Subject: A List of Biblical Contradictions
By: Jim Meritt
Date: 1992-07-24
All of my statements, past, present and future express
solely my opinions and/or beliefs and do not in any way represent those
of any of my employer's unless such is specifically stated in the content
of the text.
The Bible is riddled with repetitions and contradictions,
things that the Bible bangers would be quick to point out in anything
that they want to criticize. For instance, Genesis 1 and 2 disagree
about the order in which things are created, and how satisfied God is
about the results of his labors. The flood story is really two interwoven
stories that contradict each other on how many of each kind of animal
are to be brought into the Ark--is it one pair each or seven pairs each
of the "clean" ones? The Gospel of John disagrees with the other three
Gospels on the activities of Jesus Christ (how long had he stayed in
Jerusalem--a couple of days or a whole year?) and all four Gospels contradict
each other on the details of Jesus Christ's last moments and resurrection.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke contradict each other on the genealogy
of Jesus Christ' father; though both agree that Joseph was not his real
father. Repetitions and contradictions are understandable for a hodgepodge
collection of documents, but not for some carefully constructed treatise,
reflecting a well-thought-out plan.
Of the various methods I've seen to "explain" these:
1. "That is to be taken metaphorically" In other words, what is written
is not what is meant. I find this entertaining, especially for those
who decide what ISN'T to be taken as other than the absolute WORD OF
GOD--which just happens to agree with the particular thing they happen
to want..
2. "There was more there than..." This is used when one
verse says "there was a" and another says "there was b", so they decide
there was "a" AND "b"--which is said nowhere. This makes them happy,
since it doesn't say there WASN'T "a+b". But it doesn't say there was
"a+b+little green martians". This is often the same crowd that insists
theirs is the ONLY possible interpretation (i.e. only "a") and the only
way. I find it entertaining they they don't mind adding to verses.
3. "It has to be understood in context" I find this amusing
because it comes from the same crowd that likes to push likewise extracted
verses that support their particular view. Often it is just one of the
verses in the contradictory set is suppose to be taken as THE TRUTH
when if you add more to it it suddenly becomes "out of context". How
many of you have gotten JUST John 3:16 (taken out of all context) thrown
up at you?
4. "there was just a copying/writing error" This is sometimes
called a "transcription error", as in where one number was meant and
an incorrect one was copied down. Or that what was "quoted" wasn't really
what was said, but just what the author thought was said when he thought
it was said. And that's right--I'm not disagreeing with events, I'm
disagreeing with what is WRITTEN. Which is apparently agreed that it
is incorrect. This is an amusing misdirection to the problem that the
bible itself is wrong.
5. "That is a miracle". Naturally. That is why it is
stated as fact.
6. "God works in mysterious ways" A useful dodge when
the speaker doesn't understand the conflict between what the bible SAYS
and what they WISH it said.
The King James version of the Bible. quotes provided.
Self-contradictions of the Bible.
William Henry Burr
ISBN 0-87975-416-8
Burr, William Henry, 1819-1908.
Self-contradictions of the Bible / William Henry Burr ; with an introduction
by R. Joseph Hoffmann. [Buffalo, NY : Prometheus Books], c1987.
Series title: Classics of Biblical criticism.
UCB Moffitt BS533 .B798 1987
UCD Main Lib BS533 .B798 1987
Cooper, Robert, secularist.
The "Holy Scriptures" analyzed, or, Extracts from the Bible : showing
its contradictions, absurdities and immoralities / by Robert Cooper.
2nd ed., to which is added, a vindication of the work. Manchester, [Greater
Manchester] : J. Cooper, 1840.
Series title: Goldsmiths'-Kress library of economic literature ; no.
31887.
UCLA AGS Mgmt H 31 G57 Microfilm
Dean, M. R.
508 answers to Bible questions : with answers to seeming Bible contradictions
/ M. R. DeHaan. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Zondervan, [1968?], c1952.
UCSB Library BS538 .D43 1968
Thaddaeus, Joannes, fl. 1630.
