The Inspiration of the Scriptures #7

Who wrote the Bible? Inspired or uninspired men?

In recent articles, I have presented much evidence which I believe proves they were inspired. Yes, in those articles I proved, I believe, those men recorded much pre-geography, pre-science, and pre-history, and that all attempts to show there were errors, in those recordings--have failed.

In this article, I shall show that the alleged contradictions found in the Bible are just that, only alleged ones.

The critics say the Bible contradicts itself because it teaches the Sabbath Day is and is not to be observed, divorce for any cause is permitted and denied, circumcision is commanded and forbidden, feast days are and are not to be observed, and some flesh may not be eaten and all flesh may be eaten.

I readily admit the Bible teaches all of this.

Yes, Exodus 20:28 teaches men are to observe the Sabbath, and Colossians 2:16 says it is not to be observed. Deuteronomy 24:1-3 teaches one may divorce and remarry for any cause and Matthew 19:9 declares there is only one reason for which one may divorce and remarry.

Genesis 17:10 makes the ordinance of circumcision a command, whereas, Galatians 5:1 forbids it. Deuteronomy 16:16 dedemands the observance of feast days, but Galatians 4:8-11 forbids observance. Deuteronomy 14:7 forbids the consumption of certain meats, but Romans 14:14 and 1 Timothy 4:1-5 authorizes the partaking of all meat.

Now, beyond a doubt, these scriptures do contradict each other.

However, this does not mean the writers of the Bible contradicted one another.

You see, for each of these apparent contradictions, the critics have arrayed a scriptures from the Old Testament against one of the New Testament.

Oh yes, it was the Old Testament scriptures which we hear say the Sabbath day, or Saturday was to be kept. Divorce and remarriage for any cause was permissable, all men were to be circumcised, feast days were to be observed and some meats were unclean.

Whereas, it was the New Testament scriptures we heard deny all that was taught by those scriptures of the Old Testament.

My dear readers, the critics who believe these are real contradictions, and not just apparent ones, are those who do not understand how to rightly divide the Bible.

You see, the Bible is divided into two major parts, the Old and New Testaments.

The Old Testament portion contains the covenant which God, through Moses and the prophets, made with the children of Israel. Whereas, the New Testament scriptures are those peculiar to the covenant which God, through His Son has given unto all people.

When God promised to make this new covenant with us, he said it would be different from the one he had made with Israel. Yes, in Jeremiah 31:31-32 He spake through the prophet Jeremiah saying, "Behold, the days come that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt."

Then too, Hebrews 7:11-15; Hebrews 7;15-19; Hebrews 10:9; Romans 7:1-6; 2 Corinthians 3:1-12, Galatians chapters 1,3, 4 and 5; Ephesians 2 and Colossians 2 declares that with the giving of the new covenant (or New Testament), there was a taking away of the Old Testament. Remember, Jeremiah 31:31-34 said, "The new will be different from the old." So it necessarily follows, that with the coming of the new--there was a passing away of the old. That which is different cannot exist simultaneously with that which it differs. This is what Paul meant when in Hebrews 10:9 he wrote, "He taketh away the first that He may establish the second." (Editors Note: There is no proof that Paul wrote Hebrews, this is a matter of opinion on many peoples part,CS)

So you see, even though these contradictory statements are to be found in the Bible as a whole, this does not mean the writers of the New Testament contradicted that which was written by the men who wrote the Old Testament. No, all it means is one group of people recorded the terms of one covenant, for one dispensation of time, and the others have recorded the terms of another covenant for another group of people and another dispensation which the Lord Himself said would be different from the first one.

No, the critics by this invalid method, have not nor ever will, prove the writers of the Bible have contradicted one another--and thus discredit their claim of inspiration.

By: Tommy Hodge

Return to What Saith The Scriptures index page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /