True; Inerrant; Infallible?
Has the "Holy Bible" itself become your idol in the place of the living God? Do you place your faith in the supposed truth; inerrancy; and infallibility of some ancient faded manuscripts? Have you invested your trust in the accuracy of your favorite crisp, new, "modern" English translation? Perhaps you are one who believes that the King James "Authorized" version of the Bible is the only trustworthy version. How about the "New" King James "Amplified?"
What is today called the "Holy" Bible is said to be the written and living "Word" of God, - just as the one called "Jesus" is said to be the living "Word" (Gr. - "Logos") of God in the flesh. (Jn. 1:1)
(Acts 7:38) "This is he (Moses) that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles (Gr. - "Logion" - "utterances") to give unto us ... "
(Deu. 32:46) "And he (Moses) said unto them, 'Set your heart unto all the words which I testify unto you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, even all the words of this law. (:47) For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.'"
(Heb. 4:12) "For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart."
(Jn. 10:34) "Yahshvah answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods? (:35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken)" - The previous phrase is a parenthetical addition, a pious "gloss" made by one of John's disciples after his death. This phrase is invariably used to support the idea of biblical infallibility.
At the risk of being calumnized as a "heretic" by some religious folks, the author now submits that the Bible itself, as we know it today; ... or perhaps we should say - as we DON'T really know it; while worthy of our greatest respect and admiration, and our most meticulous examination and study; is certainly NOT worthy of our worship; and is not in itself "Holy". The "Biblia" (Gr. - "Books") is simply the greatest collection of books and letters ever written. In our deeper studies, now, we must take great care not to claim a miracle where God has not really moved, or to attempt to make "Holy", by our own efforts, what God Himself has not sanctified in it's entirety.
Fundamentalist "Apologists" for the total accuracy of "Scripture", often find themselves defending certain things that appear within the text by resorting to convoluted arguments which fly in the face of logic, and all the accepted evidence. We will examine many of these "problems" below.
There are literally hundreds of scientific and historical inaccuracies in the Bible, to say nothing of many inconsistencies, contradictions, and the cultural biases of the many authors and redactors of the sixty-six; or seventy-seven, or more books of the Bible (depending on which "Canon" you accept); as well as thousands of scribal errors; additions and omissions in copying, and errors in translation and transliteration of the names of people and places. There are as many as 150,000 unintentional, and intentional alterations in even our oldest New Testament manuscripts alone. The vast majority of these are insignificant copying errors, but 400 or more of these textual alterations are significant, and at least 50 of these have caused confusion, materially affecting the sense of the message.
Yet, the Bible certainly does contain the truth of God's Word - truly "Scriptural", and inspired of the Holy Spirit. It also contains many true facts of science and history found nowhere else in ancient times, or even today! Many Bible truths have been reluctantly verified by skeptical scholars themselves, while digging up "bones" in impressive archeological expeditions in Bible lands.
We are also convinced, in spite of many skeptic's arguments, that the most ancient manuscripts of the Pentateuch contain some amazing mathmatically encrypted prophetic messages (the famous "Bible Codes") that can only have been hidden within the text by God Himself! This internal evidence is just one more "proof" that should drive us all to deeper study in these "last days".
How can we discern truth from error? And if we do find error, must we then discard the entire Bible as suspect? No, of course not! That would be tantamount to "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." We must, in all humility, turn to GOD, the Holy Spirit! (Jn. 16:13) "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth."
(2 Tim. 3:16 NIV) "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
(2 Tim. 3:16 KJV) "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
(2 Tim. 3:16 ASV) "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness."
The American Standard Version's translation (above) of this verse begs the questions: What IS "Scripture?" Is there "Scripture" NOT " inspired of God?"