The reconciler of the Bible enlarged : wherein above three thousand
seeming contradictions throughout the Old and New Testament are fully
and plainly reconciled ... / by J. T. and T. M. .. London : Printed
for Simon Miller ..., 1662.
Series title: Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1052:9.
UCSD Central MICRO F 524 Current Periodical Microform
Poole, Matthew, 1624-1679.
Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. II : wherein the sacred text is
inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with the parallel scriptures
: the more difficult terms in each verse are explained,... The third
edition, with the addition of a new concordance and tables, by Mr. Sam.
Clark; the whole corrected and amended by the said Mr. Sam. Clark and
Mr. Edward Veale .. London : Printed for Thomas Parkhurst [and 6 others],
MDCXCVI [1696].
Series title: Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1041:1.
UCSD Central MICRO F 524 Current Periodical Microform
"the x-rated bible" by ben edward akerley, published by american atheist
press, austin texas, 1985.
A good source of _literal_ Biblical
self-contradictions is (surprise) "Self-Contradictions of the Bible",
written by William Henry Burr in 1859 as a response to fundamentalism.
It is currently published by Prometheus Books, 700 East Amherst St.,
Buffalo, NY 14215. P. B. also publishes a large number of books on religious
inquiry and biblical critiques, the majority of which have a humanistic/atheistic
slant. As far as "Self-Contradictions ..." goes, it contains about 140
textual inconsistencies, classified under "Theological Doctrines", "Moral
Precepts", "Historical Facts", and "Speculative Doctrines."
"The Bible Handbook" is a compilation of several previous works by several
authors, including W P Ball, G W Foote, and John Bowden. Also, the writing
by Mr Foote is dated 1900, so we see that this is not a new endeavor.
_The Bible Handbook_ by W.P. Ball, et al., available for nine dollars
from the the American Atheist Press, P.O. Box 2117, Austin TX 78768-2117.
It's a collection of biblical contradictions, absurdities, atrocities,
immoralities, indecencies, obscenities, unfulfilled prophecies and broken
promises. This 372-page volume will give the atheist tons of scriptural
ammunition for shooting down the flimsy arguments of the reality impaired.
PSA 145:9 The LORD is good
to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
JER 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even
the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity,
nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
MAT 28:1 In the end of
the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
MAR 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that
they might come and anoint him.
JOH 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene
early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone
taken away from the sepulchre.
JOH 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away,
and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I
said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
GEN 1:25 And God made the beast of
the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing
that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was
good.
GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
GEN 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the
man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the
field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see
what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature,
that was the name thereof.
GEN 7:2 Of every clean
beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and
of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
GEN 7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean,
and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, GEN 7:9
There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female,
as God had commanded Noah.
KI1 4:26 And Solomon
had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand
horsemen.
CH2 9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses
and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the
chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
ACT 2:30 Therefore being a prophet,
and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit
of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit
on his throne;
MAT 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:
When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together,
she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
ISA 14:21 Prepare slaughter for
his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise,
nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
DEU 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the
children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers:
every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
LEV 11:13 And these are they which ye
shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten,
they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
LEV 11:14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
LEV 11:15 Every raven after his kind;
LEV 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk
after his kind,
LEV 11:17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
LEV 11:18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
LEV 11:19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing,
and the bat.
DEU 14:11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
DEU 14:12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and
the ossifrage, and the ospray,
DEU 14:13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
DEU 14:14 And every raven after his kind,
DEU 14:15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk
after his kind,
DEU 14:16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
DEU 14:17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,
DEU 14:18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing,
and the bat.
LEV 11:6 And the hare, because
he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
'Gerah', the term which appears in the MT means (chewed)
cud, and also perhaps grain, or berry (also a 20th of a sheckel, but
I think that we can agree that that is irrelevant here). It does *not*
mean dung, and there is a perfectly adequate Hebrew word for that, which
could have been used. Furthermore, the phrase translated 'chew the cud'
in the KJV is more exactly 'bring up the cud'. Rabbits do not bring
up anything; they let it go all the way through, then eat it again.
