The Sources of the Trial of Jesus

Chapter III

The Sources of the Gospels and the Way of Writing Them

Section VI

The Texts which were quoted from the Old Testament, but they have not been attributed directly to it

In this section will examine the texts which were quoted from the Old Testament, but they have not been attributed directly to it, as is the case in the previous sections, which I call it Storyline or Plot-story or screenplay of the Gospels, where we will review the most of the events and stories and sayings that mentioned in the Gospels, and comparing them with the Old Testament and with Jesus as was portrayed in the Gospels, and his attributes in the laws of the faith of the churches as well.

The Sources of the Trial of Jesus:
This post includes the sources of the following stories:

The Source of the Story of the False Witnesses during the Trial of Jesus

The Source of the Position of Jesus during the Trial

The Source of the Dream of Pilate's wife

The Source of the Story of Spitting on Jesus

The Source of the Saying of Jesus that the Jews will see him sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and coming on the clouds of heaven

The Source of the Story of Pilate washing his hands, and his saying "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person"

19 - The Source of the Story of the False Witnesses during the Trial of Jesus

Matthew and Mark wrote in their Gospels that some false witnesses testified against Jesus during his trial, so what is the reality of these false witnesses? Before continuing discussion, let's read their story in the Gospels:

Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,

Matthew 26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward

Matthew 26:61 and said, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days’."

Matthew 26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"

Mark 14:55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.

Mark 14:56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

Mark 14:57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,

Mark 14:58 "We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands’." 

Mark 14:59 But not even then did their testimony agree.

Mark 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"

Mark 14:61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"

In these texts Matthew and Mark wrote that the false witnesses testified that they heard Jesus says "I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days", or "I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands"! Although Luke and John did not mention this story, yet there is a text in the Gospel of John proves that those witnesses, if the story is true, did not testify falsely, which is as follows:

John 2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

John 2:20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"

John 2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

In this text Jesus says "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up", so how do Matthew and Mark say that they have testified falsely against Jesus?!

As for the comment of John on the words of Jesus, saying, "But he was speaking of the temple of his body". This comment is not acceptable for two things. The first is that Jesus did not say to the Jews that he refers to his body, but was talking about the real temple, for this the Jews said "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?", otherwise he should explain his words by saying I mean the temple of my body, not the real temple!

The second is about the saying of John that Jesus was speaking of the temple of his body, which is also wrong for two reasons:

The first is because Jesus as is mentioned in the four Gospels remained in the grave two nights and one day and few hours only, and this time period is not enough to destroy the human body and decompose to dust!

The second is that the Gospels had mentioned that when Jesus rose from the tomb were the nail marks still visible on his body, so that it was the evidence of his resurrection, and this shows that his body was not destroyed unlike what John said in his comment.

Luke 24:36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you."

Luke 24:37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

Luke 24:38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

Luke 24:39 "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."

Luke 24:40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

Luke 24:41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?"

Luke 24:42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.

Luke 24:43 And He took it and ate in their presence.

John 20:24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

John 20:26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!"

John 20:27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."

From all this I can say that the story of the false witnesses is not true, and has not been written by the revelation or the inspiration, or through seeing or hearing from trusted sources, so what is the source of it?

Let's read the following text:

Psalm 27:1 (A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.

Psalm 27:3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident.

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 27:6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Psalm 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

Psalm 27:8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."

Psalm 27:9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

Psalm 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.

Psalm 27:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

Psalm 27:12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.

Psalm 27:13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

This Psalm of David, and the speaker says that the Lord is his light and his salvation and the strength of his life, and then says that in the time of trouble He shall hide him in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide him; He shall set him high upon a rock, and said that his head shall be lifted up above his enemies all around him; therefore he will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle and will sing praises to the LORD, and asked the LORD to hear him when he cries with his voice! Have mercy also upon him, and answer him, and does not hide His face from him; Does not turn His servant away in anger; He has been his help; Does not leave him nor forsake him. And all these things did not happen to Jesus as it is written in the four Gospels, because the last words of him was my God my God why have You forsaken me!

