Bible Inerrancy
In this session we will look at three common objections. Inerrancy, Old Testament Problems, and Miracles & Prophecy.
First, Inerrancy is a fallacy. There are so many contradictions in the Bible. How can you trust something like that.
Second is all those Old Testament Problems. You know God endorses killing women and children, genocide, slavery. What kind of God is that. Does not sound very loving.
Finally Revelation You say this is the word of God. How can anyone know what God Said
These are some very hard questions to answer. Good news is there are very good answers for each of these. Don’t be intimidated by the voluminous number of objections.
Every objection listed is very general. Clarification is required before providing the specific answer to their specific questions. Most of the time they have no idea of the particulars because they assume what they have heard is true. Keep the burden of proof of those making the objection.
Now Let’s look at Inerrancy.
The doctrine of Bible Inerrancy has many strong opinions. There is great debate about inerrancy and infallibility. The myriad of definitions of these two terms are varied and conflicting at times. I don’t like this term because it opens us up to unnecessary critiques and arguments.
Inerrancy… well we need to define this before we can discuss.
Charles Ryrie writes, “The inerrancy of the Bible means simply that the Bible tells the truth. Truth can and does include approximations, free quotations, language of appearances, and different accounts of the same event as long as those do not contradict.”
Inerrancy does not mean word for word in our English Bibles. It means no contradictions in the Bible. Simply put the teachings in the Bible can be trusted and there are no contradictions in message.
J. Warner Wallace talks in length about the varying accounts in the gospels. These are not contradictions but rather eyewitness accounts which highlight different details from memory. None of these variations in the account change the message. In fact when you look at them together, you get fuller more complete picture of the events. Just like, eyewitnesses to any event, we each remember things slightly different. But we have all seen the same event and captured the main issues consistently but with differing details. This is actually incredibly strong evidence that the gospel accounts are accurate. If they were identical, collaboration would be the charge. Instead, they look exactly like we should expect if they are separate accounts.
I passed out a paper earlier and asked you to describe this Ball with 1-3 sentences. OBJECT LESSON
We had several say round, but some said sphere, spherical, globe, ball. These are not contradictions, rather different chosen words to describe the same thing. Some mentioned the color, blue, others did not. Some mentioned the pattern on the ball, the material it was made of,
See how many different words we all used and that is right now. We have not had a decade or so go by before we described this.
Contradictions or perspectives? The American Atheist site, atheist.org list 15 contradictions in the Bible. They included issues about Sabbath, Permanence of Earth, Seeing God, Human Sacrifice, Power of God, Personal Injury, Circumcision, Incest, Trusting God, Holy Lifestyle, Punishing Crime, Temptation, Family Relationships, Resurrection of the Dead, End of the World.
But frankly these are out of context and pretty unremarkable.
Another atheist site answering-Christianity.com lists 101 contradictions in the Bible. The list is mostly unremarkable but they have some we should address. I tried to pick what I thought was the hardest to answer.
We will look at the following so called contradictions,
- Jesus Genealogy (Matthew 1 & Luke 1)
- Was John Baptist, Elijah (Matthew 17 & Luke 1)
- Jesus calls Peter (Matthew 4 & John 1)
- Jairus Daughter (Matthew 9 & Mark 5)
- Death of Judas (Matthew 27 & Acts 1)
- Peter’s Denial (John 13 & Mark 14)
This should be fun.
Genealogy of Jesus. First from Matthew. I’m a coward so I’ll let you listen to a professional read the names. Matthew 1:1-17 (NIV) 1This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.
Now from Luke. Luke 3:23-38 (NIV) “He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josek, the son of Joda, 27the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, 38the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
I know that was a lot of names. And yes some of the names are different. But They are different by design intentionally. Genealogies only list the fathers typically. Especially in the first century in the Jewish, Greek, or Roman cultures. So why does Matthew list five women and it is quite a list. Tamar who acted like a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law Judah, Rahab the prostitute from Jericho, Ruth who was from the hated moabites, Uriah’s wife Uriah who was killed by David to cover up his adulterous relationship with Bethsheba. And Mary the mother of Jesus who was thought to have gotten pregnant before she was married to Joseph by a different father (God of course) This is not typical so we know Matthew had an agenda.
The common explanation is one is Mary’s genealogy and the other was Joseph’s which would explain the differences. Luke is thought to be Joseph’s line and Matthew Mary’s with many interesting side stories.
This is not a contradiction but two very different accounts and the genealogies are different on purpose.