The description given in Leviticus is inaccurate, and that's that. Rabbits
do eat their own dung; they do not bring anything up and chew on it.
LEV 11:21 Yet these may ye eat
of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have
legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
LEV 11:22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind,
and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and
the grasshopper after his kind.
LEV 11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet,
shall be an abomination unto you.
GEN 1:20 And God said, Let the waters
bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl
that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
GEN 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that
moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind,
and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every
beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto
Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every
living creature, that was the name thereof.
ISA 40:22 It is he that sitteth
upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;
that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out
as a tent to dwell in:
MAT 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding
high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the
glory of them;
Astromical bodies are spherical, and you cannot see the
entire exterior surface from anyplace. The kingdoms of Egypt, China,
Greece, Crete, sections of Asia Minor, India, Maya (in Mexico), Carthage
(North Africa), Rome (Italy), Korea, and other settlements from these
kingdoms of the world were widely distributed.
GEN 3:14 And the LORD
God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed
above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly
shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Here is the order in the first (Genesis 1), the Priestly
tradition:
Day 1: Sky, Earth, light
Day 2: Water, both in ocean basins and above the sky(!)
Day 3: Plants
Day 4: Sun, Moon, stars (as calendrical and navigational aids)
Day 5: Sea monsters (whales), fish, birds, land animals, creepy-crawlies
(reptiles, insects, etc.)
Day 6: Humans (apparently both sexes at the same time)
Day 7: Nothing (the Gods took the first day off anyone ever did)
Note that there are "days", "evenings", and "mornings"
before the Sun was created. Here, the Deity is referred to as "Elohim",
which is a plural, thus the literal translation, "the Gods". In this
tale, the Gods seem satisfied with what they have done, saying after
each step that "it was good".
The second one (Genesis 2), the Yahwist tradition, goes:
Earth and heavens (misty)
Adam, the first man (on a desolate Earth)
Plants
Animals
Eve, the first woman (from Adam's rib)
How orderly were things created?
#1: Step-by-step. The only discrepancy is that there is no Sun or Moon
or stars on the first three "days".
#2: God fixes things up as he goes. The first man is lonely, and is
not satisfied with animals. God finally creates a woman for him. (funny
thing that an omniscient god would forget things)
How satisfied with creation was he?
#1: God says "it was good" after each of his labors, and rests on the
seventh day, evidently very satisfied.
#2: God has to fix up his creation as he goes, and he would certainly
not be very satisfied with the disobedience of that primordial couple.
(funny thing that an omniscient god would forget things)
Num.12:3: "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all
the men which were upon the fact of the earth."
Num.31:14, 17, 18: "And Moses was wroth...And Moses said
unto them, "Have ye saved all the women alive? ... Now therefore kill
every male among the little ones, and kill every woman, ... But all
the women children ... keep alive for yourselves."
Ps.92:12: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm
tree."
Isa.57:1: "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth
it to heart."
Acts 1:18: "Now this man (Judas) purchased
a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst
asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."
Matt. 27:5-7: "And he (Judas) cast down the pieces of
silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And
the chief priests...bought with them the potter's field."
Matt.5:1,2: "And seeing
the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his
disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying...."
Luke6:17,20: "And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and
the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people...came
to hear him.. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said..."
Matt.27:46,50: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?" that is to
say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" ...Jesus, when he
cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost."
Luke23:46: "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,
he said, "Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit:" and having said
thus, he gave up the ghost."
John19:30: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
he said, "It is finished:" and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
II SAMUEL 24:13: So God came to David, and told him,
and said unto him, shall SEVEN YEARS OF FAMINE come unto thee in thy
land? or will thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they
pursue. thee?
