Are There Any Contradictions In The Bible?

[Major]

Here’s a list of reasons why people think that there are Contradictions in the Bible.............

(1) They have an agenda that says there must be many contradictions in the Bible, so they see them even when they don’t exist.

(2) They don’t know the meaning of the word “contradiction”.

(3) If the Bible can be shown to contradict itself, then God is a liar!

(3) They accept what someone has told them and don’t take the time to do the study to find the truth.

May I say to you all that there are NO contradictions in the Bible, only a lack of Bible study!

 

[Siloam]

I've heard this in many different ways. Most of which just reflect that the Bible challenges the basic assumptions of the one casting doubts.

There are many things I do not understand. There are things that appear to be contradictions.

The sets of things that appear to me to be contradictory are a subset of the things I do not understand.

I am confident that if I properly understood the scriptures those contradictions would disappear.

In the mean time, I do not let my misunderstandings become the measure of scriptural truth.

 

[D3vot3d2G0d]

Here’s a list of reasons why people think that there are Contradictions in the Bible.............

(1) They have an agenda that says there must be many contradictions in the Bible, so they see them even when they don’t exist.

(2) They don’t know the meaning of the word “contradiction”.

(3) If the Bible can be shown to contradict itself, then God is a liar!

(3) They accept what someone has told them and don’t take the time to do the study to find the truth.

May I say to you all that there are NO contradictions in the Bible, only a lack of Bible study!

Amen and again I SHOUT AMEN!

 

[bobinfaith]

Hello, Major;

You wrote: Here’s a list of reasons why people think that there are Contradictions in the Bible.............

(1) They have an agenda that says there must be many contradictions in the Bible, so they see them even when they don’t exist.

I found it a contradiction of God's wrath by opening up the earth and swallowing sinners, when fire came from God and consumed Nadab and Abihu, yet in the Scriptures God is known for His compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace.

(2) They don’t know the meaning of the word “contradiction”.

I found contradiction in the Bible replaced with "confusion" about God.

(3) If the Bible can be shown to contradict itself, then God is a liar!

I won't go that far. God gave me wisdom to fear Him.

(4) They accept what someone has told them and don’t take the time to do the study to find the truth.

I find the real contradictions come from "respectable scholars" who attempt to rewrite the Bible.

May I say to you all that there are NO contradictions in the Bible, only a lack of Bible study!

Amen! For years I didn't like Paul. The Pauline epistles came off as arrogant to me. But it was when I realized after reading and rereading the Bible, attending good Bible studies that I learned the reasons that I found contradictory was replaced with better understanding of God.

We can never master our Christian faith in this lifetime, but as long as we desire to grow in the Word the opportunity is there.

God bless you, Major, and thank you for sharing.

 

[Major]

Hello, Major;

You wrote: Here’s a list of reasons why people think that there are Contradictions in the Bible.............

(1) They have an agenda that says there must be many contradictions in the Bible, so they see them even when they don’t exist.

I found it a contradiction of God's wrath by opening up the earth and swallowing sinners, when fire came from God and consumed Nadab and Abihu, yet in the Scriptures God is known for His compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace.

(2) They don’t know the meaning of the word “contradiction”.

I found contradiction in the Bible replaced with "confusion" about God.

(3) If the Bible can be shown to contradict itself, then God is a liar!

I won't go that far. God gave me wisdom of fear Him.

(4) They accept what someone has told them and don’t take the time to do the study to find the truth.

I find the real contradictions come from "respectable scholars" who attempt to rewrite the Bible.

May I say to you all that there are NO contradictions in the Bible, only a lack of Bible study!

Amen! For years I didn't like Paul. The Pauline epistles came off as arrogant to me. But it was when I realized after reading and rereading the Bible, attending good Bible studies that I learned the reasons that I found contradictory was replaced with better understanding of God.

We can never master our Christian faith in this lifetime, but as long as we desire to grow in the Word the opportunity is there.

God bless you, Major, and thank you for sharing.

And that is what I am saying as well!

 

[DNB7]

Here’s a list of reasons why people think that there are Contradictions in the Bible.............

(1) They have an agenda that says there must be many contradictions in the Bible, so they see them even when they don’t exist.

(2) They don’t know the meaning of the word “contradiction”.

(3) If the Bible can be shown to contradict itself, then God is a liar!

(3) They accept what someone has told them and don’t take the time to do the study to find the truth.

May I say to you all that there are NO contradictions in the Bible, only a lack of Bible study!