When Paul wrote these words to Timothy, "Scripture" consisted of the "Law; the Prophets; and the Writings" of the Old Testament only. However, within 25 years of his death, Paul's own writings were well-known, and commonly considered to be "Scripture" among early believers. Even the "Big Fisherman", Peter, admitted:
(2 Pet. 3:15 ASV) "...account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; (:16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsteadfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
This author submits that the revered Peter was often prone to misunderstanding and error in his judgments, as we have seen repeatedly in the gospel accounts. Could it be that Peter was confused (as he was by many of the things that Yahshvah taught when He was with him.) about "some things hard to be understood" in Paul's letters, - some things that might be considered "scriptural" by many, but which are indeed not "God Breathed" at all? Consider that Peter's own writings were also not considered "Scripture" at the time of their writing.
There are many "extrabiblical" writings which were considered "Scriptural" in ancient times, some even alluded to in the Bible, which nevertheless failed to "make the cut" in either of the two separate "Canons" of "Holy Scripture" we acknowlege today. The Catholic "Canon", for example, contains eleven additional "Apocryphal" books that do not appear in the Protestant "Canon." Are these "Scripture", or not? You might get an argument from our Catholic Brothers and Sisters!
Paul says: (Gal. 5:14 ASV) "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." But, Yahshvah says: (Mt. 22:37) "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (:38) This is the Great and First Commandment. (:39) And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (:40) On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets."
Am I alone in thinking that Paul has apparently left something very important (" ... the Great and First Commandment") out of his statement above?
In his letter to the Romans, Paul says: (Rom. 7:15, ISV) "I don't understand what I am doing. For I don't do what I want to do, but instead do what I hate." Could it be that Paul might have "failed to do" what he wanted to do, and instead did what he "hates" in certain portions of his writings, ie: inserting his own ideas, understanding, and perspectives in place of the clear inspiration of the Holy Spirit?
Paul asks his Corinthian readers: (1 Cor. 11:14 ASV) "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a dishonor to him?" Well, what IS the answer to this rhetorical question? What does "nature" teach? Simply this: hair grows! Paul's assumption reflects the cultural bias of a Hellenized Jew of the first century.
(Jn. 12:24 KJV) (Yahshvah:) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." - Here, even Yahshvah Himself is guilty of repeating an ancient farming fallacy, that a seed "dies" in the ground before bringing forth fruit. It may cease to exist any longer as a "seed", but it certainly does not "die"!
Lev. 11:20-23 - "All insects that creep, going on all four, shall be an abomination to you. (Vs. 21) Yet, these may you eat, of every flying creeping thing that goes on all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap anywhere on the earth; (Vs. 22) Even these of them you may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the cricket after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. (Vs. 23) "But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet shall be an abomination to you." - All insects have six legs! Does our Creator not know this?
(1 Cor. 5:1 ASV) (Paul:) "It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, and of a kind that is not found even among the gentiles. A man is actually living with his father's wife! (:2) And you are being arrogant instead of being filled with grief and seeing to it that the man who did this is removed from among you. (:3) Even though I am away from you physically, I am with you in spirit. I have already passed judgment on the man who did this, as though I were present with you. (:4) When you are gathered together in the name of our Lord Yahshvah and my spirit and the power of our Lord Yahshvah are present, (:5) hand this man over to Satan ..." Before responding to this "report" of what appears to be gossip, I think I would have had to ask if the man's father were still living, and if not, how long had he been dead, and is the widow ("his father's wife") the man's mother; or, did she even raise the man herself as his stepmother? I would also have to ask myself: "Who am I to be passing judgement?", when Christ has said: (Mt. 7:1 KJV) "Judge not, that ye be not judged. (:2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you." and: (Mk. 2:17 ASV) "... I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Joh 8:11 KJV) "And Yahshvah said, 'Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.'"
Paul: (1 Cor. 11:1 KJV) "Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Cor. 4:14 KJV) "I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. (:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel." (:16) I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me."
(Phm. 1:9) "I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus, (:10) appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment."
Yahshvah: (Mt. 23:9 KJV) "And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even He who is in heaven." (Mt. 5:48 KJV) "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Peter, quoting from Yahshvah, the "Logos" - "Word", speaking in his pre-existent form (YHVH!) (1 Pet. 1:16) "... Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." (from Lev. 11:44;19:2;20:7)
Later, to his credit, Paul does say: (Eph. 5:1) "Be ye therefore imitators of God ..." AMEN!
