I didn’t keep a daily diary or record every conversation, but 35 years later I can still reconstruct the people, places, conversations, tragedies and turning points of a two-year period that shaped my early life.
But what does this have to do with the Gospels? Forty years ago I was troubled by differing accounts of the same Gospel event. In Luke 6v20 Jesus is “down” on “a level place” when He tells them “blessed are you who are poor”. But in Matthew 5v3 He is on a mountain and says “blessed are the poor in spirit”. If we believe Scripture is God’s inspired Word then why are they different? Critics also claim the gospel writers made stuff up because people could not possibly have remembered details when Luke wrote his Gospel 30 years after the events.
“Slam dunk” counter arguments
While my pastor provided some helpful explanations, I didn’t find them to be the compelling, “slam dunk” counter-arguments I wanted. However, since that time I have accumulated life experience, which, along with recent insight from writing my memoir Encounter, addresses these challenges and I want to share that insight with you.
