When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties

CONTENTS......Page 3
PREFACE......Page 6
The Bible Is the Word of God......Page 8
Can the Bible be Trusted in Science and History?......Page 9
If It Is Inspired, Then It Is Inerrant......Page 10
“Has God Said?”......Page 11
SOLUTION: There is a conflict of opinion here, but no real factual contradiction. The......Page 23
SOLUTION: There have been several explanations offered throughout history. Some......Page 24
SOLUTION: There is good evidence to believe that Adam and Eve were real persons.......Page 25
SOLUTION: There are basically two ways to reconcile this difficulty.......Page 26
GENESIS 2:8—Was the Garden of Eden a real place or just a myth? PROBLEM: The Bible declares that God “planted a garden eastward in Eden” ( Gen.......Page 27
SOLUTION: Genesis 1 gives the order of events; Genesis 2 provides more content......Page 28
SOLUTION: First of all, in the fundamental sense of the word, God respects every......Page 29
SOLUTION: Cain married his sister (or possibly a niece). The Bible says Adam “begot......Page 30
SOLUTION: There is good evidence to support the belief that humankind is more than......Page 31
SOLUTION: First of all, the reference in Psalm 90 is to Moses’ time (1400s B.C. ) and......Page 32
GENESIS 6:3—Does this contradict what Moses said in Psalm 90 about human longevity? PROBLEM: This text seems to indicate that human longevity after the flood will not......Page 33
GENESIS 6:14 ff—How could a wooden ark survive such a violent flood? PROBLEM: The ark was only made of wood and carried a heavy load of cargo. But, a......Page 34
GENESIS 8:21—Did God change His mind about never destroying the world again? PROBLEM: According to this verse, after the flood, God promised, “Nor will I again......Page 35
GENESIS 10:5 (cf. 20 , 31 )—Why does this verse indicate that humankind had many languages when Genesis 11:1 says there was only one?......Page 36
GENESIS 11:32—Was Abraham 75 years old when he left Haran, or was he 135 years old? PROBLEM: Genesis 11:26 states, “Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram,......Page 37
GENESIS 14—Is the account of Abraham’s defeat of the Mesopotamian kings historically reliable? PROBLEM: Genesis presents this battle as factually true. But, according to the......Page 38
GENESIS 15:17 ; cf. 19:23—Why does the Bible use unscientific terms such as “the sun going down”? PROBLEM: Evangelical Christians claim that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant word......Page 39
SOLUTION: While it is true that the Hebrew word “know” ( yada ) does not necessarily......Page 40
SOLUTION: Abraham was not beyond sin, as his lie about Sarah to king Abimelech......Page 41
SOLUTION: First, God was not interested, nor did He plan, that Abraham should......Page 42
GENESIS 22:12—Was God ignorant of how Abraham would respond? PROBLEM: This verse implies that God did not know how Abraham would respond to......Page 43
GENESIS 25:1—Why does Genesis 25:1 call Keturah Abraham’s wife, while 1 Chronicles 1:32 calls her his concubine?......Page 44
GENESIS 25:8—Did the Hebrews have a concept of life after death at such an early point in their history?......Page 45
GENESIS 26:33—Was Beersheba named by Abraham or later by Isaac? PROBLEM: In Genesis 21:31 Abraham named this city Beersheba (“Well of the Oath”).......Page 46
SOLUTION: Jacob returned for both reasons. Two or more reasons for the same thing......Page 47
GENESIS 31:32—How could God bless Rachel when she stole Laban’s idols and then lied to him about it?......Page 48
GENESIS 46:8–27 —Why does the Bible speak about the twelve tribes of Israel when actually there were fourteen? PROBLEM: The Bible often states that there were twelve tribes of Israel. Yet, in three......Page 49
GENESIS 49:5–7 —How can Jacob pronounce a curse upon Levi here and yet Moses blessed Levi in Deuteronomy 33:8–11 ?......Page 50
SOLUTION: The solution to this problem involves the vowel pointing of the Masoretic......Page 51
SOLUTION: The history of the tribe of Issachar indicates that Jacob was looking......Page 52
EXODUS 1:15–21 —How could God bless the Hebrew midwives for disobeying the God-ordained governmental authority (Pharaoh) and lying to him? PROBLEM: The Bible declares that “the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (......Page 53
SOLUTION: First, it is a misunderstanding of the text to claim that God commanded the......Page 54
SOLUTION: God did not harden Pharaoh’s heart contrary to Pharaoh’s own free choice.......Page 55
SOLUTION: Although much of modern scholarship has proposed a late date for the......Page 56
EXODUS 6:3—Was God known by His name “Lord” (Jehovah or Yahweh) before Moses’ time? PROBLEM: According to this text God told Moses, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac,......Page 57
SOLUTION: First, it was a common practice in the Ancient Near East to record......Page 58
EXODUS 7:11—How could the wise men and sorcerers of Pharaoh perform the same feats of power that God told Moses to perform?......Page 59
SOLUTION: The Bible indicates that one of Satan’s tactics in his effort to deceive......Page 60
EXODUS 7:20—How could Moses have turned all the water to blood if the magicians had some left to do the same thing? PROBLEM: Exodus 7:20 asserts that “all the waters that were in the river were turned to......Page 61
EXODUS 12:29—How could an all-loving God slay the firstborn of all the Egyptians? PROBLEM: Exodus 12:29–30 describes that terrible night when God struck in the land......Page 62
SOLUTION: First, although the passage may give the idea that the time that the nation......Page 63
EXODUS 20:5 a—Does God get jealous? PROBLEM: The Bible not only says here that God is a “jealous God,” but it also......Page 64
SOLUTION: First, the basis for the command to observe the Sabbath, as stated in......Page 65
EXODUS 21:22–23 —Does this passage show that unborn children are of less value than adults? PROBLEM: According to some translations of the Bible, this text teaches that when......Page 66
EXODUS 21:29–30 —Why was capital punishment commuted in the case of some murders? PROBLEM: Numbers 35:31 commands that “you shall take no ransom for the life of a......Page 67