Paul: (Gal. 1:6 ISV) "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ to follow a different gospel, (:7) which is not really another one. To be sure, there are certain people who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel about Christ." (note: ASV and KJV read: "the gospel of Christ.") - Paul himself here distorts the true gospel of Christ, by making it about the person of "Jesus" instead of the Gospel Yahshvah Himself preached: (Mk. 1:14 KJV) "Now after John was delivered up, Yahshvah came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, (:15) and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel."
(Heb. 4:8, KJV) "For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day."
(Heb. 4:8, ASV) "For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day."
The traditional modern English form of the name: "Jesus" is itself only one transliteration - of a Latin transliteration ("Iesv") - of a Greek transliteration ("Iesovs") - of Christ's Formal Hebrew (Holy) Name: YHSHVH (yod-hay-shin-vav-hay; "yahshvah"); or, in its more commonly contracted Hebrew form: YSV' (yod-shin-vav-ayin; "Yashva"; "Yeshua"; or the modern English: "Joshua", - as in the ASV above. - Note: The letter "J" did not actually exist in the English alphabet until the 17th century AD!) The name "Jesus" is, in fact, a thinly disguised "homage" - a capitulation to many of the early gentile (pagan) "Christian" convert's former "Lord" ("Baal") - the "King of the Gods": "(Gee)Zeus!" is nothing less than one of the many names of the "god of this world", Baalzebub! Yes, if you have "eyes to see and ears to hear" you may learn that the "Lord of the Flies" has actually managed to insidiously insert one of his own names into the bible narrative in the place of Lord Yahshvah's! This is of no avail to the defeated "enemy", however, ... because Yahshvah continues to honor faith, sincerely directed to Him, even in the cross-culturally corrupted name of "Jesus"!
Yahshvah: (Jn. 5:22 KJV) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."
Peter: (1 Pet. 1:17 KJV) "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, ..."
(Acts 9:7) "And the men which journeyed with him [Paul] stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
Later, (Paul:) (Acts 22:9) "And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me."
Paul: (1 Cor. 10:33) " ... just as I myself try to please everybody in every way, not looking for my own advantage but for that of many people, so that they might be saved." Later: (Gal 1:10) "Am I now trying to win the approval of people or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ's servant."
Problems?
The "Pentateuch", the first five books of the Old Testament, which are commonly attributed to Moses, were actually written, and rewritten, by a number of authors between the tenth and fifth centuries BC. The oldest tradition, dubbed "J" (the "Jahwist") was probably written by a woman in the court of Rehoboam in close cooperation with the "Court Historian", who wrote most of what we now know as 2nd Samuel. Later strands in Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers are all revisions or censorings of "J". These include "E": or the "Elohist"; "P": the "Priestly" author or "school", which wrote nearly all of Leviticus; "D": the author, or authors of Deuteronomy; and "R": the great "Redactor", probably Ezra the priest/scribe, and his disciples, who revised and edited all the various strands of the Old Testament into the "Books" as we now know them. This revision was completed about 458 BC; long after the events described, and is most certainly colored by the beliefs, biases, and errors of the "redactor" and all these authors and editors over the centuries. There was even a further "final" revision of what is called the "received text" of the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, during the middle ages, wherein the Masoretes completely rewrote the Hebrew Bible in "Modern" Hebrew, with added "vowel markings" to supposedly make it easier to properly pronounce the words. The Masoretes also took it upon themselves to "simplify", or shorten many theophoric elements in the names of persons and places, and to substitute "Adonai" ("Lord"), or "Elohim" ("God") in place of "Yahvah" (the "Tetragrammaton": YHVH - also: "Yahweh", or "Jehovah")
(Ex. 17:14) "And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this [for] a memorial in a book, and rehearse [it] in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." - Here is the remembrance of Amelek, written [for] a memorial in the book at the instructions of YHVH!
The "being" (Yahvah, or His "angel") that wrestled with Yaakob in Gen. 32:28 said: "... Thy name shall be called no more Yaakob ("Jacob"), but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." - Is this what actually happened thereafter? Hardly! All of the Prophets wrote concerning "Yaakob", and the "House of Yaakob". The Prophets used Yaakob's name about 230 times - after the "being" told him that his name "shall be called no more Yaakob"!
