This might not be as detailed as you might like, but there are books and web pages that exist on this subject. Are their errors in the Bible? It would seem there are things at odds, perhaps differing numbers from lists that are supposed to be the same. And sometimes things more important than that. So what about these? First, here are some general answers.
·
Many difficulties already have highly probable
solutions.
·
For others, the evidence is not in.
· Many are based on presuppositions of the critics (those who deny the possibility of predicted prophecy, or who deny the supernatural).
· Many alleged errors offer great division on the part of the critics.
The statement from the church doctrinal
statement we quoted in an earlier post indicates inerrancy applies to the
original autographs. That might make it doubtful
that we have a very good copy of the Bible it the only reliable one is the
original. (We will discuss the doctrine
of “preservation” later which deals with this.)
But we can say that the confirming data tells us that what we have is
very reliable. I am still in awe of God’s
preservation after the Dead Sea Scrolls took us back several hundred years
earlier than our oldest manuscripts, and they were identical. It is ultimately a faith matter, but the
evidence points to very reliable manuscripts.
Here are a few
illustrations of “supposed errors” and their answer.
1)
Supposed error: Matt.22:42 and Luke 20:41 record
differently the same question asked by Christ.
He must have said one or the other or neither.
a)
Answer: A harmony of the passages shows that each was
recording part of the conversation. "Now while the Pharisees were gathered
together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, 'What do you think of the
Christ? Whose son is he?' They said to
him, 'The son of David'" (Mt.22:41) "But he said to them, 'How can
they say that the Christ is David's son?'" (Lk.20:41)
2)
Supposed error: In 2 Chron. 4:2 the "molten
sea" is said to have a 10 cubit diameter and 30 cubit circumference. This cannot be, since it is said to be round.
a)
Answer: Facts...Cubit = 18"; handbreadth =
4"...Sea is said to be, thus, 180" across, and 4" thick (v5). If
the 8" (2 thicknesses) is taken from the 180" diameter it leaves
172" which when multiplied by pi (3.14) it equals 540.08 inches which is
30 cubits. The diameter was measured to the
outer rim, the circumference on the inner rim.
3)
Supposed error: Mark 2:26 says David ate the bread
"when Abiathar was high priest" but 1Sam.21:1ff says the HP was
Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar.
a)
Answer: Another reading in Mark is quite likely, as in
NIV, "In the days of Abiathar the High Priest." I.e. it is not
necessarily that he served as HP at the time but, like those in Jesus time
(Annas and his son Caiaphas), was a principle party serving under or alongside
his father.
4)
Supposed error: Contradiction in numbers, I Cor 10 says
23,000 fell but Num.25:9 says 24,000. A
manuscript error is not likely.
a) Answer:
Possible transmission error since Hebrew numbers were easy to confuse in the way
they were written. Further, the 2
numbers could represent approximations of the actual number which might have
been in-between. Further, Paul's number
may exclude some put to death by the leaders (Num.25:5) and not specifically
killed in the plague.
The word of the omniscient and all-wise God
must display perfect knowledge and wisdom.
In the Bible we have such a word. Today is Thanksgiving Day in the USA. Here is something for which we can give thanks: the inspired, inerrant, authoritative word of God!
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