Bible Difficulties? - Newsgroup Post

Bible Difficulties?

The following message was posted in the "alt.religion.christian.baptist" Newsgroup.

Someone e-mailed me about the discussions concerning supposed contradictions and other difficulties in the Bible in this Newsgroup ("alt.religion.christian.baptist" and cross-posted to several others). He sent me a sample of the discussions trying to entice me into participating. So I have been "lurking" here for a little while, taking particular note of posts relating to this subject.

I must say, the discussions are rather interesting, though not surprising. I have seen many such claims before. I also find it somewhat disheartening when I see Christians who are not able to defend their faith in an objective manner.

Now I most definitely do not have all the answers; nor do I have the time or energy to respond to each and every "difficulty" raised. But I will try my best to respond to one claimed difficulty at a time as I am able. My first such post will follow this one. But first, I would like to recommend a couple of hardcopy resources that could be helpful for those wanting to investigate the subject of Bible difficulties further.

The first is Craig Blomberg’s book, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (InterVarsity Press). Dr. Blomberg was one of my professors at Denver Seminary. The book covers supposed contradictions and other problems with the Gospels.

The second book is Gleason Archer’s Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (Zondervan). I have found this book particularly helpful. For instance, I have seen someone "challenge" Christians to present a harmony of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ as recorded in the four Gospels, Acts, and 1Corinthians. He claimed that he had seen no such harmony that included all six of these narratives. Archer does present just such a harmony, on pages 347-356 of his book.

The length of Archer’s harmony should help to answer, somewhat, why no one has responded to the "challenge" and posted a full harmony of their own. It would take a lot of time and research to write out such a harmony. And frankly I personally do not have the time or energy either at this time. However, I will try to answer some specific points of the "challenge" as I am able and maybe sometime in the future I will try to write a full harmony [see Easter Harmony].

In the meantime, I would love to scan and post all ten pages of Archer’s harmony; but to copy such a lengthy excerpt from a book would probably be infringing copyright laws! So the best I can do is to recommend to anyone who is interested to attain his book.

Another book I found in my library with a harmony of events is J. Dwight Pentecost’s The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan). This book is a commentary on a harmony of all four Gospels. He discusses the resurrection appearances to the ascension in the final chapter of the book (pp. 495-513). Note again the length of the harmony.

At the beginning of the chapter are two extended quotes providing brief harmonies of the events of the first Easter. The first is quoting from J.W. Shepard’s The Christ of the Gospels (Eerdmans, p. 611).

Shepard’s harmony for this one day is short enough for me to scan and post:
The order of the vents of this memorable Sunday, the resurrection day, are probably as follows: the earthquake, followed by the descent of the angel, the opening of the tomb as the "very early" dour of "deep dawn," while it was yet dark. Mary Magdalene being a nimble young woman, eagerly ran ahead and came first to the tomb, finding it open. Immediately she ran back by the nearest way to inform Peter and John of this fact (John 20:1).

The other women completed their two mile’s walk from Bethany to the sepulcher, arriving a little after the rising of the sun (Mark 16:2). An angel suddenly appeared to them and gave them an urgent message to the disciples (Matt 28:5; Mark 16:5f). Another party of women come a little later, and see "two young men" dressed in white at the tomb, and receive words of comfort and instruction (Luke 24:4).

About 6:30 a.m. Peter and John arrive, John running ahead (John 20:11-13). Mary Magdalene coming a little alter saw two angels (John 20:11-13). The other women had returned to bear the message to the other apostles (Luke 24:10). About 7:00 a.m. Jesus first revealed Himself to the company of women returning to the sepulcher, and sent them with the charge to the brethren to go to Galilee (Matt 28:9f).

About 4 p.m. He appeared to Simon Peter (Luke 24:23; 1Cor 15:5), and from 4-6 p.m. to Clephas and his companion on the way to Emmaus. Finally, in the evening, probably about 8 p.m., He appeared to the eleven, (ten) and others in the room with barred doors (Luke 24:36f; Mark 16:14; John 29:19f).

Surely this was a never-to-be forgotten day for the disciples. It made a new world for them, and for His disciples for all subsequent times.

Pentecost then quotes from A.E. Breen’s A Harmonized Exposition of the Four Gospels (J.P. Smith publishers). Now Breen’s harmony of the first Easter is even longer and in two columns in some parts (to indicate events happening simultaneously). So I cannot reproduce it in this format.

Breen’s harmony differs somewhat from Shepard’s. Pentecost then comments, "While it is impossible to dogmatize on the chronology of events, the above shows that a harmony is possible, difficulties do not nullify the accuracy of a record" (p.498). Pentecost then provides further details and takes the harmony of the narrative up to the ascension in the rest of the chapter.

A third book I have with a harmony is Josh McDowell’s The Resurrection Factor (Here’s Life Publishers). Appendix B (pp. 125-134) contains the last part of Dr. Johnston Cheny’s The Life of Christ in Stereo (Western Baptist Seminary Press, pp. 204-214).

So that is three books I was able to find in my own personal library providing harmonies of the resurrection appearances of Christ by five different authors. Now I am not saying I necessarily agree with all these harmonies. It would require much more study for me to present my own perspective of the events. But, as Pentecost states, the these books do show "that a harmony is possible" even if there are disagreements on specific points.

Another book I heard of recently that should provide help in harmonizing the resurrection appearances and dealing with supposed Bible difficulties in general is Norman Geisler’s and Thomas Howe’s When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties.

I don’t personally own this book; but Thomas Howe was interviewed on a local Christian radio talk show. What I heard of the interview sounded like this book would be very helpful.

The above books should be available from the Christian book companies listed near the top of the following page on my site: Christian Books and Software.

My first response to an alleged difficulty in the post-resurrection appearances of Christ will be posted under the subject heading: "Touch Me Not".

Lastly, these discussions are being cross-posted across several Newsgroups; but frankly, I don’t like excessive cross-posting. I see no sense in having a bunch of different Newsgroups with the same messages posted in them. So I will only be posting my comments in two groups: "alt.religion.christian.baptist" (since it was the Newsgroup I was directed to) and "alt.bible" (since it is probably the most appropriate of the groups for this discussion).

Thank you.

><> Reepicheep <><

For a follow-up to the above message, see the E-mail Exchange Re: Bible Difficulties?

Scripture Workbooks

The doctrinal and ethical teachings of the Bible as presented in these books encompass an overall way of viewing the world that differs greatly from the prevailing secular worldview. It is hoped these books will enable the reader to not only understand this Biblical worldview but also why it is true and thus to come to trust in it, and then to be prepared to defend this Biblical worldview before an unbelieving world (Luke 24:27,45; Acts 14:14-18; 17:22-31). The most recent and comprehensive is the first book listed.

Scripture Workbook, Third Edition: For Personal and Group Bible Study and Teaching the Bible

Scripture Workbook: For Personal Bible Study and Teaching the Bible: Second Edition

Scripture Workbook: For Personal Bible Study and Teaching the Bible: Edition 1.1