(Ex. 38:21) " This is the sum of the tabernacle, [even] of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, [for] the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest." - This is a historically inaccurate late addition. The Levites were not yet established.
(Nu. 1:45) "So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; (:46) Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty." - This historical inaccuracy implies that Israel's population was 2.5 million, at a time when the whole population of neighboring Egypt was probably less than 2 million.
(Nu. 22:2 - 24:25) - The entire story of Balaam is a reconstruction from two earlier traditions which are not consistent with eachother.
(Deu. 10:6) "And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. (:7) From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters. (:8) At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. (:9) Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD [is] his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him." - These verses are a late "gloss", a scribal addition that interrupts the narrative.
(Josh. Ch 10 & 11) - These chapters describe a swift conquest of Canaanite kings by the united tribes under Joshua, whereas (Josh. Chapters 13 - 15 &17), a differing tradition, describes a slow and incomplete conquest, accomplished by the tribes acting seperately.
(Jdg. 1:8) "Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire." - This is a late gloss. Jerusalem was captured by David: (2 Sam. 5:6) "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither." (:7) "Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same [is] the city of David."
(1 Sam. 15:35) "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death ... " - Whereas, in (1 Sam. 19:21 - 24), a different tradition is recorded: (1 Sam. 19:21) "And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. (:22) Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that [is] in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where [are] Samuel and David? And [one] said, Behold, [they be] at Naioth in Ramah. (:23) And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. (:24) And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, [Is] Saul also among the prophets?"
(1 Sam. Chapters 8-12) Two traditions about the institution of the monarchy are alternated in these chapters; one from an anti-royalist (Ch. 8; 10:17-24; & Ch. 12), and the other from a royalist (Ch.9; 10:16; and Ch. 11)
(1 Sam. 27:10) "And Achish said, 'Whither have ye made a road today?' And David said, 'Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.'" - A historical inaccuracy. None of David's raids was against Judah; the Jerameelites; or the Kenites.
(1 Ki. 6:1) "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Jehovah." - When we total the lengths of the reigns of the kings of Judah from this verse to the destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC), the year 1016 BC emerges. Counting back 480 years yields 1496 BC for the Exodus. (Ex. 12:40) "Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years." - Counting back another 430 years yields 1926 BC for the beginning of the sojourn in Egypt of Jacob/Israel. Adding the lengths of the Patriarchs lives (290) and counting back yields 2216 BC for the birth of Abraham. (Gen. 12:4) "So Abram went, as Jehovah had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." - 2141 BC (Gen. 12:10) "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land." - 2141 - 2116 BC (Nu. 32:13) "And Jehovah's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander to and fro in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of Jehovah, was consumed." - This sets the beginning of the conquest of Canaan under Joshua in 1456 BC, and the Period of the Judges of Israel from that date to 1080 BC - A Historical inaccuracy - These calculations from the Bible record lead to datings which represent a colossal discrepancy with proven historical facts.
(1 Ki. 20:29) "And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And [so] it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day." - A historical inaccuracy.
(1 Chr. 5:11-26) - This list of the families and settlements of Gad and Manassah does not tally with earlier sources. Rather, it reflects the tribes at the time of the exile.
(1 Chr. 9:21) "[And] Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah [was] porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (:22) All these [which were] chosen to be porters in the gates [were] two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office. (:23) So they and their children [had] the oversight of the gates of the house of the LORD, [namely], the house of the tabernacle, by wards. (:24) In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. (:25) And their brethren, [which were] in their villages, [were] to come after seven days from time to time with them. (:26) For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in [their] set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. (:27) And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge [was] upon them, and the opening thereof every morning [pertained] to them." - A historical inaccuracy. At this time the Tabernacle was in Gibeon. The author is actually describing conditions in Jerusalem from his own later time, anticipating the Temple and it's servants.
