Does the fact that the Bible contain contradictions automatically invalidate it?

Question

Even before we look into its extremely dubious origins.
Surely god cannot have two contrasting opinions. If this were the case he'd have to be incorrect on one of them.

Genisis 1 & 2 disagree about the order in which things were created.
Matthew and Luke contradict each other on the geneology of Jesus' father.

MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jim_meritt/bible-contradictions.html

Answer 1

there are no contridictions in the bible if you bother to read it all and study it..
unless you mean you only read the bits you want to
you can make it contridict if you want too by takeing a bit from here and there and don't bother to read the scriptures around it

Answer 2

Since no one bothered answering the specific verses you mentioned:

Genisis 1 & 2 disagree about the order in which things were created.

Not so. Read them, paying particular attention to Gen 2:4. The following verses expand on the sequence of events in chapter 1. They definitely do not disagree with them.


Matthew and Luke contradict each other on the geneology of Jesus' father.

MAT 1:16

LUK 3:23

This is much more reasonably *considered* a contradiction, but it may not be. If Joseph was the child of a levirate marriage, he would have had a biological father *and* a legal father whose "family name" (to speak in modern terms) he would have inherited. If, additionally, the biological father had no children by a previous marriage, Joseph would also legally be an heir to *his* family name. Thus it is quite possible, in submission to Mosaic Law, that Joseph was legally the descendant of both families. Granted, this is just a theory - but it fits in precisely with the verses mentioned.

Jim

Answer 3

There are no contradictions. Your understanding is lacking. Your web reference is used by many people and these contradictions have already been dispelled, over and over again. Go read Gen 1 -2 and look for the contradiction you so blindly believe. I have no idea what you mean. I just read it again - nothing. Everyone has two genealogies. You, me, everyone. Even though Jesus was born of God, Joseph' and Mary's lineage applied. That's is the beauty of his heritage. It was perfect..unlike your reasoning. All contradictions are just hogwash. They are accounted for. God's word has been around a long time and has stood up against all skepticism. You have to really distort facts to make any case for error. A bigger problem is the various translations that leave out some words here and there. But there is a line of scripture that God has preserved...use it.

Answer 4

There are no contradictions in the Bible, only things that appear that way, until you have studied it all and let the Holy Spirit expalin to you. The Bible is like a huge jigsaw puzzle and much is in parables. It all fits together one little piece at a time, till it forms the full picture, the glorious, beautiful picture of the plan of God. Sometimes GOd seems to say the oposite of what He is saying. He wants us to study it and know and learn, and pray and let Him begin to reveal truth to us one piece at a time, and when it happens, you see there are no contradictions, just pieces of the puzzle that you dont yet have. SO the more you study, the quicker you will learn the deep meaning of bible truths. THe Bible comes in layers, as you finnish one whole puzzle, you start again and start another with deeper meaning, and then deeper and deeper Example a new christian may hear do not kill.
a mature christian will know that means do not murder, as in the old word that was used so self defense is ok and war is too when necessary. it is do not murder.
as you get deeper into a noother layer, you see its way more than that. we arent to have hard feelings for someone that would make us want to hurt them even. and it goes on and on, with each scripture taking on new meaning. But to know you must pray and do serious study , and its all so very worth it. A life without Jesus and the word is a life not worth having at all. God does not ever have two contrasting opions, not ever, nor can we have one opinion and someone else another and expect it to make sense. Its not what I say or you or someone else says. ITs only what God says, period, and if we search, we find just what He is saying to all of us, but many fear truth as it will lead to change and they dont want to change, this is the devil that brings that fear . God is never incorrect or wrong about anything. IT is we that make mistakes and dont undersatnd. If we will know Gods word and do as He says, we will have answers to every problem we have. Seek and ye shall find and all shall be added unto you. Pretty exciting stuff I tell you. Nothing quite like it, studying the word isnt boring, nor is living a lifestyle like Jesus, once you get this and have His heart, its easy to live as He says. The sooner we start, the sooner we arrive.
I pray this for everyone.

Answer 5

Contradictions are apparent in the Bible (no matter what apologists say), but on their own, these contradictions do not invalidate the entire book. The book was written by men, and as many of us have seen in the past, people who make outlandish claims that are inspired by God are usually at best somewhat imbalanced and at worst extremely dangerous. Just because they wrote some pretty good stories on scrolls a few thousand years ago and claimed they were the inspired word of God doesn't change that historical fact.

Answer 6

Just one example of contradictions in the Bible:

Kings 2, 24: 8 "Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign."

contrast with

Chronicles 2, 36: 9 "Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign."

If the Bible is the pure, unaltered word of God, how is this error, and many others found in the Bible?

In answer to your question, no, these contradictions do not automatically invalidate it as a Holy Scripture, but they do invalidate it as an unadulterated, word-for-word inspiration from God.

Answer 7

Jewish or Christian? Contradictions in either are contradictions, but the severity of the contradiction is what can invalidate it or not. If it's something as simple as "he ate bread" or "he didn't eat bread" then the contradiction is an example of bad storytelling and it leaves those verses in question. But if it's something big like "God is not a man" and "God was a man" then you have major theological problems that render the entire belief system as questionable.

As for your specific examples, yes, they are examples of where the NT falls short in being the unquestionable word of God.

Answer 8

Does the fact that you are approaching the Bible with a pre-bias and bent against what it says, automatically invalidate your question?

You can either try to reinvent God based on your own misunderstandings of what the Scriptures say, or you can try to understand the Bible in light of what God says about Himself.

Here is some very basic and important things that God reveals about Himself that you need to keep in mind as you read the Bible:

1. God is holy. This is like saying He is allergic to sin (By the way, sin is anything that violates the very nature of God). He has zero tolerance for sin and selfishness.
2. God is righteous. This means He has never violated His own nature, and He has never sinned.
3. God is Love. The New Testament definition (Agape) means "Universal Unconcerned Benevolence". It means, basically, that God has our very best interest in mind.

When you read something in the Bible, and you keep these three things in mind, and it doesn't make sense to you, you have to conclude that your understanding is limited, and you just don't have the entire story.

Finally, try reading it for yourself, rather than reading what others say about it. It's amazing how much light the Bible throws on all them "commentaries".

Answer 9

yep

for people who want a contradiction here you go

1 Kings 15:1-2
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

2 Chronicles 13:1-2
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel.

So who was his mother again

or

1 Timothy 2:3-4
God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned.

Answer 10

I'm not sure that the contradictions invalidate it. But it certainly brings into serious question the devine orgins of the bible. It appears to me to be the work of men and not of a god.

Answer 11

Absolutely it does. Would you follow a car repair manual if it was contradictory? Would you try to repair a computer with a manual that was partially wrong and misleading? Would you work on the electrical wiring in your home with a book that was written by people who know nothing about electrical repair?
I don't know why Christians still follow the bible. It has been shown, with tangible evidence, to be mostly falsified and made up. (read Misquoting Jesus) Why would you still base your life's beliefs on it?