SOLUTION: There are two distinct questions here, and they should be separated. First......Page 68
SOLUTION: Here is another example where negative criticism of the Bible is wrong.......Page 69
SOLUTION: God cannot be known directly in this life, nor can He be known......Page 70
THE USE OF IMAGES OR REPRESENTATIONS OF GOD......Page 71
EXODUS 32:14—Does God change His mind? PROBLEM: While Moses was upon the mountain receiving the Law from God, the......Page 72
SOLUTION: It must be emphatically maintained that God does not change (cf. Mal. 3:6......Page 73
SOLUTION: God apparently instructed Moses to modify the earlier law in favor of......Page 74
SOLUTION: Although they did not chew the cud in the modern technical sense, they......Page 75
SOLUTION: Some take this sacrifice as merely symbolic, but even then it must......Page 76
SOLUTION: The procedure relating to the scapegoat does not present a confused or......Page 77
LEVITICUS 18:22–24 —Is the curse of barrenness the reason God condemned homosexuality? PROBLEM: According to Jewish belief, barrenness was a curse ( Gen. 16:1 ; 1 Sam.......Page 78
SOLUTION: Since the people moved throughout the wilderness for 40 years, their......Page 79
SOLUTION: Only a few verses later (v. 44 ), God says, “I will not cast them away, nor......Page 80
NUMBERS 1:1–4:49 —How accurate is this census of the tribes of Israel?......Page 81
SOLUTION: These are apparently two different censuses for two different purposes.......Page 82
SOLUTION: First, there is a distinction made in the text between the type of service......Page 83
SOLUTION: The text does not say that the difference in the guilty woman’s condition......Page 84
NUMBERS 10:33—Was the Ark placed in the middle of the camp or in front of it? PROBLEM: In this text, we read that “the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before......Page 85
NUMBERS 11:31–34 —How could God bring judgment on the people for eating the quail that He provided?......Page 86
SOLUTION: Of course, no one would claim that Jesus was being boastful or prideful by......Page 87
SOLUTION: First, it must be remembered that Moses probably wrote this toward the......Page 88
SOLUTION: Because the people were condemned to wander in the wilderness, the......Page 89
NUMBERS 20:1—Was Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin or in Paran?......Page 90
SOLUTION: First of all, the command against making “carved images” was a command......Page 91
NUMBERS 24:7—How could this oracle refer to Agag when he lived much later, in the time of Saul? PROBLEM: The oracle of Balaam makes reference to the exaltation of Israel over Agag......Page 92
SOLUTION: There are two possible explanations here. First, some have suggested that......Page 93
NUMBERS 33:44–49 —Why is the list of places Israel stopped different here from the ones stated earlier (in Numbers 21 )? PROBLEM: Numbers 21 speaks of the Israelites stopping off at Oboth, Ije Abarim,......Page 94
SOLUTION: It would be wrong to assume that the Hebrew word translated “witness” (......Page 95
SOLUTION: There are many arguments that support the claim that Moses wrote the......Page 97
DEUTERONOMY 2:7—Were Israel’s conditions in the wilderness comfortable or destitute?......Page 98
SOLUTION: Some scholars claim that these verses are parenthetical and may have been......Page 99
DEUTERONOMY 2:19—Was the land of Ammon given to Israel or not?......Page 100
SOLUTION: First, it must be remembered that Moses’ purpose in reviewing the Law is......Page 101
SOLUTION: There are two different ways to understand this. First, it may be an......Page 102
SOLUTION: When several things are kept in mind, the problem disappears. First of all,......Page 103
DEUTERONOMY 14:22 ff—Doesn’t this contradict Moses’ other command not to redeem animals with money? PROBLEM: In Numbers 18:17 , the law commands, “The firstborn of a cow, the......Page 104
SOLUTION: It is clear that the Scriptures condemn the use of strong drink. For......Page 105
SOLUTION: Careful consideration of the context shows that there is no contradiction......Page 106
SOLUTION: There are many tests for a false prophet. Several of them are listed in these......Page 107
SOLUTION: This prophecy could not be a reference to Mohammed for several reasons.......Page 108
SOLUTION: God’s design here was apparently to make it possible to distinguish one......Page 109
SOLUTION: Homosexual practices are not condemned in the Bible simply because they......Page 110
SOLUTION: It would be a mistake to assume that the statements of Moses here gave......Page 111
SOLUTION: The truth is that there is both an active and passive role for humans in......Page 112
DEUTERONOMY 33:2—Is this a prediction of the Prophet Mohammed?......Page 113
DEUTERONOMY 34:10—Was Moses unparalleled among prophets or were others equal to him?......Page 114
SOLUTION: In response, several things should be noted. First, the “since” means since......Page 115
JOSHUA 3:17—Did Israel cross the Jordan here or not? PROBLEM: According to Joshua 3:17 , the people crossed over the Jordan on dry......Page 116
SOLUTION: For many years the prevailing view of critical scholars has been that there......Page 117
SOLUTION: First, the Canaanites were far from “innocent.” The description of their......Page 118
SOLUTION: There are two responses to this problem.......Page 119
JOSHUA 9:1 ff—Why did Israel honor their contract with the Gibeonites once they discovered they had been deceived? PROBLEM: Joshua 9 records how the Gibeonites deceived Israel into thinking that they......Page 120
JOSHUA 11:18—Was Canaan conquered quickly or only gradually? PROBLEM: This verse declares that “Joshua made war a long time with all those......Page 121
SOLUTION: Both are true. Some scholars also point to a Jewish tradition that held the......Page 122
SOLUTION: There are two ways Bible scholars attempt to respond to this criticism:......Page 123
SOLUTION: The term “sanctuary” ( miqdash ) here simply means “holy place” or......Page 124
JUDGES 1:28 ff—Were the Canaanites destroyed or merely subjugated? PROBLEM: Joshua 10:40 declares that “Joshua conquered all the land… he left none......Page 125
