Questions about the resolution of (apparent) contradictions in the Biblical texts.
22
votes
5answers
757 views
Does 1st Kings say that pi = 3?
The construction of Solomon's temple includes a piece of furnishing described in 1 Kings 7:23 (ESV):
Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits ...
8
votes
3answers
199 views
Is David the Godfather?
As David neared the end of his life, he calls Solomon to himself and gives him some final instructions recorded in 1 Kings 2:1-10. It starts out how you'd maybe expect, with David admonishing Solomon ...
8
votes
5answers
341 views
Who named the wrong priest in Mark 2:26?
Here's a story Jesus told about David according to Mark 2:23-28 (ESV):
One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. ...
1
vote
2answers
108 views
How does the rule of non-contradiction differ between Greek logic and Biblical Hermeneutics?
The rule of non-contradiction is key to Greek logic. The Socratic method often walks through a binary tree of false dilemmas [1] until a conclusion is reached.
In Hermeneutics contradiction seems to ...
7
votes
1answer
100 views
Was Abiathar the son of Ahimelech or was Ahimelech the son of Abiathar?
According to the following three verses, Abiathar was the son of Ahimelech:
1 Samuel 22:20.
1 Samuel 23:6.
1 Samuel 30:7.
But a couple other passages down the road claim that in fact Ahimelech ...
7
votes
1answer
135 views
How many and who were the people the women found at Jesus' tomb?
In the empty tomb stories, somebody was already there when the women arrived. But how many people and who were they?
For reference:
Mark: a young man
Matthew: an angel of the Lord
Luke: two men
...
5
votes
2answers
254 views
Was John the Baptist confused or mistaken about the nature of Jesus' ministry?
John preached a message of imminent judgment:
Luke 3:7-9
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear ...
4
votes
3answers
254 views
How should John 1 be interpreted?
The first chapter of the Gospel of John seems to contrast with the rest of the book, in style and purpose. It seems very abstract and poetic, while the rest of John seems to be a more traditional ...
2
votes
3answers
102 views
Apparent inconsistencies in the vision of the four chariots
In Zechariah's vision of four chariots in chapter 6 of his book, an angel tells him that the chariots are going to go to the "four winds of heaven," (verse 5)—in every direction. However, in verse 6, ...
2
votes
4answers
4k views
Why does God say he only revealed his name, Yahweh, to Moses?
Responding the the meta call for contradiction In Exodus 6:2 we find the following quote:
And God spoke to Moses and said to him
I am Yahweh. And I showed to Abraham, to Isaac, and to ...
4
votes
6answers
1k views
What is the “first resurrection”?
Finishing up the year in the Bible, I heard this passage:
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been ...
9
votes
2answers
304 views
Why did Abel keep flocks if man wasn't supposed to eat flesh til after the Flood?
Per Genesis 9:3, man is given the animals as food after the flood. A reasonable implication of that statement is that prior to this, man was supposed to be vegetarian.
That said, Genesis 4:2 clearly ...
4
votes
1answer
81 views
Would the Pharisees go to Pilate and secure the tomb on the Sabbath?
This is in relation to another post in which the question was asked why the Sabbath was called "the day after the Day of Preparation."
It strikes me odd that Pharisees would be about this sort of ...
4
votes
2answers
492 views
Why is Isaac called Abraham's only son? [duplicate]
Continuing the response to the meta call for contradiction.
In Genesis 22, we find the following passage:
And it was after these events that the God tested Abraham; and said to him "Abraham", who ...
3
votes
1answer
47 views
Whose idea was it to send the spies to scout the land of Israel?
In Numbers 13 we are told that God commanded Moshe to sends the twelve spies to scout out the land:
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
2 'Send thou men, that they may spy out the land of ...
3
votes
4answers
165 views
What is the connection between manna and living on the Word of God?
In Deuteronomy 8, Moses gives the theology of manna:
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know ...
3
votes
2answers
157 views
What does Paul mean by “if we preach…contrary to [ourselves]”?
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble ...
2
votes
1answer
78 views
How did the proverb about Saul and the prophets come about?
I asked a previous question about Saul and the prophets in 1st Samuel 10:9-13, but now I've read on and I see an alternate origin story:
David made good his escape, and he came to Samuel at Ramah ...
0
votes
1answer
144 views
Does a leper have yellow hair or black hair?
This is a response to the meta call for contradictions. I got plenty of these that nobody else notices.
And a man or woman that will have an affliction in him, in the head or in the beard. And the ...
