276. To judge or not to judge
Judge not. (Matthew 7:1 and more instances)
Wrong. “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” The central message of Jesus about judging in life is NOT TO NOT JUDGE AT ALL, as the critic suggests. Jesus doesn’t say “Judge not!” But he lets follow: “that you be not judged.” That is: be careful in judging and be sure what you are saying. And even if you know the truth concerning something, maybe it is wise to not speak. This is all included in the addition “that you not be judged.” We get back in life what we say, so let’s be careful. That’s all.
Judge everything and everyone. (John 7:24 and more instances)
Right. “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” It is clear that Jesus wanted his people to use their heart and mind. Of course the warning of Matthew 7:1 should never be forgotten.
No Contradiction
277. Does Jesus judge people?
Jesus judge everyone. (John 5:22 and more instances)
“For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, …”
Right. The texts about Jesus’ judging are related to His second coming.
Jesus judges no one. (John 8:15)
“You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.”
Right. He says that he doesn’t judge at that time, not that he will not judge in the future. The texts about Jesus’ not judging are related to His first coming.
See the article.
No Contradiction
278. Has there ever been a just person?
No (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (KJV)
Right. It is a clear biblical doctrine that everybody is a sinner. All have sinned. (Romans 3:23)
Yes, there have been many. (Genesis 6:9 and more instances)
“Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”
Right. It is also a clear biblical doctrine that “all are justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; …” (Romans 3:24) Jesus Christ is the new way God has given for any man to come in full relationship with God. Having accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior we are declared by God as just and righteous in Christ Jesus; and we are, despite we are not perfect unto man. We are perfect unto God as Noah, who "found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:9) It does not mean that we are perfect in everything in relation to man.
See the article.
No Contradiction
279. Is anyone justified?
Yes (Matthew 12:37)
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Right. Jesus is speaking here about his second coming when he will appear as judge. The justification “by your words” of that time does not exclude wrong sayings by life on earth as is clear from (Matthew 12:32): “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; …” Justification, now as well as in the future, has all to do with the Holy Spirit; “… but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” (12:32 continued)
No (Psalm 143:2)
“And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous.”
Wrong. David is speaking about the here and now and he asks for God’s mercy, that is God’s full justification at the very moment.
Compare the article: Has there ever been a just person?
No Contradiction
280. Was Ketura Abraham's wife or concubine?
She was his wife. (Genesis 25:1)
Right. After the passing away of Sarah Abraham got Keturah as wife.
She was his concubine. (1 Chronicles 1:32)
Partly right. The Hebrew word pilègèsh is better translated with: second wife. It is usually translated as concubine. This word is derived from the Latin concubina, usually a freed female slave living with her former master; such marriages were forbidden by law, but the relationships were accepted (in the Roman world). The meaning of the word concubinage is usually defined as: “a relationship between man and wife not legally married”, according to the Latin. However in Old testament times there was certainly a legal state (marriage) for the secondary wives (of a king and others) after his first spouse. The first wife had the first rights particularly in relation to the laws of inheritance. As we use the word ‘concubine’ nowadays and not only for the Latin situation, it is appropriate to accept a broader meaning than the typical classical Roman use of it (in the Old Testament: secondary wife).
No Contradiction
281. To kill or not to kill
Kill. (Ecclesiastes 3:3, Exodus 22:18, 32:27, Numbers 15:35, 1 Samuel 15:23)
“There is … a time to kill and a time to heal;” (
Wrong. Only in cases of a capital punishment it was prescribed. Most referred instances are examples of that. The Bible teaches clearly that ‘the governing authorities don’t bear the sword for nothing’ (Romans 13:4). They have the task to maintain order in society.
In Old Israel there existed a strict code for capital punishment. E.g. The intention to kill (murder) had to be proven (Numbers 35:22-25). To meet all the requirements was difficult and so capital punishment was an exception in Old Israel., and if so an error was nearly excluded (except if there was lack of experience, intelligence or good will among the judges of the High Court).
Don’t kill. (Exodus 20:13 // Deuteronomy 5:17, Exodus 23:7, Mark 10:19 // Luke 18:20, Matthew 19:18)
“You shall not murder.”
Right. Mostly the Hebrew word for murder is used in these instances and that was forbidden. Certainly innocent individuals had the right to defend their lives against a threat to be killed.
