All of the gospels tell the same basic story, but with divergent details. This gives strong evidence they are telling the truth, rather than copying from a single fictional account, or writing fiction, in which the details are harmonized, or smoothed out.

Below are some of the divergent, but true, details about the crucifixion of Jesus:

Barrabas

Was described as:

·         Matthew 27:16 – notorious

·         Mark 15:7 – murderer, seditionist

·         Luke 23:18 – murderer, seditionist

·         John 18:40 – “revolutionary” (NAB; NLT), insurrectionist or domestic terrorist, political extremist, “bandit” (NJB)

Jesus mistreated

·         Matthew 27:26 – flogged – flagellum

·         Markk 15:15 – flogged

·         Luke 23:22 – Pilate offers to have Jesus whipped and released

·         John 19:1 – flogged

Clothed in robe

The appearance is described with slight variations by eyewitnesses:

·         (Pilate) Matthew 27:28 – scarlet

·         (Pilate) Mark 15:16-17 – purple

·         (Herod) Luke 23:11 – brilliant (CSB); elegant (NIV); rich (NJB); royal (NLT); splendid (ESV); gorgeous (NAS)

·         (Pilate)  John 19:2 – purple

Who carried the crossbeam or pole

·         Matthew 27:32 – Simon

·         Luke 23:26 – Simon

·         John 19:17 – Jesus
Jesus started carrying the beam. He subsequently fell under its weight. Simon was pressed into service to carry it the rest of the way.

Drink offerings

·         Matthew 27:34 – Wine mixed with gall (bitter narcotic), when they arrived at Golgotha (soldiers)

·         Mark 15:23 – Wine mixed with myrrh, a primitive narcotic (soldiers)

·         Luke 23:36 – Sour wine (soldiers)

·         John 19:29 – Sponge soaked with wine vinegar on a hyssop stalk (soldiers?)

Handed Jesus over to be crucified and put on cross or tree at…

·         Mark 15:25 – Third hour (9AM)

·         John 19:14-16 – Sixth hour (Noon)
These are approximations, or rough estimates of time. Unlike today, ancient people did not keep precise time. Events in the later morning were typically described as occurring around either the third (Matthew 20:3; Acts 2:15), or sixth hour (Mark 15:33; Matthew 20:5; Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44; John 4:6; Jn 19:14; Acts 10:9). By combining the two accounts at Mark 15:25 and John 19:14-16, it appears that Jesus was handed over to be crucified about mid-morning, and was nailed to the cross or execution stake by midday, or noontime.

Thus, the divergent details in the four gospels describing Jesus’ trial and execution are not contradictory, but complimentary! And even more important, they give powerful background evidence supporting the historical facts leading up to his death and resurrection.