Bible contradictions are some of the most divisive and misunderstood aspects of Biblical debate. To some Christians, the mere suggestion that there could be a contradiction in scripture is borderline heresy. On the other hand, some critics suggest that a single contradiction is grounds to disregard or question the validity of the entire Bible. However, like most things of this nature, the truth of the matter rests quietly between these extremes.
Kinds of Bible Contradictions
In preparation for this article, I spent some time staring into the dark abyss that is the internet, and boy, was I surprised by what stared back.
From what I can tell, the contradictions compiled by people online can be broken down into four categories: Out-of-context statements, misinterpretation, conflicting details, and narrative inconsistencies. The first two categories consist of benign examples, possibly compiled by people unfamiliar with the principles of Biblical interpretation. However, the second two are more substantive.
Out-Of-Context Statements
The first category of alleged Biblical contradictions does not consider the verse’s context. For example, in an article written by atheists.org, it is suggested that the command in Exodus 20:12 to “Honor your father and your mother…”. Contradicts Jesus’s statement in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”
Contextually, these passages are very different. One is an order or law given to Israel in the Ten Commandments. While the other is one of three illustrations, Jesus uses to help people understand the gravity of being his disciple. When we consider at the topic he’s addressing, the other illustrations, and Jesus’s literal statements about family, it becomes very apparent that he is not commanding us to hate our loved ones.
Another good example of an out-of-context contradiction is the story of Jephthah’s daughter in Judges 11. Some argue that the story contradicts the Old Testament mandate against human sacrifice. However, the story’s context makes it clear that Jephthah’s actions do not contradict these passages. See Jephthah’s Daughter- A Human Sacrifice? for a more detailed breakdown.
Contradictions via Misinterpretation
Like the out-of-context Bible contradictions, misinterpretations seem to be the catalyst of many alleged Biblical contradictions. Although their existence is unfortunate, it’s not really surprising. The Bible is a complicated book that often prefers to let the reader stew on a passage than give out answers. As St. Jerome said,
“The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for a theologian to swim in without ever touching the bottom.”
St. Jerome
Here are a few examples of misinterpretations I found online that I thought were notable.
James 2:24 and Romans 3:20 are thought, by some, to have contradicting views about faith and works. However, this is not the case. Christianity.com has a good article breaking down these two passages.
The lying spirit in 1 Kings 22 is another commonly referenced passage. Critics suggest that God’s use of a lying spirit in the story contradicts the declaration in Hebrews 6:18 “…it is impossible for God to lie…”. However, when you break down the story, it becomes very apparent that God doesn’t actually deceive anyone. Check out 1 Kings 22, The Lying Spirit, for a more detailed breakdown.
Conflicting Details
Much like the devil, the first potentially problematic Biblical contradiction is in the details. Like it or not, there are moments in the Bible where the facts differ from book to book. This is just a reality of the text and, as the critics adamantly point out, cannot be ignored.
One of the most classic examples of this is in 2 Kings 24:8 and 2 Chronicles 36:9.
“Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king…”
2 Kings 24:8
“Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign…”
2 Chronicles 36:9
As for the New Testament, many have pointed out inconsistencies in the resurrection accounts. Mark 16:2 and John 20:1 are a famous pair.
Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise…
Mark 16:2
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark…
John 20:1
Contradictions like this are notably insignificant to the overall story and have no impact on the text’s theology. Consequently, a lot of Christians simply acknowledge that some scribe or author made a small mistake and move on.
One favored perspective within this train of thought argues that the original texts were without error. However, over time mistakes popped up in the copies of the original texts. This perspective preserves the idea that the Bible was written perfectly while still excepting the existence of errors in the copies we have today.
It should also be mentioned that Christians with a stricter understanding of scriptural inerrancy have found many ways to harmonize these verses. However, these explanations can be stretchy and are, in general, unprovable.
A Common Criticism
During my long look into the abyss, one of the things that I found particularly odd was the way some non-Christians view these minor discrepancies. Time and again, I saw people arguing that their existence indicates that the rest of the text is unreliable or untrustworthy.
Many commenters I read and watched said things like, “If you can’t trust it to get the small thing right, how can you trust it to get the big things right.” (Said in a stuffy British dad’s voice.)
Personally, I think that this perspective could not be more backward. One mistake does not negate the validity of the rest of the text. If you want to question the validity of every Bible verse, you have to put in the work and examine every verse.
Narrative Inconsistencies
Narrative inconsistencies are probably the most disturbing kinds of Bible contradictions. However, they are oddly the least bothersome.
The most well-known example of this contradiction is Matthew and Luke’s telling of Christ’s birth. One story says the family went to Egypt after he was born, while the other describes them going to Jerusalem. Another example is Judases death. One book describes him hanging himself, while the other says he fell and exploded.
The most popular way Christians handle these differences is by bringing them together into a single narrative. For example, some harmonize Judas’s death by suggesting he hung himself on the side of a hill or drop-off. They then suggest that the rope snapped, causing him to fall headfirst down to the field and explode. Although some of these explanations can get a little stretching, for the most part, they work well.
Another, far less popular, perspective argues that the gospels writers were less interested in historical documentation and more interested in theological teaching. Proponents of this position say that the writers added or changed parts of the story to make theological points about Jesus. Consequently, since those parts are meant to illustrate the person of Christ, the narrative deviations are not real Bible contradictions.
Final Thought About Contradictions In The Bible
Personally, I’m not bothered by the existence of these Bible contradictions. Although their presence may be challenging for particular understandings of the doctrine of Inherence. They do not create any problems for the overall narrative or the moral/theological teachings of the books.
I think it’s also important to remember that it took thousands of years for the books of the Bible to be written. Today’s text was penned, compiled, and copied by an unknowable number of people with vastly different world views. It’s seen the rise and fall of kings, dynasties, and entire cultures. The fact that this ancient text only contains a handful of minor continuity errors is remarkable, to say the least.
Thanks for being awesome!
You may already know this, but in philosophy apparent contradictions aren’t refutations; they’re problems to be solved. If you haven’t already checked it out/read it, you might enjoy ‘Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties’ by Gleason L. Archer. In it, Dr. Archer reveals the answers to the problems/apparent contradictions that scholars have uncovered.
Thanks for the comment! I don’t believe I have heard of that book before. However, I do agree with the idea that contradictions aren’t refutations but problems to be solved.