No Contradiction
282. Why did God reject Saul as king?
For offering a burnt offering (1 Samuel 13:9, 13-14)
Wrong. “Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, … 14 But now your kingdom shall not endure.’” For not being obedient to God’s commandment Saul’s house could not maintain as a royal house. (In this case: offering a burnt offering which was the task of the priest).
For incomplete genocide (1 Samuel 15:2-3, 7-11)
Wrong. It has nothing to do with genocide. Saul had to protect his southern borders against Amalekites. The role of warfare was that those who started a war of aggression lost their lives if they lost a battle and didn’t flee. It came to a battle between Saul and his army, and Agag (king of the Amalekites) and his army. After the captivation of Agag Saul didn’t gave him his capital punishment. Again for not being obedient to God’s commandment (in this case: not having given king Agag his capital punishment) Saul lost God’s approbation: “… he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” (15:11)
No Contradiction
283. Who was the father of Kiss?
Abiel (1 Samuel 9:1)
Right. Meaning of the name is ‘My father is God’.
Ner (1 Chronicles 8:33, 9:39)
Right. Meaning ‘Lamp’.
Sometimes two names were given at the birth of a child (one of each parent); especially kings had often two names. This may have occurred also with Saul’s grandfather, who was an important man: Mayor of Gibeon.
See the article.
No Contradiction
284. Does God know and see everything?
God knows and sees all things. (8 instances).
Psalm 44:21 “For He knows the secrets of the heart.”
Right. God knows what is in each human heart, his/her plans, sorrow etc.
There are some things that God doesn't know and can't see. (14 instances)
Wrong.
– E.g. to Adam: ‘Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”’ (Genesis 3:9) This is no proof for God’s ignorance; but God’s question to Adam to confront him with something (in this case that he had sinned). (Also confrontations in: Genesis 18:9, 32:27, Numbers 22:9, Job 1:7, 2:2)
– Other instances reveal that man is separated from God by sin (no communication), but this doesn’t include that God doesn’t know everything concerning those who are separated from him (Genesis 4:14-16, Jona 1:3, 10). E.g. “But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” How could God send a great fish if He didn’t know where Jonah was?
– There are also instances that God acts as a judge ‘to go and see what has happened’, e.g. to see the sins of Sodom and Gomorra. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know, but that God acts to show the visible and the invisible world that He is seriously judging a matter (Genesis 1:5, 18:17-21).
– Last but not least there are also instances where God says that he knows what’s in the heart after a temptation or test. It only shows that God is not philosophical, but practical: people reveal their heart by their actions; they show it also to God (Genesis 22:12, Deuteronomy 8:2, 13:3, 2 Chronicles 32:31). Or that they acted without God (Hosea 8:4).
No Contradiction
285. Who was Korah's father?
Esau (Genesis 36:14)
Right. Korah was a son of Oholibamah, one of Esau’s spouses.
Eliphaz (Genesis 36:15-16)
Right. Eliphaz, being a son of Esau, also named a son Korah, as the text clearly states. Esau had several spouses and so it is not impossible that a name was given to a second child (meaning of the name: My God is as pure gold.)
No Contradiction
286. Did God burn all of Korah's children to death?
Yes, God buried them alive. (Numbers 16:27-33)
Very wrong. In this text, nothing is said about Korah’s children but only about the children of Dathan and Abiram that died.
No, some of them survived.
Wrong. Only Korah died, and all his sons survived. Apparently none of them had cooperated in his revolt against Moses in the desert. His family, the Korahites, always remained an important group of Levites working in the temple courts as gate-keepers and singers.
No Contradiction
287. Who was Laban's father?
Laban was the son of Bethuel. (Genesis 28:5)
Right.
Laban was the son of Nahor. (Genesis 29:5)
Right. Nahor was a brother of Abram (Genesis 22:20); one of Nahor’s sons was Bethuel (22:22). According to the rule ‘the son of a son is a son’ Laban was also: son of Nahor (his grandfather).
No Contradiction
288. What were the last words of Jesus?
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)
“It is finished!” (John 19:30)
John reported: “It is finished!” and he continued “and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” This is what Luke described: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” and Luke continued “saying this he breathed his last.” So there can be no doubt about Jesus’ last saying: Luke 23:46. Laying his spirit in the hands of God meant that Jesus died in connection with God and the earlier loneliness of Matthew 27:46 was over.
