Today, I Received The Following Image From A Supporter of Islam In His Attempted Assertion That The Bible Is “Filled With Contradictions”

Nearly all of these alleged contradictions have resulted from comparing verses that are speaking about different contexts, different meanings of the same word, or different aspects of God’s character and actions. The Bible often distinguishes between God’s eternal nature and His actions within history, or between position and practice, justification before God and vindication before men, or God’s divine essence and Christ’s incarnate role.

God is jealous” vs “God is void of jealousy”

Claimed contradiction: God is jealous — Exodus 20:5

God is not jealous — Proverbs 6:34

The impeachment: The second verse does not refer to God at all.

Exodus 20:5: “for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God…”

The Hebrew word is qanna‘, meaning zealous in protecting a covenant relationship.

Proverbs 6:34 says: “For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband…”

The subject is an adulterous woman’s husband, not God.

The verse says that a wronged husband becomes jealous. It never states that God lacks jealousy.

There is no contradiction because the two verses speak of two entirely different persons.

“God tempts men” vs “God does not tempt men”

Claimed contradiction: God tempts men — Genesis 22:1

God does not tempt men — James 1:13

The impeachment: Genesis 22:1 in older translations uses the English word “tempt,” but the Hebrew means to test or prove.

Modern translations correctly render it: “God tested Abraham…” (WEB, ESV, NASB)

James 1:13 refers to temptation toward evil:

“God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.”

God tests faith. God does not entice people into sin. A teacher gives an examination. A criminal offers a bribe.

Those are different activities.

God is unchangeable” vs “God changes His mind”

Claimed contradiction: God does not change — Numbers 23:19

God changes His mind — 1 Samuel 15:10-11

The impeachment: Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent.”

The text refers to God’s character, promises, and moral nature.

1 Samuel 15:11 says: “I regret that I have made Saul king…”

This is anthropomorphic language describing a change in God’s dealings with Saul because Saul changed his behavior.

Interestingly, in the same chapter, 1 Samuel 15:29 states: “The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

Thus, the very chapter critics cite explicitly denies that God changes in His essential purposes.

God changed His administration toward Saul, not His eternal character or decrees.

Jesus is equal to the Father” vs “The Father is greater than I”

Claimed contradiction: Philippians 2:5-6

John 14:28 (the image incorrectly lists John 14:26)

The impeachment: Philippians 2:6: “…existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped…”

Paul states that Jesus possesses equality with God.

John 14:28 says: “The Father is greater than I.”

Jesus is speaking during His incarnation. Philippians immediately continues: “but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant…” (2:7)

The distinction is between: Ontological equality (nature), Functional submission (role)

A king disguised as a servant remains king by nature while serving in a lower position voluntarily.

Jesus repeatedly claimed equality with the Father:

• John 1:1
• John 5:18
• John 8:58
• John 10:30
• John 20:28

No contradiction exists.

“God judges” vs “God does not judge”

Claimed contradiction: John 5:22,27, John 12:47

The impeachment: John 5: “The Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son.”

John 12:47: “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

The issue is timing.

During His First Coming: Jesus came as Savior.

During His Second Coming: Jesus comes as Judge.

John 12:48 immediately clarifies: “The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day.”

Thus Jesus postpones judgment, He does not deny it.

“No one is sinless” vs “Job was perfect”

Claimed contradiction: Romans 3:10, Job 1:1

The impeachment: Romans 3:10: “There is no one righteous, no, not one.”

This refers to absolute moral perfection before God.

Job 1:1 describes Job as: “blameless and upright.”

The Hebrew word tam means: complete, mature, blameless, possessing integrity. It does not mean sinless perfection.

The same book records Job confessing sin: Job 42:6: “I repent in dust and ashes.”

Therefore Job himself denied being sinless.

“Justified by faith” vs “Justified by works”

Claimed contradiction: Romans 3:20/James 2:24

The impeachment: Paul asks: How is a sinner declared righteous before God? Answer: By faith apart from works.

James asks: How is genuine faith demonstrated before men? Answer: By works.

Paul uses Abraham in Genesis 15: Abraham believed God. James uses Abraham in Genesis 22: Abraham offered Isaac.

One concerns the root. The other concerns the fruit.

Paul fights legalism. James fights dead faith.

Their doctrines complement one another.

“The dead will rise” vs “The dead will not rise“

Claimed contradiction: Isaiah 26:19/Job 14:12

The impeachment: Job says, “man lies down and doesn’t rise until the heavens are no more.”

Job immediately provides the time marker: “until the heavens are no more.”

This is not a denial of resurrection. It is an affirmation that resurrection occurs at the end of the present heavens and earth.

Compare:

• Isaiah 26:19
• Daniel 12:2
• John 5:28-29
• Revelation 20:11-13

Job himself later affirms resurrection: Job 19:25-27: “After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God.”

Thus, Job believed resurrection would occur.

“No return from the grave” vs “Samuel returned”

Claimed contradiction: Luke 16:19-31/1 Samuel 28:11-20

The impeachment: Luke 16 teaches that the dead cannot cross between paradise and torment.

It does not say God cannot permit an exceptional appearance. Samuel’s appearance occurred by divine permission and judgment upon Saul. Even the medium was terrified:

1 Samuel 28:12: “the woman saw Samuel, and she cried with a loud voice.”

The text repeatedly says: Samuel spoke. Samuel rebuked Saul. Samuel foretold Saul’s death.

There is no statement in Luke that God cannot allow such an event.

“Christians do not sin” vs “Christians sin”

Claimed contradiction: 1 John 5:18/1 John 1:8-10

The impeachment: This is perhaps the easiest one.

1 John 1:8: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.”

John includes himself in “we.” For this reason, Christians still sin on occasion.

1 John 5:18 uses the Greek present active tense: “does not keep on sinning”

The meaning is continual, habitual, unbroken practice of sin as a lifestyle. John makes this distinction repeatedly:

• 1 John 3:6
• 1 John 3:9
• 1 John 5:18

1. Believers stumble.
2. Believers repent.
3. Believers are not characterized by perpetual rebellion against God.

These examples are not contradictions but examples of:

• different meanings of the same word,
• different time periods,
• different perspectives,
• different audiences,
• different theological questions,
• or passages removed from their literary context.

Most alleged Bible contradictions disappear once the reader examines the context, original language, historical setting, the literary genre, and the specific question each author is answering.

The existence of two verses that use similar words does not constitute a contradiction unless both passages affirm A and not A in the same sense, at the same time, and in the same relationship.

None of the examples in this image meets that standard of logical contradiction.

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