What we moderns call "plagiarism" was an unknown thing in Jesus' day. Those who study ancient authors know this, many biblical scholars know this and even more and more of us in the pews know this.
If you read the gospels in parallel, it becomes clear that Luke and Matthew follow Mark's order of events, but each of them alters and edits Mark's gospel in their own creative and inspired ways.
Bible study is actually "Studying the Bible." I think it is pretty shameful for you to make comments like that. You know full well what I am saying. It is more comfortable for you to point your finger at me instead of actually checking out what I am posting.
No excuse.
You're right; I do know full well what you are saying. And it is error through and through, on your part.
Its your approach that is off; not the passages.
Just finished reading the book, The Jesus Papers. Highly intelligent author, very well educated on the setting and culture the Bible's writings took place in, and all the rest.
And yet, not a clue in his otherwise highly intelligent mind, as to why the various passages appear to contradict one another.
His approach? Yours.
More books, and scholars, and diggings of old ruins, and what not... ever in search of what is plainly right in front of him...
Just before that, I'd read the book, Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God.
Same end result; blinded by all the above, from what is plainly right in the text itself; when properly approached.
At first, this appears odd; this practice of theirs.
Fact of the matter is that it is just a matter of applying all that supposed willingness to finding a means of entry into the text itself, to attempting to, through the text itself.
Itself not always a simple matter of "if this, then this," but surmountable, nevertheless, and without having to twist a text to what we might want it to conform.
One cannot but suspect theirs is the same old ways of men in their own conceits.
"The Greeks seek after wisdom" noted the Apostle Paul, disdainfully.
Yours too, is their same...Scholastic Mysticism.
Believe it or not, I like you. For the Aikido name, and all that kind of thing has represent in my own life.
Doesn't mean I will compromise where I find you are way "off base."