Alleged
Biblical Error
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Introduction
• In our study we have contended
for the Divine inspiration of the
Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
• Thus, we contend the Bible to be free of
factual error, as well as internal
contradictions.
• Numerous opponents of the concept claim
that the Bible is imperfect, the product of
men rather than Divine inspiration.
Opponents of the Bible
• Atheists claim the Bible contradicts
known scientific, geographical and
archaeological facts.
• Modernists contend for internal
inconsistencies and factual error as a means
of identifying the writings as the product of
ancient, fallible men.
• Those who seek adherence of another “holy
book” (Muslims, Mormons) contend for
contradictions as proof the Bible is not
worthy of trust.
Claim: Bible factually wrong
Dealt with in previous lessons:
• Scientific inaccuracy – Age of earth, creation
VS evolution, Dinosaurs
NBC News
(June 9, 2015)
Scientists at
Imperial College
London have
discovered what
appear to be the
remnants of soft
tissue and red blood
cells in poorly
preserved dinosaur
bones dating back
75 million years.
Scientists detected traces
of what appear to be
red blood cells in this claw
from a theropod dinosaur.
Note: No consideration
of the possibility that
age estimates are wrong.
Claim: Bible factually wrong
Dealt with in previous lessons:
• Scientific inaccuracy – Age of earth, creation
VS evolution, Dinosaurs (Note: Much of this
a rejection of a supernatural explanation of
the universe. This colors the interpretation of
physical data).
• Archaeological inaccuracy – Incorrect place
names, identification of nations and rulers,
mischaracterization of nation of Israel (Note:
Much of this is the result of equating lack of
evidence with invalid information. Consider
Pontius Pilate as an example.)
Pilate Stone
• Discovered in 1961 at
Caesarea Maritima (on the
shore of the Mediterranean)
• Caesarea was the Roman
capital of Judea during the
time of Jesus
• Discovered by Dr. Antonio
Frova, Italian archaeologist
• Until then, there was no corroboration of the
Biblical reference to the man
Claim: Bible inaccurately preserved
Dealt with in previous lessons:
• Our claim is that the original autographs
were inspired, not translations
• Science of textual criticism has preserved for
us the original writings. (Bible is the most
extensively preserved item of any ancient
writings. Consider: Dead sea scrolls)
• A study of how we got the English Bible
reveals that present translations that seek to
be “word for word” translations are capable
of accurately representing God’s word to us
(Consider Jesus’ use of the Septuagint
version)
Claim: Biblical Self-Contradiction
Not Dealt with in previous lessons:
• Alleged discrepancies in the Bible
regarding purported historical events,
conversations, etc. (Example: the two
genealogies of Jesus in Matthew & Luke)
• Alleged contradictory doctrines.
(Example: James teaching regarding
“works” in James 2 as compared to Paul’s
in Ephesians 2:8-9)
• In this lesson we will deal with some of
these claimed self-contradictions
Why Perceived Errors Exist
A difference in Dates:
“Many of the so-called discrepancies are
obviously attributable to a difference in the
dates of the discordant passages. Nothing is
more common than that a description or
statement, true and pertinent at one time,
should at a later period, and in a different state
of affairs, be found irrelevant or inaccurate.”
(Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible,
John W. Haley, page 3)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
A difference in authorship:
“The question of the respective authorship of
conflicting texts is an important one: ‘Whose
are these sayings?’ ‘Are they recorded as
inspired language, or is one or more of them
inserted as a mere matter of history?’ ‘Does the
sacred writer endorse, or simply narrate, these
statements?’ The answer to these simple
questions will often be the only solution which
the supposed discrepancy needs.”
(ibid., John W. Haley, page 6)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
Differences in stand-point or of object:
“Often, in looking from different positions, or
at different objects, we follow lines of thought,
or employ language, which seems inconsistent
with something elsewhere propounded by us;
yet there may be no real inconsistency in the
case... Sometimes these aspects or relations
may seem inconsistent or incompatible with
each other; yet, if we trace back the divergent
rays to their source, we shall find that they
meet in a common center.”
(ibid., John W. Haley, page 7-8)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
Differences in principles & methods of
arrangement (esp. of a historical character):
“One writer follows the strict chronological
order; another disposes his materials according
to the principle of association of ideas. One
writes history minutely and consecutively;
another omits, condenses, or expands to suit
his purpose. From the pen of one writer we
receive an orderly, well-constructed biography;
another gives us merely a series of anecdotes,
grouped so as to illustrate some trait,
sentiment, or habit of the person described.”
(ibid., John W. Haley, page 9-10)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
Differences in modes of computation,
particularly in reckoning time:
“It follows, therefore, that when two ancient
writers fail to agree as to the month and ay of a
given event, we must inquire whether or not
they employ the same chronological reckoning.
If not, their disagreement furnishes no proof
that either is wrong. Each, according to his own
method of computation, may be perfectly
correct.”
(ibid., John W. Haley, page 12)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
Differences attributable to the Oriental idiom:
“Without an intimate acquaintance with the
customs of pastoral life, without an accurate
knowledge of the East and it manners, without
a close intimacy with the manner of thinking
and speaking to the uncivilized world… you
easily become a traitor to the book, when you
would be its deliverer and interpreter.”