Also we read "when the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell", which was one of the sources of the story that written by John about the soldiers who arrested Jesus that they drew back and fell to the ground as shown previously, and then we read "when my father and my mother forsake me", which may be one of the sources of the story that written by Luke about Jesus' stay in the Temple when he was a child, which was discussed previously, and finally we read "Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me", which is the source of the story of Matthew and Mark.Yet we have to note that they did not attribute them to the Old Testament as they did with previous sections, and is likely that the reason for this is the difficulty of attribution them to the Old Testament without the appearance of differences and contradictions and discrepancies with other stories that had been written about Jesus in the Gospels, and this Psalm is an example, because if they said that what is written was to be fulfilled by what is written in this Psalm; their error will appear directly, because this Psalm talks about a servant of the LORD, not about a god and the son of God and one of three Persons who are one and have the same nature and essence!

From all of the above, we can see how the Gospels authors have used the Old Testament texts to compose their accounts about Jesus without paying any attention if they contradict each other, or distort the Old Testament texts, and this shows their method and approach of writing the Gospels, as shown in this book, to bestow a state of holiness and credibility and reliability on the Gospels, which means that the law "do not accept the lying and false" applies to this story.

20 - The Source of the Position of Jesus during the Trial

The churches say that Jesus remained silent during the trial to fulfill the text or the prophecy in the Old Testament, which is as follows:

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

Isaiah 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked — But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

So is it true that Jesus remained silent during the trial or was speaking, despite the existence of this text?

Let's read the following texts:

Matthew 26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"

Mark 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"

Mark 14:61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"

Matthew 27:11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."

Matthew 27:12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

Matthew 27:13 Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"

Matthew 27:14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Mark 15:4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!"

Mark 15:5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

Luke 23:8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.

Luke 23:9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

In these texts we read that Jesus did not speak one word during the trial, but what did John write on this position?

John 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

John 18:20 Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.

John 18:21 "Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said."

John 18:22 And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"

John 18:23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

John 18:24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

As we read that Jesus was speaking during the trial, so that he spoke with the officers who struck him with the palm of his hand, and the rest of the trial of Jesus in the Gospel of John shows that Jesus was speaking! And this contrasts with what is written by Matthew and Mark, which indicates that John was not convinced that the Old Testament text is a prophecy about Jesus, and these differences and contradictions, both in this story, or in other stories, show that the Gospels have not been written by the revelation or the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but through a specific method and approach of writing, which is the quoting from the texts of the Old Testament and reformulating them in their narratives, as is shown in this book, to bestow a state of holiness and credibility and reliability on the Gospels.

As for the text of Isaiah I had studied it earlier, and proved that it was not talking about Jesus, hence, no need to repeat it again.

21 - The Source of the Dream of Pilate's wife

In the story of the trial of Jesus, Matthew alone wrote about the dream of Pilate's wife, which is as follows:

Matthew 27:19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."

In this text Matthew says that Pilate's wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him"!

Anyone who reads the story, particularly for the first time, may expect that some surprises will happen in the trial of Jesus after hearing the dream of Pilate's wife, but indeed the trial continued without the appearance of any effect of this dream, which raises doubts about the source of this dream!

So why this story has not been mentioned in the other Gospels, and why did not have any impact on the trial of Jesus?!

The Gospels authors, when they wrote the Gospels were trying to quote the most narratives of the Old Testament, especially those which talk about the relationship between the LORD and human beings! So the existence of several stories in the Old Testament that talked about the appearance of the Lord in the dreams to some people to help some prophets made Matthew seeking to write a story about the dream of Pilate's wife and how she suffered because of Jesus. Yet he could not write the details of the dream, and what Pilate's wife has seen or any effectiveness for this dream, as what happened in the stories of the Old Testament, as in the following texts:

Genesis 20:2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife."

Genesis 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?

Genesis 20:5 "Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother’. In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this."

Genesis 20:6 And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.

Genesis 20:7 "Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."

Genesis 20:8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid.

Genesis 20:14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him.

Genesis 31:22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.

Genesis 31:23 Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.

Genesis 31:24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."

Genesis 31:25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.

Genesis 31:29 "It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad’.

These two stories which have inspired Matthew alone, to write the dream of Pilate's wife, with one important difference, which is that the appearance of the Lord in those dreams was to bear fruit on the protection of the Prophets, while the dream of Matthew did not have any impact on the outcome of the trial, which indicates that this story has been written through the method and the approach of writing the Gospels, as is shown in this book, and this means that the law "do not accept the lying and false" applies to this story.

