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Are there contradictions in Scripture?


 

Are there contradictions in Scripture?  
I was written a list of contradictions and asked to answer them.  Here are the simple explanations to many supposed contradictions:
- John 3:13  “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man “
- 2 Kings 2:11  “and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. “
First, we have to look at the whole passage from John:
John 3:10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man .”
Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, a teacher saying if he can't understand the worldly things that are here for everyone to see, how can he expect to understand the heavenly things since the only one who has seen heaven to confirm it, is Jesus. How can Nicodemus hope to understand the heavenly things which only Jesus has seen, if he refuses to believe the worldly things he can see?
Yes, Elijah went to heaven, but he didn't return to teach about it.
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- John 5:31  “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. “
- John 8:18  “I am one that bear witness of myself... “
(Jesus Christ was the speaker in both of these quotes]
In 5:31 Jesus is speaking according to their law which was that if you are the only witness, you're testimony isn't valid. You need a witness (If I am on trial, me saying I didn't do it is not as valid as having a witness say it). The John 8:18 verse is another example where reading the whole verse is important. Here is the whole text:
John 8:14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
He is first saying that as oppose to their laws, his testimony IS enough. However, even with their law, he does testify for Himself and His witness is God.
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- John 10:30  “I and my father are one. “
- John 14:28  “I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. “
This gets into the trinity. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one, yet are three separate entities.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all God, they are the same.  Yet each of the three are completely separate from the others.  Therefore, the Father is still greater than the other two.
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- Exodus 20:13  “Thou shalt not kill”
- Exodus 32:27  “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side... and slay every man his brother... “
The "kill" in the 10 commandments is murder. The "kill" in 32:27 is a judgment/punishment directed by God.  There are times when killing is directed by God. We are not allowed to take punishment into our own hands, but God can command His judgment and He can use others to carry out that punishment.
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- Leviticus 26:11  “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven... earth... [or] water.”
- Exodus 25:18  “And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them. “
Exodus 25:18 is not talking about a graven image or any idol to worship, its talking about a decoration for a box. (The lid of the Ark)
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- Ephesians 2:8-9  “For by grace are ye saved through faith... not of works. “
- James 2:24  “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. “
James is saying if you believe, your actions will reflect this and the deeds will naturally follow. If your deeds do not, if you ignore God's teachings and Laws, then you are lying about your faith. Deeds are not a requirement, but they are a sign of your faith.  The only effect deeds have on our lives in heaven are they will decide the extent of the blessings given us.  However, the way I look at it, even if I’m a street cleaner in heaven, those streets are still gold!
 
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- John 5:28-29 “... the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and come forth... “
- Job 7:9  As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
These two have nothing to do with each other. john is talking about the rapture. Job is complaining about his life. The segment goes like this:
Job 7:8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. 9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to the grave does not return. 10 He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.
When job dies, he WILL go to his grave. He will not go back to his house and the people there won't see him. Even when the rapture happens, Job won't go wandering back to his earthly home.
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- Exodus 21:23-25 “... thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound,  stripe for stripe. “
- Matthew 5:39 “... resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right  cheek, turn to him the other also. “
Exodus is in the Old Testament and therefore subject to the Old Covenant
Matthew is in the New Testament and therefore subject to the New Covenant
A LOT of things changed when Jesus came...
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- Exodus 20:12  “Honor thy father and mother. “
- Luke 14:26  “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.“
Read the parable that the Luke verse explains. A man invites many to a great banquet and they decline due to reasons of family, personal reasons, etc. The man represents Jesus, the banquet is salvation, and the people are, well the people. What Jesus is saying is we have been "invited" to salvation and should hate anything that tries to keep us from it. If my parents were trying to keep me from Christ, should I turn away from them? Yes!  Should I then bad mouth them or curse them? No. They are still my parents and deserve my honor/respect.
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- Genesis 32:30  “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. “
- John 1:18  “No man hath seen God at any time. “
In Genesis, Jacob saw a man who represented God (most likely in a dream or vision). They wrestled all night until Jacob overpowered him. Are we to believe this was really God Himself and that Jacob pinned him? Hardly!  This was imaginary. The verse says:
Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."  Jacob overcame trials and struggles.  Not God himself.
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- Ezekiel 18:20  “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father.”
- Exodus 20:5  “... I the lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. “
This is another finish-the-verses one.  
EZE 18:19 "Yet you ask, `Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.
EX 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
What is the difference? The son who is "just and right" and keeps the decrees is spared. The generations who "hate" God are punished.
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- Proverbs 3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
- Ecclesiastes 1:18  For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Both are very true. Look at Solomon who spoke in Ecclesiastes. He was the wisest man and he was very blessed (he had pretty much everything). But as his wisdom grew, he figured things out and realized this:   ECC 2:11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
He realized, through his great wisdom, that no matter what he did, what he accomplished, in the end he would be just a memory. But that god, and the ways of God would remain forever. And nothing all his wisdom, power, and wealth could do would change that.
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- Psalm 145:6  “The Lord is good to all. “
- Isaiah 45:7  “I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things. “
This one confused me.  I looked in 18 versions on the Bible and not one had the Isaiah verse as listed above.  All say something similar to 7The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.”   This seems more like Satan’s old trick of misquoting scripture to make it fit his needs.
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- Matthew 5:22  “Whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire. “
- Matthew 23:17 “[Jesus said] Ye fools and blind. “
Again, reading the full verse : 22"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
Matt 5:22 is talking about speaking insults out of anger.  In this way you are attacking your brother just as if you attacked him with the intent to murder him.  In Matthew 23:17, Jesus is not attacking anyone.  Scripture has many verses explaining exactly what a ‘fool’ is.  Calling a murderer a murderer, an adulterer and adulterer or a fool a fool, if true, is not a sin.
 
