Apparent CONTRADICTIONS in the Bible
[Note: These are some contradictions I have come across as I read the Bible myself. There might be explanation of some of these to clear up the appearance of contradiction. However, many of these might be irreconciliable. One needs to have both an open as well as conscientious approach in making up their own mind about it. Also, if you have anything to share to better understand these, add to list list, please let me know.
Also keep in mind, even though Muslims generally cannot and shouldn't accept the current Bible as what Qur'an refers to Injil, they should treat Bible with respect as it may contain many words and revelation of divine origin.]
1. Is John the Baptist Elijah?
Jesus considers John the Baptist Elijah. [Matthew 17:10-13]
John the Baptist denies it. [John 1:20]2. Did Jesus commend or rebuke the disciples for saying that he is the Messiah?
Rebuked [Mark 8: 29-30; Luke 9: 20-21, only "The Christ of God" followed by the Son of man in both references]
Commended [Matthew 16: 19; "You are the Christ, the Son of living God"]
3. Is Peter blessed or devil?
Blessed [Matthew 16: 17-19]
Devil [Matthew 16: 23; Mark 8: 33; Luke /John doesn't mention this part]4. Interpolation of previous prophecy:
Original [Malachi 3: 1]
Interpolated with "before you" [Matthew 11: 11; Mark 1: 2; Luke 7: 27]5. Validity of Jesus' own witness:
Useless [John 5 :31]
Valid [John 8: 14]6. The sixth hour on the day of crucifiction:
On Cross [ Matthew 27: 45; Mark 15: 23; Luke 23: 44]
At the Pilate's court [John 19: 14]7. Did Paul hear or did not hear the voice of Jesus?
Heard, but did not see [Acts 9: 7]
Saw light, but did not hear [Acts 22: 9]8. What was inscripted on the cross?
No uniform description [Matthew 27: 37; Mark 15: 26; Luke 23: 38; John 19: 19]9. What was to be the Messiah's name?
The prophesied name "Emmanuel" [Isaiah 7: 14; Matthew 1: 22-23]
The name given [Matthew 1: 21; Luke 1: 31]10. Hate or honor parents?
Hate [Luke 14: 26]
Honor [Matthew 15: 4-6; Mark 7: 10-13]11. Who asked to honor parents?
God [Matthew 15: 4]
Moses [Mark 7: 10]12. Has anyone seen God? His face?
None [John 1: 18; Exodus 33: 20]
Jacob [Genesis 32: 30]; Manoah [Judges 13: 22]13. Ko'rah's sons died or did not die
Died [Numbers 16: 27-31, 31 in particular]
Did not [Number 26: 10-11]14. God or His angel?
Angel speaking in first person about bringing out of Egypt [Judges 2: 1-2]
Angel or God [Judges 6: 11-22; 13: 22-23]15. Any sinless man?
None [1Ki 8: 46; 2Chronicles 6: 36; Ecclesiastes 7: 20; Romans 3: 23]
Jesus was sinless [1Peter 2: 22; 1John 3: 5] Those with sin can't see him or know him?16. David kept God's commandments?
Did [1Ki 11: 34]
Did not [2Samuel 12: 13]17. Denial of Jesus
Son of God [Luke 22: 70; John 18: 34, 37]
Son of David [Luke 20: 41-44]
18. Statement unworthy of Jesus
To be his disciple, one must hate ... [Luke 14: 26]
All before him, thieves and plunderers [John 10: 8]
His blessings are not for "dogs" [Matthew 15: 26]19. Ridiculous statements/unworthy of being words of God
God REGRETS [Genesis 6: 6]
God REGRETS the evil he spoke of doing [Exodus 32: 14]
Saul as a king [1Sa 15: 10; 15: 35]
the calamity sent by himself [2Sa 24: 15]
Jacob wrestles "God" face to face [Genesis 32: 31]
Foreign gods in Jacob's house [Genesis 35: 2-4]
Solomon inclines to other gods [1Ki 11: 1-7]
Divine blessing STOLEN through deception [Genesis 27: 27, 35]
The story of two harlot sisters [Ezekiel Ch. 23]
Burdensome, trivial details of worshipping God [Exodus Ch. 25-31]
Aaron participant in Molten calf-making [Exodus 32: 4]
Aaron must die after being stripped for rebelling [Numbers 20: 26]
"Defective" people should not come near to present bread [Leviticus 21: 16]
God rebuked by Moses for the evil He caused [Numberw 11: 11]
God's punishment against Korah - none spared [Numbers 16: 27]
Because of one man's sin, all perished? [Numbers 16: 22]
Joshua's "spies" lives in a harlot's place [Joshua 2: 1]
All the wholesale massacre by Joshua [Jos chap. 10]
Father inviting others to "rape" daughters and concubines? [Judges 19: 24]
Horror story with knife [Judges 19: 29] What is the lesson?
"God's bad spirit" leading to behavior like a "Prophet" [1Sa 18: 10; 19: 24]
Delights in "foreskins" of the Philistines [1Sa 18: 25]
A "god" - an old man - or Samuel? [1Sa 28: 13-14] [*]
Absalom going into his father's concubine [2Sa 16: 22]20. Events contradicting Old Testament Laws
a. Birthright of the first born [Deuteronomy 21: 15-17; Genesis 43: 33]
Ishmael's birthright denied [Genesis 17: 21]
Esau's birthright taken away [Genesis 27: 35]
Jacob ignores birthright of Joseph's son [Genesis 48: 17-19]b. Circumcision - an everlasting covenant
Covenant made "in flesh" [Genesis 17: 13]
Covenant abandoned [Colossians 2: 11]c. Bastards are not allowed in God's congregation [Deuteronomy 23: 2]
Adultery prohibited [Exodus 20: 13]
Judah's children includes a Bastard - Perez [Matthew 1: 3]
David's adultery and Solomon, a child of illegitimacy [2 Samuel 12: 24]d. Punishment of adultery - death [Leviticus 18: 6-7, 20: 10]
Reuben's Adultery [Genesis 35: 21] punishment?
Judah not punished, but blessed [Genesis 38: 15-19; 49: 10; Ruth 4: 11]
Lot's daughter (or Lot) not punished, rather blessed [Genesis 19: 30-37; Deut. 2: 9,19]
David's adultery and murder [2 Samuel 11: 2-5]
Solomon, a child of illegitimacy [2 Samuel 12: 24; Leviticus 18: 20]
How can it be ever legitimized? How/why Jehovah likes him? [2Sa 12: 24]
Amnon raped Tamar without the legal punishment [2Sa 13: 1-23]e. Children bearing the burdens of their forefathers
No exemption from punishment [Numbers 14: 18; Deu. 5: 9]
No one should die for father's error [Deu. 24: 16]f. Wine/Liquor/Intoxicants/pigs
No permission - everlasting statute -unclean [Leviticus 10: 8]
Pig prohibition
Pig unclean [Leviticus 11: 7; Deu. 14: 8]21. GOD IN Old Testament. AND New Testament
Angry, revengeful God [Genesis 18: 22-32; Number 11: 10; Deu. 4: 24]]
His burning anger [1Sa 28: 18]
Jehovah, a manly person of war [Exodus 15:3]
Jehovah of armies [Isaiah 3: 1]
Merciful and Gracious [Exodus 34: 7]
God, the God of Israel [Genesis 33: 20; Isaiah 1: 24]
God belonging to Israel [1Sa 17: 46] [*]
?God against the inhabitants of Canaan -Ishmaelites too? [Exodus 34: 11]22. Prophets/Servants of God
Abraham: Prophet [Genesis 20: 7] Servant [Deu. 9: 27]
Lot: Servant [Genesis 19: 2]
Moses Prophet [Deu. 18: 18] Servant [Numbers 12: 8; Jos 11: 15]]
Joshua - servant [Joshua 5: 14]
David [?]
Solomon [?]
