Bible Study Biblical Contradictions

[Christ_empowered]

I think its easy for un-believers and those who haven't been properly discipled to look at "contradictions..."

its more difficult to see the unifying themes of Scripture, the symbolism, bust out a concordance, etc. not to sound too, too harsh+judgmental...I was slack about even reading Scripture until fairly recently, so I'm thankful I went to a Pentecostal program where they drilled it into me (did I mention my shock treatments? LOL...), but...

yeah. And...with the Divorce thing...there were no contradictions. OT allowed men to get rid of their wives (with some rules) because of the "hardness of their hearts." Jesus allows divorce where there's adultery...I think it was Paul who expanded it, saying that an unbelieving spouse can go, if they please.

 

[JohnDB]

I think its easy for un-believers and those who haven't been properly discipled to look at "contradictions..."

its more difficult to see the unifying themes of Scripture, the symbolism, bust out a concordance, etc. not to sound too, too harsh+judgmental...I was slack about even reading Scripture until fairly recently, so I'm thankful I went to a Pentecostal program where they drilled it into me (did I mention my shock treatments? LOL...), but...

yeah. And...with the Divorce thing...there were no contradictions. OT allowed men to get rid of their wives (with some rules) because of the "hardness of their hearts." Jesus allows divorce where there's adultery...I think it was Paul who expanded it, saying that an unbelieving spouse can go, if they please.

This isn't really a divorce thread...

Divorce happens. God has a resolution for it. Jesus said in a backhanded fashion that the women had more reasons (adultery) to divorce their husbands than the men did for divorcing their wives. (and wives could not access the court system whatsoever)

The "allowable" reasons for divorce are long and complicated...and God's standards haven't changed from the Old Testament to the New. The biggest reason was "lack of faith" or "demonstrable faith". (IE not acting like a believer) Which includes such things as abuse. Adultery was often met with stoning so there never was a reason for divorce when widowed. (how on earth people have believed such a thing is a mystery to me...especially in view of John 8 and I know that you are only repeating what you have heard)

God's followers are the biggest contradiction to me...

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

I found what I believe to be another Biblical contradiction today. In the book of Matthew After Jesus had healed the blind men, He told them not to tell anybody about the miracle He had just performed, but my question is why? Didn't He want everybody to know who He was so that they could be forgiven of their sins and receive their eternal salvation?

 

[JohnDB]

I found what I believe to be another Biblical contradiction today. In the book of Matthew After Jesus had healed the blind men, He told them not to tell anybody about the miracle He had just performed, but my question is why? Didn't He want everybody to know who He was so that they could be forgiven of their sins and receive their eternal salvation?

It was as a contrast to Benny Hinn. (A guy who does his "miracles" on stage and asks for a lot of money)

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

It was as a contrast to Benny Hinn. (A guy who does his "miracles" on stage and asks for a lot of money)

Never heard of him but let me guess,.. it's like that scene in the movie Jesus Christ Superstar where all of the leperds started coming to Him all at once and He couldn't handle that because although He was and will forever be the Son of God, He was also human and only one guy.

 

[JohnDB]

Benny does his stuff as a show...it's obvious that he thinks a lot of himself... especially with the money he charges to get anywhere near the stage.

Jesus was trying not to be a "showman" with a lot of publicity...not that he couldn't handle it but because of his humility.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Benny does his stuff as a show...it's obvious that he thinks a lot of himself... especially with the money he charges to get anywhere near the stage.

Jesus was trying not to be a "showman" with a lot of publicity...not that he couldn't handle it but because of his humility.

I'll have to look that guy up on YouTube because I honestly never heard of him before and I don't have the slightest clue what he does and now you got me curious. That makes sense what you said about Jesus though since He was extremely humble. Imagine if Jesus had been born in today's world. He wouldn't be able to go anywhere without photographers and newscasters following Him around. Would it be horrible for me to think that that's a pretty funny thought? Of course I would still very bad for Him though like I do for all of the celebrities (not like I consider Jesus a "celebrity") who can't go on living their normal lives.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Btw, the reason that I don't really consider Jesus a celebrity is because of the glamorous life styles that they choose to live. That's the exact opposite of Jesus and what He stands for. I mean I like a lot of celebrities and they have to make a living somehow, but although Jesus certainly is a famous name, it's a LOT different from Him actually being a celebrity in my book.