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- Romans 3:23  “For all have sinned…“
- Job 1:1 There was a man... whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright.
Most versions say blameless, not perfect. However, lets say as of Job 1:1 he was perfect. Finish reading Job. He ends up FAR from it as he yells at, complains to and blames God. No, not even Job was perfect.
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- Numbers 30:2  ‘If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an oath... he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. ‘
- Matthew 5:34-35  ‘But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven... nor by earth.’
Again, old testament/old covenant versus new testament/new covenant.  However, if you continue to read Matthew 5, verse 37 continues with one of my favorite verses ‘But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil’ 
This is saying if you say you are going to do something, that IS your vow.  Do not add “I swear to God” or anything else as this is what Jesus is saying is evil.  Simply give your word and stand by the word you have given.
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- Ecclesiastes 1:4 “... the earth abideth forever. “
- 2 Peter 3:10 “... the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. “
Ecclesiastes is talking about the uselessness of everything man does (This is Solomon - see the above explanation).  If I work, sweat, toil, worry, succeed, fail the world still goes on. I don't matter all that much.
 2 peter is talking about the end time events.  Two totally different subjects and meanings.
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- Jeremiah 3:12  “... for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.“
- Jeremiah 17:4  “Ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever. “
JER 3:11 The LORD said to me, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah"
3:12 He is talking to Israel and he continues to tell them what He will do when they return to Him. By 17:4 he is talking to Judah who we see in that same verse has given up their inheritance (salvation).   Israel repented and gained forgiveness.  Judah did not and yes, will burn forever.
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- James 1:13  “...God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. “
- Genesis 22:1  “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham. “
GEN 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
God didn't tempt Abraham, he tested him. Tempt doesn't even fit. God tempts Abraham to kill his son in order to prove his faith?  That's not much of a temptation! But its one heck of a test!
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- I Timothy 6:16  “[God dwells] in the light which no man can approach unto.”
- I Kings 8:12  “The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. “
1KI 8:10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.  1KI 8:12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever."
This is referring to the physical cloud that enveloped the temple of the Lord.  In this cloud, the priests could not see.  This is not the darkness (sin) which is referred to in 1 Timothy.
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- Genesis 3:9,10  “And the Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid. “
- John 5:37 “Ye hath neither heard his voice, at any time, nor seen his shape. “
In Genesis, God spoke to ADAM. In John, Jesus said to the Jews that were there and who were persecuting Him that THEY had never heard His voice. Not that Adam had never heard His voice.
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- Matthew 29:26 “With God all things are possible. “
- Judges 1:19  “The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots. “
The Lord was with them, but nowhere does it say it was not possible for God. It says ‘They’ (the men of Judah) were unable.
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- Proverbs 8:17  “Those that seek me early shall find me. “
- Proverbs 1:28  “Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but shall not find me. “
Proverbs 8:17 are speaking of those who seek him.  If you read the full passage of Proverbs 1: 20-33 you will see that this is speaking of those that have rejected the Lord.  Then when He punishes them, THEN they call to Him for help.  God is not a ‘get out of jail free’ card.  You can’t deny Him until trouble arises, then pull out His card, be rescued and then go back to rejecting Him until the next trouble arises.  God doesn’t work like that.  You actually have to give yourself to Him.
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- Leviticus 1:9 “And the priest shall burn all on the altar to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. “
- Jeremiah 7:20 “Your burnt offering are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. “
In Jer 7:20, Israel had been judged by God. There chances had run out and he had passed judgment. No offerings, no prayers, no pleading would now change God's judgment.
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 - I Corinthians 8:4  “There is none other God but one.”
- Genesis 1:26  “And God said, Let us make man in our image. “
Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  Back to the trinity…
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- Judges 13:5   "For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head…"
- I Corinthians 6:14  “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man hath long hair, it is a shame unto him? “
Again, read the whole thing.  Judges 13:5   "For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines."
The Nazirite’s were a sect that Sampson was a part of.  They have a number of special rules they must follow including not cutting their hair until the time of their Separation ceremony.  Which has nothing to do with New Testament teachings.
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- Matthew 11:14 “[John the Baptist] is Elias which was for to come. “
