theoscholar

I would like to compile all of the "contradictions" in Scripture. I haven't come across one yet compelling enough to disbelieve the integrity of the Word of God.

As time permits, I will refute any serious contenders with reasonal argument.

Roland

Contradiction #1:

Luke says all 11 disciples were present when Jesus first appeared to the apostles after his resurrection (Luke 24: 33).

John says Thomas was absent (John 20:24).

Contradiction #2:

Matthew says an angel first told Mary Magdalene that Jesus had risen and she went "with joy" to go tell the apostles.

John says she found only an empty tomb and reported back to the apostles implying that Jesus' body had been stolen. Later, Jesus himself told her he had risen.

Magus55

Um, there are 12 apostles. If one was missing (Thomas), that means 11 were present.

Please provide verses.

Roland

Magus -

You must be tired tonight. Of course, with Judas dead, there were only 11 apostles left.

Roland

Matthew 28


1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

9Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Roland

John 20:

1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.

4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.

6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,

7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.

8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

10Then the disciples went back to their homes,

11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb

12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

14"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

16Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "

18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Infiel

The are several ways to squirm out of this:

* Judas was still alive and with the apostles
* "the eleven" was just a way of saying "the apostles", and didn't actually mean exactly eleven
* It was a different occasion

The same methodology can be used to make the Harry Potter books entirely inerrant and consistant. No doubt Magus will say that there are ways to harmonise the passages, and therefore there is no contradiction.

[Edited to include more squirmings]

Roland

Nah, Judas killed himself in Matthew 27: 5, long before even the crucifixion.

Roland

It couldn't have been a different occasion because both occurred on Easter and the apostles doubt his existence till he shows them his wounds in both accounts.

Agnosiophobe

A favorite because of my affinity for the gnostic belief that Yahweh is Satan (but not Lucifer):
2 Samuel 24:1
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."
1 Chronicles 21:1
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

A more serious set of contradictions (from The Skeptic's Annotated Bible) concerning immutability and repentance:
God does not repent
Num.23:19
God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of a man that he should repent.
1 Sam.15:29
The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
Ezek.24:14
I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent.
Mal.3:6
For I am the Lord, I change not.
Jas.1:17
With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

God repents
Gen.6:6
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Ex.32:14
And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Dt.32:36
For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants.
1 Sam.15:11
It repenteth me [God] that I have set up Saul to be king.
1 Sam.15:35
The Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
2 Sam.24:16
The Lord repented of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, it is enough: stay now thine hand.
1 Chr.21:15
The Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand.
Jer.15:6
I [God] am weary of repenting.
Jer.18:8
I [God] will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
Jer.26:3
That I [God]may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them.
Jer.26:13
The Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
Jer.26:19
The Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them.
Jer.42:10
For I [God] repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
Am.7:3, 6
The Lord repented for this.
Jon.3:10
God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them.

Agnosiophobe