Accurate In Details

In court trials the credibility of a witness' testimony can often be determined on the basis of minor facts. Agreement on minor details may stamp the testimony as accurate and honest, whereas serious discrepancies can expose it as a fabrication. On the other hand, an overly tidy account-one in which every last detail is neatly arranged -may also betray a false testimony.

How does the "testimony" of the Bible writers measure up in this regard? The Bible penmen displayed remarkable consistency. There is close agreement about even minute detail in the coincidences, the writers often agreeing unintentionally, Consider some examples.

The Bible writer Matthew wrote: "And Jesus, on coming into Peter's house, saw his mother-in-law lying down and sick with fever." (Matthew 8:14) Matthew here provided an interesting but nonessential detail: Peter was married. This minor fact is supported by Paul, who wrote: "Have I no right to take a Christian wife about with me, like the rest of the apostles and. . .Cephas?" (1 Corinthians 9:5, , the New English Bible) The context indicates that Paul was defending himself against unwarranted criticism. (1 Corinthians 9:1-4) Plainly, this small fact -Peter's being married-is not introduced by Paul to support the accuracy of Matthew's account but is conveyed incidentally.

All four of the Gospel writers-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John-record that on the night of Jesus' arrest, one of his disciples drew a sword and struck a slave of the high priest, taking off the man's ear. Only the Gospel of John reports a seemingly unnecessary detail: "The name of the slave was Malchus." (John 18:10, 26) Why does John alone give the man's name? A few verses later the account provides a minor fact not stated anywhere else: " John "was known to the high priest's household; the servants were acquainted with him, and he with them. (John 18:15, 16) It was only natural, then that John mention the injured man's name whereas the other Gospel writers, to whom the man was a stranger, do not.

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A Book For All People, 1997