Are There Contradictions in the Bible?
Question 1072
This is one of the most common challenges thrown at Christians. Sceptics claim the Bible is full of contradictions, which supposedly proves it cannot be the inspired Word of God. So how do we respond? Are there genuine contradictions in Scripture, or is something else going on?
What Is a Contradiction?
Before we dive into alleged biblical contradictions, we need to define our terms. A genuine contradiction occurs when two statements cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. If I say, “It is raining outside” and you say, “It is not raining outside,” and we’re both referring to the same place at the same time, one of us must be wrong. That’s a contradiction.
But here’s where many supposed biblical contradictions fall apart under examination. They confuse differences with contradictions. Two accounts can describe the same event differently without contradicting each other. If I tell you I had breakfast this morning and my wife tells you I had eggs and toast, we haven’t contradicted each other—she’s simply provided more detail.
This distinction is essential. Much of what critics call “contradictions” are actually complementary accounts, differences in perspective, varying levels of detail, or the use of different literary conventions.
Categories of Alleged Contradictions
Differences in Detail
The Gospel accounts are frequently charged with contradicting each other. For instance, Matthew 8:5 says a centurion came to Jesus asking for his servant to be healed, while Luke 7:3 says the centurion sent Jewish elders to make the request. Is this a contradiction?
Not at all. In the ancient world—and in ours—what someone does through a representative is attributed to them. If the Prime Minister sends an ambassador to negotiate, we say the Prime Minister negotiated. Matthew gives us the simplified version; Luke provides additional detail. Both are true.
Similarly, Matthew 20:30 mentions two blind men at Jericho, while Mark 10:46 and Luke 18:35 focus on one, naming him Bartimaeus. This isn’t a contradiction—it’s selective focus. Mark and Luke highlight the more prominent figure; Matthew includes both. If there were two, there was certainly one.
Differences in Chronology
The Gospels don’t always present events in strict chronological order. Ancient biographies—and the Gospels are ancient biographies of Jesus—frequently grouped material thematically rather than chronologically. This was a recognised literary convention.
Matthew, for instance, often groups Jesus’ teachings and miracles by theme rather than strict sequence. This isn’t error; it’s intentional arrangement for theological and pedagogical purposes. Understanding ancient literary conventions removes many alleged contradictions.
Differences in Numbers
Some apparent numerical discrepancies arise from copying errors in transmission. The original manuscripts (the autographs) were without error, but copyists occasionally made mistakes with numbers, which are particularly easy to confuse in Hebrew and Greek notation. These are minor and affect no doctrine.
Other numerical differences result from different counting methods. Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17) lists different generations than Luke’s (Luke 3:23-38) because Matthew traces the legal lineage through Joseph while Luke appears to trace the physical lineage through Mary. Both are accurate according to their purpose.
Old Testament Difficulties
The Old Testament presents its own set of alleged contradictions. For example, Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are sometimes claimed to give conflicting creation accounts. But Genesis 1 provides the overview of the entire creation week, while Genesis 2 zooms in on the sixth day, focusing on the creation of humanity and the Garden of Eden. Chapter 2 doesn’t contradict chapter 1; it expands on it.
In 2 Samuel 24:1, we read that the LORD incited David to number Israel, while 1 Chronicles 21:1 says Satan incited David. Is this a contradiction? No—both are true from different perspectives. God permitted it as an act of judgment on Israel; Satan was the immediate agent who tempted David. Divine sovereignty and secondary causes operate together throughout Scripture.
Principles for Resolving Difficulties
When we encounter apparent contradictions, several principles help us work toward resolution.
First, give the text the benefit of the doubt. If the Bible has proven reliable in thousands of instances confirmed by archaeology and historical research, it deserves the same courtesy we’d extend to any other ancient document—actually, more courtesy, given its track record.
Second, consider context carefully. Many difficulties dissolve when we pay attention to who is speaking, to whom, under what circumstances, and using what literary conventions.
Third, allow for complementary rather than contradictory accounts. Witnesses to the same event notice and report different details. This is what we’d expect from genuine, independent testimony—not from fabricated, artificially harmonised accounts.
Fourth, acknowledge our limitations. Some difficulties may not have easy solutions with our current knowledge. Archaeology continues to vindicate Scripture’s historical reliability. What seemed problematic a century ago has often been resolved by subsequent discoveries. Humility about our own limitations is appropriate.
The Real Issue
Here’s the thing. Many who claim the Bible is full of contradictions haven’t actually examined the evidence carefully. They’ve heard the charge repeated and assume it must be true. When specific examples are investigated, they consistently yield to reasonable harmonisation.
More significantly, the claim that Scripture contains genuine contradictions faces a serious problem: Jesus. He treated the Old Testament as completely trustworthy. He quoted it as authoritative. He said it cannot be broken (John 10:35). Either Jesus was right about Scripture, or He was wrong. If He was wrong about something so fundamental, why trust Him about anything else—including salvation?
The apostles followed Jesus’ lead. Paul declared that all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Peter affirmed that prophets spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The consistent testimony of Jesus and the apostles is that Scripture is God’s reliable Word.
Conclusion
Are there difficulties in the Bible? Yes—passages that require careful study and thoughtful harmonisation. Are there genuine contradictions? No. What critics call contradictions are actually differences in perspective, detail, arrangement, or focus. Far from undermining Scripture’s reliability, these variations confirm that we have genuine, independent testimony rather than artificially smoothed accounts. We can trust God’s Word completely—not because we can answer every question, but because Jesus Himself vouched for its truthfulness.
“Scripture cannot be broken.” John 10:35