Yes, I think that between the fact that we have four different accounts and perspectives, and that historical biography in ancient times did not have the same structure and intent that we are familiar with today, and that the society and culture of the first century approached life in a different manner than we do in this era, we expect there to be blind-spots and foreign allusions that require an esoteric knowledge to decipher and comprehend the authorial intent.

Biblical authors did not put an emphasis on chronology or precision of facts, but on the meaning behind the events. Numbers are rounded or approximated, and specific events are out of sequence according to their actual chronology in order to group events according to theme. This was a common convention of ancient historical writing. We are thus required to investigate further, as every exegete should do regardless, in order to harmonize or reconcile the apparent anomalies or contradictions within the Bible.

 

[crossnote]

Biblical authors did not put an emphasis on chronology or precision of facts, but on the meaning behind the events. Numbers are rounded or approximated, and specific events are out of sequence according to their actual chronology in order to group events according to theme. This was a common convention of ancient historical writing. We are thus required to investigate further, as every exegete should do regardless, in order to harmonize or reconcile the apparent anomalies or contradictions within the Bible.

When the rubber hits the road wasn't there just one Author?

(2Ti 3:16) All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness;

(2Pe 1:21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Are you willing to say about the Holy Spirit what you wrote about the 'biblical authors' above?

 

[Cosia]

Perhaps some people don't want to believe so they look for an excuse not to believe.

Or they don't understand the meaning. None of us understand every word of God.
I certainly don"t samd forever learning. My thoughts are that God reveals things to each individual person when He knows we are ready for any particular truth.
Prayimg for The Holy Spirit to guide before we study is so important.

When you think of all the different beliefs in each denominatoons of Christianity it could be so easy to be deceived if we do not study, and could lead a person to believe there are contradictions in His Holy Word. There are definitely no contractions.

 

[Major]

Perhaps some people don't want to believe so they look for an excuse not to believe.

Or they don't understand the meaning. None of us understand every word of God.
I certainly don"t samd forever learning. My thoughts are that God reveals things to each individual person when He knows we are ready for any particular truth.
Prayimg for The Holy Spirit to guide before we study is so important.

When you think of all the different beliefs in each denominatoons of Christianity it could be so easy to be deceived if we do not study, and could lead a person to believe there are contradictions in His Holy Word. There are definitely no contractions.

Yes.

You see......if they do not believe in God and they can make His Bible to appear to be lieing or a mistake was made, then He is not God at all so then their NO FAITH is vindicated in their own mind.

 

[bobinfaith]

Perhaps some people don't want to believe so they look for an excuse not to believe. Or they don't understand the meaning. None of us understand every word of God. I certainly don"t samd forever learning. My thoughts are that God reveals things to each individual person when He knows we are ready for any particular truth. Prayimg for The Holy Spirit to guide before we study is so important. When you think of all the different beliefs in each denominatoons of Christianity it could be so easy to be deceived if we do not study, and could lead a person to believe there are contradictions in His Holy Word. There are definitely no contractions.

Yes. You see......if they do not believe in God and they can make His Bible to appear to be lieing or a mistake was made, then He is not God at all so then their NO FAITH is vindicated in their own mind.

Hello Cosia and Major;

As Cosia said, "if we do not study" and "Praying for The Holy Spirit to guide before we study" are both KEY.

Major, I feel what you brought up in this topic is important to remind us and ponder. From what I have read, so far, is a blessing. There is wisdom in each post that is learning me, and I feel we are all in one accord.

One thing I would like to add...During our Bible study yesterday we discussed John 4. I was amazed at the different findings shared by everyone between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

I had a question in John 4:5, 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

I made a statement that Samaria is Sychar, but the group disagreed. They understood the passage saying "Sychar was a town" in Samaria. I read the passage slowly and corrected myself. Sure enough, Jesus came to "a town of" Samaria called Sychar.

Point is, the more we study the Word with earnest and eager intention we learn to pick out specifics and how God reveals so many different findings in passages of His Word. This may be why confusion or contradictions can arise as speculations of God as Author, and perhaps making a mistake.

God bless everyone in this topic.

 

[Major]

Hello Cosia and Major;

As Cosia said, "if we do not study" and "Praying for The Holy Spirit to guide before we study" are both KEY.

Major, I feel what you brought up in this topic is important to remind us and ponder. From what I have read, so far, is a blessing. There is wisdom in each post that is learning me, and I feel we are all in one accord.

One thing I would like to add...During our Bible study yesterday we discussed John 4. I was amazed at the different findings shared by everyone between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

I had a question in John 4:5, 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

I made a statement that Samaria is Sychar, but the group disagreed. They understood the passage saying "Sychar was a town" in Samaria. I read the passage slowly and corrected myself. Sure enough, Jesus came to "a town of" Samaria called Sychar.