(2 Chr. 8:4) "And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath." - "Tadmor" is the city of Palmyra. Here the name listed is an error. It should read: "Tamar"
(Neh. 8:17) "And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness." - A historical inaccuracy. This would have been in 445 BC. But, Solomon kept the Feast of Booths in his own time (950BC) according to 2 Chr. 7:8; and 8:13.
(Neh. 9:3) "And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God [one] fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. (:4) Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, [and] Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God." - This "gloss" reflects liturgical penitential gatherings of the Chronicler's own day.
Esther - There are many verses of Esther that appear in the Greek Septuagint that are not contained in the Hebrew. The arrangement and numbering of verses differs between the Greek, Hebrew, and the Latin Vulgate manuscripts.
Est. 1:1 (11:2) "In the second year of the reign of Artexerxes ("Ahasuerus"; "Xerxes") the Great, in the first day of the month Nisan, Mardocheus ("Mordecai") the son of Jairus, the son of Semei, the son of Cisai, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream ... " - These historical details cannot be harmonized. Mordecai in "Esther" is a courtier of Xerxes, about 480BC, but the historical Mordecai was exiled in the reign of Jeconiah, about 598BC.
(Est. 1:9) "Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus." - Queen Vashti is unknown to history.
(Est. 3:1) "After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him." - "Agag" is an unknown country; The name "Agag" itself is known; as that of an Amelekite king conquered by Saul.
The Psalms - From Ps.10 to Ps.148, the numbering of the Hebrew Bible is one figure ahead of the Greek and Vulgate, which join 9 and ten, and also 114 and 115, but divide both 116 and 147 in two.
(Ps. 116:8) "For thou hast delivered {my soul from death}, mine eyes from tears, [and] my feet from falling." - Bracketed words added by a later editor to agree with Ps. 56:13.
(Ps. 116:9) "I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living." - Also Added by the same editor, this verse should be read after verse 17.
(Ps. 145:13) "(Mem) Thy kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion [endureth] throughout all generations." "(Nun) Always true to His promises, Yahweh shows love in all He does." - This verse is missing from the Hebrew.
Ecclesiastes - This book was written and compiled by several authors over time using the fictitious "Nom de Plume" of Solomon ("Qoheleth, [the 'preacher'] son of David, king in Jerusalem") in order to commend their own wisdom to their readers. The book was certainly compiled after the exile.
The Song of Songs - Also attributed to Solomon by a post-exilic author using a literary fiction.
Isaiah - The Oracles against Babylon (Chr. 13-14); the apocalypse (Chr. 24-27); and some poems (Chr. 33-35) are prophecies from the time of the exile, added about 100 years after Isaiah. Chapter 39 is a history of the period written by Isaiah's disciples. Chapters 40-55 contain prophecies by an unnamed writer, writing near the end of the exile. The editors knew these as "the Book of the Consolation of Israel." Embedded in this collection are the four "Songs of the Servant of Yahweh." Chapters 56-66 contain prophecies from different times and writers, from the call of Isaiah (740BC) to the restoration of Jerusalem following the exile.
Jeremiah - The following highlighted phrases from Jeremiah are all late additions ("glosses"):
(Jer. 25:1) " ... that [was] the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon ... " (:6) " ... and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt." (:7) "Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt." (:9) "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations." (:12) "And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, [that] I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations." (:14) "For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands." (:18) "[To wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as [it is] this day ... " (:20) " ... and all the kings of the land of Uz..." (:25) " ... And all the kings of Zimri..." (:26) " ... and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them." (Jer. 27:1) "In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying ..." (:7) "And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him." (:13) "Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?" (:17) "Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?" (:19) " ... concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and ..." (:22) " ... then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place." (Jer. 28:14) " ... and I have given him the beasts of the field also." (:16) " ... because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD." (Jer. 29:14) "And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive." (:25) " ... all the people that [are] at Jerusalem, ... and to all the priests" (:32) " ... saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD."
(Jer. 51:11) "Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it; because it [is] the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple." - This is a late "gloss", where the author names the "Medes" but means "Persians", whereas, the poem following speaks only of an "... enemy from the north."
