In this episode of the Theopologetics Podcast I discuss several alleged contradictions in Scripture, pointed to by theological liberals as evidence against the inerrancy of Scripture, and by skeptics as evidence against the overall reliability of the Bible.

Music

Green Day, Walking Contradiction, from the Insomniac album, 1995

Promoted Resources

Ligonier Ministries, with Dr. R.C. Sproul

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Terminology

Contradiction: In classical logic, a logical incompatibility between two or more propositions. As Aristotle’s law of noncontradiction states, “One cannot say of something that it is and that it is not in the same respect and at the same time.”

Biblical References

Contradictory Accounts of Creation

Genesis 1:25-27 vs. Genesis 2:18-19 (humans after animals, or animals after humans?)

Genesis 1:27 vs. Genesis 2:18-22 (man and woman after animals, or man then animals then woman?)

Genesis 1:11,26 vs. Genesis 2:5-9 (plants before humans or after?)

Blog post refuting the alleged contradictions

Contradictory Accounts of the Triumphal Entry

Matthew 21:1-7 (cf. Zechariah 9:9)vs. Mark 11:1-7, Luke 19:29-36 and John 12:14-15

Blog post refuting the alleged contradiction

Contradictory Accounts of Paul’s Conversion

Acts 9:7 vs. Acts 22:9 (companions heard or didn’t they?)

Acts 9:7 vs. Acts 26:14 (they stood or they fell?)

Acts 9:8 vs. 1 Corinthians 9:1 and 1 Corinthians 15:8 (Paul saw Jesus or didn’t see Jesus?)

Blog post refuting the alleged contradictions