“When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus, he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”—Matthew 14:1,2 NLTread more
What Was The Exact Wording On The Sign Above Jesus’ Head?
What was the exact wording on the sign above Jesus’ head while he was being publicly executed? Do the four gospels contradict?
Alleged contradiction:
What was the exact wording on the cross? (a) “This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37) (b) “The King of the Jews” (Mark 15:26) (c) “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38) (d) “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19)
This accusation assumes that each gospel writer was required to be exactly precise in his reporting.
A second key point to keep in mind, however, is that all four gospel writers report in agreement that the sign had the words, “The king of the Jews”, at a minimum.read more
Where Did Egypt’s Priests Get Water To Turn Into Blood?
The very first of the ten plagues on ancient Egypt was the turning of the Nile river water into blood. But Egypt’s pagan priests did similarly with their magic arts. But this poses a seeming problem, where did the priests get water to turn into blood?
Alleged Contradiction:
The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated the magicians did the same by their secret arts. Then comes the following feat: (a) Moses and Aaron converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21) (b) The magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there would have been no water left to convert into blood.read more
Was Egypt Devastated, as Ezekiel 29:1-16 Predicted?
Skeptics and critics have asserted that Ezekiel’s prophecy is false. Was Egypt literally devastated, as Ezekiel 29:1-16 predicted? Could the prophecy have only been fulfilled in a figurative sense?
Here an example of the assertions of skeptics and critics of the Bible:
Possibly the most pessimistic of the Old Testament prophets, Ezekiel proclaimed impending doom upon everyone from Judah itself to the enemy nations surrounding it. The failure of his prophecies to materialize as he predicted makes a compelling argument against the Bible inerrancy doctrine. In one of his doom’s-day prophecies, Egypt was to experience forty years of utter desolation:read more
Did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on one animal? This is an alleged Bible contradiction:
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals? (a) One – a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3,5). “And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it.” (b) Two – a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). “They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments on them and he sat thereon.”
Jesus obviously did not ride into Jerusalem on two animals, only on one.
Zechariah 9:9 foretold that the future King, the Messiah, would ride into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. Matthew quotes this fact inZechariah 9:9, as he records the fulfillment of the prophecy: “Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:
“SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, HUMBLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.’” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks.”—-Matthew 21:5-7 NASBread more
Is there a contradiction in the Bible about whether everyone sins?
Here is an alleged contradiction:
Does every man sin? (a) Yes. “There is no man who does not sin” (I Kings 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; and I John 1:8,10) (b) No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they are the children of God. “Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. (I John 5:1). “We should be called children of God; and so we are” (I John 3: 1). “He who loves is born of God” (I John 4:7). “No one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God” (I John 3:9). But, then again, Yes! “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8)read more
Did Jesus Die Before Or After The Temple Curtain Was Torn?
Some skeptics and critics have claimed there is a contradiction in the gospels about whether Jesus died before or after the Temple curtain was torn in two. The article will examine the question, “Did Jesus Die before or after the curtain was torn?”
Here is claimed “contradiction”.
Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn? (a) Yes (Matthew 27: 50-5 1;Mark 15:37-38) (b) No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)
When we actually carefully read the scriptures that are alleged to contradict, we see there is no contradiction after all.
“When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom”—Matthew 27:50,51 NIV
“The curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last”—Luke 23:45,46 NIV
“With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom”—Mark 15:37,38 NIVread more
Was Baby Jesus’ Life Threatened In Jerusalem – Contradiction?
Was baby Jesus’ life threatened in Jerusalem? (a) Yes, so Joseph fled with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 23) (b) No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the Jerusalem temple according to the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee ( Luke 2:21-40)
The above is a claimed contradiction in the Bible accounts of Matthew and Luke. However, by combining the gospel accounts, we get a better picture of the events in Jesus’ life.
“Eight days later when the baby was circumcised , he was named Jesus . . . Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”—Luke 2:21,22 NLT In Luke’s account, Jesus’ parents took him to the Temple to be presented to God after he was circumcised on the 8th day after his birth. read more
Is The Law of Moses Useful Today? – Bible Contradiction?
Skeptics and critics have claimed that the Bible contradicts itself regarding the Law of Moses is useful for Christians today. Here is the alleged “contradiction”:
Is the Law of Moses useful? (a) Yes. “All scripture is… profitable…” (2 Timothy 3:16) (b) No. “ . . . A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness… “(Hebrews 7:18)
This is a case of the scriptures being taken out of context.
The Old Mosaic Law Covenant was”set aside”, because it was “canceled” (Ephesians 2:14 NLT) since it could not permanently remove sin. “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, but not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they never were able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship” (Hebrews 10:1 NLT). read more
Skeptics and critics often assert that the Bible contradicts itself about the details of Judas’ death and the “Field 0f Blood” (Matthew 27:8; Acts 1:19). Let’s first get some background information from the scriptures.
The field, known as the “Field of Blood”, or Akeldama, is traditionally located in the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem. This purchase is indirectly attributed to Judas, as the chief priests used the returned silver to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners (Matthew 27:6-8). This act fulfills the prophecy found in Zechariah 11:12-13, which speaks of the thirty pieces of silver and the potter’s field.read more