22 - The Source of the Story of Spitting on Jesus

In the story of the trial of Jesus, Matthew and Mark wrote that the soldiers have spat on Jesus, as in the following texts:

Matthew 26:67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,

Matthew 26:68 saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?"

Mark 14:65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

In fact, each character of these paragraphs confirms that it is not a revelation or inspiration from the heaven, and all what is written in the laws of faith of the various churches that talk about the unity of the three Hypostases who have the same nature and essence is not true, as well as indeed they are not existing, otherwise, who could imagine that this happened with Jesus, if those laws are true?!

Thus what is the source of this story?

Let's read the following text:

Isaiah 50:4 "The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned.

Isaiah 50:5 The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away.

Isaiah 50:6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

Isaiah 50:7 "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

Isaiah 50:8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.

Isaiah 50:9 Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.

Isaiah 50:10 "Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God.

Could anyone understand from this text anything about the three Persons, and that the Jews will spit in the face of one of them? While the text talks about the Lord and His ability to help His servant who was speaking in this chapter, and defying his enemies to condemn him, and all these things contradict what is written in the gospels and the laws of faith of the various churches about Jesus.

23 - The Source of the Saying of Jesus that the Jews will see him sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and coming on the clouds of heaven

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"

Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Mark 14:61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"

Mark 14:62 Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

Luke 22:66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying,

Luke 22:67 "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.

Luke 22:68 "And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.

Luke 22:69 "Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."

Luke 22:70 Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?" So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am."

These texts say that Jesus said that the Jews will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven, as wrote Matthew, or "and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." as Mark wrote, or "Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God." as Luke wrote.

This saying does not need to an extensive knowledge to conclude that it is not true, because now, after nearly twenty centuries of writing these texts, no one has seen Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Power, or coming on the clouds of heaven!

Despite there are some paragraphs in the epilogue of the Gospel of Mark and in the Acts of the Apostles that say that Jesus has sat down at the right hand of God, as in the following texts:

Mark 16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

Yet this paragraph and the rest of the epilogue of the Gospel of Mark (16:9-20) is not written by Mark himself, but was added to the Gospel of Mark by some scribes later, as is well-known, this means that this saying is not true, or at least was not written by the revelation or inspiration of the Holy Spirit!

As for Luke, he wrote in the Acts of the Apostles the story of Stephen, including that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, as in the following text:

Act 7:54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

Act 7:56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

Act 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 

Act 7:58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Act 7:60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Act 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

But unfortunately Luke had written in this story several errors contradict what is written in the Old Testament, which indicates that the story is not true, and it is not written through the revelation or the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, or even through an extensive knowledge in the Old Testament!

Here are some of the most striking of these errors:

Act 7:5 "And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

In this paragraph Luke wrote on the lips of St. Stephen that he said that the Lord did not give Abraham inheritance in the Holy Land, not even enough to set his foot on; while the Old Testament says that Abraham has bought a field which is larger than a foot! As in the following text:

Genesis 23:16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.

Genesis 23:17 So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded

Genesis 23:18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

Genesis 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 23:20 So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.

This text indicates that what is written by Luke on the lips of Stephen is wrong, and it was not written through the Holy Spirit, or through an extensive knowledge in the Old Testament.

Act 7:14 "Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.

King James Version

Act 7:14} Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to [him,] and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

In this text says St. Stephen, or more precisely Luke, that whom went to Egypt were seventy-five people, and this is wrong also, because the Old Testament says that those who went to Egypt were seventy persons, as in the following text:

Genesis 46:26 All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all.

Genesis 46:27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.

King James Version

Genesis 46:26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls [were] threescore and six;

Genesis 46:27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, [were] two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, [were] threescore and ten.

Thus, this error in determining the number of whom went to Egypt indicates that the story of Luke is not true, nor it is written through the Spirit of God, nor through an extensive knowledge in the Old Testament.

Act 7:15 "So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers.

Act 7:16 "And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

King James Version

Act 7:15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

Act 7:16} And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor [the father] of Sychem.

In this text Luke writes on the lips of Stephen his saying that the one who has bought the tomb of Shechem is Abraham, and this is wrong, because the Old Testament says that the one who has bought the tomb of Shechem is Jacob, not Abraham, as in the following texts:

Joshua 24:32 The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver, and which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph.

King James Version

Joshua 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Genesis 33:19 And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.

King James Version

Genesis 33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.