JUDGES 4:21—Was Sisera lying down when Jael killed him, or was he upright as Judges 5:27 seems to indicate? PROBLEM: According to Judges 4:21 , Sisera was lying down fast asleep when Jael......Page 126
SOLUTION: First, it should be remembered that Sisera was a mighty warrior. When he......Page 127
SOLUTION: Many have taken this to mean that Jepthah offered his daughter’s life to......Page 128
JUDGES 15:4—How could Samson capture 300 foxes? PROBLEM: According to Judges 15:4 , Samson captured 300 foxes, tied torches......Page 129
JUDGES 18:30—How could this book have been written in the time or shortly after the time of the judges? PROBLEM: The events of the Book of Judges cover a period from circa 1380 to 1050......Page 130
SOLUTION: The phrase “until the day of the captivity of the land” does not necessarily......Page 131
SOLUTION: No! There is nothing in the text of Ruth that indicates any moral......Page 132
SOLUTION: Although it was a more complicated incident, the arrangement between......Page 133
JUDGES 1:28 ff—Were the Canaanites destroyed or merely subjugated? PROBLEM: Joshua 10:40 declares that “Joshua conquered all the land… he left none......Page 134
JUDGES 4:21—Was Sisera lying down when Jael killed him, or was he upright as Judges 5:27 seems to indicate? PROBLEM: According to Judges 4:21 , Sisera was lying down fast asleep when Jael......Page 135
SOLUTION: First, it should be remembered that Sisera was a mighty warrior. When he......Page 136
SOLUTION: Many have taken this to mean that Jepthah offered his daughter’s life to......Page 137
JUDGES 15:4—How could Samson capture 300 foxes? PROBLEM: According to Judges 15:4 , Samson captured 300 foxes, tied torches......Page 138
JUDGES 18:30—How could this book have been written in the time or shortly after the time of the judges? PROBLEM: The events of the Book of Judges cover a period from circa 1380 to 1050......Page 139
SOLUTION: The phrase “until the day of the captivity of the land” does not necessarily......Page 140
1 SAMUEL 6:19—How could Beth Shemesh have a population of over 50,000 men?......Page 141
1 SAMUEL 7:13—Were the Philistines expelled once and for all, or only temporarily?......Page 142
SOLUTION: The context of 1 Samuel 8 indicates that the people had the wrong motive......Page 143
1 SAMUEL 13:1—What is the correct number in this verse? PROBLEM: Among the several translations of the OT, 1 Samuel 13:1 is rendered as......Page 144
SOLUTION: The statement of Samuel did not amount to a promise. Rather, Samuel is......Page 145
SOLUTION: The statement which God made to Samuel does not mean that God......Page 146
SOLUTION: It is not uncommon for proper names to be spelled differently due to......Page 147
1 SAMUEL 17:54—How could Goliath’s head be carried to Jerusalem when it was held then by the Jebusites. PROBLEM: When David killed Goliath and cut his head off, the city of Jerusalem was......Page 148
SOLUTION: There is no indication in Scripture that David and Jonathan were......Page 149
SOLUTION: The Spirit of the Lord was not upon Saul at this time in the same way that......Page 150
1 SAMUEL 28:7 ff—How could God allow the Witch of Endor to raise Samuel from the dead when God condemned witchcraft? PROBLEM: The Bible severely condemns witchcraft and communication with the dead......Page 151
1 SAMUEL 31—The report of Saul’s death in this passage contradicts that given in the next chapter ( 2 Sam. 1 ) PROBLEM: First Samuel 31 says that King Saul committed suicide by falling on his......Page 152
SOLUTION: Suicide is murder, and the Bible says, “You shall not murder” ( Ex. 20:13......Page 153
SOLUTION: This is undoubtedly a copyist error. Probably an early copyist......Page 154
2 SAMUEL 12:21–23 —Should we pray for the dead? PROBLEM: Based on a verse in 2 Maccabees 12:46 (Douay), Roman Catholics believe......Page 155
SOLUTION: There are three views regarding children who die before the age of......Page 156
SOLUTION: Several things should be observed in response to this criticism. First, the......Page 157
2 SAMUEL 18:17—Was Absalom buried in the forest of Ephraim or in the Kidron Valley?......Page 158
2 SAMUEL 24:1—How can this passage claim that God moved David to number Israel when 1 Chronicles 21:1 claims that it was Satan? PROBLEM: This passage reports the sin of David in numbering the people of Israel and......Page 159
SOLUTION: There are two possible ways to reconcile these accounts. Some......Page 160
SOLUTION: Both accounts are correct. The passage in 2 Samuel 24 records David’s......Page 161
1 KINGS 6:1—How can this be an accurate calculation if Ramses the Great was the Pharaoh of the Exodus? PROBLEM: The predominant view of modern scholarship is that the Pharaoh of the......Page 163
SOLUTION: Both reports are correct. The reconciliation of these statements is found in......Page 164
1 KINGS 11:4—In light of David’s sin with Bathsheba, how could this passage say his heart was loyal to the Lord?......Page 165
SOLUTION: The statement in question is by no means a pronouncement of David’s......Page 166
SOLUTION: First, it should be pointed out that the text does not specifically commend......Page 167
1 KINGS 21:19—How could the prophecy of this verse claim to be fulfilled in the events recorded in 1 Kings 22:37–38 ? PROBLEM: God told Elijah to prophesy to Ahab that his blood would be licked by the......Page 168
1 KINGS 22:49—How can this verse say that Jehoshaphat refused Ahaziah’s request when 2 Chronicles says they worked together? PROBLEM: According to 1 Kings 22:48 , Jehoshaphat built several merchant ships.......Page 169
SOLUTION: Although Jehoshaphat did join together with Ahaziah to build the......Page 170
SOLUTION: First of all, this was no minor offense, for these young men held God’s......Page 171
SOLUTION: What Elisha told them was not actually a lie. The Syrian troops were sent......Page 172
2 KINGS 9:7—How could God condemn Jehu for bloodshed when God had commanded him to exterminate the house of Ahab? PROBLEM: In 2 Kings 9:6–10 , we find the commissioning of Jehu by the Lord to......Page 173