- John 1:21 “And they asked him, what then? Art thou [John the Baptist] Elias?  And he saith, I am not.
Elijah wasn't physically coming back as Elijah. John the Baptist WAS John the Baptist.   MT 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.   He is the Elijah, not he IS Elijah.
Also, when pressed, who did John the Baptist say he was?   JN 1:23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, `Make straight the way for the Lord.' " See the prophecy about this in Isaiah 40.
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- II Samuel 24:1  “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel.
- I Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
And both couldn't have happened?
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- Matthew 28:18  “All power is given unto [Jesus] in heaven and in earth.”
- Mark 6:5  “And [Jesus] could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them.
Jesus could not do any mighty works because there were no believers and therefore no reason to do any great works. It's not that he was physically unable but that there was no need. The "mighty works" Jesus did weren’t just to be nice. They were to bring glory. Jesus knew the hearts there and knew it would bring no glory. He "couldn't" not because he was unable, but because those works wouldn't have any effect.
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- Mark 3:29  “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness. “
- Acts 13:39  “And by him that believe are justified from all things.“
To blaspheme the Holy Ghost is to deny Him into your heart.    If you tell the Holy Ghost to take a hike, you don’t want Him, you are not forgiven because you are not a believer.  As soon as you accept Christ, the Holy Ghost dwells within you and you are saved.  If you have the Holy Ghost and commit any other sin, you are forgiven because you are saved.
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- Matthew 27:34  “They gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall. “
- Mark 15:23  “And they gave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh. “
Two glasses.  “Here, drink this.  No?  Ok, then drink this instead.”
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- Matthew 27:34  “They gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall.“
- Mark 15:23  “And they gave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh.”
Myrrh was a gum extracted from a tree that could be made into a spice, medicine, a cosmetic, a poison, an anesthetic, and was applied to dead bodies.  Gall, according to the Easton’s Bible Dictionary, "The original probably denotes some bitter, poisonous plant."  Though it does not say what this particular gall was made from.
Easton’s also continues: (3.) Gr. chole (Matt. 27:34), the LXX. translation of the Hebrew rosh in Ps. 69; 21, which foretells our Lord's sufferings. The drink offered to our Lord was vinegar (made of light wine rendered acid, the common drink of Roman soldiers) "mingled with gall," or, according to Mark (15:23), "mingled with myrrh;"  both expressions meaning the same thing, namely, that the vinegar was made bitter by the infusion of wormwood or some other bitter substance, usually given, according to a merciful custom, as an anodyne to those who were crucified, to render them insensible to pain. Our Lord, knowing this, refuses to drink it. He would take nothing to cloud his faculties or blunt the pain of dying. He chooses to suffer every element of woe in the bitter cup of agony given him by the Father (John 18:11).
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- 2 Kings 8:26  “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.”
- 2 Chronicles 22:2   “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.“
Man, this took some research! First, again my Bibles have the verse a little different:
2CH 22:2 Ahaziah was twenty-two* years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.
Now, the little "*" says "Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac: forty-two".  The Septuagint has many discrepancies, mainly numerical, from standard Hebrew texts. This is believed to be because of the limited manuscripts the authors had to draw on. It also includes Texts and an extended Apocrypha not even in Catholic Bibles.         So yes, this ancient version does show this discrepancy. But it is also not a widely accepted or used version of the Bible.
The first time I read the New Testament was in a version called "The Message." Although it maintained the same meanings, I'm positive I could find many places that it didn't match up. But it also is not a widely accepted or used version for this very  reason. Lets stick to the versions of the Bible which are actually accepted and used.
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Why Adam didn't drop down dead
- When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, why did God lie about what the outcome would be (Genesis 2:17), while the serpent told the truth (Genesis 3:5,22). Please take into account, that in your answer, must include an explanation of Genesis 3:22.
GE 2:17 “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
He did not say Adam would die on the spot, but that he would die.  If Adam would have never eaten the forbidden fruit, he would not have had to face death because sin and death were not in the world at that point.  In the end, they will be cast out of the world again.
REV 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
After Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he was condemned to death.  Genesis 3:5 Was very true and not a lie.  After eating the fruit, sin and death entered the world and man did then know it, as did God.  But what makes what Satan said a lie is one verse earlier. 
GE 3:4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
Adam Did eat the fruit and eventually did die as we all will.
Genesis 3:22 is also true.  Again after eating the fruit, man did become aware of and "know" good and evil because it was now in the world.  Man no longer was allowed to eat the fruit from the tree of life.  But one day we will be granted access to it again.