Point is, the more we study the Word with earnest and eager intention we learn to pick out specifics and how God reveals so many different findings in passages of His Word. This may be why confusion or contradictions can arise as speculations of God as Author, and perhaps making a mistake.

God bless everyone in this topic.

Bob......I can not tell you how long I believed that a divorced man could not serve the Lord as a deacon or a Pastor. My father had told me that, our pastor had told me that and I accepted it. I has read 1 Timothy 3:1-3 several times but I was told what it meant so I went with it.

Then one day I actually sat down and did the study. "It was not there". That terrible, bad and nasty sin of Divorce was not there at all.

Then when I did the work so as to be approved as a workman, I read that the Bible said a Pastor had to 1st be a man...and then a "Husband of one wife". Then I looked up "Husband of one wife" in the Greek and saw that it meant ..."A one woman man" and had nothing to do with divorce at all.

The 1 Timothy passage was a charge against "Polygamy" and not about divorce at all.

 

[DNB7]

When the rubber hits the road wasn't there just one Author?

(2Ti 3:16) All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness;

(2Pe 1:21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Are you willing to say about the Holy Spirit what you wrote about the 'biblical authors' above?

Well, yes, of course, ...I don't understand the controversy?
The intent of the authors was theological, and not logistical or historical details. But, of course, this does not mean that the facts are in dispute or erroneous, but rather that they are either simply omitted or act of secondary importance.
Therefore, if one author reports one angel at the tomb of Christ, while another two, we don't assume a discrepancy or error but rather a different intent as to the necessity of the facts.
But, even still, numbers are rounded, as we understand that there were not exactly 3,000 men saved on the day of Pentecost, nor exactly either 4,000 or 5,000 fed during the miracle of the loaves. Did Saul, David and Solomon reign exactly 40 years - the numbers do not reconcile when compared to other dates stipulated during their reigns.

So, again, I'm not sure where you find issue with my statement that chronological or data precision was not the focus of the author, therefore they took license in generalizing mathematical figures, and recording events out of historical sequence (did Jesus cleanse the Temple at the start or end of his ministry?).

 

[crossnote]

Well, yes, of course, ...I don't understand the controversy?
The intent of the authors was theological, and not logistical or historical details. But, of course, this does not mean that the facts are in dispute or erroneous, but rather that they are either simply omitted or act of secondary importance.
Therefore, if one author reports one angel at the tomb of Christ, while another two, we don't assume a discrepancy or error but rather a different intent as to the necessity of the facts.
But, even still, numbers are rounded, as we understand that there were not exactly 3,000 men saved on the day of Pentecost, nor exactly either 4,000 or 5,000 fed during the miracle of the loaves. Did Saul, David and Solomon reign exactly 40 years - the numbers do not reconcile when compared to other dates stipulated during their reigns.

So, again, I'm not sure where you find issue with my statement that chronological or data precision was not the focus of the author, therefore they took license in generalizing mathematical figures, and recording events out of historical sequence (did Jesus cleanse the Temple at the start or end of his ministry?).

I'll just wait until my two questions are answered...

When the rubber hits the road wasn't there just one Author?



Are you willing to say about the Holy Spirit what you wrote about the 'biblical authors' above?

 

[Major]

Well, yes, of course, ...I don't understand the controversy?
The intent of the authors was theological, and not logistical or historical details. But, of course, this does not mean that the facts are in dispute or erroneous, but rather that they are either simply omitted or act of secondary importance.
Therefore, if one author reports one angel at the tomb of Christ, while another two, we don't assume a discrepancy or error but rather a different intent as to the necessity of the facts.Did Saul, David and Solomon reign exactly 40 years
But, even still, numbers are rounded, as we understand that there were not exactly 3,000 men saved on the day of Pentecost, nor exactly either 4,000 or 5,000 fed during the miracle of the loaves. Did Saul, David and Solomon reign exactly 40 years - the numbers do not reconcile when compared to other dates stipulated during their reigns.

So, again, I'm not sure where you find issue with my statement that chronological or data precision was not the focus of the author, therefore they took license in generalizing mathematical figures, and recording events out of historical sequence (did Jesus cleanse the Temple at the start or end of his ministry?).

Did David, Saul and Solomon reign exactly 40 years each?........
YES!

Was it exactly 3000 saved at Pentecost???
No.
Scripture does not say exactly 3000 were saved . It says literally...."ABOUT 3000 were saved".

