Dealing with Bible difficulties and apparent discrepancies
Most apparent discrepancies in Scripture can be easily resolved. Unraveling the mystery often begins by placing the apparent discrepancy into one of four broad categories. A few examples follow:
Timing issues & weights and measures
When was Jesus Crucified? Not every book in the Bible was written in Israel, or with the Hebrew people being the primary target audience. Writing to different target audiences, and at different periods in history, accounts for several dozen of apparent discrepancies in Scripture. For example, there seems to be a contradiction between John 19:14 and Mark 15:25. One Gospel writer notes that Jesus was crucified at the ‘sixth’ hour and another notes that Jesus was crucified at the ‘third’ hour. This apparent contradiction is easily resolved when one understands that one Gospel writer is using a Roman system of timekeeping, while the other is referencing a Hebrew system. This is the same as noting Noon, 12:00 PM, or 1400 hours.
The Royal vs. Mosiac Shekel: The fact that the Bible was written over a period of 1500 years and over a wide geographic area contributes to different systems of weights and measurements being referenced. This can be confusing. For example, 2 Chronicles 24:14 references 100,000 talents of gold, while 1 Chronicles 29:4 (same story), references 3000 talents of gold. Is this a contradiction? No. One references a Royal Shekel and the other a Mosaic Shekel. Two different (but similarly named) measurement systems are referenced - similar to 1 pound equals 454 grams.
Cultural issues
The Mustard Seed: In Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus notes that the mustard seed is the smallest of seeds. However, scientists note that there are several seeds smaller than the mustard seed. Was Jesus’ teaching in error? No. Resolving this issue begins with realizing that Jesus was not speaking as a scientist or botanist. He was speaking to an agricultural community, in common language, in broad terms, to make a spiritual point. Recognizing the cultural context of the statement (or passage of Scripture) provides insight for a proper interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar's Raid: The timing for Nebuchadnezzar’s first raid into Palestine: Daniel 1:1 notes that it was in the 3rd year of his reign. Jeremiah 46:2 notes that it was the 4th year. This discrepancy is reconciled by recognizing that in Babylonian culture, the first year of a new reign was not counted as it was considered an ‘ascension year.’ Daniel is writing in a Babylonian context, so he records the timing of the raid in the Babylonian system of recording time. Jeremiah, writing in a pure Hebrew context, references the more standard was of identifying the starting point of the king’s reign.
The Grain of Wheat: Was Jesus mistaken in John 12:25 and Matthew 13:31-32 in saying that a grain of wheat dies (rather than saying that it germinates)? No, as with the mustard seed illustration, Jesus was not making a scientific statement, He was making a broad statement (which resonated with his audience) to illustrate a spiritual point.
Perspective issues
Absalom’s Sons: 1 Sam. 14:27 notes that Absalom had three sons. 2 Sam. 18:18 notes that Absalom did not have any sons and moves to erect a monument to maintain his name. The stories do not present contradictory accounts. The fact is, Absalom did have children, but his three sons died in infancy (hence the monument).
The Commandment to Love: In John 13:34-35, Jesus said the commandment to ‘Love’ is a ‘new’ commandment? However, the commandment to love is found in the Old Testament (see Lev. 19:18). Resolving the apparent error begins with understanding the commandment to love in John 13 does have a new component--the level and scope of love is new (we are to love others as Jesus loves us).
OTHER ISSUES
The Resurrection
How Many Were at the Tomb? There are differences in Gospel accounts regarding who was at the tomb on the Sunday morning after the crucifixion. These differences do not indicate discrepancies, but rather add detail to, and substantiate the reliability of, the resurrection story. In a court of law, if multiple independent accounts are exactly the same, the witnesses are likely to be discredited on the grounds of collusion. The resurrection story is made more credible because of the variances (in prereferral matters) in the story.
The Chief Witnesses: The resurrection story is credible because the chief witnesses are women. In the first century, Jewish women were not allowed to testify in court. If one were making up a story, one would not have the chief witnesses be women. Further, one of the witnesses (Mary Magdalene) had such a negative past that she would likely not have been considered a credible witness even among women. The unusual components to the story lend credibility to the story.
The resurrection story is cited by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian Church (a writing that predates the Gospels). Paul’s reference to the resurrection is part of a creedal statement, which indicates that within 20 years of the cross, the entire resurrection story was well-known and commemorated with formal creedal statements far from Israel.
The resurrection story is referenced by the first-century AD Jewish historian, Josephus.
The resurrection story is cited by the Roman historian Tacitus as being so meaningful to the followers of Christ that many willingly suffered a martyr’s death rather than deny what they believed to be the truth.