REV 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
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Q: Why does the genealogy in Matthew 1 show that Jesus descended through a cursed line?21 Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) and his father Jehoiakim were both cursed by God himself, who said that neither of these men would have any descendent on the throne of David. How could Jesus possibly be the Messiah, destined to rule forever on the throne of David, if he descended through either of these men?
(Matthew 1:11-12, Jeremiah 22:28-30, 1 Chronicles 3:16, Jeremiah 36:30 versus Luke 1:32. )
A: The genealogy of Jesus listed in Matthew is traced through his "father" Joseph.  This is listed to show His relationship to both David and Abraham which was to fulfill prophecy.  However, although He WAS Joseph's son and this lineage could be traced, he was not related by blood since Joseph was not his biological father.  Therefore, any curse, would not have followed.
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Q: How could the examples of Luke 9:59-62, even if allegorical, be hyperbole anyway? Jesus clearly called a man to the irresponsible, disrespectful action of leaving his father, implying that he was not even to attend his funeral, and he called another to leave his family without even saying farewell or letting them know he was deserting them.
A: Your point is made even stronger by backing up to Luke 9:57.  So let me deal with all three men.
The first man (57-58), we are told by another book, was actually a Scribe.  Scribes were well respected leaders of the day.  Man what a win that would have been!  Yet instead of welcoming this celebrity on board when he asked to follow, Jesus warned him,  "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."  Why?  Because this man was use to the good life and Jesus wanted him to know that there was a cost to following Him.  That even foxes and birds had more than He.
The second man was called by Jesus.  Instead of saying "yes," he made an excuse.  The important part of this is to understand the custom of the time.  Without it you see a man who's father just died and he was on his way to bury him and would catch up in a day or two.  But this is not the case.
During that time, the children, particularly the males were expected to stay around to help the father in his business and household.  When the father died, the sons would get their inheritance and be free of their responsibilities to help their father.  This man's father wasn't dead.  This man was telling Jesus, "Let me go home and follow my family responsibilities first.  Then, when my father dies and the inheritance is divided up, I'll catch up with you."  He was putting off committing himself until it was more convenient.
Also look at the response Jesus gave. "Let the dead burry their dead."  Thinking of this without understanding what the man was really asking doesn't make sense.  How can a dead person bury anyone?  They can't, they are dead!  However, what Jesus is referring to isn't the physically dead, but the spiritually dead; those who haven't received Christ.  He is saying to "let the unbelievers take care of the unbelievers.  You follow me."
The third man is kind of a mix between the two.  This was time when Jesus was very popular.  Can you imagine the scene?  Wow, I bet this parade was something!  And this man had just seen a Scribe pledge himself to Christ!  So in the emotion of this moving event he cries out, "I will follow you, Lord!" But he isn't sure, so he leaves himself an out.  "But first let me go to my family, who haven't heard this and don't know what you're all about.  See if they will accept this, man I bet dad will be mad.  Let me go talk to them first."
Now, what did Jesus mean by his reply?  "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
In the region, during planting season there is little rain.  As soon as it began to rain, the farmer had to drop what he was doing and rush out to the field to plow.  If he stopped to do something else, he was wasting precious time.  Jesus was saying if you go back, you won't follow and will be wasting precious time.
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Q: Why was Jesus disrespectful of his mother? (Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:31-35, Luke 8:19-21, John 2:4) In John 2:4, Jesus uses the same words with his mother that the demons use when they meet Jesus.
A: Lets first loot at the first three since they are quoting the same exchange.  Jesus was not being disrespectful.  In fact, later, on the cross he even provided for His mother as one of His last actions.  No, what Jesus was doing here was first, showing his relationship to believers and therefore believers relationship to each other - we are a family.  Second, he was placing a priority on spiritual matters above earthly matters.
Now, For John 2:4, Again, He was not being disrespectful.  In fact, he was being OVERLY respectful.  This was Jesus' first miracle.  Yet it was not suppose to be, it was not yet time for Him.  Yet Mary, knowing His divinity, asked Jesus to perform a miracle.  He told her it wasn't yet time for Him to do this.  Yet, out of respect for His mother, He turned the water to wine.
When the demons said these words back to they were speaking of the appointed time; the time in which Jesus would drive out the demons from the land and cast them into the abyss.  They were worried, they knew that would happen, but it wasn't yet time.  (And that time has yet to come.)  Satan often used the Words of God after twisting them slightly, to fit his needs.  Why not Satan’s minions?
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The Bible is factual. No archeological discovery or historical document has ever disproved any part of it. the more archeological discoveries that are made, the more the Bible is proved correct. There is more supporting evidence to its accuracy than any other document in history. 
In His service... Arthur Smith

