I've read sites that claim to list and explain biblical contradictions...?

Question

also, there are sites that claim that these contradictions are just
out of context. any insight into this? in your opinions, does the bible have contradictions...if possible, give references.

Answer 1

There are many disparities between Judaism and Christianity and hence between the two testaments.

Answer 2

There are as many contraditions as people to dream them up. What you will find is people who WANT to find contradictions by taking one word or part of a sentence and saying "I found one!"

The Bible is the only collection of books without contradictions. Each book agrees with the others. Not even Dr. Phil can claim that.

The easy way to determine what a passage is saying is by examining context--who was writing, and who to, about what. Then, what does the other parts in the Bible say about the subject of the passage? Just this combination of things will eliminate most of the confusion about a supposed contradiction.

There was another yahoo question about Romans 14: 1-4 and seeming contradictions. Paul was talking to early Christians about letting non-Jews into the organization and how the ones who are strong in the faith should not stumble new ones. He made reference to several passages in what now is called old testament including Genesis 9: 3 about God giving Noah permission to eat meat for the first time. Instead of contradictions of the rest of the Bible we see he actually quoted and used correctly a very sound strategy for helping new ones in the faith.

Answer 3

As others answering already have said, so-called contradictions in the Bible only appear to be so when misunderstood. The entire circumstances need to be considered sometimes, in order to be able to see the harmony. One must remove personal bias from misinformation, but to be able to do that, one must first come to understand that it exists, & what & where it came from. That may be the biggest contributor to an individual's difficulty in understanding --or even accepting-- the Bible.
That was why the following articles were written:

Understanding the Bible--A Pleasure Open to You
- A Pleasure Open to All
http://watchtower.org/e/20060401a/article_01.htm

Understanding the Bible--What Will Help You?
- Preparing the Heart and the Mind
- Obstacles to Having the Right Attitude
- The Challenge of Being Taught
- Understanding the Bible warms our heart
http://watchtower.org/e/20060401a/article_02.htm

Why You Can Trust the Bible :
> Does It Contradict Itself?
- History and Science
- Foretelling the Future
http://watchtower.org/library/t13/why_trust.htm

You Can Understand the Bible :
- Help to Understand the Bible...
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2001/7/1/article_01.htm

I've personally examined many so-called contradictions, but, they have never 'panned out' to be such. The Bible is actually in total harmony, which in itself --under the circumstances-- is proof that it is really from God...

A Unique Source of Superior Wisdom
~ Oldest, Most widely Distributed Book
~ Scientific Accuracy
..... How the earth is held in space.
..... The shape of the earth.
..... The composition of living things.
..... "According to their kinds."
~ Historical Accuracy
~ Internal Harmony and Candor
~ Its Most Distinctive Feature, Its Author
~ Fulfilled Prophecy
~ It Gives the Answer!
http://watchtower.org/library/pr/article_03.htm

Answer 4

The Bible has many seeming contradictions within its pages. For example, the four Gospels give four differing accounts as to what was written on the sign that hung on the cross. Matthew said, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (27:37). However, Mark contradicts that with “The King of the Jews” (15:26). Luke says something different: “This is the King of the Jews” (23:38), and John maintains that the sign said “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews” (19:19).

Those who are looking for contradictions may therefore say, “See—the Bible is full of mistakes!” and choose to reject it entirely as being untrustworthy. However, those who trust God have no problem harmonizing the Gospels. There is no contradiction if the sign simply said, “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.”

The godly base their confidence on two truths: 1) “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16); and 2) an elementary rule of Scripture is that God has deliberately included seeming contradictions in His Word to “snare” the proud. He has “hidden” things from the “wise and prudent” and “revealed them to babes” (Luke 10:21), purposely choosing foolish things to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Answer 5

There are lots of contradictions, most of which have nothing to do with context. Yes, the Bible has many contradictions.

Answer 6

Yes, there are many contradictions:

MAT 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

MAR 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

JOH 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Ps.92:12: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree."

Isa.57:1: "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart."

Answer 7

Some Bible passages may seem to be contradictory until one studies and understands why and when they were written, who wrote them, and for whom they were intended. Most Bible skeptics tend to be concrete thinkers, that is, they insist everything has to be black or white. They also insist that because something is said one way in a certain place and a differing statement appears in another, the two cancel each other out and are therefore, contradictory. Like many UFO believers, they have a bias, prejudice, or agenda to overcome when they make an observation of something they do not fully comprehend. The Bible is a blend of historic fact, symbolism, allegory, and truth. The objective for believers is an intimate understanding its overall message and avoiding contentious bickering.

Answer 8

Jesus spoke in Parables. No one could understand them.

The Bible has apparent contradictions that God has purposefully allowed to exist. The Bible has recorded facts that fly in the face of 'Uniformity' or modern science.

Jesus even made very strange statements which require deep study and a leading of the Holy Spirit to understand.

Born again believers who know the Bible seem like they are speaking in code when they talk to each other. Why? Because every time they try to include a non-believer in a conversation about what the Bible says, the non-believers usually totally disagree. Yet born again Christians who have the promises of Jesus to work with have found the same truths independent of each other for nearly 2000 years.

It is amazing to see how isolated groups of people who study the Bible come to the same conclusions over and over again in history. God is truly at work.

Answer 9

If you take a good look at these apologetic sites, you realize that it is just so much backpeddling and bullshit.

Example: There is no way that telling people to kill their disobedient children can be taken out of context. The context is irrelevant.

Answer 10

contradiction : 7.day of creation is saturday ,according to the jews and jesus denies it and proclaims sunday to be the 7. day of creation!
The answer is : contradictions are good, we have two free days out of 7.
I suggest to make friday to be the next 1. day of creation so that nobody would go to work on friday ?

Answer 11

Genesis gives two accounts of creation. Genesis 1 places plants and animals before man; Genesis 2 places plants and animals AFTER man.

There's also the two geneologies of Joseph in Matthew and Luke. A lot of Christians claim one is Mary's, but both clearly state they are Joseph's.