(Johan Eichhorn, via De Wette, Intro. To Old Test., ii. 31-32)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
A plurality of names attributed to the same
person or object:
“Other dissonances in scripture are obviously
attributable to the Eastern custom of applying a
plurality of names to the same person or
object… (for example), Not infrequently the
names of persons and places were changed on
account of some important event.”
(ibid., John W. Haley, page 17)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
Different definitions (depending upon context)
of the same term:
“When, therefore, we read in the Bible that
certain persons “feared the Lord,” yet “feared
not the Lord”; that God “repents,” yet does not
repent; that he “tempted” Abraham, yet tempts
no man, we find a ready solution of these
apparent contradictions.”
(ibid., John W. Haley, page 18)
Why Perceived Errors Exist
Multitudes come from the imagination of the
critic, influenced to a greater or less degree by
dogmatic prejudice:
“Pertness and ignorance may ask a question
in three lines which it will cost learning and
ingenuity thirty pages to answer; and when this
is done, the same question shall be
triumphantly asked again the next year, as if
nothing had ever been written on the subject.”
(George Horne, vice-chancellor, Oxford 1831)
Perceived Errors: Example 1
The records of Jesus’ genealogies (Matthew
1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38) Do not agree:
• Matthew works from Abraham to Jesus,
containing 42 names
• Luke goes from Jesus back to Adam,
containing 78 names
• Reconciliation: Matthew (genealogy of
father Joseph; Luke (genealogy of mother
Mary)
• Jewish convention detailed genealogies
through men (cf. Matthew 1:5,6,16)
Perceived Errors: Example 2
Almost identical accounts of Abraham’s lies
regarding his wife Sarah (Genesis 12:19; 20:2);
and later Isaac’s lie regarding Rebekah (26:7)
obviously redundant & spurious:
• Favorite exegetical principle of Bible critics –
that similar events are necessarily identical,
and therefore irreconcilable accounts of the
same event.
• (Note: this is a prejudice. Claiming that that
such occurrences are improbable, therefore
impossible).
• History, however, is full of events that are
more or less similar in nature.
Perceived Errors: Example 3
Luke’s accounts of the Lord’s appearance to
Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-8;
22:6-11; 26:12-18) contain two contradictions:
• Were the men with Paul knocked to the
ground (26:14) or not (9:7)?
• Did the men hear the voice of Jesus (9:7),
or not (22:9)?
• Reconcile: 1) They stood back up; 2) They
heard the sound of Jesus’ voice, but they
did not hear the words. (cf. John 12:27-29).
Perceived Errors: Example 4
Contradiction regarding Ahaziah’s age between
(2 Kings 8:26 & 2 Chronicles 22:2) 22 or 42?:
• Father Joram 40 when he died (2 Kgs.
8:17,24)
• Ahaziah reigned next. If 2 Chron. 22:2 is
correct, he was two years older than his
own father!
• Reconcile: Simple
copyist mistake
Perceived Errors: Example 5
The Bible speaks of man being unable to see
God and live (Exodus 33:20), and then of
seeing God (Genesis 32:30). A contradiction:
Reconcile:
• It is impossible to literally and personally
see God and live (Exodus 33:20)
• However, by representation, men can be
said to have seen God (Genesis 32:30)
• (cf. John 1:18; John 14:8-9)
Perceived Errors: Example 6
Does God incite David to conduct the census of
his people (2 Samuel 24:1), or does Satan (1
Chronicles 21:1)?:
• Reconcile: Actually, both are true.
• God – David was prideful, so God allowed
the census, intending a chastisement to
follow that would indicate David’s
dependence upon Him.
• Satan – Malicious, knew that the census
would displease God.
• Not unique (cf. Job)
Perceived Errors: Example 7
Genesis 6:19-20 (two of each animal)
contradicts Genesis 7:1-2 (seven of each clean
animal, two of each unclean animal)
• Reconcile: Genesis 6 does not include the
specific instruction regarding clean animals.
• Genesis 7:1-2 may be translated as 7 pairs.
• Note: Genesis 7:7-9, the “two by two”
would not preclude the 7 pairs, rather a
reference to each of those pairs.
• Much more likely our misperception, than
an egregious mistake by the author.
Perceived Errors: Example 8
Did Solomon have 40,000 stalls for his horses
(1 Kings 4:26), or 4,000 stalls (2 Chronicles
9:25)?
• Reconcile: Most simple explanation is a
copyist error.
• Another possibility (4,000 large stalls
containing enclosures for 10 horses each,
thus equaling 40,000 in total)
• Another possiblity: 1 Kings 4 relates the
beginning of Solomon’s rule (with large
military presence); 2 Chron. the end.
Perceived Errors: Example 9
Moses says insects have four legs, whereas we
know they have six (Leviticus 11:20-23)
• Reconcile: First, Bible not a scientific
textbook… Regardless, we use the phrase
ourselves in a colloquial manner.
• Note description of grasshopper, however,
where a distinction is made concerning the
fifth and sixth legs, used for leaping.
(Accurate description).
• Distinguishing between clean and unclean
insects in an understandable way.
Conclusion
• We affirm the inerrancy of the original
autographs, which were authored by the
Holy Spirit.
• These alleged errors either are the result of
presupposition, occasional copyist errors, or
a simple misunderstanding of the text. The
examples given, and the typical claims made
are seldom of any import or significance.
• In all of this, there is nothing to indicate any
doctrinal error, or loss of truth in the Bible.