last night. Will read more books later and post my thoughts/questions. For now, just regarding Matthew here are my observations:
1) Tons of incidents where Jesus uses the phrase "your father" to his followers, showing that lots of humans can have the "son of God" title other than Jesus, making Jesus' not unique and literal.
2) 7:1 "do not judge lest you will be judged" tells me that Christians should not be able to say with certainty that everyone except for them will be condemned to hell.
3) 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a slave above his master." (italics mine). Quite the contrast with Islamic teachings of equality.
4) In lots of verses it teaches that the righteous go to heaven while the evil go to hell (I didnt note each one but noted 25:31-46). This constrasts with the general Christian belief that it is faith and not actions that determine where you will spend the afterlife, i.e. according to these verses a good person should not go to hell regardless of what he believes. Another example in 19:18 Jesus indicates to follow commandments in order to have eternal life (i.e. actions not faith)
5) 13:57 Jesus says, "A prophet is not without honour except in his home town, and in his own household." When you read the few verses surrounding 13:57 it's obvious that Jesus is calling himself a prophet (i.e. not God).
6) While Jesus calls himself a prophet in #5, someone else calls Jesus a prophet as well in 21:11 "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee" when he enters Jerusalem.
7) Jesus prays in 14:23 and 26:36-46. I don't believe God would pray to himself or anyone.
8. Jesus calls himself "son of man" tons of times.
9) In 24:36 Jesus says "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the son, but the father alone." If Jesus was God he would be all-knowing by definition.
I didn't note all of my examples and observations as I read, but the above summarize the highlights.
You missed this:
Matthew 9:2-72 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When
Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “
This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6 But
I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
7 Then the man got up and went home.
What's your observation, bigbobs?