2 KINGS 14:29—Are the dead asleep or conscious? PROBLEM: As in this passage, the Bible often speaks of death as the time when one......Page 174
2 KINGS 17:41—How could the nations fear the true God and serve false gods?......Page 175
SOLUTION: Obviously, this was a miracle. Hezekiah realized that it would not be a......Page 176
SOLUTION: The Chronicles passage merely states that he died; the Kings text tells us......Page 177
SOLUTION: This is probably a copyist error. Most likely, Jehoiachin was 18 when he......Page 178
SOLUTION: In 1 Chronicles 3:16–19 we find the following genealogy.......Page 179
1 CHRONICLES 8:33—Was Ner the father of Kish or the son of Abiel? PROBLEM: 1 Samuel 14:51 refers to “Ner the father of Abner” who was Saul’s cousin.......Page 180
1 CHRONICLES 10:14—Did Saul inquire of the Lord or not?......Page 181
SOLUTION: Both amounts are correct. Each of these passages records a different......Page 182
2 CHRONICLES 7:12 ff—Does God dwell in a chosen temple? PROBLEM: God told Solomon, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place......Page 183
2 CHRONICLES 13:4–22 —Was Abijah a wicked or a righteous king? PROBLEM: According to 1 Kings 15:3 , Abijah was a wicked king who “walked in all......Page 184
2 CHRONICLES 21:12—How could Elijah have sent a letter long after his departure into heaven? PROBLEM: When Jehoram became king in Judah, “he made high places in the......Page 185
2 CHRONICLES 28:24—Did Ahaz encourage or oppose worship in the Jerusalem temple?......Page 186
SOLUTION: No human king can root out the depraved human desire for idolatry.......Page 187
SOLUTION: Apparently, Jehoiakim was bound and fettered with the intention “to carry......Page 188
SOLUTION: There have been two proposals as to the identity of Sheshbazzar. First,......Page 189
SOLUTION: The statements in Ezra 3:10 and 5:16 are references to laying the......Page 190
SOLUTION: The different advice is given at different times, for different peoples, and......Page 191
SOLUTION: This is many centuries later, and the city was rebuilt by survivors or others.......Page 193
SOLUTION: The Nehemiah passage means there had been nothing like this celebration......Page 194
ESTHER 2:1–18 —How could Esther participate in a pagan beauty contest?......Page 195
SOLUTION: Sometimes it is necessary to disobey human government, namely, when it......Page 196
SOLUTION: Job was a person in human history. First of all, verse one of the book......Page 197
SOLUTION: Satan has been officially expelled from heaven, but he still actually has......Page 198
SOLUTION: Job is not speaking about the “return” of the soul to another body to live......Page 199
SOLUTION: As the first set of passages clearly reveals, there will be a resurrection of......Page 200
JOB 19:17 —How could Job have children here when they were all killed earlier? PROBLEM: In Job 1:2 , 18–19 (cf. 8:4 ) all of Job’s children were killed in a great......Page 201
SOLUTION: It is true that the origin of the Hebrew word raqia meant a solid object.......Page 202
SOLUTION: Although this is basically the same name used in the Ugaritic documents......Page 203
PSALM 3:1—How could David have written this Psalm when critics insist that most Psalms were not completed until much later?......Page 205
SOLUTION: Most scholars do not believe these inscriptions are part of the inspired text,......Page 206
PSALM 11:5—How can this verse say God hates some people when John 3:16 says God loves everyone?......Page 207
PSALM 34—Why does the subtitle of this Psalm have the name Abimelech when the name should be Achish? PROBLEM: The subtitle of Psalm 34 states, “A Psalm of David when he pretended......Page 208
SOLUTION: Several things should be kept in mind about David’s statement. First of all,......Page 209
PSALM 51:5—Does this verse support the position that an unborn fetus is only a potential human being? PROBLEM: David claimed that he was “conceived” in sin in his mother’s womb.......Page 210
SOLUTION: It is clear that this cannot refer to actual sins, but only potential ones, since......Page 211
PSALM 104:5—Will the earth abide forever or will it be destroyed? PROBLEM: This verse, and several others (cf. Ps. 78:69 ; Ecc. 1:4 ), speak of the earth......Page 212
SOLUTION: Several important factors must be kept in mind in understanding these......Page 213
PSALM 137:9—How could the Psalmist rejoice at the thought of little ones being dashed against rocks?......Page 214
SOLUTION: Yes. Several other passages reinforce this position. First, the unborn are......Page 215
SOLUTION: This passage is not a direct reference to any person. Poetic expression......Page 216
PROVERBS 16:4—Does God make people to be doomed? PROBLEM: On the one hand, the Bible speaks of human beings as having free choice (......Page 217
SOLUTION: First, there is no reason why God could not guide Solomon to use other......Page 218
SOLUTION: This passage does not justify breaking the laws of God-ordained human......Page 219
SOLUTION: This would be contradictory if it were not qualified by the accompanying......Page 220
SOLUTION: Several things help us to understand this problem. First, “the turn away”......Page 221
SOLUTION: The Bible strongly condemns the social abuse of strong drink (see......Page 222
SOLUTION: There are several OT books that are not directly quoted in the NT,......Page 223
SOLUTION: It all depends on the purpose for which wisdom or knowledge are sought.......Page 224
SOLUTION: Solomon is not recommending pleasure-seeking hedonism apart from God.......Page 225
ECCLESIASTES 3:20—If all return to dust, how can there be a resurrection? PROBLEM: Some have argued against a physical resurrection on the grounds that the......Page 226
ECCLESIASTES 7:16—How is it possible to be too righteous? PROBLEM: Jesus commanded His followers to be “perfect just as your Father in......Page 227
SOLUTION: There are several ways to understand this Ecclesiastes passage that do not......Page 228
SOLUTION 2: From the very earliest times, this book was part of the Jewish canon.......Page 230
OPENING PHRASES CLOSING PHRASES......Page 231
SOLUTION: There are three basic interpretations of the Song of Solomon—the literal,......Page 232