Was John the Baptizer Elijah. Matthew 17:11-13 (NIV) Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Luke 1:17 (NIV) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
I think this is pretty obvious. John the Baptist was speaking and preaching with the Spirit of Elijah. I don’t think the Bible tells us John was Elijah. Regardless there is not contradiction in these passages.
When and how did Jesus call Peter to be his disciple.
Matt 4:18-20 (NIV) As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
John 1:40-42 (NIV) Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas”
Is this a contradiction. Wait for the class the answer
Two things to remember neither John or Matthew are thought to be purely chronological. I know this bothers our modern western minds but 1st century Hebrews did not think like we do. They wrote for story, not chronology.
The story in John most likely comes first when John the Baptist talks about Jesus, then Andrew who was probably a disciple of John the Baptist talks with Jesus. Then he goes and gets his brother Simon Peter. But did you see what was missing from John’s account. Jesus never asked Peter and Andrew to follow him. It’s not in that story. The logical reason is, it was later that Jesus saw them again and called them to be disciples. It actually makes more sense why they so quickly followed, they already knew Jesus.
So, story looks different but no contradiction here.
What about Peter’s denial of Jesus.
John 13:38 (NIV) Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
John 18:27 (NIV) Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Mark 14:30 (NIV) “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice e you yourself will disown me three times.”
Mark 14:72 (NIV) Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Wow do they have a point. Mark says crows twice and John just says crows
Is this contradiction?? Well not really these are typical eyewitness testimony issues. Rooster crows once or twice. Does it really matter. Okay. That is not good enough for some. The copies of John’s gospel we have in Greek do not agree and this point. Most early copies do not have twice or two in either verse 30 or 72, which makes this argument mute.
But to be complete in John’s gospel 18:27, the Greek only says the rooster crowed and Peter remembered. You can infer it was the first rooster crow but the language does not make that explicit. In John 13:38, it is the same. Our English translations make this complicated but the Greek only says rooster calls out you will deny me 3 times.
One time or two times, it is the same story with the same message. This kind of detail is not impacting the message, so regardless it is not a contradiction. It might seem like one in our English Bible, but I doubt any first century reader would see this as a contradiction in any copy they had available to read.
What about Jairus Daughter. This is the synagogue leader whose daughter died while he was asking Jesus to heal his daughter, then Jesus revives the child.
Matt 9:18 (NIV) While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”
Mark 5:23 (NIV) He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”
Is this a contradiction. Matthew says the girl is dead, Mark says she is dying. Looks like a contradiction. Oh wait a second.
Mark 5:35-36 (NIV) While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing c what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
If they only read a little farther in the story the answer would be clear. Mark and Matthew just have different details but everyone thought the girl was dead when Jesus agreed to go to Jairus house. No contradiction here either.
<SLIDE 23> Death of the betrayer. This is probably the best one they have.
Matt 27:5 (NIV) So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
Acts 1:18(NIV) With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.
So what do you think do they have a point. Matthew says he threw the money for his betrayal back at the Pharisees, then went away and hanged himself.
But Luke in Acts, says Judas bought a field with the money and then fell headlong and his body burst open and his insides became outsides. Assumedly he died that way.
Is this a contradiction? It sure looks like one. But I’m sure you noticed I left a space. Any guesses.
Matt 27:7-8 (NIV) So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
I’m sure you are going that was not very satisfying. But look at it closer. Judas threw the money at them, then went and hanged himself. Then Matthew says the Pharisees decided to buy a field. The field of Blood.
Now what about Luke’s account. Was the payment for his betrayal used to buy the field, yes. Acts 1:19 (NIV) Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
Same field of Blood. Okay what about the cause of death. Does Luke say Judas died because he feel and his guts spilled out. Actually no. If Judas hanged himself like Matthew said, and the body was there for a few days. When it fell head long which only means to fall forward. Then the rotting body hit the ground and the guts spilled out.
Both of these story are consistent, there is no contradiction here.
Inerrancy… Very simply Inerrancy means no contradictions, not no errors.
This is a quote from me or actually my dissertation, “Inerrancy– in that men are often in error, but the Bible is not; it is truth.” When an interpretation gives rise to a Bible contradictions, then the interpretation is the contradiction, not the Bible.
If your sense makes no sense, get a different sense. Basically, if your interpretation results in Bible contradictions, get a different interpretation. The Bible is True, your interpretation is not.
This is the end of How to Defend your Faith Session 8: Can U Trust the Bible (Part 2 of 4)
