One would expect a book written by an omniscient being could contain an insight of mathematics that, even after 2000 years would be the most fundamental insight in math that people had ever known. Instead the Bible gets the value of Pi wrong in two places (I Kings 7:23-26 and II Chronicles 4:2-5). Even the ancient Greeks and Egyptians managed to figure out the correct value of Pi. How do those holding the Bible as an errantly inspired document deal with that?
2007-02-18 08:16:51 · 14 answers · asked by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes. 1 + 1 does not equal "God did it".
2007-02-18 08:22:39 · answer #1 · answered by gruz 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe the intention of the passage was to give an exact mathematical formula, but FYI, others have investigated this matter and come to a different interpretation of the facts than you:
Graf theory
An interesting suggestion from Bob Graf reads:
The brass tub in Solomon's temple was a thick-sided vessel, and the measurement
of ten cubits referred to the outer diameter, while the measurement of thirty cubits referred to the inner circumference. The thickness of the annulus was recorded as a hand-breadth. If one considers a hand breadth to be 4 inches, and uses a figure of 17.75 for a cubit, the value of p in the equation:
(10 - 30/p)/2 17.75 = 4
is p = 355/113 .
I don't think the Hebrews calculated the values recorded, merely observed them. The true value of π would give slightly different values for a hand-breadth and a cubit. I think this fact is more interesting than the improper imputation of 3 as the 'Biblical' value of π.
We note that the value 355/113 as an approximation for π was first noted by Tsu Ch'ung Chi (430-501 AD)
2007-02-18 08:33:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In 1Kings 7:23-26, are you measuring the inside diameter or the outside diameter? Re check and you will find that the Bible is correct after all! 2 Chron. 4:2-5, did you allow for the thickness of the vessel? Recheck again and I am sure that you will find that the Bible is correct. You can apologize here!
2007-02-18 08:31:32 · answer #3 · answered by michael m 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Bible was written over hundreds of years by dozens of people who, I feel, were more concerned with ways to show that Christianity is the ONLY religion so math wasn't as much a priority for them.
So any math irregularities found in the Bible I imagine the majority of today's Christians would go all glassy-eyed and smile reverently saying it's not a mistake you just don't have the proper "faith" to see that it is correct, it's the others that are wrong.
2007-02-18 08:30:27 · answer #4 · answered by briardan 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Working in cubits is not an exact science as cubits varied. For what they were doing, the instructions were close enough, as anybody knowing anything about casting metal knows that when an object that has been cast from molten metal shrinks as it cools, they weren't building a rocket you know. Try digging a mold in the ground using the exact figure of pi and see what you end up with, especially for an object as large as the molten sea was. Ten cubits wide could equal anywhere from 150 inches across to 204 inches across.
2007-02-18 08:23:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
it truthfully relies upon on which component of your bread is buttered, and by ability of whom. hundreds of authors have the two lied or unfold incorrect information from the Bible. Why shrink your self to 40 authors? The earliest actual bibles are actually not modern-day to the time of Jesus. some dark a while variations exist in museums, quite often incomplete by way of flaws in the publishing technique utilising paper with the incorrect acidity.
2016-11-23 17:08:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Math's is great for working out your finances but not much good for soothing the soul.
Calculators solve mathematical problems. The Bible solves spiritual problems.
Would you use a chainsaw to butter your bread?
Would you ride a quaterpounder with cheese to work?
Would you read a banana?
Get the right tool for the right job.
2007-02-18 08:25:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know about PI. But if you take the Hebrew it was originally written in and convert it to their number value (Hebrew letters also stand for numbers), you can add it, multiply it,divide it or subtract it, in any direction you like. It always comes out to seven or a multiple of seven. Except when the value should be zero. Like seven minus seven.
2007-02-18 08:24:50 · answer #8 · answered by djm749 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cubit was not an exact measurement. One of the measurements of a cubit was the length of a man's arm from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow. (Roughly 18 - 21 inches) This could differ greatly.
2007-02-18 08:24:59 · answer #9 · answered by paulsamuel33 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mathematics does not dispute the Bible if you BELIEVE it doesn't.
2007-02-18 08:20:33 · answer #10 · answered by dmlk2 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