I was written a list of contradictions and asked to answer them.  Here are the simple explanations to many supposed contradictions:

 

- John 3:13  “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man “

- 2 Kings 2:11  “and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. “

 

First, we have to look at the whole passage from John:

 

John 3:10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man .”

 

Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, a teacher saying if he can't understand the worldly things that are here for everyone to see, how can he expect to understand the heavenly things since the only one who has seen heaven to confirm it, is Jesus. How can Nicodemus hope to understand the heavenly things which only Jesus has seen, if he refuses to believe the worldly things he can see?

 

Yes, Elijah went to heaven, but he didn't return to teach about it.

 

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- John 5:31  “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. “

- John 8:18  “I am one that bear witness of myself... “

(Jesus Christ was the speaker in both of these quotes]

 

In 5:31 Jesus is speaking according to their law which was that if you are the only witness, you're testimony isn't valid. You need a witness (If I am on trial, me saying I didn't do it is not as valid as having a witness say it). The John 8:18 verse is another example where reading the whole verse is important. Here is the whole text:

 

John 8:14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."

 

He is first saying that as oppose to their laws, his testimony IS enough. However, even with their law, he does testify for Himself and His witness is God.

 

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- John 10:30  “I and my father are one. “

- John 14:28  “I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. “

 

This gets into the trinity. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one, yet are three separate entities.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all God, they are the same.  Yet each of the three are completely separate from the others.  Therefore, the Father is still greater than the other two.

 

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- Exodus 20:13  “Thou shalt not kill”

- Exodus 32:27  “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side... and slay every man his brother... “

 

The "kill" in the 10 commandments is murder. The "kill" in 32:27 is a judgment/punishment directed by God.  There are times when killing is directed by God. We are not allowed to take punishment into our own hands, but God can command His judgment and He can use others to carry out that punishment.

 

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- Leviticus 26:11  “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven... earth... [or] water.”

- Exodus 25:18  “And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them. “

 

Exodus 25:18 is not talking about a graven image or any idol to worship, its talking about a decoration for a box. (The lid of the Ark)

 

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- Ephesians 2:8-9  “For by grace are ye saved through faith... not of works. “

- James 2:24  “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. “

 

James is saying if you believe, your actions will reflect this and the deeds will naturally follow. If your deeds do not, if you ignore God's teachings and Laws, then you are lying about your faith. Deeds are not a requirement, but they are a sign of your faith.  The only effect deeds have on our lives in heaven are they will decide the extent of the blessings given us.  However, the way I look at it, even if I’m a street cleaner in heaven, those streets are still gold!

 

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- John 5:28-29 “... the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and come forth... “

- Job 7:9  As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

 

These two have nothing to do with each other. john is talking about the rapture. Job is complaining about his life. The segment goes like this:

 

Job 7:8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. 9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to the grave does not return. 10 He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.

 

When job dies, he WILL go to his grave. He will not go back to his house and the people there won't see him. Even when the rapture happens, Job won't go wandering back to his earthly home.

 

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- Exodus 21:23-25 “... thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound,  stripe for stripe. “

- Matthew 5:39 “... resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right  cheek, turn to him the other also. “

 

Exodus is in the Old Testament and therefore subject to the Old Covenant

 

Matthew is in the New Testament and therefore subject to the New Covenant

 

A LOT of things changed when Jesus came...

 

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- Exodus 20:12  “Honor thy father and mother. “

- Luke 14:26  “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.“

 

Read the parable that the Luke verse explains. A man invites many to a great banquet and they decline due to reasons of family, personal reasons, etc. The man represents Jesus, the banquet is salvation, and the people are, well the people. What Jesus is saying is we have been "invited" to salvation and should hate anything that tries to keep us from it. If my parents were trying to keep me from Christ, should I turn away from them? Yes!  Should I then bad mouth them or curse them? No. They are still my parents and deserve my honor/respect.

 

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- Genesis 32:30  “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. “

- John 1:18  “No man hath seen God at any time. “

 

In Genesis, Jacob saw a man who represented God (most likely in a dream or vision). They wrestled all night until Jacob overpowered him. Are we to believe this was really God Himself and that Jacob pinned him? Hardly!  This was imaginary. The verse says:

 

Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."  Jacob overcame trials and struggles.  Not God himself.

 

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- Ezekiel 18:20  “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father.”

- Exodus 20:5  “... I the lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. “

 

This is another finish-the-verses one.  

 

EZE 18:19 "Yet you ask, `Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

EX 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

 

What is the difference? The son who is "just and right" and keeps the decrees is spared. The generations who "hate" God are punished.

 

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- Proverbs 3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

- Ecclesiastes 1:18  For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

 

Both are very true. Look at Solomon who spoke in Ecclesiastes. He was the wisest man and he was very blessed (he had pretty much everything). But as his wisdom grew, he figured things out and realized this:   ECC 2:11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

 

He realized, through his great wisdom, that no matter what he did, what he accomplished, in the end he would be just a memory. But that god, and the ways of God would remain forever. And nothing all his wisdom, power, and wealth could do would change that.

 

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- Psalm 145:6  “The Lord is good to all. “

- Isaiah 45:7  “I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things. “

 

This one confused me.  I looked in 18 versions on the Bible and not one had the Isaiah verse as listed above.  All say something similar to 7The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.”   This seems more like Satan’s old trick of misquoting scripture to make it fit his needs.

 

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- Matthew 5:22  “Whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire. “

- Matthew 23:17 “[Jesus said] Ye fools and blind. “

 

Again, reading the full verse : 22"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

 

Matt 5:22 is talking about speaking insults out of anger.  In this way you are attacking your brother just as if you attacked him with the intent to murder him.  In Matthew 23:17, Jesus is not attacking anyone.  Scripture has many verses explaining exactly what a ‘fool’ is.  Calling a murderer a murderer, an adulterer and adulterer or a fool a fool, if true, is not a sin.

