there was only one.
Luke 24:11 - When Mary Magdalene and the other women gave their account of the resurrection to the apostles "their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not."
Luke 24:16 - Two of Jesus' disciples failed to recognize him after his supposed resurrection. Maybe that was because the person they saw wasn't Jesus.
Luke 24:25 - The man (whoever he was) who talked with the two unnamed apostles on the way to Emmaus calls them "fools," thereby making himself a candidate for "hell fire." (Mt.5:22)
Luke 24:33, 36 - Luke says that Jesus first appeared to the eleven apostles in a room in Jerusalem, but Matthew 28:16-17 says it occurred on a mountain in Galilee.
Luke 24:37 - The disciples were "terrified ... and supposed that they had seen a spirit." But John 20:20 says they were "glad."
Luke 24:39 - In John 20:17, Jesus told the women not to touch him because he hadn't yet ascended to his father. Yet in this verse, before his ascension, he asks the disciples to touch him. Jesus says that "a spirit hath not flesh and bones" and Jn.24 says that "God is a spirit." Therefore, according to these verses, God doesn't have a body. Yet other verses disagree.
Luke 24:44,46 - Jesus claims that his suffering and death were a fulfilment of prophecy. But there is no such prophecy in the Old Testament.
Luke 24:49 - Jesus tells his disciples to stay in Jerusalem after his ascension and instructs them to wait there to be "endured with power from on high." But in Matthew 28:10 and Mark 16:7, he tells them to go immediately to Galilee.
Luke 24:50-51 - Luke says Jesus ascended from Bethany, but Acts 1:9, 12 says he ascended from Mount Olivet.
