Talk With Xerxes
Talk with KingXerxes
Setting the stage for what is Biblical Contradiction (a sampling)
About: Six day creation, sun stood still, red sea parts, slave of Christ
Believer for many moons, computer programmer by trade, no theological studies
Bible arrived to us as it was intended (66 or 73 books?) Sola scriptura
Another topic: Infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture
"man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live on everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord" Deuteronomy 8:3
"Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king" 2 Chronicles 36:9
"Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king" 2 Kings 24:8
Eighth year of captivity? ("in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile" Ezekiel 1:2)
"But those who died from the plague were twenty-four thousand in number." Numbers 25:9
"and twenty-three thousand fell in one day." 1 Corinthians 10:8
Is this an error?
"No one has seen God at any time" John 1:18
"So Manoah (Samson's dad) said to his wife, 'We will certainly die, for we have seen God.'" (the angel of the Lord) Judges 13:22
Even though someone said it in the Bible, they could be mistaken.
"But God remembered Noah and all the animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark" Genesis 8:1
Do numbers matter?
"Two blind men" Matthew 20:30
"a blind man" Mark 10:46
Does the wording matter?
"THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS" Matthew 27:37
"JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS" John 19:19
"it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek" John 19:20
Contradictions are "defeaters"?
Stopped people from wanting a personal relationship with the Lord.
Contradiction: Take a staff or not?
"He instructed them that they were to take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff" Mark 6:8
"And He said to them, 'Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money'" Luke 9:3 (Matthew 10:9-10)
(Bart Ehrman)
Contradiction: Who spoke to Jesus, a centurion or some elders?
"When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, asking for help." Matthew 8:5-13
"The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant." Luke 7:3
"For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under myself;
and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes." Luke 7:8 (Matthew 8:9)
Contradiction: Did Jesus wither the fig tree immediately or a day later?
"Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves.
Then he said to it, 'May you never bear fruit again!' Immediately the tree withered." Matthew 21:19-21 (v12 drove out money changers)
"Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit.
When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
Then he said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again.' And his disciples heard him say it." Mark 11:13-14
(overturns the money changers)
"In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
Peter remembered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!'" Mark 11:20-21
What Does the Bible Claim?
"All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction,
for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
"Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
it seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning,
to write it out for you in an orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught." Luke 1:1-4
"But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail,
I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written." John 21:25
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him" Psalm 25:14
Contradiction: God does not become weary, yet He rests (and was refreshed?)
"The Everlasting God ... Does not become weary or tired" Isaiah 40:28
"It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever;
for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed." Exodus 31:17
"Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." Genesis 2:3
Answer: God rested (ceased) from creating. He declared this day of rest for us.
(Remember the Sabbath day) "but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work" Exodus 20:10
Contradiction: God commands the Israelites to destroy seven nations, but we are told to love our neighbor.
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to take possession of it,
and He drives away many nations from before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites,
the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and
mightier than you, and when the Lord your God turns them over to you and you defeat them,
you shall utterly destroy them. You shall not make a covenant with them nor be gracious to them." Deuteronomy 7:1-2
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31
Answer: God is just. We are not God. We should obey His statutes.
"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" Psalm 89:14
Contradiction: In Genesis 1, the last thing God makes are men and women. In Genesis 2, after He makes Adam, He makes animals, and then makes Eve.
Answer: Genesis 2 is more detail of what happened in Genesis 1.
"The earth produced vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind,
and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, according to their kind; and God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day." Genesis 1:12-13
"Now no shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted,
for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.
But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground." Genesis 2:5-6
"Then God said, 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness;
and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock
and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.'
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:26-27
"Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and the man became a living person." Genesis 2:7
By day 3 we have vegetation everywhere. Why does Gen 2:5 say there's no shrub anywhere?
From Genesis 2:7 to 2:23 we have details of Genesis 1:26-27.
Why is Genesis 2 naming the rivers if the man had not been created yet (land of Cush?)?
God caused the trees to grow in the garden (no mist used to water)
No indication of more than a day passing for the man as he names all the livestock, etc.
Contradiction: Why does God say Adam will die if he eats the fruit? When he eats it he doesn't die.
"but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die" Genesis 2:17
Many suggest "spiritual death".
"I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died" Romans 7:9
But...
"... just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin ..." Romans 5:12
"For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead." 1 Corinthians 15:21
Eve: "You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die" (instant) Genesis 3:3
Answer: Hebrews says "surely die" as in "begin to die" or "as soon as you eat of it, you shall be doomed to die". "on the day" - meaning you will begin to die "on the day" you eat.
Contradiction: Mustard seed is the smallest seed in parable to Jewish agrarian audience?
"mustard seed ... smaller than all the other seeds" Matthew 13:31-32
"smallest of all the seeds that are upon the soil" Mark 4:30-32
Answer: Smallest of the seeds they used for farming
Answer: Smallest seed in relation to what it became: "smaller than all the other seeds,
but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree"
Final Answer: Mustard seed in Jewish tradition was proverbial for smallness.
"Because of your meager faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20
Contradiction: Did both thieves mock Jesus or just one?
