Differences Don't Always Mean Someone Is Wrong

In our Bible reading plan the past two days I've noticed a couple of differences from Matthew's gospel account when compared to Mark and Luke's account. 

Being the black and white guy that I am, I take uneasy notice of the gray areas in life when they present themselves. Most times, for me, something is either right or it's wrong. So when I read in chapter 8 that Matthew mentioned two demon possessed men, I had to go back to Mark and Luke to make sense of them only mentioning one. I was more at ease when I realized they never said there weren't two, they only mentioned the one very strong and violent demon possessed man. 

In today's reading Matthew mentioned that the synagogue official (take note he didn't mention his name) came to Jesus and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live." In Mark and Luke, the man's (by the way, they give the detail that his name is Jarius) daughter doesn't die until he's already asked Jesus to come to his house and lay hands on her. Mark and Luke tell of men coming to Jarius and Jesus on the way to his house and sharing the devastating news. As I read this, my initial thought was, "Someone throughout the years must have copied this down wrong," kind of like the telephone game we've all played while sitting in a circle. The information starts out one way, but arrives at the end of the line different. But that causes more problems for me because I know God protects/preserves His Word (see Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).

So, how do we come to terms with these differences? 

My wife and I agree on most things. The longer we're married it seems the more alike we are in our perspectives. But, two nights ago we were reminded that we still see some things differently. The difference on this night was that of a political nature--a subject neither of us talk too much about because we're not politically focused people. Truth be told, we both see our citizenship in heaven more so than any country. My wife was raised in a different culture with different experiences, she has a different personality, and she is gifted differently than I am. Based on our differences, there are times when we do have a different view of the same situation. On this night we were both responding to the global unrest in the Middle East, but we had different perspectives on what should happen. Ultimately, we both want peace and we know that can only come through the person of Jesus Christ. 

I believe the differences we come across with Matthew, Mark and Luke are similar. The differences don't change the truth being told, but they give us an understanding of these three different men. Matthew was a record keeper, he valued accounting details. It's not that Mark and Luke didn't appreciate details, but their details seem to be more personal by nature. Luke is writing from his perspective to "Theophilus" and Mark's reading is a detailed event you'd expect to receive from a friend. So, mentioning the name of Jarius would have been more personal and noteworthy to their readers than it was to Matthew. Matthew, from an accounting perspective, would want you to know that there were TWO demon possessed men. Whereas Mark and Luke wanted to share story of the one demoniac who was like no one they had ever encountered before. The truth, in all accounts, is that Jesus has all authority over the spiritual (demons) and physical (health) realms. 

I believe that God was telling me today, "The differences don't always mean that someone is wrong. Don't be so quick to judge. Take time to understand the other person." 

I'm not going to quit being a black and white kind of guy, that's my God-given personality. But I hope I can get a more detailed view of God's truth from the vantage point of my brothers and sisters in Christ. This approach will grow my appreciation for the body of Christ while strengthening my discovery and understanding of God's ultimate truth.