In this post, I would like to take the time to address some apparent contradictions in the scriptures that are frequently presented by non-Christians. I mean not to cast any disparaging thought toward those that present them. I am aware they may not be familiar with the scriptures and the proper hermeneutics of interpretation.
(Marriam-Webster Definition of hermeneutic)
1. hermeneutics plural in form but singular or plural in construction: the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible)
2. a method or principle of interpretation a philosophical hermeneutic
Christians throughout their histories have used various hermeneutics of study, the primary purpose of hermeneutics, and of the exegetical methods employed in interpretation, has been to discover the truths and values expressed in the Bible. Without hermeneutics, the true understanding of the text would most certainly allude us. For instance, if one used the hermeneutic of literal interpretation only, one would have to concede that God has feathers, for Psalms, 91:4 KJV states: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Well, of course, it takes a method of study to understand the true meaning of that text, one which a literal interpretation will not lead you to. As you become familiar and skilled with the use of these hermeneutical tools that have been applied over the centuries to the Biblical text, it becomes much easier to arrive at some of the more difficult texts. These tools are not something to simply smooth over contradictions, but to unveil the truth as clearly as possible. They are tools that are used not just for Biblical text, but any text that is being examined where the author or original sources are no longer available. These methods of study have been developed over the centuries as the science of study has driven men to unravel the mysteries of ancient documents.
Christians throughout history have held to what they call the perspicuity of scripture, perspicuity meaning clear and lucid. The Westminster Confession of Faith explains what Christians believe when they speak of the perspicuity of Scripture: "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all. Yet, those things that are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or another, that not only the learned but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them." In other words, not everything in Scripture is easy to understand, but what we must understand to be saved is clear. However, there are some hard sayings found throughout Scripture and as a result, many times people unfamiliar with the scriptures see things as contradictions when in reality the learned Christian can harmonize them in his studies. That is not to say the hard sayings and their understanding come easy, the scriptures themselves tell us much work and study is involved.
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
(15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Having said that as a lead-in, let's look at a few scriptures.
2 Samuel 24:1 ESV
(1) Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
1 Chronicles 21:1 ESV
(1) Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
Many times someone wanting to disparage the Biblical text will cite this passage. And we certainly can't fault them for doing so, for the text does ascribe by one writer the LORD ( Yahweh) as the inciter and the other writer as Satan. You would be hard-pressed to find a contradiction with greater polar ends than that. A full explanation of all the hermeneutical tools that are useful here would go beyond the scope of this blog post, however, I think we can get a working idea without being that comprehensive.
One tool is the idea that scripture interprets scripture. One simply takes an unclear passage and applies an understanding by observing what a more clear passage says about the subject. It's like having a Q&A session with your favorite teacher. For example, everyone has had someone say something that at first sounded unclear. You might have asked, "what did you mean by that?" Then upon a fuller explanation, the ambiguity was cleared up. Well, obviously we can't ask Samuel or Ezra assuming he was the author of 1 Chronicles, what's up with you two? The Christian however, understands the scripture to be of a single author though there were about 40 different writers.
2 Peter 1:19-21 ESV
(19) And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
(20) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.
(21) For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
So we can go to the scriptures themselves, the author being the Holy Spirit, and say, "Hey! What's up here, you seem to be contradicting yourself?" Then, with some time and a little work, we can not only harmonize the two statements but also arrive at the intended understanding.
We find in another scripture passage something similar, 1 Samuel 16:14 ERV "The LORD'S Spirit left Saul. Then the LORD sent an evil spirit to Saul that caused him much trouble." Who caused Saul his trouble? One could say the evil spirit, for it is said he was the active cause. However, one could say the LORD (Yahweh), for it was under his authority the evil spirit acted. Or one could do as was done here and ascribe both in a fuller explanation. A writer could ascribe the cause to one, while another writer ascribes the same to the other, and both be correct. This type of interaction of men and the unseen realm is seen throughout scripture in many narratives, when the well-studied Christian reads texts such as 2 Samuel 24:1 and 1 Chronicles 21:1, he sees no contradiction, for his method of hermeneutics gives him the understanding of how and what has occurred. The book of Job is filled with this type of narrative.
It is a misconception by many that Satan is roaming about independently of himself when it is not the tenure that is presented in scripture. What you find in scripture is a Sovereign Creator with absolute control over his creation. There are fallen creatures and evil in the world, they exist only because Yahweh allows it to be for his own good purposes and the ultimate plan.
Isaiah 45:5-7 ESV
(5) I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,
(6) that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
(7) I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.
Yahweh is not the cause of the evil itself in that he somehow infused it into his creation, but only in the sense that he allows it to be and arise from the creation itself. The sin and acts of Satan and men are truly in and of themselves and they bare them alone. Sin in no way can touch or be attached to Yahweh in any fashion, but in His Sovereign wisdom and understanding, he commands and directs those evil acts for righteous ends. The most outstanding example of that is the crucifixion of Christ.
It is said in Acts 4:23-28 ESV
(23) When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
(24) And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
(25) who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people's plot in vain?
(26) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
(27) for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
(28) to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
It was Yahweh who had purposed and planned the crucifixion of Christ from eternity. Yet, the envy, hatred, and political posturing of Herod, Pilate, and the people were all real and motivating emotions driving them from within their own souls. Yet, it was God who was using and directing all those sinful acts for the righteous end of bringing Salvation to the human race. At the moment God's righteous end could not be seen, only the tragedy of the moment.
The contradiction of 2 Samuel 24:1 and 1 Chronicles 21:1 is solved with the understanding that Yahweh, by the means of allowing Satan to influence David by tempting David via his sinful nature to sin in trusting in his own strength and command of his forces. We see the tragedy of that sin, God's righteous ends in the directing of that sin are found in the full scope of Israel's history and the path that took them in accomplishing of God's purpose. Both statements are correct, If you are a critic that, perhaps, will not satisfy you, but at least you can understand how the text is harmonized.
Remember, the Gospel is clear and concise, salvation is found in Christ and Christ alone. Recognizing your inability to answer the demands of God's perfection, laying aside all attempts to do so, and putting your trust in the complete work of Christ on the cross to redeem you and place you within his elect people. The work of understanding the deep mysteries of who God is and how this all works itself out in your life is a wonderful journey the Christian then has the pleasure of enjoying for the rest of their lives.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ESV
(1) Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
(2) and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
(3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
(4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
(5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
(6) Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
(7) Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
(8) Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
(9) For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
(10) But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
(11) Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
May the Grace of God be with each of you,
David
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