 

[Northman]

my question is why?

These will drive you nuts. :yes

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

These will drive you nuts. :yes

Umm,.. what will?

 

[for_his_glory]

Mark 1:45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Because of the blind man disobeying Jesus instruction to tell no one, he made it public anyway. Many who heard of this miracle then came to Jesus in the city for healing to the point Jesus had to leave the city to get away from the crowds in order to continue to teach the word of God to others.

 

[Northman]

Umm,.. what will?

Asking the "why?" about something God did when it's clear He didn't say why.

 

[GodsGrace]

Benny does his stuff as a show...it's obvious that he thinks a lot of himself... especially with the money he charges to get anywhere near the stage.

Jesus was trying not to be a "showman" with a lot of publicity...not that he couldn't handle it but because of his humility.

Didn't Jesus also tell the cured man not to tell anyone because it wasn't Jesus' time yet and He knew this would get Him into trouble with the ruling powers...the Sanhedrin.

Later on in His ministry Jesus did tell a cured person to go and tell his Rabbi.

I seem to remember that timing had a lot to do with this.
He had to finish His ministry.
At the Wedding at Cana Jesus said His time had not come yet.
His time to go to the cross....

 

[GodsGrace]

I found what I believe to be another Biblical contradiction today. In the book of Matthew After Jesus had healed the blind men, He told them not to tell anybody about the miracle He had just performed, but my question is why? Didn't He want everybody to know who He was so that they could be forgiven of their sins and receive their eternal salvation?

If we want to be intellectually honest, we'd have to admit that the concept of salvation the way we understand it today did not exist.
People were eternally saved even before Jesus. He really appeared to teach about the Kingdom of God and how to belong to it more than about salvation (as we know it). I'm not saying He doesn't save us...
but from what?

What Jesus was concerned about during His ministry was teaching people how they should behave to be close to God...what God wanted from them...HOW to be a good God-loving person.

I fear we've lost sight of this.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I was taught...Jesus saves us from: sin, satan, self, death, and the world.

of course, this was from Pentecostals who (thankfully...) also empahsize "salvation is for the --whole-- person," which I found (and find...) refreshing, compared to mainline Protestantism.

 

[GodsGrace]

I was taught...Jesus saves us from: sin, satan, self, death, and the world.

of course, this was from Pentecostals who (thankfully...) also empahsize "salvation is for the --whole-- person," which I found (and find...) refreshing, compared to mainline Protestantism.

Agreed.
Jesus ransomed us from the bond of satan's power over us.
He won death by removing the fear of death and proclaiming eternal life.

And, yes, in many ways He taught us how to save us from ourselves and also from the world, which could cause us much harm.

Sin? Yes. If we love Him, we will also sin much less.
Salvation is for the whole person....I like that!

 

[Christ_empowered]

yeah...self-renunciation in and thru Christ helps resolve a lot of the "self"-stuff.

Christians are "in the world, but not of it"

satan...obviously, the adversary has a firm grip on the world and humanity, as a whole...

sin...at the Pentecostal place, they always said "Jesus didn't die for your sins. Jesus died FOR YOU!," and I"m just now at a place where I'm receiving that and enjoying it...

death...its interesting, to me...because Jesus says "ye must die to be Born Again," and then goes on to speak on the --life-- we have in Christ. This at a time when the Mystery Cults were gaining followers following on themes of death and rebirth...

CS Lewis writes something to the effect that God gave some pagans "good dreams." LOL.


but...on the subject of Scripture...

sometimes, I think maybe people go too far with Bible study. I don't know. I'm torn. For most of Christian history, the % of people who read Scripture was small...studied Scripture even smaller...and now...

most people in many nations can read Scripture, lots of people even develop their own theology, and...

is it always for the best? do we, as Christians, lose something when we focus on Scripture to the exclusion of tradition, even...common human decency?

ok. thanks.