I CHRONICLES 21:11: SO God came to David, and said unto
him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee. Either THREE YEARS OF FAMINE
or three months to be destryed before thy foes, while that the sword
of thine enemies overtaketh thee;
In two places in the New Testament
the genealogy of Jesus son of Mary (PBUH) is mentioned. Matthew 1:6-16
and Luke 3:23-31. Each gives the ancestors of Joseph the CLAIMED husband
of Mary and Step father of Jesus(PBUH). The first one starts from Abraham(verse
2) all the way down to Jesus. The second one from Jesus all the way
back to Adam. The only common name to these two lists between David
and Jesus is JOSEPH, How can this be true? and also How can Jesus have
a genealogy when all Muslims and most Christians believe that Jesus
had/has no father.
Exod. 24:9,10; Amos 9:1; Gen. 26:2; and John 14:9
God CAN be seen:
"And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my backparts." (Ex.
33:23)
"And the Lord spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his
friend." (Ex. 33:11)
"For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Gen.
32:30)
God CANNOT be seen:
"No man hath seen God at any time." (John 1:18)
"And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see
me and live." (Ex. 33:20)
"Whom no man hath seen nor can see." (1 Tim. 6:16)
"I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy."
(Jer. 13:14) "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that
they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and
suckling."
"The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy." (James
5:11)
"For his mercy endureth forever." (1 Chron. 16:34)
"The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works."
(Ps. 145:9)
"God is love." (1 John 4:16)
MAR 14:72 And the second
time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said
unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And
when he thought thereon, he wept.
MAT 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying,
I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
MAT 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him,
Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and
wept bitterly.
LUK 22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest.
And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
LUK 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered
the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow,
thou shalt deny me thrice.
JOH 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy
life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not
crow, still thou hast denied me thrice.
JOH 18:27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the
cock crew.
SA1 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw
thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised
come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would
not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon
it.
SA1 31:5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise
upon his sword, and died with him.
SA1 31:6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and
all his men, that same day together.
SA2 1:15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and
fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
MAT 5:3 Blessed
are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
MAT 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
MAT 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
MAT 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.
MAT 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
MAT 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
MAT 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children
of God.
MAT 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
MAT 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
LUK 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples,
and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
LUK 6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed
are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
LUK 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall
separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out
your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
LUK 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your
reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers
unto the prophets.
KI1 8:46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no
man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them
to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of
the enemy, far or near;
CH2 6:36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man
which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over
before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land
far off or near;
PRO 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am
pure from my sin?
ECC 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that
doeth good, and sinneth not.
JO1 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
JO1 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
JO1 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and
his word is not in us.
JO1 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born
of God.
ACT 1:18 Now this man purchased a field
with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder
in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
ACT 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch
as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to
say, The field of blood.
MAT 27:6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces,
and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because
it is the price of blood.
MAT 27:7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field,
to bury strangers in.
MAT 27:8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this
day.
SA2
6:23 Therefore Michael the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day
of her death.
SA2 21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the
daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth;
and the five sons of Michael the daughter of Saul, whom she brought
up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
KI2 24:8 Jehoiachin
was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem
three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan
of Jerusalem.
CH2 36:9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and
he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
1 Cor 3:15 " The spiritual man makes judgments about
all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:" (NIV)
1 Cor 4:5 " Therefore judge nothing before the appointed
time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden
in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time
each will receive his praise from God."
Matt 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before
men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
(NIV)
Matt 6:3-4 "But when you give to the needy, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving
may be in secert. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you." (NIV)
MAT 28:2 And, behold, there
was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
MAT 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as
snow:
MAT 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead
men.
MAT 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye:
for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
MAR 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a
young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment;
and they were affrighted.
LUK 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed
thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
JOH 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the
one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus
had lain.
MAT
27:9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him
that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
zechariah 11:11-13
(nothing in Jeremiah remotely like)
Depends where you
look; Matthew 12:40 gives Jesus prophesying that he will spend "three
days and three nights in the heart of the earth", and Mark 10:34 has
"after three days (meta treis emeras) he will rise again". As far as
I can see from a quick look, the prophecies have "after three days",
but the post-Resurrection narratives have "on the third day".