Daniel - Written between 167 & 164 BC, the story of Daniel disregards known facts, persons, and dates of its historical setting and contains anachronisms in detail.
(Dan. 5:1) "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. (:2) Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple ... " - Belshazzar is a Babylonian name, and there is a historical person of that name, but he was not a son of Nebuchadnezzar, nor a king.
Micah - Micah concludes at Chapter 7:7. The poem that follows (7:8 - 20) "Hope for the Future", is an addition from the time of the exile.
(Zec. 6:11) "Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set (them) upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest ... " - The original text read: "Zerubbabel". "Joshua the son of Josedech" is a "modernization" by a later hand.
(Zec. 9:13) "When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan ("Greece"), and made thee as the sword of a mighty man." - a "gloss" refering to the conquest of Persia by Alexander.
(Mt. 6:15) "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." - A late "gloss", added for liturgical readings.
(Mt. 12:47) "Then one said unto Him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." - Verse 47 is absent in some textual witnesses. It is a restatement of Verse 46 modeled on Mark and Luke.
(Mt. 18:11) "For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." - Not included in the original text, this verse was added at the time verses were first numbered.
(Mk. 9:29) "And He said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." - Late added "Gloss".
(Mk. 9:44) "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." - Late added "Gloss".
(Mk. 9:46) "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." - Late added "Gloss", another repetition of verse 48.
(Mk. 11:26) "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." - Late added "Gloss", based on Mt. 6:15.
(Mk. 15:28) "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors." - Late added "Gloss".
(Mk. 16:9) "Now when [Jesus] was risen early the first [day] of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. (:10) [And] she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. (:11) And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. (:12) After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. (:13) And they went and told [it] unto the residue: neither believed they them. (:14) Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. (:15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (:16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (:17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (:18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (:19) So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (:20) And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with [them], and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." - Late added "Gloss". A pious addition by an early Christian scribe with the best of intentions.
John - Published by his disciples after his death, this gospel represents the end stage of a slow process of conflation, corrections, and revisions, - often more than one revision of the same discourse.
(John 8:1-11) "The adulterous woman" is not written by John. The oldest MSS do not include it or place it elswhere.
(Acts 8:37) "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." - Late added "Gloss".
(Acts 14:2) "But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren." - Late added "Gloss".
(Acts 28:29) "And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves." - Late added "Gloss".
(1Tim. 5:18) "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward." - This phrase alludes to a lost source, not traceable to the Old Testament, although it also appears in Luke 10:7
Compare:
Mt. 26:34,74-75 with Mk. 14:66-72 -- When did the cock crow? And, how many times?
Jn. 5:31 with Jn. 8:14 -- Is His testimony true?
Jn. 20:22 with Acts 2:1-4 -- When was the Spirit received?
Mt. 7:21 with Acts 2:17-21 and Joel 2:28-32 -- Is everyone who calls "saved"?
Mal. 3:8-10 with Deu. 6:16 -- Shall we test Him?
Mt. 5:17 with Rom. 10:4 and Eph. 2:15 -- Is the Law of God "done away"?
Lev. 1:1 with Jer. 7:21, 22 -- Who ordered sacrifice?
Nu. 23:19 with Ex. 32:14 -- Does God repent?
Ex. 33:20 with Jn. 1:18, Ex. 24:9, 33:11 -- Has anyone seen God?
Mt. 10:9,10 with Mk. 6:8, 9 -- Sandals or staves, or not?
Mt. 5:16 with Mt. 6:1-4 -- God's work seen, or in secret?
Mt. 1:6,7 with Luke 3:31 -- Solomon or Nathan?
Mt. 1:16 with Luke 3:23 -- Jacob or Heli?
Mt. 21:7 with Mk. 11:7, Lk. 19:35, Jn. 12:14 -- Did He ride one animal, or two?
1 Chron. 7 with 1 Chron. 8 -- The line of Benjamin?
Gen. 35:19,20 with 1 Sam. 10:2 -- Where is Rachel's tomb?
Gen. 1 with Gen. 2 -- Which came first, trees, birds, animals, man?
1 Ki. 9:22 with 1 Ki. 5:13,11:28 -- Solomon's Israelite "slaves"!
1 Ki. 8:12 with 1 Tim. 6:16 -- Does God dwell in thick darkness, or unapproachable light?
Dt. 30:11 with Rom. 3:20-23 -- Can we keep the Law?
1Sam. 31:4-6 with 2 Sam. 1:8-19,21:12, 1 Chron. 10:14 -- Who killed Saul?
1Sam. 16:14-23 with 1 Sam. 12:12-on -- When did Saul meet David?
Mt. 1:23 with Mt. 1:25 -- "Immanuel", or "Jesus" (Yahshvah)?
Mt. 5:1 with Lk. 6:17 - 49 -- On the mount, or a level place?
Historical "Difficulties":
There are virtually no references to Israel, its congeners, or Biblical associates in West Asian or Egyptian sources prior to the 12th century BC, and only six vague references from then until the 8th century, BC.
There is not the slightest trace of Israel's sojourn in Egypt apart from the Bible itself.
(Gen. 12:16) "And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels." - (Gen. 37:25) "And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry [it] down to Egypt." - Both Abram and the people who brought Joseph to Egypt are depicted using the "Ships of the Desert", - hundreds and hundreds of years before the camel was first domesticated. This is an obvious "gloss" by the redactors of David and Solomon's day. The historical Abram and his tribe would have been mounted on donkeys, as would the people of the merchants that bought Joseph as a slave.
(Gen. 23:3) "And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, (:4) "I [am] a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." - (Nu. 13:29) "The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea ..." - The the historical Hittites did not exist as a nation until at least 600 years after the time of Abraham. The "Hittites", or sons of "Heth" of the Bible have little or nothing to do with the Hittite empire of the archaeological record.
(Josh. 8:24) "And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. (:25) And [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai. (:26) For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai." - At the supposed time of Joshua's conquests in the late bronze age, Ai had already been a complete ruin for several hundred years. Even the name of the city: "Ai", in Hebrew, means "ruin".
In conclusion:
The author (VAJ) here invites any apologist for "inerrancy and infallibility" to explain or refute the discrepancies listed above, which actually are only just a very few of the many we have found.
On this page I have not even begun to touch on the many various and controversial positions on certain Biblical "scriptures" which are held by the denominations and sects which call themselves "Christian". These would include misunderstandings about the state of the dead - The "New Birth" ("Born again", or "Begotten?") - The Sabbath and the Holy Days - The so-called "Rapture" - Pre/mid/or post-Tribulation return of Christ - The "Millenial Reign" (in "Heaven or on earth?") - Where is "Heaven?" - Where, and what is "Hell?" - Are natural disasters God's "judgments", or the "wrath" of God? - What is the nature of the "Trinity"/"Godhead" - Christ's "pre-existent form" - Is God's "Law" "done away"?; etc., etc.
(Tit. 3:9) "But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law. These things are useless and worthless."
(Phi. 1:27) "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel"
Folks decrying the lack of "unity" in the doctrines and dogma of "Body of Christ" would do well to remember that the "Holy Bible" is not even necessary to salvation! Many people have come to Yahshvah without the slightest knowledge of Bible controversies, or even the familiar Bible stories most of us take for granted. Let us be "of one mind" in the simplicity of Christ! As Paul wrote to his Pagan converts:
(1 Cor. 2:1) "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. (:2) For I determined not to know anything among you, save [sic: "Yahshvah the anointed"], and Him crucified."
Honestly, I myself would like nothing more than to be able to accept the dogma which makes the "Holy Bible" the final arbiter of "Truth". Such a reliable tool in hand would be a great comfort. In view of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, however, - and what I believe to be the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I for one have concluded that no translation of the Bible, nor any ancient Bible manuscript, in its entirety, is "holy"; or inerrant; or infallible.
On the other hand, I have also concluded that, with the help of the "Helper"; that same Holy Spirit; - the TRUTH of God's Word, and "true" and reliable "scriptures" CAN be prayerfully discerned and extracted from this amazing collection of ancient writings.
(Jn. 16:13) "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He shall guide you into all the Truth."