"And the rebels who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him in the same way." Matthew 27:44
"Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him." Mark 15:32
"One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, 'Are You not the Christ?
Save Yourself and us!' But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?'" Luke 23:39-40
Answer: Both mocked Jesus at the start. Eventually one thief saw the error of his ways and repented.
Just like all of us do not seek God ("There is no one who seeks out God" Romans 3:11) until some have a change of heart. Also, crucifixions usually lasted hours.
"Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise'" Luke 23:42-43
Contradiction: Did Judas die by hanging himself or by falling headlong? Did the chief priests buy the field or did Judas?
"And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and left; and he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, 'It is not lawful to put them in the temple treasury,
since it is money paid for blood.' And they conferred together and with the money bought
the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.'" Matthew 27:5-8
"(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong,
he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. And it became known to
all the residents of Jerusalem; as a result that field was called Hakeldama in their own language, that is, Field of Blood.)" Acts 1:18-19
Answer: The field was purchased with Judas's blood money. Luke does not say how he died,
only that he burst open. Judas hung himself and from where he was hanging he fell
and burst open. "falling headlong" - you can still fall from a height, hit your feet and then fall forward with your head.
Contradiction: The two genealogies for Jesus do not match. Is Joseph's dad Eli or Jacob?
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham ...
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah." Matthew 1:1-17
"When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years old, being,
as was commonly held, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli ..." Luke 3:23-38
Matthew has the angel of the Lord talking to Joseph. Luke has angel Gabriel
speaking to Mary. Matthew is from the viewpoint of Joseph. Luke is from the viewpoint of Mary.
Answer: Joseph is the son of Jacob. Mary is the daughter of Eli, making Joseph the son-in-law of Eli.
Notice Matthew says "father of" (specific) compared to Luke saying "son of" (ambiguous - could be son-in-law).
Notice also Luke says Jesus was the son of Joseph "as was commonly held".
Contradiction: Elijah must come first. John the Baptist said he wasn't Elijah. So how can we have Jesus?
"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord." Malachi 4:5
"For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it,
John himself is Elijah who was to come. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear." Matthew 11:13-15 (also Matthew 17:10-13 (mentioned after Transfiguration))
John the Baptist dressed like Elijah and he preached in the wilderness like Elijah.
"'Are you Elijah?' And he [John the Baptist] said, 'I am not.'" John 1:21
Answer: Compare John's view of himself verses Jesus's view of John.
"And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him." Matthew 17:1-8 (Transfiguration)
Not only do we have John as Elijah ("if you are willing to accept it"), we also have the actual Elijah!
Contradiction: Some will not taste death until they see Son of Man coming in His kingdom, yet those people are long dead.
"Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Matthew 16:28
"Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and his brother John,
and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;
and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him." Matthew 17:1-3
Answer: Some did see Jesus in His kingdom. Eye witness account from Peter.
"... we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory
from God the Father, such a declaration as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory:
'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased' - and we ourselves heard this declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain." 2 Peter 1:16-18
Contradiction: That generation passed away before the end times.
"Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." Mark 13:30, Matthew 24:34, and Luke 21:32
Answer: The word generation refers to the (future) people alive when the events take place.
Emphasis on the end times happening quickly.
Counterargument: Jesus says "when you see" to them.
"So you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door." Mark 13:29
Contradiction: The Resurrection accounts
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28&version=NASB
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16&version=NASB
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24&version=NASB
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20&version=NASB
Issue with the time? No
Issue with people? No - "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary",
"Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome", "Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; also the other women", "Mary Magdalene"
Earthquake only in Matthew
Mark has women leaving and saying nothing
"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." Matthew 28:8 (Luke 24:9)
Answer: Initially said nothing until they reached the disciples (they didn't announce it as they traveled through the town).
Peter and John run to the tomb before Mary has seen Jesus in John 20:4
Peter runs to tomb after Mary has seen Jesus in Luke 24:12
If they ran to the tomb before Mary had seen Jesus, why didn't the men talk to the angels inside?
Given all four accounts, what do I think happened?
Before the women arrive, an earthquake happens and the stone is rolled away (Matthew 28:2 says "a severe earthquake had occurred" (past tense))
The women arrived in the morning, the time where it goes from dark to light
The women first see the angels in the tomb (Matthew 28:5 is the most confusing
"And the angel said to the women..." sounds like they were still standing outside.
I believe this was when they were in the tomb because Matthew later says "And they left the tomb..." Matthew 28:8 without mention of them entering.)
Matthew's angel speaks similar wording as what the other angels said inside the tomb.
"Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying." Matthew 28:5-6
"Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.
He has risen; He is not here; see, here is the place where they laid Him." Mark 16:6
Jesus met with Mary (even though Matthew reports He met with the women)
Mark condensed the meeting of Jesus with the eleven (compared to John)
"Later He appeared to the eleven disciples themselves as they were reclining at the table" Mark 16:14
"Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors
were shut where the disciples were together due to fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst" John 20:19
"Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them." John 20:26
Paul's (most likely first) account:
"For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received,
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried,
and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." 1 Corinthians 15:3-5