35 Bible Contradictions Explained

OLD TESTAMENT CONTRADICTIONS

1. Who incites King David to conduct a census of the people: God (2 Samuel 4:1) or Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1)?
   Both God and Satan incited King David to perform the census. King David had gotten an attitude of pride and self-admiration for his many conquests in war. This caused him to stop depending on God as much. The Lord used the census to bring King David back to reality. On the other side of things, Satan knew that if King David conducted the census it would be through sin. Satan knew this would bring about God's anger.
2. Was the Ark of the Covenant brought to Jerusalem before (1 Chronicles 13-14) or after (2 Samuel 5-6) defeating the Phillistines?
   A further reading into 1 Chronicles 15 would show that the Ark of the Covenant was not actually brought to Jerusalem until after the defeat of the Phillistines.
3. Was Noah to bring 2 pairs of all living creatures (Genesis 6:19-20) or 7 pairs of only 'clean' animals (Genesis 7:2,8-9)?
   Genesis 7:2 reads that Noah was to bring additional clean animals into the ark. Why? As Genesis 8:20 tells us, Noah was to make sacrifice when the time in the ark was complete. If no additional clean animals had been kept, many animals would have faced extinction.
4. Who was the high priest, Abiathar (Mark 2:26) or Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1; 22:20), when David ate the consecrated bread?
   The account in Mark 2:6 does not say that Abiathar was high priest at the time. Jesus simply says that when David ate the consecrated bread it was during the lifetime of Abiathar. He may have said that he was high priest because that was what he was known for.
5. Who sold Joseph to whom (Genesis 37)?
   The words Ishmaelite and Midianite are used interchangeably. Read Genesis 37:28 to see this. Joseph's brothers sold him to the Ishmaelite/Gidianite merchantmen; these merchantmen then sold Joseph to Potiphar.
6. Does God ever change his mind (Genesis 6:7; Exodus 32:14; 1 Samuel 15:10-11, 29, 35)?
   CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT: always pay attention to the context. God hates sin. That is a well-known fact. In the beginning, God created a perfect world with perfect people in it. It was in Genesis 3 when the devil changed that. Many times throughout history when God's people became very sinful God wanted to erase all human life from the earth; one time He did. Fortunately, there has always been a man of God around to plead the case of the righteous.
   God does not lie or change his mind. "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4)." God does, however, react to our situations: in compassion or in anger.
7. How did the Egyptian magicians find pure water to convert into blood (Exodus 7:22) if Moses and Aaron had already converted all the pure water (Exodus 7:20-21)?
   Read Exodus 7:20 carefully. Moses and Aaron "smote the waters that were in the river." There were other sources of water available.
8. Who killed Goliath: David (1 Samuel 17:23, 50) or Elhanan (2 Samuel 21:19)?
   David killed Goliath as 1 Samuel 17:23,50 attest. Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath.
9. Did Saul kill himself, or did an Amalekite kill him (1 Samuel 31:4-6; 2 Samuel 1:1-16)?
   The Amalekite in 2 Samuel 1:1-16 made up a false account in an attempt to win King David's favor. However his reward was different than what he expected because he had murdered the Lord's anointed. Recall from 1 Samuel 24:6 and 26:11 while David was fleeing from King Saul that David had twice refused to slay him for that very reason.
   Recall the context in both situations. In 1 Samuel 31, the Bible is telling the story as it actually happened. The account in 2 Samuel 1 is how someone reported it to King David. People tell us stories all the time with their own additions and subtractions.
10. Does everyone sin (1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8-10, 3:1, 8-9; 4:7; 5:1)?
    1 John 3:9 (KJV) reads, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." This is one of the many translational errors in the Bible. It is better read, "Whoever is born of God does not practice sin."
    Romans 3:23 reads, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." As Christians we sin but we are not sinners. Notice the difference here. A sinner practices sin, even lives in it from day to day. A christian does not practice sin, although may fall into sin from time to time. The difference is this: Christians have the blood of Jesus Christ to free us from all sin.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTRADICTIONS

1. Was John the Baptist the Elijah to come (Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13) or not (John 1:19-21)?
   John's disclaimer (John 1:21) was a denial that he was literally Elijah. Jesus stated that John the Baptist was Elijah "which was for to come (Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13)." The Bible also states concerning John the Baptist in Luke 1:17,
   "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah."
2. Did Jesus inherit David's throne (Luke 1:32; Matthew 1:11; 1 Chronicles 3:16; Jeremiah 36:30)?
   Jesus was not a physical descendant of Joseph. This allowed Jesus to avoid the Jeconiah problem. So how is He still in David's genealogy and able to sit on his throne? Mary the mother of Jesus, according to Luke 3:23-38, is a descendant of David as well.
3. Did Jesus make the triumphal entry on 1 donkey (Mark 11:7; cf. Luke 19:35) or 2 (Matthew 21:7)?
   One person could not logically have rode 2 animals. The colt that Jesus rode in on had not been ridden before. As such, it may still have been dependent on its mother. The entry to Jerusalem would have been easier if the mother was leading the way in front, as the foal would naturally follow.
4. When Jesus met Jairus, was his daughter dead (Matthew 9:18) or at the point of death (Mark 5:23)?
   When Jairus met Jesus after leaving his home, he may have been unsure about the present state of his daughter. Therefore, he could have said both; Matthew mentioning her death, while Mark speaking about her sickness.
5. Did Jesus allow his disciples to keep a staff on their journey (Mark 6:8; Matthew 10:9; Luke 9:3)?
   What we have here is a problem with translation. In Matthew, Jesus is saying "Do not acquire anything in addition to what you already have. Just go as you are."
6. Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16; Luke 9:9)?
   After considering whom Jesus could be, Herod figured that he must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. In Luke 9:9 Herod was wanting to know who this incredible person could possibly be, having just beheaded John.
7. When Jesus bears witness to himself, is his testimony true or not (John 5:31; 8:14)?
   CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT: always pay attention to the context. In John 5 Jesus is saying that He cannot bear witness on His own to be the son of God. Someone else must do this.
8. Did Jesus bear his own cross (John 19:17; Matthew 27:31-32)?
   Jesus did bear his own cross. Someone being called to help him close to the end of his journey does not change that fact.
9. Did Jesus die before (Matthew 27:50-51; Mark 15:37-38) or after (Luke 23:45-46) the curtain of the temple was torn?
   Matthew, Mark and Luke all report the death of Jesus and the tearing of the temple curtain together. However, none of the gospels are indicating any chronological order to these events.
   The important thing is this: the curtain of the temple was torn, allowing man to be reunited with God for the first time since the initial sin in the Garden of Eden.
10. Did Jesus say everything openly (John 18:20) or did he speak more things secretly to his disciples (Mark 4:34, Matthew 13:10-11)?
    Jesus spoke all teachings openly to the crowds in parables. What is a parable? A parable is a story given to clarify, emphasize or illustrate a teaching. Parables were so deep yet subtle that they not only contained clear and simple messages for the ordinary listeners, but also several more indepth meanings for the scholar. It were these more indepth meanings that Jesus spoke with his disciples about.
11. There were 2 thieves crucified with Jesus. Was he mocked by them (Mark 15:32; Luke 23:43)?
    Both thieves laughed at Jesus at first. Then Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)." That is when one of the thieves had a change of heart.
12. When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice. Did those who were with him hear the voice (Acts 9:7; 22:9)?
    Paul heard and understood. Those with him heard something but did not understand what it was.
13. What did Judas do with the blood-money (Acts 1:18; Matthew 27:5)?
    Acts 1:18 states that the money was used to buy a field; Matthew 27:5 states that it was thrown into the Temple from where the priests used it to buy a field. Both of these statements say the same thing. Acts 1:18 leaves out the fact that the money was thrown into the temple.
14. How exactly did Judas Iscariot die (Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18)?
    Judas attempted suicide by hanging himself on a tree on the edge of a cliff (Matthew 27:1-10). After he was hanging, the rope snapped and caused Judas Iscariot to fall headlong.
15. Why is the field where Judas died called the 'field of blood (Matthew 27:8; Acts 1:19)?'
    It is called the 'field of blood' because it was bought with blood-money.
16. Is all scripture profitable (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 7:18)?
    "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16)."
    Hebrews 7:18 is not saying that scripture is not profitable. This passage in Hebrews is discussing the fact that the Old Testament is considered null and void because of the New Testament.
17. What was the exact wording on the cross ( Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, Luke 23:38, and John 19:19)?
    Pilate wrote the sign and may have written different things in each of the languages according to his proficiency in each. The key charge brought against Jesus is that he claimed to be 'King of the Jews.' If this were not so there may have been a concern for contradiction; but this is not the case.
18. Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist (Matthew 14:5)? Was it his wife Herodias (Mark 6:20)?
    Mark does not state that Herod did not want to kill John. He says that Herod was afraid of John because of his righteousness and holiness. Matthew adds that the factor of John's influence over the people also concerned Herod.
19. Did the Capernaum centurion come personally to ask Jesus to heal his slave (Matthew 8:5)? Did he send others (Luke 7:3,6)?
    At first, the centurion may have sent others. But it is possible that he came personally soon thereafter.
20. Aside from Jesus was there anyone else who ever ascended to heaven (John 3:13; 2 Kings 2:11)?
    Jesus claimed that no one on earth has gone to heaven and returned with a message such as he offered to them.
    The Holy Bible does mention 2 other men who were 'taken' to heaven without dying: Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:11). However, neither Enoch nor Elijah returned with a message.
21. In accordance with Jewish burial customs, was Jesus' body wrapped in spices before burial (John 19:39-40)? Did the women come and administer the spices later on as well (Mark 16:1)?
    Jesus' body was wrapped in spices before burial in accordance with Jewish burial customs. However, it is likely that the women also wished to perform their last act of devotion to their master by adding extra spices to those used by Joseph.
22. Did the women visit the tomb 'toward the dawn (Matthew 28:1)', or 'when the sun had risen (Mark 16:2)?'
    The 4 accounts are in accord with this. Mark's statement that the sun had risen comes later, when they were on their way. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that the sun had time to rise during the womens' journey across Jerusalem on the way to the tomb.
23. Did Jesus instruct his disciples to wait for him in Galilee (Matthew 28:10), or that he was ascending to his Father and God (John 20:17)?
    The 2 passages occur at different times on the same day. There is no reason to believe that Jesus would give his disciples only 1 instruction.
24. Upon Jesus' instructions, did the disciples return to Galilee immediately (Matthew 28:17), or after at least 40 days (Luke 24:33, 49; Acts 1:3-4)?
    Jesus gave both these instructions but at different times. Note that we should not put too much chronological order into this. Jesus appeared to his disciples and to others quite frequently after his resurrection. He had ample opportunity to give additional instructions and teachings.
25. Who is to bear whose burden (Galatians 6:2, 5)?
    Believers are asked to help each other in times of need, difficulty and temptation. We are also to take account for our own actions.