SOLUTION: These two passages may refer to two different times in his life, the lower......Page 233
SOLUTION: The traditional view that the Book of Isaiah is a single work written by the......Page 234
ISAIAH 7:14—Is this verse a prophecy about the virgin birth of Jesus Christ? PROBLEM: The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 concerns the conception of a virgin and the......Page 235
ISAIAH 14:12—Who is Lucifer in this verse? PROBLEM: Many commentators consider this passage to be a reference to Satan,......Page 236
ISAIAH 30:26—Will the light of the sun and moon be increased or decreased in the future kingdom? PROBLEM: Isaiah has two apparently contradictory predictions. One is that the light to......Page 237
ISAIAH 44:28—How could Isaiah talk in such specific terms about a king that would not exist for some 200 years? PROBLEM: In Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1 , Isaiah specifically names Cyrus in connection......Page 238
SOLUTION: The Bible is clear that God is morally perfect (cf. Deut. 32:4 ; Matt. 5:48 ),......Page 239
ISAIAH 57:15—Does God dwell in eternity or with men?......Page 240
SOLUTION: God is in both. He is “out there” as well as “in here.” In technical terms,......Page 241
SOLUTION: The solution seems to lie in the fact that the first passage is speaking about......Page 242
JEREMIAH 20:7—Did God deceive Jeremiah? PROBLEM: The......Page 243
JEREMIAH 32:31—Did God delight in Zion (Jerusalem) or did it provoke His anger? PROBLEM: The psalmist declared that “the Lord loves the gates of Zion.” ( Ps. 87:2 ).......Page 244
SOLUTION: When evangelicals refer to the “original manuscripts” alone being inspired......Page 245
SOLUTION: No, there is no historical error. Until recently, the only testimony from......Page 246
JEREMIAH 46:2—Does this date of the defeat of the Egyptian armies by Nebuchadnezzar contradict the date given in Daniel 1:1 ?......Page 247
SOLUTION: In each case, the object is different. God executes His wrath on the wicked,......Page 248
SOLUTION: This is not a reference to UFOs, but is a vision of the glory of God. This is......Page 249
EZEKIEL 16:49—Was the sin of Sodom selfishness rather than homosexuality? PROBLEM: Ezekiel described the sin of Sodom as selfishness: “Now this was the sin of......Page 250
EZEKIEL 18:32—Does God rejoice over the sinner’s doom? PROBLEM: According to this verse, God declares, “I have no pleasure in the death of......Page 251
SOLUTION: Nebuchadnezzar did destroy the coastal cities. However, the people of the......Page 252
SOLUTION: Evangelical scholars hold differing positions concerning the identity of the......Page 253
SOLUTION: There are two basic interpretations of this passage of Scripture. Some take......Page 254
SOLUTION: Both statements are correct. The difference is a result of two different......Page 256
PROBLEM: Daniel 5 records the downfall of Babylon and identifies the king of......Page 257
SOLUTION: The first passage ( Dan. 1:21 ) does not say Daniel did not continue to live......Page 258
SOLUTION: There will be both a partial resurrection and then later a complete......Page 259
SOLUTION: Some scholars have attempted to avoid the difficulty by claiming this is an......Page 260
SOLUTION: The later prophets did not repudiate the OT sacrificial system—they only......Page 261
SOLUTION: There is no contradiction because the statements refer to different aspects......Page 262
SOLUTION: Both are figures of speech which express literal and compatible truths.......Page 263
AMOS 8:14—Does this contradict the Bible’s teaching on the resurrection?......Page 264
SOLUTION: The Book of Obadiah is a revelation of the sovereignty of God presented......Page 265
SOLUTION: There is good evidence that the events recorded in the Book of Jonah are......Page 266
JONAH 3:6—Why does Jonah refer to the king of Assyria simply as the king of Nineveh? PROBLEM: Conservative scholars maintain that the Book of Jonah was written by the......Page 267
SOLUTION: All of the ancient records regarding the history of Assyria testify to the fact......Page 268
SOLUTION: These diverse texts are speaking about different kinds of people. God......Page 269
SOLUTION: Anger as such is not sinful. It depends on the purpose, nature, and/or......Page 270
SOLUTION: As already noted (see comments on Deut. 33:2 ), Paran is not near Mecca......Page 271
SOLUTION: There is no reason to suppose that the messages of judgment and hope are......Page 272
SOLUTION: All of them are correct. They are simply referring to different aspects of......Page 273
SOLUTION: It is not exactly accurate to say that Matthew quoted exclusively from......Page 274
SOLUTION: First of all, God is not speaking about the person Esau, but of the nation......Page 275
SOLUTION: These are two different names for the same person. For different reasons,......Page 276
SOLUTION: First, we need to ask what astrology is. Astrology is a belief that the study......Page 277
MATTHEW 2:23—Didn’t Matthew make a mistake by claiming a prophecy that is not found in the OT?......Page 278
SOLUTION: It may be that Matthew describes these temptations chronologically while......Page 279
SOLUTION: In the matter of whether the Law of Moses was done away with by Christ,......Page 280
MATTHEW 5:42—Should believers literally give anything to anyone who asks? PROBLEM: Here Jesus clearly said, “Give to him who asks you, and from him who......Page 282
MATTHEW 6:6—If Jesus said prayer should be in private, why does the Bible commend public prayer?......Page 283
SOLUTION: Both Matthew and Luke are correct. In the 1st century, it was understood......Page 284
SOLUTION: First of all, even if the phrase “Son of Man” is a reference to Jesus’......Page 285
SOLUTION: There is a textual problem here. The critical text of the Greek NT (Nestle-......Page 286
SOLUTION: These apparently contradictory commands refer to two different periods. It......Page 287
SOLUTION: There are many interpretations of this passage. Some take it to be a......Page 288
SOLUTION: We must distinguish between the purpose of Christ’s coming to earth and......Page 289
SOLUTION: There are many reasons why this verse does not teach reincarnation. First,......Page 290