No Contradiction
289. Should we obey human or divine law?
We should obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
Wrong. Peter says here that Christians are not compelled to obey all sorts of arbitrary decisions of men that are clearly against the law. “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name …” Peter claims the right of free speech in public. “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” Peter isn’t speaking here of transgressing the law, nor the Torah, but about the right to speek freely.
We should obey the laws of man. (1 Peter 2:13, Romans 13:1-2)
Right. It is a task for Christians to obey lawful rules as also Peter states in his first letter: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,…”
Paul remarks: “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.” He continues: “… it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.” So blind submission is not the way, our conscience should be part of the obedience, and if a legal rule affects our conscience, it is time to help change that rule in the proper way.
No Contradiction
290. Is it wrong to lie?
No (And 7 other examples; excluded is Tobit 5:17-18 as Tobit is not a biblical book of the Hebrew Canon)
Wrong. The Bible teaches clearly that we have to speak the truth. The critic gives 7 examples, not of lies but of ‘hiding the truth with the truth’, and no lies at all. Example: Rahab was asked about two Israelite men. She said: “…when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went.” She didn’t lie. The men had left her room and she didn’t know if they went right or left on the roof of her house. The hearers supposed that they had left the house through the front door which was not the case.
Yes (13 instances)
Right generally. 13 instances testify to speak the truth. And generally this is the rule. However the Bible doesn’t try to bring people in moral dilemmas. What if a criminal asks information and you know that he will hurt you and/or others with that information? It is not a biblical command to answer. There are several Biblical passages where the speaker puts the hearer on the wrong foot speaking the truth.
See the article.
No Contradiction
291. What is the human lifespan?
70 years (Psalm 90:10)
Wrong. Moses says in this Psalm: “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years; Or if due to strength, eighty years; Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; …”
It is often explained that Moses is speaking here about the lifespan of an individual as 70 or 80 years, but is this really what is said here? Moses himself broke this explanation already with his own life, becoming 120 years. So this explanation is lacking. Moses meant that there is a period of fruitful years within a lifespan and for the strong this period contains maybe 70 or even 80 years in exceptional cases. He calls this: the period of labor and sorrow, the period of working hard and also misfortune.
120 years (Genesis 6:3)
Right. “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Before the flood the human lifespan was much wider than nowadays. The flood came to bring it back to about 120 years. After the flood individuals didn’t have hundreds of years at their disposal as before the flood, of which it is said: “…the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Remind: “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.” (Ecclesiastes 8:11) The reduction to about 120 years made man feeling their weakness and vulnerability every day of their life: “… it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) The Canopy Theory (Whitcomb and Morris, 1961) shows that before the flood, there was water as a shield of vapor around the globe, high in the sky (Genesis 1:7), a protection against radiation from the universe. With the flood this protection ended, the decline of ages (Genesis 11:10-32) began, people lived shorter: approximately 120 years as a round maximum (Genesis 50:22).
No Contradiction
292. When did God divide light from darkness?
On the first day of creation (Genesis 1:4-5)
Right. Here the principle of division is given as the difference between darkness and light. Darkness cannot change light. Light can change darkness to make it disappear. So light is stronger than darkness. The creation of this light on the first day is not necessasily from the perspective that this was the first light in the universe. It is certainly from the perspective that this was the first light on earth, as in verse 2 is spoken about the darkness that was on the earth before the days of creation.
On the fourth day (Genesis 1:16-19)
Wrong. Here is not referred to the principle of division as the difference between the character of light and darkness, but about the difference between day (light) and night (darkness) determined by the light of sun and moon (1:14, 18). The darkness of the night e.g. is not total darkness due to the light of moon (and stars), so another darkness is at stake here compared with the darkness of Genesis 1:2, before the first day.
No Contradiction
293. How many of Lod, Hadid, and Ono's offspring returned from Babylon?
725 (Ezra 2:3)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that Ezra recorded in Babylon at the meeting place of departure.
721 (Nehemiah 7:37)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that was made up after the journey to Jerusalem. It shows that some of them were delayed and arrived in Jerusalem after the first wave.
Compare the article: Contradictory lists about Israelites that returned from Babel?
No Contradiction
294. Who is the Lord of this world?
God (21 references)
Wrong. E.g. “… for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:11) Most instances refer to ‘the earth’, they never refer to ‘the world’. It seems a small difference, but in fact it is a ‘world of difference in meaning’. The world may mean the earth, but it has much more and wider meanings. The world of Shakespeare, the world of science etc. God is the ‘Lord of all the earth’ (Joshua 3:13 NASB, KJV).
