“The Bible is full of contradictions.”
You’ve probably heard that statement before. Maybe you’ve seen it in a comment section, heard it from a friend, or even wrestled with the question yourself.
But before we accept the claim, there’s a simple question we should ask:
Show me one.
In Part 4 of our five-part Hard Questions About God series, we take on the claim that holy books — specifically the Bible — contain logical errors and contradictions.
What actually qualifies as a contradiction? Are two different accounts of the same event automatically contradictory? How much does context matter? And should Christians be afraid to investigate difficult passages in Scripture?
We look at the four Gospels and how different authors can emphasize different details while telling the same true story. I use the story of the paralyzed man and his “mat carriers” as an example — a story I’ve heard Pastor Joby Martin teach through Church of Eleven22 — and discuss why different details don’t necessarily mean different truths.
We also dig into 2 Timothy 3:16–17, the Bereans in Acts 17, biblical manuscripts, and why Christians should be willing to examine Scripture instead of running from hard questions.
As pastors like Josh Howerton and Joby Martin have challenged Christians to do: know what you believe — and know WHY you believe it.
If someone tells you the Bible is full of contradictions, don’t panic and don’t dismiss them. Ask for an example. Open the Bible. Read the passages. Study the context. Ask questions. Investigate it together.
Truth doesn’t need to be protected from questions.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Welcome to Part 4 of Hard Questions About God
00:54 — Recapping Parts 1–3
01:22 — Today’s objection: “Holy books have logical errors”
01:33 — Which “holy book” are we talking about?
02:03 — “The Bible is full of contradictions” — show me one
02:25 — A real estate example: why context matters
03:16 — 66 books, multiple authors, languages & genres
03:50 — Details and context matter
04:34 — A claim vs. an actual alleged contradiction
05:07 — What actually qualifies as a contradiction?
05:19 — The car accident eyewitness example
06:17 — Different perspectives in the four Gospels
06:52 — The “mat carriers” and Church of Eleven22
07:20 — The paralyzed man lowered through the roof
08:19 — Matthew vs. Mark: different details, same story
09:12 — Different details ≠ contradiction
09:21 — Genre, audience, language and historical context
09:44 — “It’s raining cats and dogs”
10:30 — Understanding Scripture in its original context
11:01 — God’s Corner: 2 Timothy 3:16–17
11:29 — “All Scripture is God-breathed”
12:08 — The Bible has been examined and challenged for centuries
13:18 — Biblical manuscripts and ancient copies
14:59 — Why having thousands of manuscripts matters
16:20 — “Don’t just take my word for it”
16:49 — Teaching our kids WHY they believe
17:43 — Reflection: What if you’ve been told the Bible is unreliable?
18:17 — Today’s Challenge: investigate one alleged contradiction
19:23 — Prayer
21:05 — Closing Thoughts
21:38 — Previewing Part 5: If God is good, why do bad things happen?
Stand firm. Walk humbly. That’s the Hall Way.
Tomorrow, we finish the series with perhaps the hardest question of them all:
“If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?”
Join me for Part 5.
Stand Firm. Answer the Call. Live with Purpose.
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