Many people struggle with difficulty in reading the Bible; whether it is dealing with supposed errors or having a hard time reading and understanding some of its language. The opponents of Christianity often use supposed contradictions in the Bible to discredit Christianity. Sometimes these attacks undermine the faith of Christians who either don’t understand the issues or don’t have the resources to deal with them.
Opponents of Christianity will cite what they consider a Bible contradiction or difficulty by comparing one verse to another (or more) that seems to disagree with the first. In doing this, several verses are often references as being contradictory or problematic. In Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Exploring Forty Alleged Contradictions Editors Ken Ham, Bodie Hodge and Tim Chaffey seek to deal with forty supposed contradictions in the Scriptures. In issues ranging from plants, Eve’s certificate, animal sacrifices and marriage the authors seek to deal with what the Bible teaches on its own merits.
This book was written to answer the challenge of the critics who seek to disprove the Bible. This book takes up the critics’ challenge, taking on some of the most difficult issues in order to help strengthen the faith of individual believers and the Church. When the Bible is criticized it is most often done so by those who believe the Bible is full of myths and mistakes, or who have abandoned the faith, not understanding there wasn’t an error at all.
The goal of the attacks by non-Christians is in the end to get Christians to “give up the battle” (page 9). The authors rightly note that engaging others means “respecting and being gentle with the same grace the Lord showed to us, while being fierce toward the false philosophy that has taken him or her captive” (page 10).
The authors explain that, “Many believers are used to attacking Christianity, but they are rarely required to defend their own worldview. By questioning them about it, we help them realize their own professed worldview falls tremendously short” (page 12). Critics who point out the supposed contradictions in the Bible are engaging in nothing more than a smoke screen to keep people distracted from the real issue—the contradictions in the humanistic worldview. Not only are these people blinded by the truth of God’s Word, but they also have a tendency to be blinded to the contradictions of their own worldview. Scripture refers to such people as those “whose mind the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Evangelical Christians affirm the inspiration, inerrancy, authority and sufficiency of Scripture. The Word of God provides Christians individually and the church corporately a solid foundation (Matt. 7:24-27) rooted in the truth. The Truth of God’s Word is absolute and provides the foundation for the preaching and teaching ministry of the Church and helps Christians individually make sense of logic, morals, ethic, sin, and more.
The Bible is perfect and relevant in all areas of life (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:3). We are sinful, imperfect beings (Romans 3:23). Rather than assuming the Bible is wrong or has contradictions, Christians need with further study of Scripture, guidance from the Holy Spirit, accountability from other Christians (not to mention being under godly teaching in our local churches) and a desire to uncover the truth of God’s Word, to have a humble posture toward the Word of God that will help them learn the truth of God’s Word.
As Christians we have complete confidence in the Author of His Word. Since God is the ultimate author of Scripture, we can be sure that he will not contradict Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). The Bible demonstrates its own truthfulness in the fact hundreds of details prophecies have been fulfilled perfectly, and thousands of archaeological sites have been found precisely where the Bible described them. Just as skeptics once questioned the existence of many of the places in the Bible, the more one digs into the Word, solutions can be found to the supposed contradictions.
The sad thing is that humanists rather than being honest will try to do intellectual gymnastics to jump over the Bible or come to it to impose their beliefs upon it in an attempt to reconcile, explain or make sense of contradictions in their own worldview. Reading Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Exploring Forty Alleged Contradictions Edited by Ken Ham, Bodie Hodge and Tim Chaffey will help Christians to understand why skeptics argue as they do and how to offer a response to their objections. I recommend you read Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions to learn how to contend and defend the Truth of the Scripture.
Title: Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Volume 2 (Demolishing Contradictions)
Authors: Ken Ham, Bodie Hodge and Tim Chaffey
Publisher: Master Books (2012)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Master Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