Does Acts 4:4 say that a exactly another 5000 were saved???
No.
Scriptures says............" Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Does the Bible say exactly 5000 were fed by Jesus?
NO.
The same answer is in Matthew 14:21.."And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children."

 

[DNB7]

I'll just wait until my two questions are answered...

But, I did answer the question immediately - 'Yes, of course'.
There is one source of inspiration, and that is the Holy Spirit, and we understand that the Biblical authors were inspired in some form or another, by the Holy Spirit. I say 'in some form or another' because I do not believe that the words of Scripture were dictated, or manipulated in any fashion by the HS. The authors gained their understanding either through revelation or impartation, and their memories recalled distant and obscure events. But, they wrote by their own volition, comprehension and literary capabilities, and independently chose which events and sayings of Jesus to include.

Outside of all that, they concertedly chose not to be precise with every single detail that occurred in the life of Christ, nor with 100% accuracy of the timing or numbers involved within the story plot. Their main intent was related to theological issues.

 

[DNB7]

Did David, Saul and Solomon reign exactly 40 years each?........
YES!

Was it exactly 3000 saved at Pentecost???
No.
Scripture does not say exactly 3000 were saved . It says literally...."ABOUT 3000 were saved".

Does Acts 4:4 say that a exactly another 5000 were saved???
No.
Scriptures says............" Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Does the Bible say exactly 5000 were fed by Jesus?
NO.
The same answer is in Matthew 14:21.."And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children."

You are correct Major, outside of the reigns of the Kings during the united monarchies, all the other examples I chose did not stipulate exact numbers, but as you illustrated, approximations.
As far as the Kings are concerned, David reigned 7 years in Hebron and 33 in Jerusalem, we can consider this to be exact. As far as Solomon or Saul is concerned, I understand there to be some controversy as to when Saul began his reign 1050 bc or 1020 bc, and David seems to be firm at 1010 to 970.

Either way, I'm sorry, those particular examples of all that I gave did not make my point, which is: the Bible does not always relate numerical values with exact precision but employs rounding, as in population counts, death counts in battles or plagues. But, the other ones that I offered, do. Plus, a couple of extras below.

Did Jesus ride on a colt and a donkey during his triumphal entry in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:6–7), or just a single donkey (Mark 11:4–7)?
Were there 2 angels at the tomb of Christ (Luke 24:4 and John 20:12) , or just one angel (Matthew 28:2 ), or one man (Mark 16:5)?
During the seemingly same event, did Jesus heal two blind men (Matthew 20:29-34), or only one (Mark 10:46–52)?

 

[Major]

You are correct Major, outside of the reigns of the Kings during the united monarchies, all the other examples I chose did not stipulate exact numbers, but as you illustrated, approximations.
As far as the Kings are concerned, David reigned 7 years in Hebron and 33 in Jerusalem, we can consider this to be exact. As far as Solomon or Saul is concerned, I understand there to be some controversy as to when Saul began his reign 1050 bc or 1020 bc, and David seems to be firm at 1010 to 970.

Either way, I'm sorry, those particular examples of all that I gave did not make my point, which is: the Bible does not always relate numerical values with exact precision but employs rounding, as in population counts, death counts in battles or plagues. But, the other ones that I offered, do. Plus, a couple of extras below.

Did Jesus ride on a colt and a donkey during his triumphal entry in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:6–7), or just a single donkey (Mark 11:4–7)?
Were there 2 angels at the tomb of Christ (Luke 24:4 and John 20:12) , or just one angel (Matthew 28:2 ), or one man (Mark 16:5)?
During the seemingly same event, did Jesus heal two blind men (Matthew 20:29-34), or only one (Mark 10:46–52)?

Absolutly no reason to apologize to me! It was only an opportuinty to show the perfectness of the Bible!

Now.....as for the donkey. Matthew says that a donkey which is an adult and a foal which is a baby donkey were the animals (“s” for plural) that Jesus sat upon, while Mark, Luke, and John all affirm that one donkey was used for the Triumphal Entry. The best way to reconcile these accounts with Matthew’s two donkeys is that the other three writers could have seen only one donkey, while Matthew saw two.

Now what is the most important thing to note is that Matthew had a more vested interest in the number of donkeys than the other writers because he was there at the Triumphal Entry. Mark and Luke were not present and acquired their information from others. Apso to note is that Jesus riding in on two donkeys fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah in Zechariah 9:9 according to the Old Testament.

Now...one angel or two????

A comparison of the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John reveals that they did not coordinate their reports. In fact, a careful reading of the gospels reveals that they included different information. Matthew presents his material topically, not chronologically. Mark is usually very brief or ignores a great amount of information. Luke is the most complete and presents his material in a chronological order. The gospel of John is not as brief as Mark and is less complete than Luke.

