Are There Contradictions in the Bible? What is a Contradiction? A Difference Does Not Make a...

Are There Are There Contradictions Contradictions in the Bible?in the Bible?

What is a What is a Contradiction?Contradiction?

A Difference Does Not A Difference Does Not Make a Contradiction!Make a Contradiction!

What is a What is a Contradiction?Contradiction?Law of Contradiction:Law of Contradiction: ““Nothing can both be Nothing can both be

and not be.and not be.””

(Jevans, 1928, p. 117)(Jevans, 1928, p. 117)


““That the same thing should at the That the same thing should at the same time both be and not be for same time both be and not be for the same person and in the same the same person and in the same respect is impossible.respect is impossible.”” (Aristotle)(Aristotle)


Is the same thing or person under consideration?Is the same time period in view?Is the language that seems self-contradictory employed in the same sense?

What is a What is a Contradiction?Contradiction?“John is rich.”

“John is poor.”Is it the same person?Is it the same person?

Is it the same time period?Is it the same time period?Is it the same sense?Is it the same sense?

What is a What is a Contradiction?Contradiction?It is never proper to assume a It is never proper to assume a contradiction exists until every contradiction exists until every

possible means of harmonization possible means of harmonization has been fully exhausted!has been fully exhausted!

Same Thing/PersonSame Thing/PersonThe ArkThe Ark

(Genesis 6:13ff)(Genesis 6:13ff)

The ArkThe Ark (Joshua 3:1ff)(Joshua 3:1ff)

Same Thing/PersonSame Thing/PersonJames 2:14,17James 2:14,17 What use is it, my What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? that faith save him? ……(17)(17) Even so Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. being by itself.

Same Thing/PersonSame Thing/PersonPhilippians 2:12Philippians 2:12 So then, my be- So then, my be-loved, just as you have always loved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear work out your salvation with fear and trembling;and trembling;

Same Thing/PersonSame Thing/PersonEphesians 2:8-9Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace For by grace you have been saved through faith; you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.works, so that no one may boast.

Same Thing/PersonSame Thing/PersonRomans 3:28Romans 3:28 For we maintain For we maintain that a man is justified by faith that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. apart from works of the Law. (cf. (cf. 4:2ff)4:2ff)

Same TimeSame TimeGenesis 1:31Genesis 1:31 God saw all that He God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.there was morning, the sixth day.

Same TimeSame TimeGenesis 6:5-6Genesis 6:5-6 Then the LORD saw Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.heart.

Same TimeSame TimeMatthew 10:1-2Matthew 10:1-2 Jesus summoned Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of of disease and every kind of sickness. Now the names of the sickness. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: …Judas twelve apostles are these: …Judas Iscariot…Iscariot…

Same TimeSame TimeJohn 17:12John 17:12 While I was with While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.would be fulfilled.

Same TimeSame TimeJohn 12:6John 12:6 Now he said this, not Now he said this, not because he was concerned about because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into he used to pilfer what was put into it.it.

Same TimeSame TimeJohn 13:2John 13:2 During supper, the During supper, the devil having already put into the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,Simon, to betray Him,

Same TimeSame TimeMark 15:25Mark 15:25 It was the third hour It was the third hour when they crucified Him. when they crucified Him.

Same TimeSame TimeJohn 19:14-15aJohn 19:14-15a Now it was the Now it was the day of preparation for the Pass-day of preparation for the Pass-over; it was about the sixth hour. over; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" So they cried out, your King!" So they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" crucify Him!"

Same SenseSame SenseMatthew 11:13-14Matthew 11:13-14 For all the For all the prophets and the Law prophesied prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.who was to come.

Same SenseSame SenseJohn 1:21John 1:21 They asked him, "What They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."Prophet?" And he answered, "No."

Same SenseSame SenseLuke 1:17Luke 1:17 "It is he who will go as a "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for make ready a people prepared for the Lord."the Lord."

Same SenseSame SensePhilippians 3:6Philippians 3:6 as to zeal, a as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.found blameless.

Same SenseSame Sense1 Timothy 1:151 Timothy 1:15 It is a trust-It is a trust-worthy statement, deserving full worthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.among whom I am foremost of all.

Logical ImplicationsLogical Implications““……nothing can have at the same nothing can have at the same

time and at the same place time and at the same place contradictory and inconsistent contradictory and inconsistent

qualities.qualities.”” (Jevons, 1928, p. 118)(Jevons, 1928, p. 118)

Opposites are not necessarily Opposites are not necessarily contradictory!contradictory!

OppositesOppositesJohn 3:16John 3:16 "For God so loved the "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only be-world, that He gave His only be-gotten Son, that whoever believes gotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.eternal life.

OppositesOppositesPsalms 119:104Psalms 119:104 From Your pre- From Your pre-cepts I get understanding; There-cepts I get understanding; There-fore I hate every false way.fore I hate every false way.

OppositesOppositesPsalms 45:7Psalms 45:7 You have loved You have loved righteousness and hated wicked-righteousness and hated wicked-ness; Therefore God, Your God, ness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy has anointed you with the oil of joy above Your fellows.above Your fellows.

OppositesOppositesRomans 11:22Romans 11:22 Behold then the Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.will be cut off.

OppositesOppositesPhilippians 3:12Philippians 3:12 Not that I have Not that I have already obtained it or have already already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.Christ Jesus.

OppositesOppositesPhilippians 3:15Philippians 3:15 Let us there- Let us there-fore, as many as are perfect, have fore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;reveal that also to you;

OppositesOpposites1 Corinthians 14:201 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.thinking be mature.

OppositesOppositesEphesians 4:13Ephesians 4:13 until we all until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.fullness of Christ.

Logical Logical ImplicationsImplications

DonDon’’t confuse t confuse Supplementation with Supplementation with

ContradictionContradiction

SupplementationSupplementation

““John is a husband.John is a husband.””

““John is not a husband.John is not a husband.””

SupplementationSupplementation

““John is a husband.John is a husband.””

““John is a father.John is a father.””

SupplementationSupplementationBlind Men of JerichoBlind Men of Jericho

Matthew 20:29-34Matthew 20:29-34Mark 10:46-52Mark 10:46-52Luke 18:35-43Luke 18:35-43

ConclusionConclusionNo Contradiction Exists No Contradiction Exists

Between Passages Involving Between Passages Involving Different Persons or ThingsDifferent Persons or Things


Between Passages Involving Between Passages Involving Different Time ElementsDifferent Time Elements


Between Passages That Between Passages That Employ Words or Phrases in Employ Words or Phrases in

Different SensesDifferent Senses

ConclusionConclusionNo Contradiction Exists No Contradiction Exists Opposites are Not Necessarily Opposites are Not Necessarily

ContradictoryContradictory


Supplementation is Not the Supplementation is Not the Same as ContradictionSame as Contradiction


One Need Show Only the One Need Show Only the Possibility of Harmonization Possibility of Harmonization

Between Two PassagesBetween Two Passages

ConclusionConclusionDifferences in Various Bible Differences in Various Bible Accounts of the Same Events Accounts of the Same Events

Demonstrate the Demonstrate the Independence of the Writers!Independence of the Writers!

ConclusionConclusion1 Corinthians 14:33 1 Corinthians 14:33 for God is for God is not a God of confusion but of not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the peace, as in all the churches of the saints.saints.

ConclusionConclusionHebrews 6:18Hebrews 6:18 so that by two so that by two unchangeable things in which it is unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.of the hope set before us.

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