MATTHEW 12:40 (cf. John 19:14 )—If Jesus was crucified on Friday, how could He have been in the grave three days and nights?......Page 291
MATTHEW 13:12—Is God unfair in giving to those who have?......Page 292
SOLUTION: There are two qualifying factors that must be noted, one of which is stated......Page 293
MATTHEW 16:16—Why does Peter’s confession here differ from that recorded in Mark and Luke? PROBLEM: Peter’s confession of Christ in Caesarea Philippi is stated differently in the......Page 294
SOLUTION: There are different ways to understand this passage, but none of them......Page 295
SOLUTION: The problem is easily resolved if several things are remembered. First,......Page 296
SOLUTION: This is a question of when this was going to take place, not whether it......Page 297
SOLUTION: The context in Matthew indicates that Jesus is speaking of what is humanly......Page 298
MATTHEW 20:29–34 (cf. Mark 10:46–52 ; Luke 18:35–43 )—Did Jesus heal two blind men or just one?......Page 299
SOLUTION: Some believe that the healing in Luke may have actually taken place as......Page 300
SOLUTION: Jesus actually cursed the fig tree on His way to the temple as Mark said,......Page 301
SOLUTION: Loving others as we love ourselves can be understood in different ways,......Page 302
SOLUTION: There are good reasons why there is a strong difference between the two......Page 303
SOLUTION: The interval referred to by Luke is the time between the destruction of......Page 304
MATTHEW 26:11—Was Jesus always present with His disciples?......Page 305
SOLUTION: Total pacifism is not taught in this Scripture. Indeed, Abraham was blessed......Page 306
MATTHEW 27:37 (cf. Mark 15:26 ; Luke 23:38 ; John 19:19 )—Why are all the Gospel accounts of the inscription on the cross different? PROBLEM: The wording of the accusation above Christ’s head on the cross is rendered......Page 307
SOLUTION: This difficulty is easily resolved on the supposition that at first both reviled......Page 308
SOLUTION: Jesus never fainted or swooned, nor was He drugged on the cross. In fact,......Page 309
SOLUTION: He may have said both. The centurion’s words need not be limited to one......Page 310
THE ORDER OF THE TWELVE APPEARANCES OF CHRIST......Page 311
SOLUTION: God is one in essence, but three in Persons. God has one nature, but three......Page 313
Symbol Lion Ox Man Eagle Key Sovereignty Ministry Humanity Deity Audience Jews Romans Greeks World Ancestry To royalty In anonymity To humanity To deity MARK 1:2—How can Mark’s misquotation of this OT prophecy be justified? PROBLEM: Mark misquotes Malachi, as indicated by the italicized words:......Page 314
MARK 6:5—If Jesus is God, why couldn’t He do mighty works here? PROBLEM: First of all, the Bible describes Jesus as God ( John 1:1 ) who has, with the......Page 315
MARK 9:48—Why did Jesus say worms would not die in hell?......Page 316
MARK 11:23–24 —Did Jesus promise to give literally anything we ask in faith? PROBLEM: On the face of it, this verse seems to be saying that God will grant any......Page 317
MARK 13:32—Was Jesus ignorant of the time of His second coming? PROBLEM: The Bible teaches that Jesus is God ( John 1:1 ) and that He knows all......Page 318
MARK 14:30—When Peter denied Christ, how many times did the rooster crow, once or twice?......Page 319
SOLUTION: There are two general possibilities here. One possibility suggests that the......Page 320
SOLUTION: Scholars are divided over the authenticity of these verses. Those who......Page 321
SOLUTION: This conclusion is unnecessary for several reasons.......Page 322
LUKE 1:28 ff—Should Christians worship Mary? PROBLEM: The angel said Mary was the most blessed of all women, declaring to her,......Page 324
SOLUTION: Mary the mother of Jesus was the most blessed among women (see......Page 325
SOLUTION: Until recently, it has been widely held by critics that Luke made an error in......Page 326
SOLUTION: Luke has not made an error. There are reasonable solutions to this......Page 327
LUKE 4:1–13 —Is there a mistake in the temptation of Jesus recorded by Matthew and Luke?......Page 328
SOLUTION: These references may be of slightly different times during the same event.......Page 329
LUKE 6:26—Is a good name a blessing or a curse? PROBLEM: In this text, Jesus told His disciples that people would speak evil of them,......Page 330
LUKE 9:52–53 —Did the Samaritans receive Christ or reject Him?......Page 331
LUKE 13:24—Do all seekers find God? PROBLEM: Jesus says, “Seek and you will find.” Other passages of Scripture reaffirm......Page 332
LUKE 16:31—Do miracles prove Jesus’ divine mission? PROBLEM: Beginning with Moses, miracles were given as a proof of the divine......Page 333
SOLUTION: Jesus no more meant that the statement “This is My body” should be taken......Page 334
LUKE 23:47—Is the remark of the centurion about Jesus accurately recorded?......Page 335
SOLUTION: The Resurrection appearances were literal, physical appearances. This is......Page 336
LUKE 24:31 b—If Jesus had the same physical body after His resurrection, why did His disciples not recognize Him? PROBLEM: These two disciples walked with Jesus, talked with Him, and ate with Him......Page 337
SOLUTION: That Jesus’ resurrection body was essentially material is clear from the......Page 338
LUKE 24:44—Was the OT divided by the Jews of Jesus’ day into two or three parts? PROBLEM: The Jewish Bible is divided into three sections—the Law, the Prophets, and......Page 339
LUKE 24:50–51 —Did Jesus ascend from Bethany or from the Mountain of Olives near Jerusalem?......Page 340
SOLUTION: Bethany was on the eastern slope of the Mt. of Olives, which is just east of......Page 341
SOLUTION: The verses which teach that no man can see God are referring to no mortal......Page 342
SOLUTION: John may have known Jesus before His baptism only by reputation, not by......Page 343
JOHN 3:5—Does this verse teach baptismal regeneration?......Page 344
JOHN 3:17—Did Jesus come to judge the world or not? PROBLEM: According to this verse, God did not “send His Son into the world to......Page 345
SOLUTION: Here Jesus was in Samaria, not Judea. The Jews of Jesus’ day had a......Page 346
