If the Bible is the literal Word of God, how can "small contradictions" not matter?

Question

If the Bible is the literal, unquestionable word of God, how can there be ANY errors in it? If it was divinely inspired, how can there be the single most error in it? For examples, contradictions concerning the two accounts of the creation, how did Judas die, the conflicting genealogies of Jesus, calling whales fish, etc.? None of these things should be there.

Third-hand accounts? If the Bible is divinely inspired, how did third-hand accounts not get fixed by God?

If these small mistakes are in there, how can we accept at face value, also without question, the bigger stuff?

Answer 1

There are no contradictions in the bible.

There are mistranslations of the Original next.

Answer 2

1. There are not "two creation accounts." You have misunderstood a literary device.



2. The accounts of Judas' death do not conflict. He hung himself. A suicide by hanging, if done wrong, can result in the body bursting open. There are a number of ways this can happen. They are too gruesome to mention in this context.



3. The ancient Hebrew language has the same word for fish and whales, so there can be no contradiction there.



4. Genealogies will differ if one traces his line through the father vs tracing his line through the mother. The Hebrew custom of genealogies allowed one to skip ancestor's names. The ones mentioned were mentioned for a particular reason. You do not understand their culture.



5. I don't know what you mean by "third hand account" or what you mean to prove. An account would not necessarily have to be an eyewitness account to be inspired of God.







Are there any other (supposed) contradictions in the Bible that I can help you with?

Answer 3

God is the author of the Bible. He has Divinely inspired the countless human authors to write what they wrote. A careful examination of OT text cloth demonstrates that it relatively is a prophecy of the NT. As such, the NT confirms the OT. it must be much less annoying to comprehend in case you have been to think of of the human beings greater as scribes than authors. they're penning the be responsive to God, no longer unavoidably their very very own words - in spite of in the event that they don't comprehend it. the unique Scriptures have been penned in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. the incontrovertible fact that God's be conscious may well be transcribed into even one human language is dazzling adequate. the fact unique manuscripts have been written in 3 languages shows the Scriptures can certainly via translated into any human language. sure, we ought to continually beware for "rubbish" Bibles with undesirable translations, however the fact rubbish bibles exist does not advise there are not valid translations available. Believing that the Bible is the Written be responsive to God is an editorial of religion. you're the two going to have confidence it or no longer. in case you do no longer perfect now, with any luck sometime you will.

Answer 4

Each gospel contradicts one another when they describe the resurrection of Jesus and the discovery of Jesus' empty tomb. Christians usually say "It makes sense that there are contradictions concerning Jesus' resurrection because it's the perspective from four different authors" but that doesn't make any sense because the authors of the gospels were supposed to be divinely inspired, they weren't eye-witnesses. Surely God would give Matthew, Mark, Luke and John the same information? There shouldn't be such glaring contradictions in the Bible. These kinds of mistakes should make anyone skeptical of the Bible.



If God can make a whole universe, surely he can make a book properly that isn't full of contradictions and inconsistencies?



I love how everyone is saying "The Bible wasn't originally contradictory, these contradictions are just the result of numerous translations". But surely God would be able to prevent his masterpiece from being interpolated with errors and mistranslations? If God can make the whole universe, why can't he manage to make an error-free book?

Answer 5

In the True Word of God there are no contradictions. The problem is with the reader. Unless a person is born again He cannot understand the Scriptures because they are spiritually discerned. When the Author of the Book lives within you you have a ready interpreter always there to explain.



1Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.



As for the theory of two accounts of creation;

Hebrew narative style is consistent in that the general outline of the events being narrated is given first and then the details are expanded.



The two genealogies of Jesus are both true and accurate. The one in Luke starts with Joseph who being the step father of Jesus gives Him the legal right to David's throne. Matthew's account is from Abraham to Mary which as some have noted, is the Kingly ancestry. So from both lineages we have the confirmation of Jesus' right to the throne of David.



God has preserved His word in the English language. Psalm 12:6



We know that the personalities of the writers are evident in their writing just as different pens write with different characteristics.



2Peter 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.

Answer 6

Who in the world said that the Bible was written by God? You are thinking about Islam. There are fundies who BELIEVE incorrectly that it was written by God, but people who are able to think know that they were not. Many Christians do not take the Bible for literal value, but I will give you that few will take a serious look at it. However, this does nothing at all to prove or disprove the existence of God, just the literal value of the Bible, one holy doctrine in a sea of books. So what exactly is your point? That the bible is not to be taken literally? Ok. That God cannot exist because there are errors in the Bible? You are full of it.

Answer 7

There were or are errors in the translations but the basic meaning is still intact. As for the third hand account l feel that your mistaken. The churches oration those stories until they were compiled in 325 by order of Emperor Constantine when he gathered the eight Bishops of the Christian world, one one per country, to determine which books should be in what we now know as to days Bible.

Answer 8

There are no contradictions.Genesis chapters 1 and 2 aren't two different stories, Chapter 2 was a recap. No the bible didn't call a whale a fish, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish fish not a whale.

Answer 9

The only people who claim that the Bible is the word of God are those who have a vested interest in having the Bible thought of that way.



No one has ever been able to show me a single part of the Bible that states that it was written by God. All we have are self-serving claims by the people who wrote the various books of the Bible or who were part of the Council of Nicea that cobbled the Christian Bible together.