The Triumphal Entry
Matthew 21:2 notes that there was a donkey and a colt at the Triumphal Entry. Luke 19:30 notes only that there was a donkey. The stories do not present contradictory accounts—they note a difference in perspective. There were two animals. Mark’s focus is on Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem (Mark was writing from Rome to a largely Gentile audience). Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience, focuses on how the Triumphal Entry is the fulfillment of Old Testament Hebrew prophecy (the Zech. 9:9 prophecy notes that there would be two animals).
HISTORICAL PROBLEMS RESOLVED
Christ and the census: Until very recently, there were no non-biblical records of Caesar Augustus ordering non-Romans to be registered. There are records of Augustus ordering Roman citizens to be registered, but only in 28 BC, 8 BC and 14 AD. The only known census that Quirinius, governor of Syria ordered is in 6 AD, which is nearly a decade after the death of Herod, a key figure in the Matthew nativity story. New Testament Scholar Nigel Turner suggests that the Luke 2:2 passage: “This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was…” should read, “This was the census taken before the census taken while Quirinius was governor.” This is because the word for FIRST and BEFORE is the same word in Greek (Protos). PROTOS is always translated before in the Gospels when followed in the genitive case, as it is in this verse.
Christ and the slaughter of infants: There is no non-biblical record of Herod giving an order for infants in the region of Bethlehem to be killed. However, it is certainly plausible that an order like that could have been given. Herod is known to have had Torah scholars burned alive for removing Rome’s golden eagle from the Temple Gate in Jerusalem. He ordered his wife and several sons murdered because he considered them a threat to his throne. To assure there would be great mourning associated with his death, he ordered thousands of men locked inside the Hippodrome, and ordered that they be massacred when he died. Caesar Augustus is quoted as saying, ‘I’d rather be Herod’s pig than his son.’ It is also important to note that some scholars suggest the population of Bethlehem 2000 years ago would likely to have been in the 1000 range. This would have meant the number of infant males could be as few as 10-15. Killings of this magnitude could easily have gone unnoticed by historians of the day, particularly in a period of constant human suffering and slaughter.
Conquest cities: Archaeologist have found 16 cities that are said to have been destroyed by Joshua, yet only three show signs of being destroyed in the late Bronze Age (Hazor, Lachish, and Bethel). This appears to put the accuracy of the accounts in the book of Joshua in question. However, Joshua 10 can be understood to mean that Israel smote, laid siege to, or captured cities, and/or that the inhabitants were annihilated, but the actual cities were left standing. For example, Josh. 10:20 notes that the army ‘wiped out’ its enemy, but in the very next section of Scripture, the Bible notes what became of ‘the survivors.’ This is typical period writing. Note: A 15th century B.C. Egyptian Stele commemorating the exploits of Thutmose III notes that ‘The heads of the Asiatics were severed, none escaped death.’ However, a few lines later, the Stele notes that thousands of prisoners were captured. Further, Joshua 13:1 notes that when Joshua was ‘very old’ there were ‘still very large areas of the land to be taken.’
The Exodus timeline: 1 Kings 6:1 provides a historical marker for the time of the exodus; there we read there were 480 years between the exodus and the dedication of the temple in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign (962 B.C). This does not seem to fit with Exodus 1:11, which notes that the Hebrews were ‘building the supply cities Pithom and Ramses,’ an event that took place 200 years after the exodus date (extrapolated from 1 Kings). The apparent inconsistency is resolved when it is understood the 1 Kings 6:1 timeline reference has symbolic value. It references 12 generations of 40 years, 40 being a number representing a long, God-ordained period of time (see 1 Sam. 4:18; Num. 14:33; Josh. 5:6; 2 Sam. 5:4; Judges 3:11, 5:31, 8:28, 13:1, etc.). Further, based on the date in the books of 1-2 Kings, another 480 years elapsed from the 4th year of Solomon’s reign (marking the building of the temple) and the end of Israel’s exile in Babylon. Hence, the Bible writer wanted to place the building of the temple as a central historical marker in Israel's history.
The Giving of the Spirit: Did the disciples receive the Spirit soon after the resurrection (John 20:22) or about 50 days later (Acts 2)? The answer is both. The disciples received a special anointing of the Holy Spirit soon after the Resurrection, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (50 days after Good Friday).
The voice from heaven: Acts 9:7 notes that those with Saul heard a voice from heaven, but Acts 22:9 seems to suggest those with Saul did not hear the voice. This apparent contradiction is resolved by noting that there are two different words in the original Greek text translated as hear/hearing in our English text. One of the words means to hear with understanding (i.e., to hear a conversation). The other word means to hear without understanding (as in to hear an indiscernible noise). Therefore, the men with Saul did hear the voice but did not understand the conversation as the words were meant for Saul alone.
There are apparent errors and contradictions in Scripture. However, most are resolved with a little research. Archeological evidence and a review of the historical information presented in the Scripture, verifies the accuracy of the Bible. And the Bible is more than accurate—it is divinely inspired.