SOLUTION: First, Jesus does not believe in salvation by works. In the beginning of......Page 347
SOLUTION: The difference in these statements is due to the circumstances of the......Page 348
SOLUTION: John reported accurately what he heard and saw. First of all, he was an......Page 349
SOLUTION: The literal (i.e., actual) meaning of a text is the correct one, but the literal......Page 350
JOHN 7:53–8:11 —Why do some scholars question whether this story should be in the Bible? PROBLEM: This story of the woman taken in adultery is found in the......Page 351
SOLUTION: First, the authority in Romans 13 is the Roman government and the......Page 352
JOHN 10:11—Did Jesus die just for His friends or for His enemies too? PROBLEM: John quotes Jesus as claiming that He laid down His “life for the sheep”......Page 353
JOHN 11:4—Did Jesus make a mistake when He said Lazarus’ sickness was not unto death? PROBLEM: Jesus at first said, “This sickness is not unto death” ( John 11:4 ). However,......Page 354
SOLUTION: It is not impossible. The Jewish corpses were not wound so tight (like an......Page 355
JOHN 14:28—Did Jesus think of Himself as less than God?......Page 356
SOLUTION: Some scholars believe that the first statement is proleptical, envisioning in......Page 357
JOHN 19:19—What did the sign on the cross really say?......Page 358
SOLUTION: Jesus’ resurrection body was essentially and continuously material (see......Page 359
SOLUTION: Jesus did give His disciples the power to forgive sins, and this power still......Page 360
ACTS 2:34—Is David in heaven or not? PROBLEM: Peter seems to imply here that David was not in heaven. He wrote, “David......Page 362
SOLUTION: This is resolved when we consider the possible meaning of being baptized......Page 363
ACTS 3:21—Will all things be restored to God or just some things?......Page 364
SOLUTION: Several observations are relevant to this question. First of all, sincerity is......Page 365
ACTS 7:14—Why does this text say “seventy-five people” when Exodus 1:5 says there were “seventy persons”?......Page 366
PROBLEM: According to Exodus 1:5 there were only 70 descendants who went down......Page 367
SOLUTION: This passage is talking about the OT restriction against eating or drinking......Page 368
SOLUTION: Paul was only forbidden immediately. God had a more strategic route for......Page 369
SOLUTION: There are several views taken on this passage. Some suggest that Paul may......Page 370
SOLUTION: Paul’s answer is clear. He said that the heathen are “without excuse” ( 1:20......Page 371
SOLUTION: When the Bible declares that homosexual practices are “against nature” (......Page 372
ROMANS 2:14–15 —How can those who are by nature sinners keep God’s laws of nature? PROBLEM: Ephesians 2:3 asserts that all humans are “by nature children of wrath.” But......Page 373
SOLUTION: There are two types of people who may fall into this category: (1) infants,......Page 374
SOLUTION: There are two broad answers to this question—universalism and......Page 375
ROMANS 8:26—Is the Holy Spirit our mediator or is Christ? PROBLEM: First Timothy 2:5 asserts that “there is one… Mediator between God and......Page 376
ROMANS 9:17—How can Pharaoh be free if God hardened his heart? PROBLEM: God said to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate......Page 377
SOLUTION: Keeping the law does not bring saving life to anyone. On this the Bible is......Page 378
SOLUTION: Abraham has both a spiritual seed (descendants) and literal descendants.......Page 379
SOLUTION: First of all, Paul does not say they did not know Christ; he said they did......Page 380
SOLUTION: Nowhere does the Bible teach the doctrine of purgatory. This doctrine is......Page 381
SOLUTION: First, God did not say that everything uttered by Eliphaz was false, but......Page 382
SOLUTION: There are three possibilities here. First, it may be that not all apostolic......Page 383
1 CORINTHIANS 6:9—Was Paul’s condemnation of homosexuality merely his private opinion?......Page 384
SOLUTION: When Paul speaks of “homosexual offenders” (......Page 385
1 CORINTHIANS 7:10–16 —Does Paul contradict what Jesus said about divorce? PROBLEM: This passage from 1 Corinthians talks about a Christian who has an......Page 386
1 CORINTHIANS 8:4—If idols are nothing, why does God condemn idolatry? PROBLEM: Paul affirms here that “an idol is nothing in the world.” Yet the Bible......Page 387
1 CORINTHIANS 11:5—Should women wear veils when they pray? PROBLEM: Paul insisted here that “every woman who prays or prophesies with her......Page 388
SOLUTION: This is a difficult passage, and commentators are not in agreement on it.......Page 389
SOLUTION: It is incorrect to claim that Jesus did not appear to unbelievers. This is......Page 390
1 CORINTHIANS 15:10—Was Paul’s boasting contrary to Scripture? PROBLEM: Paul boasted here when he declared, “I labored more abundantly than they......Page 391
SOLUTION: When Jesus returned from the dead, it was the first real resurrection.......Page 392
SOLUTION: This is an obscure and isolated passage. It is unwise to base any doctrine......Page 393
SOLUTION: There are real changes in the resurrection body, but it is not changed into a......Page 394
SOLUTION: A “spiritual” body denotes an immortal body, not an immaterial body. A......Page 395
1 CORINTHIANS 15:50—If flesh and blood cannot enter heaven, then how can there be a physical resurrection?......Page 396
SOLUTION: To conclude from this phrase that the resurrection body will not be a body......Page 397
SOLUTION: Jesus was always without sin actually, but He was made to be sin for us......Page 398
SOLUTION: Paul is speaking in different contexts. In one passage, he is speaking with......Page 399
GALATIANS 3:17—Does Paul err in the amount of time between Abraham and the time the Law was given? PROBLEM: In Galatians 3:17 , the apostle states that a period of 430 years elapsed......Page 400
SOLUTION: The word for “burden” is different in each case. In the first passage, Paul......Page 401
SOLUTION: “Death” in the Bible is not to be understood as annihilation, but as......Page 402