 

[OzSpen]

One more question I have to ask you really fast because I have a lot to do right now. How exactly are we supposed to still love somebody if they were cheating on us or being rude to us or possibly even hitting us?

HIR,

This is a tough one for me. I am trying to keep this teaching before me:

1. God's love is unconditional and is not based on how 'good' I am. I am to love my 'enemy' (the one who committed adultery with my wife and another who was extremely rude to me at her funeral) as Christ loved me. I was a rotten sinner when He loved me enough to save me.
2. When I'm born again, I have God's kind of love living in me and that requires that this love 'keeps no record of wrongs' (1 Cor 13:5 NIV). That is tough to keep on doing as the Enemy knows where I'm vulnerable and will regularly bring up the 'record' when I'm prodded by something. I 'submit [myself] ... to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from [me]' (James 4:7 NIV).
3. On the human level, I find it difficult to keep those gross sins against me out of my mind, but with God's help I'm not going to have a grudge that keeps records of what they did to me. If I do, it won't be long before I'm in the mental health unit.

If the person is physically abusing us, I would follow what the law of the land requires for one's own safety. Continuing to stay in such a situation would be dangerous. In my community, there are 'safety houses' to which women can go.

Thank you for raising these tough issues that hit me right between the eyes.

Oz

 

[OzSpen]

I found what I believe to be another Biblical contradiction today. In the book of Matthew After Jesus had healed the blind men, He told them not to tell anybody about the miracle He had just performed, but my question is why? Didn't He want everybody to know who He was so that they could be forgiven of their sins and receive their eternal salvation?

HIR,

I don't find this to be a contradiction, but teaching needing further examination of Scripture - being a Berean (Acts 17:11).

Matt 8:4 (NIV) states: 'Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

What's the reason causing the Jesus' instruction to the man not to broadcast what had happened? It seems the answer could be given in the context: '

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him' (Matt 8:1 NIV). Could it be to prevent the crowds from following him to see the miracles, but these were the wrong reasons for pursuing the Messiah?

Norman Geisler & Thomas Howe explained:

Matthew 16:20—Why did Jesus instruct His disciples to tell no one He was the Christ?​

​

Problem: Jesus commissioned His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). Yet over and over again throughout His ministry He insisted that His followers “tell no man” (cf. Matt. 8:4; 16:20; 17:9; Mark 7:36; 8:30; 9:9; Luke 5:14; 8:56; 9:21). Doesn’t this contradict His Great Commission?​

​

Solution: The problem is easily resolved if several things are remembered. First, there was often a stated or implied condition on this command to “tell no man.” Jesus said clearly to His disciples on one occasion, “tell no one ... till the Son of Man has risen from the dead” (Mark 9:9; cf. Matt. 17:9). There is no contradiction between this and His pronouncement to tell everyone after He rose from the dead (in Matt. 28:19).​

​

Second, sometimes Jesus was simply trying to keep down the crowds so that He could continue His ministry. Mark writes, “He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it” (Mark 7:36). Likewise, Luke reports that immediately after Jesus instructed the cleansed leper to “tell no one” (Luke 5:14), “then the report went around concerning Him all the more... So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (vv. 15–16).​

​

Finally, Jesus did not wish to parade His messianic claims, especially among the Jews, since they had a false expectation of a political redeemer who would deliver them from the yoke of Rome (see comments on John 4:26). On one occasion, they even wanted to make Him king by force because of the signs which He did (see John 6:14–15). Since that was not His purpose, He withdrew from them, for His purpose was to die on the cross (see Mark 10:45 and John 10:10, 15) [When Critics Ask: Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Baker Books 1992:348-349 source].​

Oz

 

[Corn Pop]

I found what I believe to be another Biblical contradiction today. In the book of Matthew After Jesus had healed the blind men, He told them not to tell anybody about the miracle He had just performed, but my question is why? Didn't He want everybody to know who He was so that they could be forgiven of their sins and receive their eternal salvation?

It's not a contradiction to do a miracle and tell someone not to tell others. Jesus never wrote about himself, others wrote about him, Jesus never boasted about his miracles and asked everyone to watch him.