The gospels of Matthew and Mark refer to an angel in their description of the events that occurred at the tomb after Jesus was resurrected. In contrast, Luke and John refer two angels. The differences between them are due to the facts that each gospel chose to ignore as they presented the facts they wanted to emphasize. The variations that we see reveal that the writers gave four independent accounts of the resurrection events.

If they had been in perfect agreement, critics would accuse them of copying each other. Once again, we see that apparent conflicts in Scripture are only apparent. The information between the gospels is not in conflict.

Now....two blind men or one blind man????

In Matt. 20:31, Mark 10:48 and Luke 18:30 are three accounts that describe nearly identical conversations between Jesus and the beggars and the conclusions of the stories are also identical. The beggars receive their sight immediately and follow Jesus.

Now then, if you will notice, only Mark choses to identify one of the beggars as Bartimaeus. It is not know but most scholars say that is because Bartimaeus was known to Mark’s readers, or they knew Bartimaeus’s father, Timaeus, whereas the other blind man was a stranger to them. In any case, the fact that Mark and Luke only mention one beggar does not contradict Matthew’s account. Mark and Luke never say there was only one beggar. They simply focus on the one, Bartimaeus, who was probably the more vocal of the two. Matthew refers to both of the blind men calling out to Jesus, clearly indicating there were two.

Thanks for the questions!!!!

 

[YeshuaFan]

Here’s a list of reasons why people think that there are Contradictions in the Bible.............

(1) They have an agenda that says there must be many contradictions in the Bible, so they see them even when they don’t exist.

(2) They don’t know the meaning of the word “contradiction”.

(3) If the Bible can be shown to contradict itself, then God is a liar!

(3) They accept what someone has told them and don’t take the time to do the study to find the truth.

May I say to you all that there are NO contradictions in the Bible, only a lack of Bible study!

Augustine address this best!
Only to those books of the Scriptures that are now called canonical have I learned to pay such honor and respect as to believe most firmly that not one of Scriptures’ authors has erred in writing anything. If I do find anything in those books that seems contrary to truth, I decide either that the text is corrupt [i.e., there are copyists’ mistakes], or that the translator [Augustine didn’t read Greek] did not follow what was really said, or that I have failed to understand it.
Letter to Jerome

 

[Major]

But, I did answer the question immediately - 'Yes, of course'.
There is one source of inspiration, and that is the Holy Spirit, and we understand that the Biblical authors were inspired in some form or another, by the Holy Spirit. I say 'in some form or another' because I do not believe that the words of Scripture were dictated, or manipulated in any fashion by the HS. The authors gained their understanding either through revelation or impartation, and their memories recalled distant and obscure events. But, they wrote by their own volition, comprehension and literary capabilities, and independently chose which events and sayings of Jesus to include.

Outside of all that, they concertedly chose not to be precise with every single detail that occurred in the life of Christ, nor with 100% accuracy of the timing or numbers involved within the story plot. Their main intent was related to theological issues.

Peter, speaking about the Old testament said in 2 Peter 1:20-21 ........
"...No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

2 Tim. 3:16..........
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Here Paul asserts that all Scripture–meaning the entire Bible–is God-breathed (i.e., breathed out as when speaking; exhaled/expired).

There are several methods of explaining the authenticity of the Biuble but I believe the " The Verbal Plenary Theory" is the right one.​

The orthodox and IMPO, the correct view of the inspiration of the Bible is called the Verbal Plenary Theory. This view explains that the Spirit of God guided men in the choice of the words used in the original writings; and that the entire Bible is inspired in this way. According to the verses cited above, this theory is what the Bible teaches about its inspiration. This inspiration refers to the original manuscripts.

Although there is a human element in the writings–such as the writers' personal characteristics, writing style, vocabulary, expressed feelings, opinions, prayers, and even fears–inspiration contends that God still directed the authors so that all the words that were used were equally inspired of God, and were the ones God intended for us to have in order to know Him and His plan of salvation.

 

[Major]

Augustine address this best!
Only to those books of the Scriptures that are now called canonical have I learned to pay such honor and respect as to believe most firmly that not one of Scriptures’ authors has erred in writing anything. If I do find anything in those books that seems contrary to truth, I decide either that the text is corrupt [i.e., there are copyists’ mistakes], or that the translator [Augustine didn’t read Greek] did not follow what was really said, or that I have failed to understand it.
Letter to Jerome

Agreed with Augustine!...............and YOU!