SOLUTION: Some say that Paul did not quote from the Septuagint, but from the......Page 403
SOLUTION: There are two views as to where Jesus went the three days His body was in......Page 404
SOLUTION: Anger as such is not necessarily wrong. In fact, anger at sin is definitely......Page 405
EPHESIANS 6:5—Doesn’t this command perpetuate the institution of slavery?......Page 406
SOLUTION: There are two possible responses to this.......Page 407
SOLUTION: Properly understood, these are not mutually exclusive. Mourning is the......Page 408
SOLUTION: Bible scholars respond to this problem in two different ways, depending on......Page 409
SOLUTION: First of all, Paul is not speaking about universal salvation here, but simply......Page 411
SOLUTION: Christ’s death on the Cross is sufficient for our salvation. The Bible makes......Page 412
COLOSSIANS 3:20—Does Paul contradict Jesus when he exhorts children, “obey your parents in all things”?......Page 413
SOLUTION: There are two possibilities. First, it is possible that not all divinely......Page 414
SOLUTION: The souls of both believers and unbelievers are conscious between death......Page 416
SOLUTION: There are two ways to understand this verse without alleging that Paul......Page 417
SOLUTION: “Destruction” does not mean annihilation here, otherwise it would not be......Page 418
2 THESSALONIANS 2:11—How can God send a lie for people to believe and yet not allow liars in heaven?......Page 419
SOLUTION: God does not send a lie but simply confirms those who do not wish to......Page 420
SOLUTION: Not at all. When properly understood in context, these and many other......Page 421
1 TIMOTHY 5:23—Was Paul recommending wine-drinking for Christians? PROBLEM: The Bible repeatedly warns against abuse of strong drink and drunkenness (......Page 423
SOLUTION: God is the only one who has immortality intrinsically, by virtue of His......Page 424
SOLUTION: It should be observed, first of all, that Jesus’ instruction to “sell what you......Page 425
SOLUTION: A distinction must be made between the two senses of what it means to......Page 426
SOLUTION: Neither of these passages should be taken universally. Proverbs were only......Page 427
SOLUTION: First, most versions translate this verse “All Scripture is God-breathed,”......Page 428
SOLUTION: Paul is not quoting this non-Christian source as inspired, but simply as......Page 429
SOLUTION: The severity of the action of the church will depend on the seriousness of......Page 430
SOLUTION: Slavery is unethical and unbiblical and neither Paul’s actions nor his......Page 431
SOLUTION: God is sovereign over all life. Only He can create it, and only He has......Page 433
SOLUTION: The phrase “days of His flesh” simply refers to Jesus’ earthly sojourn. It......Page 434
SOLUTION: There are two basic interpretations of this passage. Some take it to refer to......Page 435
HEBREWS 7:3—Does this verse support reincarnation? PROBLEM: Hebrews tells us that Melchizedek, “having neither beginning of days nor......Page 436
HEBREWS 7:19—Was the Law of Moses perfect or imperfect? PROBLEM: The psalmist declared that the “law of the Lord is perfect” ( Ps. 19:7 ). It......Page 437
SOLUTION: Several possible solutions have been suggested to this difficulty. Any one......Page 438
HEBREWS 9:4—Were there three things in the ark or only the tables of stone? PROBLEM: This passage claims that the ark of the covenant had the golden bowl of......Page 441
SOLUTION: The sacrifices in the OT were not intended to take away sin, but only to......Page 442
SOLUTION: It is true that Barak did not want to go to war without Deborah and showed......Page 443
SOLUTION: There are two important things to observe about this pasage. First, the......Page 444
SOLUTION: God did not tempt Abraham (nor anyone) to sin. Rather, He tested......Page 445
SOLUTION: The demons are not saved because they do not exercise a saving kind of......Page 446
SOLUTION: James and Paul would be contradictory if they were speaking about the......Page 447
JAMES 5:12—Is oath-taking forbidden or blessed? PROBLEM: This and many other verses (cf. Hosea 4:2 ; Matt. 5:33–37 ) condemn oath-taking.......Page 448
SOLUTION: There are three possible solutions here. First, the three years may be a......Page 449
SOLUTION: Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive. A person should not believe......Page 450
SOLUTION: To interpret this as proof of a spiritual, rather than a physical resurrection,......Page 451
SOLUTION: The Bible is clear that there is no second chance after death (cf. Heb. 9:27......Page 452
SOLUTION: In response it should be noted, first, that there is no hope held out......Page 453
SOLUTION: First, in his earlier epistle, Peter had Silas as a secretary ( 5:12 ,......Page 454
2 PETER 3 : 7—Does perdition mean the unsaved will be annihilated?......Page 455
SOLUTION: John uses the perfect tense here in Greek, meaning past action with......Page 456
SOLUTION: The reason is very simple. This verse has virtually no support among the......Page 457
SOLUTION: There is an apparent conflict here, but no contradiction for several reasons.......Page 458
SOLUTION: First of all, if the “elect lady” were a particular person, this would not......Page 459
SOLUTION: We are supposed to follow both instructions. The apparent discrepancy......Page 460
SOLUTION: As a rule, God’s work should be supported by God’s people. For those......Page 462
SOLUTION: First, it is not certain that Jude is actually citing the Book of Enoch. He......Page 463
REVELATION 5:5—Will Jesus come again as a lion or a lamb? PROBLEM: In this prophecy, Jesus is depicted as a Lion, the king of beasts. This fits......Page 465
SOLUTION: The Bible does not teach that the world is square. First of all, this is a......Page 466
SOLUTION: Spiritual Interpretation. Some take the “144,000 of all the tribes of Israel”......Page 467
SOLUTION: Although Satan has great spiritual powers, there is a gigantic difference......Page 468
System of Transliteration......Page 470
The Hebrew Language......Page 471
Personal Names......Page 472
Numeric Figures......Page 473
UNORTHODOX RELIGIOUS DOCTRINES......Page 475
BIBLE DIFFICULTIES......Page 484