Topical Encyclopedia
In theological discourse, the term "contradiction" refers to the presence of seemingly opposing statements or ideas. Within the context of the Bible, contradictions are often discussed in terms of apparent discrepancies between different passages or teachings. It is important to approach these discussions with a comprehensive understanding of the Bible's divine inspiration, historical context, and literary genres.
Biblical Inerrancy and HarmonizationFrom a conservative perspective, the doctrine of biblical inerrancy holds that the Scriptures, in their original manuscripts, are without error or contradiction. This belief is rooted in passages such as
2 Timothy 3:16, which states, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness." The divine inspiration of the Bible implies that any perceived contradictions are due to human misunderstanding or lack of context.
Harmonization is a method used to resolve apparent contradictions by considering the broader context, cultural background, and the intended message of the passages. For example, differences in the Gospel accounts are often harmonized by recognizing the distinct perspectives and purposes of each author.
Examples of Apparent Contradictions1.
The Genealogies of Jesus: The genealogies in
Matthew 1 and
Luke 3 present different lineages for Jesus. Matthew traces Jesus' legal lineage through Joseph, emphasizing Jesus' royal descent from David, while Luke provides a biological lineage, possibly through Mary, highlighting Jesus' humanity. These genealogies serve different theological purposes and reflect the distinct audiences of each Gospel.
2.
The Death of Judas Iscariot:
Matthew 27:5 states, "So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself." In contrast,
Acts 1:18 describes Judas' death differently: "With the reward for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out." These accounts can be harmonized by suggesting that Judas hanged himself, and his body later fell and burst open, or by considering different narrative emphases.
3.
Faith and Works:
James 2:24 states, "As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone," while Paul writes in
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." These passages address different aspects of salvation: James emphasizes the evidence of genuine faith through works, while Paul underscores the foundational role of grace and faith in salvation.
Approach to Apparent ContradictionsWhen encountering apparent contradictions, it is essential to:
·
Examine the Context: Consider the historical, cultural, and literary context of the passages.
·
Understand the Genre: Recognize the literary genre and purpose of the text, whether it is historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, or epistle.
·
Seek Theological Consistency: Interpret Scripture in light of the whole biblical canon, maintaining theological coherence.
·
Consult Scholarly Resources: Utilize commentaries, lexicons, and historical studies to gain deeper insights into difficult passages.
By approaching the Scriptures with reverence and a commitment to understanding, believers can reconcile apparent contradictions and appreciate the unity and depth of God's Word.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) An assertion contrary to what has already been said or affirmed; denial of the truth of a statement or assertion; contrary declaration; gainsaying.
2. (n.) Direct opposition or repugnancy; inconsistency; incongruity or contrariety; one who, or that which, is inconsistent.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CONTRADICTIONkon-tra-dik'-shun: the King James Version for antilogia (Hebrews 7:7;Hebrews 12:3). In the former passage, the Revised Version (British and American) has "without any dispute," i.e. what has been said requires no argument; in the latter "gainsaying" which is scarcely an improvement, the reference being to the oral attacks upon the words and character of Jesus.
Greek
485. antilogia -- gainsaying,contradiction... gainsaying,
contradiction. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: antilogia
Phonetic Spelling: (an-tee-log-ee'-ah) Short Definition:
contradiction...369. anantirretos -- withoutcontradiction
... withoutcontradiction. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: anantirretos Phonetic
Spelling: (an-an-tir-hray'-toce) Short Definition: withoutcontradiction...
3892. paranomia -- lawbreaking
... 3892 -- properly, what is in directcontradiction to what is lawful; (literally,
"beside the law"); law-breaking, violation of divine justice....
Library
Fourteenth Day. Endurance inContradiction.
... Fourteenth Day. ENDURANCE INCONTRADICTION. "Who endured suchcontradiction of sinners
against Himself."" Hebrews 12:3. What endurance was this!...
Plato's Self-Contradiction.
... Chapter XXIII."Plato's self-contradiction. But, perhaps, some who are
unwilling to abandon the doctrines of polytheism, will say...
Of Socrates and hisContradiction.
... The Epitome of the Divine Institutes. Addressed to His Brother Pentadius.
Chap. XXXVII."Of Socrates and HisContradiction. After...
Asking for Information, notContradiction.
... Homily II. Chapter XLI."Asking for Information, NotContradiction. Then
I Clement, hearing this, said: "Truly I rejoice, and I...
The Self-Contradiction of victor as to the Origin of the Soul.
... A Treatise on the soul and its origin, Chapter 32 [XIX.]"The Self-
Contradiction of Victor as to the Origin of the Soul. Under...
Contradiction Between Our Life and Our Christian Conscience.
... "THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU." CHAPTER V.CONTRADICTION BETWEEN OUR
LIFE AND OUR CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE. Men Think they can Accept...
Of the Question Whether There is anyContradiction Between Matthew...
... Chapter LXXVIII."Of the Question Whether There is AnyContradiction Between Matthew
and Mark on the One Hand, and John on the Other, in So Far as the Former...
The Judicial Severity of Christ and the Tenderness of the Creator...
... Jesus is the Christ of the Creator. Chapter XXXV."The Judicial Severity of Christ
and the Tenderness of the Creator, Asserted inContradiction to Marcion....
Of the Withering of the Fig-Tree, and of the Question as to the...
... Chapter LXVIII."Of the Withering of the Fig-Tree, and of the Question as to the
Absence of AnyContradiction Between Matthew and the Other Evangelists in the...
The First Letter.
... if I mistake not, an entire argument of itself, which runs thus; to suppose a finite
being to be self-existent, is to say that it is acontradiction for that...
Thesaurus
Contradiction (3 Occurrences)... inconsistent. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
CONTRADICTION. kon
... Jesus.
Multi-Version Concordance
Contradiction (3 Occurrences). Hebrews
...Discrepancies
... may not be real ones; as so often in the past, so again it may come about that the
discovery of further data may resolve many an apparentcontradiction....
Gainsay (1 Occurrence)
... antilogia (Jude 1:11, "the gain-saying of Korah"); antilogia is Septuagint for meribhah
(Numbers 20:13); anantirrhetos, "withoutcontradiction" (Acts 10:29...
Authority (326 Occurrences)
... This criterion must be in the first place infallible; that is, must be such that
we cannot doubt its validity without falling into acontradiction in our...
Hebrews (24 Occurrences)
... 23 (compare Philippians 2:19); and the proof that these professed Pauline phrases
are not really Pauline is found in a supposedcontradiction between Hebrews 13...
Eschatology
... Acontradiction is pointed out between the two representations, that the parousia
will come suddenly, unexpectedly, and that it will come heralded by these...
Evolution
... L'evolution creatrice. But an examination of Bergson's system shows that
thecontradiction is only apparent. Bergson's evolution...
Biblical
... may not be real ones; as so often in the past, so again it may come about that the
discovery of further data may resolve many an apparentcontradiction....
Tabeel (2 Occurrences)
... Acontradiction is pointed out between the two representations, that the parousia
will come suddenly, unexpectedly, and that it will come heralded by these...
Mouth (534 Occurrences)
... Acontradiction is pointed out between the two representations, that the parousia
will come suddenly, unexpectedly, and that it will come heralded by these...
Resources
What is the liar's paradox? | GotQuestions.orgMatthew 20:29-34 says Jesus healed two blind men as He left Jericho. Mark 10:46-52 and Luke 18:35-43 say He healed one man as He entered Jericho. Is this a contradiction? | GotQuestions.orgWhy are there two different Creation accounts in Genesis chapters 1-2? | GotQuestions.orgContradiction: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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