Satan (Matthew 4:8-8 // Luke 4:5-7, John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11, 2 Corinthians 4:4)
Wrong. E.g. “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Jesus calls him the ruler of this world (NASB) or the prince of this world (KJV). He has got power to reign on earth, but he is not the creator of the earth. And he has certainly not all authority on earth. Paul calls him the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), of this eon, of this time; but not: Lord of this world.
The expression ‘Lord of this world’ is not to be found in the Bible. The term includes ownership and intrinsic authority over the world (earth). Satan has not, despite his great power on earth (ruler of this world).
No Contradiction
295. Was Lot a righteous man?
Yes, he was just and righteous. (2 Peter 2:7-8)
Right. His righteousness was not his intrinsic nature, as he turned out to be rather impulsive and immature. God had accepted him as righteous in his great grace.
No, He offered his daughters to a sex-crazed mob and then got drunk and impregnated them. (Genesis 19:8, 30-36)
Wrong. The role of Lot was not intended by him, but by his daughters. He was certainly naive and immature, nevertheless God had accepted him as righteous. He accompanied Abraham in his trouble going to Canaan, and then later in Canaan.
No Contradiction
296. Should we love or hate our brother?
We should love others. (Leviticus 19:17, 18)
Right.
We should hate some people. (Luke 14:26)
“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” (NASB)
Wrong. All Christians of all time have understood that the meaning of ‘hate’ must be here ‘dislike’. We should ‘dislike all people (and not some) in comparison with Jesus Christ’. It is SIMPLY a case of comparison of our love for Christ as compared to love of other humans.
Moreover, there is the destructive power of sin, which is in all man, except in Christ.
No Contradiction
297. How many soldiers did Lysias have?
60,000 (1 Macchabees 4:28)
80,000 (2 Macchabees 11:2)
100,000 (2 Macchabees 13:2)
Wrong. The books of Macchabees do not belong to the Hebrew Bible and can not be used to settle these so-called Bible Contradictions at all. Moreover, if the critic had read the stories he quotes and not just some verses, he might have noticed immediately that there is mentioning of three different battles:
The first: Before Judas had taken Jerusalem;
And thereafter:
The second: In the year 148 of Jupiter Corinthius (2 M. 11:21);
The third: In the year 149 of Jupiter Corinthius (2 M. 13:1).
No Contradiction
298. How many of Lysias' footment were killed by the Jews?
5,000 (1 Macchabees 4:34)
11,000 (2 Macchabees 11:11)
Wrong. Again, the books of Macchabees do not belong to the Hebrew Bible and can not be used to settle these so-called Bible Contradictions at all. However, if the critic had read the stories he quotes and not just some verses, he would have noticed immediately that it’s about two different battles (see earlier 292).
No Contradiction
299. Was Mahli the son of Levi?
Yes (Ezra 8:18)
Right. Mahli was a descendant of Levi, not a biological son (explanation below).
No (Genesis 46:11, 1 Chronicles 6:1, 16, 23:6)
Wrong. The biological sons of Levi were: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. However, a son of a son etc. was still referred to as a son. For example: Jesus was referred to as the son of David, but Jesus was not the biological son of David. Though Jesus lived many ages after David, as a descendant of David he could be called ‘Jesus, the son of David’.
No Contradiction
300. Will everyone see the majesty of God?
Everyone will see the majesty of God. (Isaiah 40:5)
“Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And all flesh will see (it) together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Partly right. It is said here that all people (all flesh, Hebr. kol basjar) will see a great work that God is going to do. Now, the word all is an indefinite pronoun, that is: the context determines the meaning, quantity etc. Here: the spectators or even a generation of people living in a certain period of time in a certain region will experience a great work of God. And what is more: Will they understand what they see? Certainly, that question is not answered here!
The wicked will not see the majesty of God. (Isaiah 26:10)
“He [the wicked] does not learn righteousness;
He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness,
And does not perceive [see KJV] the majesty of the Lord.”
Right. It is well known that Jesus called some Pharisees blind despite they were seeing. The KJV uses the word ‘see’ and no doubt the meaning is perceive, understand.
No Contradiction
No Bible Contradictions