NONSENSE FROM THE BIBLE (15 page)

BIBLE NONSENSE NUMBER 9

The Bible was written by as many as 40 different people during a period of 1500 years or so. Human authors wrote down what they had been told by other human beings, most of whom were not actual witnesses to the events, but were simply passing on stories which had been passed down from previous generations. Here we should expect that there would be innumerable variations of the original story which must reduce the accuracy and validity of everything which finally was recorded by those 40 or so authors. The oldest book of the Bible is generally believed to be the Book of Job, written circa 1446-1406 BCE. The Book of James in the New Testament was written circa 45CE. These texts were written in three different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic and Koine Greek during the entire period of the compilation of the works, which were later collated into the form of the complete Bible.  Christians, however claim that the Bible is The Word of God - and is not of human origin. It is explained that the Bible was
inspired
by God and is therefore infallible! 

It is interesting to note that Protestants and Roman Catholics have different versions of the Bible. The Protestant Bible leaves out 12 books
*27
 the Catholic Bible includes. The reason being that Protestant faiths considered them to be ‘apocryphal’ or of doubtful authenticity and contain beliefs which are contrary to biblical doctrines such as the existence of Purgatory,
*28 
the value of good works, the justification of certain types of penance, salvation by almsgiving, the justification of suicide, lying, assassinations, magical incantations and the doctrine of prayer for the dead.  

Now, returning to the King James Bible:

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God
, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 

If this were true then we should expect that there would be no variations in the stories and certainly no contradictions in either of the texts of the Old or New Testaments of the Bible or between the two. Some Christians will say that we cannot completely equate the Old Testament with the New as they were very different times and that the New Testament reveals God in the light of the teachings and life of Jesus.

This is a reason that most Christians do not want to hear about or discuss the ‘schizophrenic monster God’ as revealed in many parts of the Old Testament as we have already exposed in previous chapters of this book. They prefer to maintain the thought that God is Love.

Unfortunately, the Bible tells us that the God of the Old Testament is exactly the same God as revealed in the New Testament - he did not and does not change!

Malachi 3:5-6

 
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. 
For I am the LORD
,
I change not
; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ the same yesterday
,
and to day
,
and for ever
. 

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down
from the Father of lights
,
with whom is no variableness
,
neither shadow of turning
. 

So, if every scripture was
inspired by God
and if God does NOT change, it should be impossible for there to be any variations or inconsistencies and definitely no contradictions in those heavenly inspired scriptures - the Bible.

As we have already read in previous chapters, there are many variations in the stories as recorded by different authors concerning the same event. If we were to study the entire Bible we should discover hundreds more.

CONTRADICTIONS AND/OR VARIATIONS 

IN THE BIBLE - HERE ARE FEW

THE AGE OF AHAZIAH WHEN HE BECAME KING

The age of Ahaziah when he began to reign has two versions - so was he 22 or 42?

2 Kings 8:26

Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign
; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 

Twenty Two! 

2 Chronicles 22:2 

Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign
, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 

Forty Two!

WAS JESUS THE ONLY ONE 

WHO ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN?

 YES 

 John 3:13

And no man hath ascended up to heaven
, but he that came down from heaven, 
even the Son of man which is in heaven
.

The author of the Gospel of John forgot or didn’t know about Elijah - was that information  
inspired by God
 or had God forgotten as well? 

NO

2 Kings 2:11

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold,there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven
. 

DID MICHAL HAVE ANY CHILDREN?

NO

2 Samuel 6:23

Therefore
Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death
.
 

YES - FIVE!

2 Samuel 21:8

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth;
and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul
, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: 

DID GOD EVER TEMPT ANYONE?

He certainly tempted Adam and Eve but James thought God never tempted anyone. Had God forgotten to tell him about Abraham? 

NO

James 1:13 

Let no man say when he is tempted
,
I a
m
 
tempted of God
:
for God cannot be tempted with
evil
,
neither tempteth he any man
: 

YES

Genesis 22:1  

And it came to pass after these things,that
God did tempt Abraham
, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 

GOD OF PEACE OR MAN OF WAR? 

PEACE

Romans 15:33

Now
the God of peace be with you all
. Amen.
 

WAR

Exodus 15:3
 

The LORD is a man of war
: the LORD is his name. 

JESUS CONTRADICTED HIS OWN WORDS 

You may remember the following scriptures were included in Chapter Four, God is Love - as we noted that Jesus contradicted God’s methods of treating his enemies. Here Jesus clearly contradicts himself! 

Matthew 5:43-44

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But 
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
 
 

Luke 6:27-29

But I say unto you which hear, 
Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other;
 and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

So Jesus said - 
Love your enemies

Here in a later Chapter of Luke - Jesus completely contradicts those earlier instructions and principles - now he wants his enemies killed!

Luke 19:27

But
those mine enemies
, which would not that I should reign over them,
bring hither, and slay them before me

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns against calling someone a fool: 

Matthew 5:22

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council:
but whosoever shall say
,
Thou fool
,
shall be in danger of hell fire
. 

Then in a later Chapter in the book of Matthew, Jesus contradicts himself!

Matthew 23:17 

Ye fools and blind
: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

HAS ANYONE EVER SEEN THE FACE OF GOD?

NO 

John 1:18 

No man hath seen God at any time
;
the only begotten Son
,
which is in the bosom of the Father
,
he hath declared him
.

Exodus 33:20

And he said,
Thou canst not see my face
:

YES - Many!

Genesis 32:30

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel:
for I have seen God face to face
, and my life is preserved.

Exodus 33:11
 

And
the LORD spake unto Moses face to face
, as a man speaketh unto his friend. 

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that King Uzziah died
I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne
,
high and lifted up
, and his train filled the temple.

Here it is reported that 74 people saw God!

Exodus 24:9-10

Then went up
Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel
:
And they saw the God of Israel
: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

IS THERE ANYONE 

WHO IS GOOD OR RIGHTEOUS?

NO - NOT ONE! 

Psalms 14:3

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: 
there is none that doeth good
,
no, not one
.
 

Romans 3:10

 
As it is written,
There is none righteous
,
no, not one
:
 

Mistake again! 

YES - there were several.

Job 1:1

There was a man in the land of Uz,
whose name was Job
;
and that man was perfect and upright
, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 

Luke 1:5-6

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 
And they were both righteous before God
, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Now the big question: 

WAS JESUS GOD AND EQUAL WITH GOD? 

MAYBE?

The author of the book of John was not certain and Luke didn’t think so. 

John 10:30

I and my Father are one
.

John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?
he that hath seen me hath seen the Father
; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
 

NO

John 14:28

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said,
I go unto the Father
:
for my Father is greater than I
.