 

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- Romans 3:23  “For all have sinned…“

- Job 1:1 There was a man... whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright.

 

Most versions say blameless, not perfect. However, lets say as of Job 1:1 he was perfect. Finish reading Job. He ends up FAR from it as he yells at, complains to and blames God. No, not even Job was perfect.

 

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- Numbers 30:2  ‘If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an oath... he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. ‘

- Matthew 5:34-35  ‘But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven... nor by earth.’

 

Again, old testament/old covenant versus new testament/new covenant.  However, if you continue to read Matthew 5, verse 37 continues with one of my favorite verses ‘But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil’ 

 

This is saying if you say you are going to do something, that IS your vow.  Do not add “I swear to God” or anything else as this is what Jesus is saying is evil.  Simply give your word and stand by the word you have given.

 

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- Ecclesiastes 1:4 “... the earth abideth forever. “

- 2 Peter 3:10 “... the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. “

 

Ecclesiastes is talking about the uselessness of everything man does (This is Solomon - see the above explanation).  If I work, sweat, toil, worry, succeed, fail the world still goes on. I don't matter all that much.

 

 2 peter is talking about the end time events.  Two totally different subjects and meanings.

 

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- Jeremiah 3:12  “... for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.“

- Jeremiah 17:4  “Ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever. “

 

JER 3:11 The LORD said to me, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah"

3:12 He is talking to Israel and he continues to tell them what He will do when they return to Him. By 17:4 he is talking to Judah who we see in that same verse has given up their inheritance (salvation).   Israel repented and gained forgiveness.  Judah did not and yes, will burn forever.

 

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- James 1:13  “...God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. “

- Genesis 22:1  “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham. “

 

GEN 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.

 

God didn't tempt Abraham, he tested him. Tempt doesn't even fit. God tempts Abraham to kill his son in order to prove his faith?  That's not much of a temptation! But its one heck of a test!

 

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- I Timothy 6:16  “[God dwells] in the light which no man can approach unto.”

- I Kings 8:12  “The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. “

 

1KI 8:10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.  1KI 8:12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever."

 

This is referring to the physical cloud that enveloped the temple of the Lord.  In this cloud, the priests could not see.  This is not the darkness (sin) which is referred to in 1 Timothy.

 

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- Genesis 3:9,10  “And the Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid. “

- John 5:37 “Ye hath neither heard his voice, at any time, nor seen his shape. “

 

In Genesis, God spoke to ADAM. In John, Jesus said to the Jews that were there and who were persecuting Him that THEY had never heard His voice. Not that Adam had never heard His voice.

 

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- Matthew 29:26 “With God all things are possible. “

- Judges 1:19  “The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots. “

 

The Lord was with them, but nowhere does it say it was not possible for God. It says ‘They’ (the men of Judah) were unable.

 

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- Proverbs 8:17  “Those that seek me early shall find me. “

- Proverbs 1:28  “Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but shall not find me. “

 

Proverbs 8:17 are speaking of those who seek him.  If you read the full passage of Proverbs 1: 20-33 you will see that this is speaking of those that have rejected the Lord.  Then when He punishes them, THEN they call to Him for help.  God is not a ‘get out of jail free’ card.  You can’t deny Him until trouble arises, then pull out His card, be rescued and then go back to rejecting Him until the next trouble arises.  God doesn’t work like that.  You actually have to give yourself to Him.

 

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- Leviticus 1:9 “And the priest shall burn all on the altar to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. “

- Jeremiah 7:20 “Your burnt offering are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. “

 

In Jer 7:20, Israel had been judged by God. There chances had run out and he had passed judgment. No offerings, no prayers, no pleading would now change God's judgment.

 

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 - I Corinthians 8:4  “There is none other God but one.”

- Genesis 1:26  “And God said, Let us make man in our image. “

 

Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  Back to the trinity…

 

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- Judges 13:5   "For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head…"

- I Corinthians 6:14  “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man hath long hair, it is a shame unto him? “

 

Again, read the whole thing.  Judges 13:5   "For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines."

 

The Nazirite’s were a sect that Sampson was a part of.  They have a number of special rules they must follow including not cutting their hair until the time of their Separation ceremony.  Which has nothing to do with New Testament teachings.

 

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- Matthew 11:14 “[John the Baptist] is Elias which was for to come. “

- John 1:21 “And they asked him, what then? Art thou [John the Baptist] Elias?  And he saith, I am not.

 

Elijah wasn't physically coming back as Elijah. John the Baptist WAS John the Baptist.   MT 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.   He is the Elijah, not he IS Elijah.

 

Also, when pressed, who did John the Baptist say he was?   JN 1:23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, `Make straight the way for the Lord.' " See the prophecy about this in Isaiah 40.

 

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- II Samuel 24:1  “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel.

- I Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

 

And both couldn't have happened?

