Category Archives: Contradictions

Was there another prophet like Moses?

Contradictions,

The book of Deuteronomy concludes by stating that since then, there has never been another prophet like Moses—no one who knew God the way Moses did, and could do the miracles Moses did.

But earlier in Deuteronomy, Moses says God is planning to send another prophet like him. Who would that be? The New Testament claims that Moses was talking about Jesus, and Jesus was greater than Moses. If that was really who Moses meant, then I guess that wouldn’t really contradict Deuteronomy saying there hadn’t been another prophet like Moses, since Deuteronomy was definitely written before Jesus.

But is that really what Moses meant when he said there would be another prophet like him? Looking at the context, it seems Moses was talking about a prophet who the Israelites could consult when they moved into the promised land, so they wouldn’t have to resort to other kinds of divination that God didn’t approve of.

Moses was clearly not talking about a prophet who wouldn’t come till hundreds of years after Israel had already disobeyed God in that way so thoroughly that God put an end to their kingdom. More likely, Moses was talking about his immediate successor, Joshua.

Continue reading Was there another prophet like Moses? →
Share this post:

Can the coming of the kingdom of God be observed?

Contradictions,

Jesus once claimed that the coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed. He acted like “the coming of the kingdom” wasn’t what it sounded like at all. Like it was just something that was with you all along. But he also told his disciples they were going to see the coming of Christ along with his kingdom, which is also God’s kingdom.1

Continue reading Can the coming of the kingdom of God be observed? →
Share this post:

When did the apostles receive the Holy Spirit?

Contradictions, ,

According to the gospel of John, the disciples received the Holy Spirit when Jesus appeared to them after the resurrection.

But according to Acts, it was at least a few days after that. It says on one occasion (which could have been as many as 40 days after the first time he reappeared to them), he told them they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days. That was a gift they had not yet received. And Jesus was not present when the tongues of fire later came down on them and filled them with the Holy Spirit.

Continue reading When did the apostles receive the Holy Spirit? →
Share this post:

Did Jesus say he would rebuild the temple in three days?

Contradictions, , ,

According to Mark, some people testified that Jesus had said he was going to rebuild the temple in three days. Matthew has them saying something similar, though in that version of the story they just accuse Jesus of saying he’s able to do it. The gospels describe these statements as “false testimony” or “false evidence” from “false witnesses”.

But according to John, Jesus did in fact say he would raise the temple again in three days. (Or maybe just that he could do it. Either way, one of those other gospels is wrong about it being false testimony.)

Continue reading Did Jesus say he would rebuild the temple in three days? →
Share this post:

Is it disgraceful for a man to have long hair?

Contradictions, ,

Paul thinks it’s glorious for a woman to have long hair, but it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair. He thinks this is common sense, and anyone should be able to see this just by considering the basic nature of things. But at least some people in the Old Testament, including God, don’t seem to agree with Paul.

Continue reading Is it disgraceful for a man to have long hair? →
Share this post:

Do all who draw the sword die by the sword?

Contradictions,

David says wicked people who draw the sword to kill poor innocent people will be killed with their own swords. And Jesus says all who draw the sword will die by the sword. So you don’t even have to be wicked, or kill innocent people, or even kill anyone at all. If you draw the sword, you will be killed with a sword.

Of course, Jesus was wrong, as usual. He was talking to Peter, who had just drawn his sword and injured an innocent person, yet Peter did not die by the sword. Apparently he died by crucifixion. The Bible doesn’t actually say how Peter died, but it does have a few confirmed counterexamples to Jesus’s claim:

Continue reading Do all who draw the sword die by the sword? →
Share this post:

Can sin exist without the law?

Contradictions, , ,

No.

According to Paul, the law produces sin, and without the law, there is no sin. Sin only comes to life when there are commandments to give it an opportunity. He says the only reason we have any desire to sin is that the law makes us feel that way. Where there is no law, there can be no transgression. And 1 John says if someone sins, then there must be a law that they’re breaking, because that’s what sin is.

Yes.

Continue reading Can sin exist without the law? →
Share this post:

What was the name of the king who thought David was insane?

Contradictions, ,

In the story where David acts like a madman in front of a Philistine king because David is so evil that he’s actually less threatening that way, it says the king in question was Achish of Gath. But in the note at the beginning of a psalm that David supposedly wrote at that time, it says the king’s name was Abimelek.

Continue reading What was the name of the king who thought David was insane? →
Share this post:

Does God need anything?

Contradictions, , , ,

No.

One time when God was telling his people why he wasn’t happy with them, he assured them that it had nothing to do with them not sacrificing enough animals to him. He explained that he didn’t need anyone to give him animals for food, because he doesn’t eat the flesh of bulls. And anyway, all the wild animals in the world belong to him already. So even if he did get hungry, he wouldn’t have to demand food from someone else.

So God doesn’t need to be fed. God doesn’t need anyone to make him a house, either. In fact, God doesn’t need anything from anyone. Why would he? He’s the all-powerful creator who provides everything humans need, not the other way around.

Yes.

God needs food. He demanded, many times, that his people regularly give him food offerings, which are the food of God. (And don’t forget the salt!) When his people don’t do what he wants, he just devours their fields. God also needs water. He needs to drink from a brook, so he’ll be refreshed enough to continue heaping up the dead.

Jesus, who the Bible says is God, ate food during his days on earth. And he got hungry when he went without food. Even now, Jesus expects people to let him into their homes so he can eat them eat with them. But does he actually need food? Yes, he said he plans to send people to hell for failing to give him free food, drink, shelter, clothes, and healthcare when he needs it.

God also needs money. He once cursed his chosen nation for “robbing” him because they weren’t giving him as much of their wealth as he wanted. I’ve never heard of God actually buying anything with money, but he must need money for something. Why else would people be telling people to give their money to God? I mean, unless “giving money to God” was some kind of scam, or something…

Continue reading Does God need anything? →
Share this post: