Why does so much of the Bible contradict itself?

Question

And why do key points not agree with historical facts? An example would be the story of christs birth. The only census taken during that period was in 6 A.D. and it was not ordered by ceasar, the romans kept very good records of such things.

Answer 1

the bible contradicts itself because it was written by men. each man had his own ideas and put his own biases into it. it is historically inaccurate because is fiction.

Answer 2

First of all, it is common knowledge among all Christians that Jesus' birthday is not "Christmas Day", that is just the day somebody picked hundreds of years after the fact and it just caught on...why, because NO ONE knows the exact day He was born - remember the family was on the run for 2 years while Herrod was having all the baby boys in Israel murdered because he knew that the Messiah was born somewhere around that time. The Bible does not say He was born on that day, either. The Bible does not contradict itself, my dear. It only seems that way because when we want to do only part of what it says, the parts you don't agree with or that don't agree with your fleshly desires, will see it as contradiction and when other people who don't want to believe that anyone could actually live according to the Word-by the Grace of God, they will have you believing that age old lie, too. It does not contradict itself. Until you ask the Holy Spirit (and truly receive it) to reveal to you a clear understanding, you won't see it. Even then, you might not see it until you repent. Have you repented? Are you a follower of Christ or were you just asking the question to start a religious debate or arguement? I don't do those. Maybe you are not in a good Bible teaching church yet. Are you a Babe? I read the Word of God for years on my own and thought I knew something but it wasn't until I sincerely gave my life to Christ and became consistent and faithful in a good, growing Bible teaching church did I have a clear understanding. I don't know where you are but in whatever city, I pray that you find a good place where you won't be steered wrong. I pray that you are led of the Spirit of God as a pure sheep and not eaten by wolves along the way.

I send you my love in the name of Jesus,
Elder Angelia Johnson Bedford

Answer 3

Fair question - I trust this is a fair answer.
The Bible was written over a 1000 year span by countless authors and assembled over time by countless editors. Naturally there are going to be contradictions and even prophecies that don't come true, others that have no possible relevance other than example for us today.
Chapters and verses as we know them today were not a part of the original text. The words weren't even separated from one another. Individuals copying the texts by hand made errors. We don't have a single "original" copy, but rather close to 12000(!) parts - from whole books to scraps no bigger than a dollar bill.
There are numerous "books" of the Bible which did not match the qualifying criteria.
The Romans kept adequate records of which we have some examples.
Christmas's date was set by papal decree centuries after Jesus was born. No one knew when the actual date was because it wasn't the important fact. The date has as much to do with countering the pagan orgies of the winter solstice as anything.
AND the final why - I suspect it is humanity is constantly reminded it is God whom we believe in, not paper and ink.

Answer 4

The Bible does not contradict itself. It sounds like you have a problem with the Bible being authoritative.

God used human beings to physically pen the biblical text. But remember God is the author, they are His words. The Bible is inspired by God. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. The New Testament was originally written in Greek (with a few portions in aramaic). Learn those languages so you can read it for yourself in it's original. Check out some good commentaries (NIV Application commentary, Anchor Bible Commentary, New International Commentary on the New Testament (also one on OT), New International Greek Testament Commentary).

The Bible is inerrant and infallible. Inerrant means it is incapable of having errors, and infallible means incapable of being false. So this means that God protected the Bible while it was being translated to other languages and other translations.

When scribes were copying the biblical text they would count how many words were in each book, in each page, and in each sentence. They knew which word would be exactly the middle of the book/page/sentence. If their text did not match up they threw it away and started over. So they were extremely careful and meticulous in their work.

Answer 5

Actually, many of the Roman records were lost during the sack of Rome. But one historian of that time period, Josephus, does note the census existed.

Second is understanding how to read the Bible. The Bible is not Encyclopedia Britannica. It is a record of God's relationship with mankind, not a detailed historical record of mankind's relationship with itself. The message remains the same. Example - did Jesus preach on the mountain, like Matthew says, or on the field, like Mark says? It's irrelevent. What he taught remains the same. "Blessed be the poor."

The scientist asks "how?" The historian asks "when?" The theologian asks "why?"

Answer 6

If one is willing to devote serious time and honest effort, and not take the word of some internet contradiction list, the so-called contradictions are made clear...as to the "good" records of the romans... the "record" is much incompleat. No one knows , with certainty, just how "accurate" the records we do have are. Beurocrates and accountants in all ages have "cooked the books"

Answer 7

Because it is a collection of manuscripts from at least 26 authors. And if you took 26 books down from a library shelf covering such topics as religion, philosophy, history, social change, etc. etc. you would find just as many discrepancies. Jesus did not have a miraculous birth until the first century AD. Read the 26 crucified saviours for some insight into his birth and death.

Answer 8

Because it was made up of dribs and drabs of political agenda by the rulers of the day and their subservient helpers, the church, with the view to manipuate and exploit the masses, to oppress the Truth, and to conquer and plunder further territories.

But if you would not mind sparing some time reading an entirely logical account about the creation of God and the Universe, chanelled by a Divine Soul itself, please click on "Rational Spirituality" on the Dhaxem website.

Answer 9

There is no contradictions in the bible,let God be true and every man a liar Romans 3-4,when you read you must get understanding,and should not take bible scriptures out of it's context.

Answer 10

For the same reason that life contradicts itself...it was written by man, read by man and preached by men.

Mother nature on the other hand is much more predictable, reliable and accurate. She knew what she was doing.

Answer 11

Ok, you don't believe in the bible - big deal. People who say the bible contradicts itself are without basic understanding of scripture and forever trying to start arguments over something they have no clue about. Just, move on to something else.