 

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- Matthew 28:18  “All power is given unto [Jesus] in heaven and in earth.”

- Mark 6:5  “And [Jesus] could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them.

 

Jesus could not do any mighty works because there were no believers and therefore no reason to do any great works. It's not that he was physically unable but that there was no need. The "mighty works" Jesus did weren’t just to be nice. They were to bring glory. Jesus knew the hearts there and knew it would bring no glory. He "couldn't" not because he was unable, but because those works wouldn't have any effect.

 

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- Mark 3:29  “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness. “

- Acts 13:39  “And by him that believe are justified from all things.“

 

To blaspheme the Holy Ghost is to deny Him into your heart.    If you tell the Holy Ghost to take a hike, you don’t want Him, you are not forgiven because you are not a believer.  As soon as you accept Christ, the Holy Ghost dwells within you and you are saved.  If you have the Holy Ghost and commit any other sin, you are forgiven because you are saved.

 

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- Matthew 27:34  “They gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall. “

- Mark 15:23  “And they gave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh. “

 

Two glasses.  “Here, drink this.  No?  Ok, then drink this instead.”

 

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- Matthew 27:34  “They gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall.“

- Mark 15:23  “And they gave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh.”

 

Myrrh was a gum extracted from a tree that could be made into a spice, medicine, a cosmetic, a poison, an anesthetic, and was applied to dead bodies.  Gall, according to the Easton’s Bible Dictionary, "The original probably denotes some bitter, poisonous plant."  Though it does not say what this particular gall was made from.

 

Easton’s also continues: (3.) Gr. chole (Matt. 27:34), the LXX. translation of the Hebrew rosh in Ps. 69; 21, which foretells our Lord's sufferings. The drink offered to our Lord was vinegar (made of light wine rendered acid, the common drink of Roman soldiers) "mingled with gall," or, according to Mark (15:23), "mingled with myrrh;"  both expressions meaning the same thing, namely, that the vinegar was made bitter by the infusion of wormwood or some other bitter substance, usually given, according to a merciful custom, as an anodyne to those who were crucified, to render them insensible to pain. Our Lord, knowing this, refuses to drink it. He would take nothing to cloud his faculties or blunt the pain of dying. He chooses to suffer every element of woe in the bitter cup of agony given him by the Father (John 18:11).

 

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- 2 Kings 8:26  “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.”

- 2 Chronicles 22:2   “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.“

 

Man, this took some research! First, again my Bibles have the verse a little different:

 

2CH 22:2 Ahaziah was twenty-two* years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.

 

Now, the little "*" says "Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac: forty-two".  The Septuagint has many discrepancies, mainly numerical, from standard Hebrew texts. This is believed to be because of the limited manuscripts the authors had to draw on. It also includes Texts and an extended Apocrypha not even in Catholic Bibles.         So yes, this ancient version does show this discrepancy. But it is also not a widely accepted or used version of the Bible.

 

The first time I read the New Testament was in a version called "The Message." Although it maintained the same meanings, I'm positive I could find many places that it didn't match up. But it also is not a widely accepted or used version for this very  reason. Lets stick to the versions of the Bible which are actually accepted and used.

 

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Why Adam didn't drop down dead

 

- When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, why did God lie about what the outcome would be (Genesis 2:17), while the serpent told the truth (Genesis 3:5,22). Please take into account, that in your answer, must include an explanation of Genesis 3:22.

GE 2:17 “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

 

He did not say Adam would die on the spot, but that he would die.  If Adam would have never eaten the forbidden fruit, he would not have had to face death because sin and death were not in the world at that point.  In the end, they will be cast out of the world again.

 

REV 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

 

After Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he was condemned to death.  Genesis 3:5 Was very true and not a lie.  After eating the fruit, sin and death entered the world and man did then know it, as did God.  But what makes what Satan said a lie is one verse earlier. 

 

GE 3:4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.

 

Adam Did eat the fruit and eventually did die as we all will.

 

Genesis 3:22 is also true.  Again after eating the fruit, man did become aware of and "know" good and evil because it was now in the world.  Man no longer was allowed to eat the fruit from the tree of life.  But one day we will be granted access to it again.

 

REV 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

 

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Q: Why does the genealogy in Matthew 1 show that Jesus descended through a cursed line?21 Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) and his father Jehoiakim were both cursed by God himself, who said that neither of these men would have any descendent on the throne of David. How could Jesus possibly be the Messiah, destined to rule forever on the throne of David, if he descended through either of these men?

(Matthew 1:11-12, Jeremiah 22:28-30, 1 Chronicles 3:16, Jeremiah 36:30 versus Luke 1:32. )

 

A: The genealogy of Jesus listed in Matthew is traced through his "father" Joseph.  This is listed to show His relationship to both David and Abraham which was to fulfill prophecy.  However, although He WAS Joseph's son and this lineage could be traced, he was not related by blood since Joseph was not his biological father.  Therefore, any curse, would not have followed.

 

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Q: How could the examples of Luke 9:59-62, even if allegorical, be hyperbole anyway? Jesus clearly called a man to the irresponsible, disrespectful action of leaving his father, implying that he was not even to attend his funeral, and he called another to leave his family without even saying farewell or letting them know he was deserting them.

 

A: Your point is made even stronger by backing up to Luke 9:57.  So let me deal with all three men.

 

The first man (57-58), we are told by another book, was actually a Scribe.  Scribes were well respected leaders of the day.  Man what a win that would have been!  Yet instead of welcoming this celebrity on board when he asked to follow, Jesus warned him,  "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."  Why?  Because this man was use to the good life and Jesus wanted him to know that there was a cost to following Him.  That even foxes and birds had more than He.

 

The second man was called by Jesus.  Instead of saying "yes," he made an excuse.  The important part of this is to understand the custom of the time.  Without it you see a man who's father just died and he was on his way to bury him and would catch up in a day or two.  But this is not the case.

 

During that time, the children, particularly the males were expected to stay around to help the father in his business and household.  When the father died, the sons would get their inheritance and be free of their responsibilities to help their father.  This man's father wasn't dead.  This man was telling Jesus, "Let me go home and follow my family responsibilities first.  Then, when my father dies and the inheritance is divided up, I'll catch up with you."  He was putting off committing himself until it was more convenient.

 

Also look at the response Jesus gave. "Let the dead burry their dead."  Thinking of this without understanding what the man was really asking doesn't make sense.  How can a dead person bury anyone?  They can't, they are dead!  However, what Jesus is referring to isn't the physically dead, but the spiritually dead; those who haven't received Christ.  He is saying to "let the unbelievers take care of the unbelievers.  You follow me."

 

The third man is kind of a mix between the two.  This was time when Jesus was very popular.  Can you imagine the scene?  Wow, I bet this parade was something!  And this man had just seen a Scribe pledge himself to Christ!  So in the emotion of this moving event he cries out, "I will follow you, Lord!" But he isn't sure, so he leaves himself an out.  "But first let me go to my family, who haven't heard this and don't know what you're all about.  See if they will accept this, man I bet dad will be mad.  Let me go talk to them first."

 

Now, what did Jesus mean by his reply?  "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

 

In the region, during planting season there is little rain.  As soon as it began to rain, the farmer had to drop what he was doing and rush out to the field to plow.  If he stopped to do something else, he was wasting precious time.  Jesus was saying if you go back, you won't follow and will be wasting precious time.

 

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Q: Why was Jesus disrespectful of his mother? (Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:31-35, Luke 8:19-21, John 2:4) In John 2:4, Jesus uses the same words with his mother that the demons use when they meet Jesus.

 

A: Lets first loot at the first three since they are quoting the same exchange.  Jesus was not being disrespectful.  In fact, later, on the cross he even provided for His mother as one of His last actions.  No, what Jesus was doing here was first, showing his relationship to believers and therefore believers relationship to each other - we are a family.  Second, he was placing a priority on spiritual matters above earthly matters.

 

Now, For John 2:4, Again, He was not being disrespectful.  In fact, he was being OVERLY respectful.  This was Jesus' first miracle.  Yet it was not suppose to be, it was not yet time for Him.  Yet Mary, knowing His divinity, asked Jesus to perform a miracle.  He told her it wasn't yet time for Him to do this.  Yet, out of respect for His mother, He turned the water to wine.

 

When the demons said these words back to they were speaking of the appointed time; the time in which Jesus would drive out the demons from the land and cast them into the abyss.  They were worried, they knew that would happen, but it wasn't yet time.  (And that time has yet to come.)  Satan often used the Words of God after twisting them slightly, to fit his needs.  Why not Satan’s minions?

 

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Q: How did Judas die?  The Gospels say by hanging but Acts says by having his bowels spilled out.

A: The answer is fairly simple: both.  In Mark we are told he hanged himself.  The account in Acts says that he fell headfirst and his bowls spilled forth.  I assume every reader here has fallen.  You can go to You Tube and find countless videos of people falling in horrendous ways.  I myself joust on weekends and have fallen off my draft horse wearing nearly 100 pounds of armor and have even landed headfirst.  I, and I would dare say no one else, have to date had their organs spill out from falling.  So what about the account in Acts?

 

Remember when Jesus was crucified.  Do you remember why the officials broke the legs of the two next to him?  Because the passover was coming and they couldn't still be alive for that.  The same reason why the women didn't attend Jesus' body until the third day.  To do so would have made them unclean for the Passover.  This is the same time frame of Judas' death.  The soonest he could have been found and taken from the tree would have been nearly 2 days later.  That is two days of hanging dead in a tree in the desert sun of Israel, before being cut down.  Without going into gory details, I assume you can now see the only reason simply falling would be enough to cause such events to happen as described in Acts.

 

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The Bible is factual. No archeological discovery or historical document has ever disproved any part of it. the more archeological discoveries that are made, the more the Bible is proved correct. There is more supporting evidence to its accuracy than any other document in history. 

 

In His service... Arthur Smith