Does the Word of God have Discrepancies

Does The Word of God Have Discrepancies?
By Mike Ruff
Voice of Victory, September 2000

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:20)

The answer to the question, “Does the Word of God have discrepancies?” is NO! Since I have no
trouble believing this, and most born again Christians, including my denomination (the
Assemblies of God) believe this, the Word of God really does not need the likes of me defending
it integrity. I do not claim here to defend it but just point out some important facts for the
consideration of the elect.

Fact One: It is alive.
The Holy Bible is a living book. We can read and study this book all of our lives and we still find
new things in it everyday. Why is that? The answer is that it is the living word of God that can
speak to us just as clearly as an audible voice. It can make the vilest sinner free. It can bring
order to disorder it we apply the principles of the Bible. Every principle of life is in the first five
books of the Bible. If we were to pick any subject of life, we could find the principle of God for
that subject in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The principles laid out in
this living book never change because the Word of God is not just a book, it is alive.

This book, the inspired Word of God, unlike every other book we read, is not man’s word but
God’s divine direction for our lives. Many wonderful Christian authors have supernatural
understanding and insight through the Holy Spirit in writing books and articles that lift and
encourage us. However, none claim them to be the infallible Word of God. I challenge you to
find any other literature that will bring new thoughts and inspiration to your life as the Word of
God does.

Just consider the comparison of the Bible to any other literary work. The works of Shakespeare
are only about 250 years old. In every one of his 37 different works there are at least 100
different readings that all claim to be the original. While the New Testament, that has been in
existence for over 1800 years, has no proven discrepancies. Many alleged discrepancies come
from dispute about translation of words, times, computation of dates, and other elements that can
be explained as we investigate historical facts. When we compare what we use today as Holy
Scripture to the original Textus Receptus that is the accepted and conformed Word of God of the
early Church, we discover every alleged discrepancy in scripture can be found to have a fair and
reasonable answer.

Fact two: The Word of God is perfect and without error.
You might ask, “What makes you so sure the Bible is perfect and without error?” It is because I
know. How do I know? Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep and am known
of mine.” No one has to tell a Holy Spirit filled Christian the Word of God is the Word of God.
We know it!
If we have the mind if Christ we know His voice, we do not have to prove anything
to anyone. God is without error. He cannot lie and He cannot contradict Himself.

We know the Holy Scripture cam from God because our spirit bears witness to it. However, you
do not have to be a Christian, or even filled with the Holy Spirit to realize that the Bible is the
work of one mind. Even though it was written over a period of 1500 years and has more than 40
writers, some of which are not even named, the accuracy, harmony and unity could not be
anything but inspired and written by God Himself.

Fact three: Satan would like to discredit it.
God is infallible. He does not make mistakes. This makes Holy Scripture unique and powerful.
Since the Bible is so unique and powerful, it is the one thing Satan would like to discredit. If
Satan could discredit this book, he could have done great damage to the Christian faith. If one
word in Scripture can be found incorrect, it causes us to question if it is from God at all. We
might start to think it is a collection of the writings of confused men. If He made a mistake in
one area, what other area might not be right? Do you see the problem? We have to realize this is
exactly what the enemy of God wants to do, discredit Scripture.

In my studies on this subject I have read that there are more than 900 supposed discrepancies in
the Bible. This is a long list. Some of then are easily explained and varied. Others are more
intricate, but all of them have a reasonable and logical explanation. The following are three
examples of how alleged discrepancies can occur:

1. If we take the meaning of a scripture out of context to the rest of the Bible.
2. When we fail to research a word in question from the original language.
3. If we fail to separate cultural traditions from Biblical facts.

Example one: Taking the meaning of a Scripture out of context to the rest of the Bible.
“There shall no evil happen to the just.” (Proverbs 22:21). Now compare this to Job 2:7, “So
went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his
foot unto his crown.” Here there seems to be a discrepancy, but we have to take all Scripture and
teachings of the Bible together to come to the final conclusion of God’s intent. In this case the
meaning of evil in Proverbs is a permanent or ultimate evil not the inevitable happenstance of
life. All of us know that as Christians we are not immune to sorrow and heartache from things
that happen to us in the world. Job 2:7 is an example. God allows us to be tested and tried in the
fire. We should not think that Proverbs 22:21 means we will have a worry free life. If we do, we
have taken this scripture out of context of the rest of the Bible. What it means is that all of the
things that happen to us here are temporary, and the ultimate evil will be what the unrighteous
receive at the great white throne judgment.

The Bible says, “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose.”(Romans 8:28). So the evil we encounter on this earth is
working for our ultimate good. Thus the alleged evil is actually going to become good. When we
look back from heaven at some of the things wee encountered on earth, we will see that no evil
actually happened to the “just.” God’s Word is true!

Example two: Fail to research a word in question from the original language
The English language is a language that is somewhat limited compared to the languages the
original Scripture was translated from. The Hebrew language as 32 words for destruction, 12
words for darkness, 50 words for water, 10 words for law, etc. The Arabic language has 100
different words for sword, 80 words for honey, 200 words for servant, 400 words for misfortune,
and 500 words for lion. So you see, translation can leave us short of the intended meaning in
certain cases. What we must do is clarify which word is used, apply the context of the scripture,
then the meaning should match the intent.

Example three: If we fail to separate cultural traditions from Biblical types of facts.
Christ predicted that He would be in the tomb three days and three nights. “For as Jonas was
three days and three nights in the whales belly, so shall the son of man be three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40). Though some may accept the oriental
reckoning of time which called any part of a day as one, thus Friday P.M. to Sunday A.M. as
three days (actually one full day and a part of two), but where are the three nights? To affirm the
statement of Jesus saying, “three days and three nights” twice in the same verse, we are to
consider John 19:14. It tells us when Pilate sentenced Jesus to death and Jesus was crucified. “It
was the preparation for the Passover,” (Thursday) not preparation for the Sabbath (Saturday).

It is an astronomical fact that in 32 A.D. Nisan 14 fell on Thursday, not Friday. The Passover
Lambs were slain in the evening of Nisan the 14. They were to be cleaned, roasted with fire and
eaten after sunset at the beginning of Nisan 15 (Friday). This once every seven year high Sabbath
went from Thursday sunset to Friday sunset until Saturday sunset. Jeremiah said in 19:31, “For
that sabbath was a high day.” So, Jesus was actually in the grave from Thursday afternoon until
Sunday morning. 3 nights and 3 days. Not Friday till Sunday like we celebrate Easter.

One last fact:
Inspirations did not destroy the individuality of the writer of Scripture. God furnished the
thought. The writer the generally wrote in his own language and individuality. The writers had
personalities we can identify by their style of writing. But, be assured we still have a harmony of
one mind, the mind of God, that will not allow contradiction or discrepancies in His Word.

Although these examples are just a small sampling of what men point to as discrepancies in the
Bible, I hope this shows us that if we research the background, the language difference, the
context of other scripture, historical comparisons, and computation of time and numerical
recordings, we will find no contradictions in the Word f God.

Your comments and questions are welcome. You may write me at:

Mike Ruff
PGF Megafilm, Inc.
8300 Underground Drive
Pillar 121-b
Kansas City , Missouri
64161