So does this error indicate that the story of Stephen is a true story, or it has been written through revelation or inspiration of the Holy Spirit or even that Luke has extensive knowledge in the Old Testament?!

These are some of the errors in the story of Stephen, who Luke wrote that Stephen has said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!", so who will believe him after reading all these errors?!

As for the second coming of Jesus on, or with, the clouds of heaven; it has been dilemma in the minds and hearts of the disciples themselves, so that Paul was saying that Jesus will come in his time, i.e., Paul's time, and asked his followers to be patient and get ready to meet Jesus, as in the following text:

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Although these words, Paul died and died after him dozens of generations and Jesus did not come on the clouds of heaven, and the churches still comforting the good people of their followers with these words!

All this confirms that these texts are not true, nor revelation nor inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so what is the source of these texts?

Let's read the following texts:

Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

1Kings 22:19 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left.

2 Chronicles 18:18 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left.

Isaiah 19:1 The burden against Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.

Exodus 16:10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

These are some of the texts in which the authors of the Old Testament have used some expressions that indicate to the embodiment of the LORD in some places, and this one of the things deplorable and not acceptable from them, because the Old Testament had confirmed dozen times that the Lord the Creator of the heavens does not dwell with men on the earth, and that the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, as shown in the first chapter, the first section, including the following text:

2 Chronicles 6:18 "But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!

However, the Gospels authors had quoted them and wrote it on the lips of Jesus as is their method and approach of writing their narratives; away from the revelation or the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, or even through an extensive knowledge in the Old Testament and its principles and concepts, as is shown in this book, because the Old Testament says that the LORD is not a man, that He should lie, as in the following text:

1 Samuel 15:29 "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent."

From all of the above, we conclude that our law "do not accept the lying and false" applies to these texts.

24 - The Source of the Story of Pilate washing his hands, and his saying "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person"

At the end of the trial of Jesus, and after the choosing between Jesus and Barabbas, and before handing over Jesus to the Jews, Matthew alone wrote that Pilate washed his hands as a proof of his innocence of the blood of Jesus, as in the following text:

Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."

Matthew 27:25 And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."

Matthew 27:26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

These paragraphs are an attempt by Matthew to exonerate Pilate of blood of Jesus and put the charge on Jews and their children over the Ages, which led to do dozens of massacres against the Jews, especially in the Middle Ages, as mentioned Will Durant in the book The Story of Civilization. These paragraphs raise serious doubts about the credibility of the story, including that Pilate was the one who sentenced Jesus, not the Jews who were under Roman rule and paying taxes to him, even Jesus himself was paying taxes, and he killed dozens of them without being affected by any rioting that they may do, as in the following text:

Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

So what is the source of this story?

Let's read the following texts:

Deuteronomy 21:1 "If anyone is found slain, lying in the field in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,

Deuteronomy 21:2 "then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance from the slain man to the surrounding cities.

Deuteronomy 21:3 "And it shall be that the elders of the city nearest to the slain man will take a heifer which has not been worked and which has not pulled with a yoke.

Deuteronomy 21:4 "The elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with flowing water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and they shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.

Deuteronomy 21:5 "Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to Him and to bless in the name of the LORD; by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled.

Deuteronomy 21:6 "And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.

Deuteronomy 21:7 "Then they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it.

Deuteronomy 21:7 "Then they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it.

Deuteronomy 21:8 ‘Provide atonement, O LORD, for Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, and do not lay innocent blood to the charge of Your people Israel’. And atonement shall be provided on their behalf for the blood.

Deuteronomy 21:9 "So you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.

2 Samuel 3:28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

The text of the Deuteronomy talks about the law of the slain man who was not known his killer, but this was not the case with Jesus, because Pilate was the one who killed Jesus in spite of all shouting and insisting by the Jews, if the story is true!

The text of Samuel talks about David and Abner the son of Ner, and how he did not kill Abner, and this is true as is written in the Old Testament, unlike Pilate who sentenced Jesus to death according to what is written in the Gospels.

Hence, we can see how the Gospels authors have used the narratives and texts of the Old Testament to compose their accounts about Jesus, as is their method and approach of writing as is shown in this book, regardless if they write stories that have no reliability whether if they have attributed them to the Old Testament directly or not, as is the case in this story, to bestow a state of holiness and credibility and reliability on the Gospels, which means that the law "do not accept the lying and false" applies to this story.