There is a verse in the gospel of Luke that is clearly states Jesus's views about the family. It's not one that you are likely to hear in church, and few Christians know of its existence.

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26

But it is right there in the middle of the gospel of Luke.

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This episode begins with the disciples asking Jesus if they could burn to death the Samaritans that didn't welcome them - like Elijah did in 2 Kings 1. Jesus saic, "No" - but then in the next chapter he says it'll be worse for any city that doesn't welcome them than it was for the city of Sodom.

The same chapter has has my vote for the best story in the Bible: the parable of the Good Samaritan. We should all go and do likewise.

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In this episode, the people of Nazareth, Jesus's hometown, try to push Jesus off a cliff. But somehow he manages to escape.

Then he miraculously catches so many fish that it almost sinks two boats.

Jesus preaches a sermon on a plain that is a reduced version of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

And we learn about Mary Magdalene, her seven devils, and the many women who followed Jesus while serving him and his disciples.

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The only information in the New Testament about the birth of Jesus is found in the gospels of Mathew and Luke. These stories disagree about just about everything - except for the name of his parents (Mary and Joseph), where he was born (Bethlehem) and who he was descended from (David). But since Linus used Luke's story in Charlie Brown Christmas, that is the story we all know best.

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This chapter is a favorite of Catholics. It includes three of their most popular prayers: the Hail Mary, Magnificat, and the Benedictus. Each of these prayers are said and sung millions of times every day. The Liturgy would be impoverished without them.

But there is also a story that is told in this chapter. The angel Gabriel arrives in Jerusalem and helps Zechariah and Elisabeth have a baby boy - John the Baptist.

Then, six months later, Gabriel flies 95 miles north to Nazareth to help the Holy Ghost impregnate Mary.

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The gospel of Mark ends with three women being told by a young man that Jesus had risen from the dead. The young man told them to run tell his disciples that Jesus would meet them in Galilee, but they ran away and told no one because they were afraid.

Or that's how it ended in the original. But a hundred or so years later twelve verses were added - and what a strange twelve verses they are!

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The gospels don't always agree on the teachings of Jesus. For example, in Mark's gospel, Jesus condemns divorce for any reason, whereas in Matthew, Jesus allows it when the wife is guilty of fornication.

Some of the events are different as well. In Mark, the Zebedee brothers ask Jesus for the best seats in heaven; in Matthew, their mom asks Jesus for them.

And Jesus rides into Jerusalem on just a single animal in Mark, rather than on two, as in Matthew.

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The episode begins with the Pharisees criticizing Jesus for not washing his hands before eating. Jesus responds by accusing them on not killing their disobedient children, as God commanded.

There are two miracles in Mark's gospels that the other synoptic gospels left out. Both involve Jesus's spit.

Jesus cures a man with a speech impediment by rubbing some of his spit on the man's tongue. Then he (slowly) restores a blind man's sight by spitting on his eyes.

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In this episode, Jesus sends the unclean spirits from a possessed man into a herd of 2000 pigs, who run down a cliff and drown in the sea.

Jesus returns to Nazareth, where he is rejected by those who knew him best - his family and hometown neighbors.

Herod Antipas thinks Jesus is the risen John the Baptist - while John the Baptist is still alive. Then Herod cuts off John the Baptist's head and Jesus walks on water.

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Jesus continues to cast out devils, and is accused of doing so through the power of the devil. He responds by saying that whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will never be forgiven.

His family is concerned about him, saying that he is beside himself. When Jesus is told that his mother and brothers would like to speak to him, he says, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

When his disciples ask him to explain one of his parables, Jesus explains why he speaks in parables - so that the people won't understand and be converted, so he won't have to heal them.

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