NOTE TO JCSAVES316: No contradictions? Here are some: http://www.answering-christianity.com/101_bible_contradictions.htm

Answer 10

The first answer made me lol so hard i now have to clean coffee off the wall. Yet another Christian who had never read or thought about the Bible. You can't just read the stuff you like and ignore the rest.

Answer 11

1) The two creations actually don't contradict if you read carefully.

2) Judas hanged himself and then fell headlong in the field.

3) No conflicting genealogies. Again, use logic and read carefully.

4) Which third hand account are you talking about?

Answer 12

The bible was written by man. All religions were created by man in order to instill fear and control. People will give, take, and manipulate the bible to fit their own needs however they wish.

Answer 13

If your looking for conflicting stories etc....you may find them.... but the overall candor of the Bible ...its theme is about Gods Kingdom....and what that Kingdom is going to do for obedient mankind.....is what we should be looking for......if you research prophecy there is no way to deny that the Bible is Gods Word for us to follow now more than ever...as soon He will move in and put an end to this wicked corrupt world.....you need to study

Answer 14

It's the big contradictions that get to me.

God is forgiving AND vengeful.

God is loving AND jealous.

And he's pro-life yet he killed all of Job's innocent children on a gambling bet (which he's also against) with the devil.

Answer 15

What bible are you reading? The only contradictions that have is in your misunderstanding mind.

Answer 16

It's funny how these answers are all contradictory, thus proving your point even more.

Answer 17

It's the writer's interpretation.

Answer 18

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apologetics

Answer 19

The Bible is the word of God. God's word does not contradict itself, man's interpretations, translations and transliterations does.



Judas was killed by those who sent him out to betray Christ. There is no way he could have disemboweled himself and hung himself to die. Think about it.



The geneology of Christ is Never incorrect. You will find it complete and lacking nothing in the book of Luke chapters 1 through 3.



Man can dispute anything he wishes, it never changes the word of God whose truth is the same today, yesterday and tommorow. The heavens and earth shall pass away, but His word will never pass away.



The bible speaks of the leviathan, that is a whale. when Christ tells the disciples he will make them FISHER'S OF MEN, He is speaking of fish, not whales.



There is only one account of the Creation and you will find it in the KJV vs. 1611, the Hebrew Manuscripts and the Dead Sea Scrolls give the same account. It is God's account.



We see in the Bible what happens when God gives His account and Man gives his in Chronicles and Kings. (The accounts of man are distorted and misconstrued. timing for man is not of the essence.)



THE BIBLE IS DIVINELY INSPIRED AND WAS WRITTEN BY INSPIRED MEN OF GOD.



You can know this by knowing that the word of God is not superficial, that you must go deeper, know the original tongues to be able to translate for yourself accurately from Aramaic, Chaldee, Greek and Hebrew to English or whatever your natural tongue is.



When you become edified, you are able to discern truth. Many do not study past what they see, and that is what happens when we walk by sight and not by faith. We are to walk by faith and not by sight.



There is nothing wrong with having questions, but you must know how to find the answers and it takes time to know that is why people come here to ask from those who are scholars and have been in the word deeper.



The word of God is TRUE, COMPLETE AND INERRANT. Tell us of one prophecy of God or found in the bible that has not come to pass just as it was written. It is so true and non contradictory that even today it is coming to pass and unfolding before our very eyes, but if one does not have spiritual eyes, they cannot see spiritual truths.



Even the prophets of old wanted to live in these times. That is how you can rest assured that there are no contradictions large or small in the word of God. There may be contradictions in one's interpretation, and mistranslations from the Original Texts as I have said earlier, but when you have studied the word of God with focus, you will find only truth and you will find it to be non errant.



Traditions, interpretations, dogma's, doctrines, pontifications, philosophies, disciplines and orders from a sucession of church commanders are contradictory, but there is no contradictions or lying in the Heavenly Father or His word. In order to avoid being decieved as Jesus advised us, we must study to show ourselves approved in the sight of God workmen that need not be ashamed. We do that by studying and having the seal of God in our foreheads so that we can give truth and be convicted, to finding, knowing, sharing and giving truth.



EDIT FOR ASKER:

You obviously have bible knowledge, but deeper studies bring about bible wisdoms. Now the account in Luke is MARY'S GENEOLOGY, and we establish her the kinship of mary and elizabeth who are first cousins and daughters of the levitcal priest, this is where the priest line is established, the king line comes from David. Go back to Luke and focus this time on what I just said to you, find also the exact date of the birth date of Christ here too, as it begins with the time that Zechariah began his duties for his course of abiyah and when he slept with his wife and when Christ began to dwell with man on earth in His mothers womb on December 25th when she visited her cousin elizabeth and john the baptist lept from joy in his mothers womb who was 6 months pregnant at the time of mary's visitation with her.



You must rightly divide and then you can over ride what is in your mind to be what you call small contradictions.



Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you wisdom knowledge and understanding of the truth of God's word when you study. I applauad your knowledge and that you have taken time to grow in knowledge, so many don't even bother, but I would encourage you to go deeper, learn the original tongues and the scrolls and manuscripts so that you will not be deceived.

Answer 20

There are no "small contradictions".

Answer 21

There are no contradictions. There are just too many idiots who lack cognizance. Romans 1;28 God Bless