FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
ARE THERE CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE?
So I’m still answering your questions on Bible issues…and the above one is certainly one of the most common!
Answer: I have never found an outright contradiction in the Bible. The Bible has clarity and One overarching author: God! Why would God contradict Himself? How could that even be possible?
Admittedly the Bible is an old book which demands that we go back and understand many ancient cultures and cultural patterns that influence our interpretation of the Bible. And there are challenging topics in the Bible, like God’s Sovereignty and Man’s responsibility. How do those two themes flow together and make sense to us intellectually? Sometimes we struggle with some of the themes and teachings in the Bible like those two.
All that to say: that many “so called contradictions” are not really contradictions at all, but merely “apparent” contradictions that demand that we humbly come before the Scriptures and study them under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Many people are not willing to do that of course.
And Americans are impatient people! “I want the answers right now!” is how we so often approach the Bible, but it takes some time and thought and the attitude that the problem might be in my understanding of the Bible not in God’s communication in the Bible!
Here are a couple of resources: The Hard Sayings of Jesus (F.F. Bruce) and More Hard Sayings of Jesus (Peter Davids); Bible Difficulties (Gleason Archer).
Oh, by the way, whenever someone says: “There are so many contradictions in the Bible I always say, ‘Oh really, can you tell me just one?’”
If you ask that question and they bring up something, and you don’t know the answer, let’s talk. I’ll give you a response! Again: I have never found a contradiction in the Bible!
HAS NEW REVELATION CEASED? WHY?
My conviction is that new revelation has ceased. The following verse helps me toward that conclusion:
Hebrews 1:1-4
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Why has new revelation ceased, in my opinion? (And not my opinion only. Most of the early Church and evangelicals agree with me!) Well, as we see who Jesus Christ really is in the NT, we see that He is God come in the flesh and the last great prophet who is even greater than Moses. So Jesus’ words and those of His direct apostles are all we need, which is what we find in the NT. You can’t get better than Jesus and His direct apostles. We have so much truth in the Bible that we don’t now apply, and we don’t need any more information…we need application!
It’s definitely true that many people claim to be the FINAL prophet with new revelation. Mohammed claimed that, so did Joseph Smith. It seems there will always be those who will rise up to claim divine authority for what they do. Why? Satan is a deceiver/liar par excellence and always out to get us as Christ’s followers off onto the wrong track. We should expect that this would happen because the NT foretells it:
Matthew 7:15
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Matthew 24:11
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
2 Peter 2:1-3
2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
There were prophets in the early NT era for sure (Ephesians 4:11; I Cor. 14:37) but as the New Testament Canon got fixed after the death of all the apostles, the early church stopped looking for new revelation. Who would be as authoritative as the apostles after all?
We should be looking for “illumination” of the revelation already given! (John 16:13).
“HOW DO YOU TEST A PROPHETS MESSAGE?”
If someone claims to be a prophet of God today the big test is: How does that so called prophet’s message compare with the Bible? If there is new revelation there that contradicts the Bible, that person, man or woman, is a false prophet. A true teacher of the Gospel should be humble enough to be under the scrutiny of other teachers in the Church.
1 Corinthians 14:29-33
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
Wrapping this up, these verses help us a lot:
1 John 4:1-3
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
The Bible is our rule of faith and practice! We need no more writings to guide our life until Jesus comes back and cleans up the mess and establishes His visible Kingdom. We just need to know the truth He has already given!
Thanks for your questions!
Pete Alwinson
