I was previously engaged in an argument on the
Contradictions between the two Genesis creation stories thread. I was unimpressed by the allegation and was curious to know why people were making a big fuss about the alleged contradictions of the creation story.
The arguments seemed specious to me. This got me thinking.
Of all the alleged contradictions that people can choose from in the Bible, (and there are many objections), why this one when its so banal?
I will give a real contradiction that will test the very meaning of Biblical inerrancy.
First, lets define our terms:
What does biblical inerrancy even mean? I only ask because there are varying opinions on what it means.
I understand biblical inerrancy to mean that the bible has an unbroken, common thread running through the entire text, lending itself to divine inspiration.
However, some people interpret biblical inerrancy to mean that there are no textual errors within the Bible, or if there appear to be some, that its only an error on the part of the reader, or that a particular word or phrase has been effectively lost in translation.
Personally, I don't ascribe to the notion that Bible is impervious to textual inaccuracies, especially given the fallibility of man. Therefore, I prefer the first explanation in favor of the latter.
As an illustration of an
actual contradiction, I give you the book of Acts. If anyone has any objections to it, please feel free to correct me, as it is entirely possible that I am neglecting a few variables.
I should caution though, that I've never heard a plausible explanation for the latter definition of "biblical inerrancy" as it relates to the specific verses found in the book of Acts. I would be very curious to hear other people's interpretations, particularly from other believers.
Anyhow, without further delay, lets pick up on Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus:
"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything." -Acts 9:3-9
Juxtapose this with the following verse:
"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
" 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked.
'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me." -Acts 22:6-9
Now, we have what appears to be a straightforward contradiction here. In chapter 9, Luke (the author of Acts) says that Paul's entourage
heard the voice of Jesus, but did not
see the emanating light. But in chapter 22, where Luke is recording Paul in his own words, says the exact opposite.
Which is it? Did they see the light, but not hear the voice, or did they hear the voice, but see the light?
If you are a diehard biblical literalist and ascribe to the latter definition of Biblical Inerrancy, I would say this presents a significant problem.
Anyone know how to reconcile this?
The simple way to reconcile this is to pay close attention to the words being used. For instance, in the first verse it says the companions heard a sound, but did not see
anyone. In the second verse it says they saw a light but didn't understand the voice.
This could be interpreted in a few ways. They could have heard the voice, but it could have been indiscernable to them. As well, they could have seen the light, but not seen the person enveloped by the light.
This thread is open to all supposed contradictions of the Bible, however, I ask the participants to please first go over my proposed contradiction.
Edited by Nemesis Juggernaut, : edit to add
“This life’s dim windows of the soul, distorts the heavens from pole to pole, and goads you to believe a lie, when you see with and not through the eye.” -William Blake
™ Version 4.2