Nathan: Prophet [2Sa 7: 2]23. Application of Timothy 3: 16
Jealousy of Sarah afflicting Hagar [Genesis 21: 10; 16: 11]
Jacob lies, deceives his father and steals blessing of the firstborn [Genesis 27: 27, 35]
A blameless man? [Genesis 25: 27]
Mother of Jacob, Rebeccah, an accomplice [Genesis 27: 13]
Rachel stole her father's Teraphim [Genesis 31: 19]
Simeon and Levi and other sons of Jacob commits massacre, plunders and take captives wholesale [Genesis 34: 25-29, 35]
Reuben, Jacob's son commits adultery with Jacob's concubine [Genesis 35: 21]
Judah a plotter against Joseph [Genesis 37: 26]
Judah took(?) - married? - Shua' [Genesis 38: 2-3]
Judah's adultery with a harlot - his daughter-in-law [Genesis 38: 15-18]
Judah blessed [Gen. 49: 8; Deu. 33: 7; Ruth 4: 11]
Amnon raped Tamar without the legal punishment [2Sa 13: 1-23]
David mourned [2Sa 13: 36-37]
Absalom going into his father's concubine [2Sa 16: 22]
David seeks leniency [2Sa 18: 5] David mourns [2Sa 18: 33]
24. Miscellaneous
Jacob and Israel
God talked to Israel "Jacob, Jacob" [Genesis 46:2]
"Sons of Israel" transporting "Jacob" [Genesis 46: 5]
Joseph brought in Jacob his father [Genesis 47: 7-9]
Jacob blessed Pharaoh [Genesis 47: 10]
Israel lived in Egypt and Jacob lived in Egypt [48: 27-28]
Israel's sons who came into Egypt with Jacob [Exodus 1: 1]
Noble men afraid
Abraham [Genesis 20: 11]
Jacob [
Moses [Exodus 2: 14]
God(s) of many shades
God is not a man that he should tell lies [Numbers 23: 19]
God is not a son of mankind that he should feel regret [Numbers 23: 19]
God of gods [Deu. 10: 17]
Usury/Interest [Exodus 22:25]
Priestly share in sacrifice [Leviticus 7: 32-35]
No two threads in one garment [Leviticus 19: 19]
Abusers of Jehovah's name must be put to death [Leviticus 24: 16]
Law of equal reciprocal penalty [Leviticus 24: 20]
Slavery through generations for "time indefinite" [Leviticus 25: 46]
No carved image [Leviticus 26: 1; Numbers 33: 52]
Punishment of theft [Matthew 5: 30] Keeping commandment [Matthew 5: 17-18]
Keep the commandments [Matthew 5: 17-18; 19: 17-19; Deu. 5: 29]
"whole commandment" [Deu. 11: 8, 12: 32]
Be impartial in justice [Deuteronomy 1: 17, 16: 20]
The possible root of animal worship
Copper snake [Numbers 21: 9]
Prostration Saul [1Sa 15: 15] David [1Sa 20: 41]
Who wrote Pentetuch?
Couldn't be Moses [Leviticus 23: 44; Deu. 31: 1; *34: 5, 9*]
Couldn't be Joshua [Deu. 31: 7, 14; Joshua 2: 1; *Joshua 10: 13* with further reference to 2Sa 1: 18; Jos 11: 18; 23: 1-2; 24: 26; *24: 29*]
Couldn't be someone from Joshua's generation [Jos 24: 31]
Ruth could not have been written by Samuel [Ruth 4: 17]
1Samuel could not have been written by Samuel [1Sa 25: 1; 28: 3]
David's words [2Sa 23: 15] after his "last words" [2Sa 23: 1] David died? [1Ki 2: 10]
Book of the affairs of Solomon [[1Ki 11: 41] Solomon died [ 1Ki 11: 43]
Interesting?
Heart-shaped cakes [2Sa 13: 8]
Judah-Israel disputes [2Sa 19: 11, 41-43]
Exaggerations
Earth split due to noise [1Ki 1: 40]
Questions?
Was Judah alive after Joshua? [Judges 1: 1-4]
Seer [2Sa 15: 27]
Why David confined concubines [2Sa 20: 3]
Credibility of Twelve disciples
Anyone denying Jesus will be denied before the Father [Matthew 10:33]
Peter denied [Matthew: 26:33-34, 69-75; Luke 22:55-62]
All the disciples abandoned him and fled [Matthew 26: 56]
Some doubted [Matthew 28: 17]