Jesus said that there are two main commandments that encapsulate both the Law and the Prophets which in turn, cover both holiness and righteousness. Could the seeming contradictions in the Bible be due to the existence of these two standards?
Is the Bible full of contradictions?
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Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
Well I am glad you use the word seeming. for there are no contradictions in Scripture. when it seems like there is one, it is due to mans lack of understanding of words, history, culture or dispensations throughout time.
AW Bowman
Active Member
There are apparent paradoxes in scripture that many fight over. So, I would add one more failing: a lack of knowledge of the Hebraic world view, and how their biblical languages express that world view. A somewhat restatement of your list.
Hey You!
Member
The original biblical text was not full of contradictions, but our translations are.
We all need God's help through the Holy Spirit to discern the contradictions and what the corrections should be.
Our precious translations are so full of contextual errors that such we blindly accept them as being true to our own detriment.
However, at this present time our translations are our only means of understanding who God is and what He is prepared to do for us.
We all need God's help through the Holy Spirit to discern the contradictions and what the corrections should be.
Our precious translations are so full of contextual errors that such we blindly accept them as being true to our own detriment.
However, at this present time our translations are our only means of understanding who God is and what He is prepared to do for us.
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The perception of contradiction usually stems from misunderstanding a specific text and trying to make other texts to conform to the wrong interpretation of the text in question.
No it's not at all truly in fact !
The problem lies in people not truly understanding the intent of the wordings etc, one needs to understand that it's translated into English and some of that can not or does not come across truly that well. for one has to have an understanding of how in the Hebrew times things are portrayed etc and also have a bit of a handle regarding the Greek and some understanding of Latin as well ! It then can make much more sense.
Then as to why English was written the way it was ! but also English is a bastard language that can change over time 180 deg and that can make a person loose what is truly being convayed and then again with stupid bastardised English translations of the last 30 years or so.
The problem lies in people not truly understanding the intent of the wordings etc, one needs to understand that it's translated into English and some of that can not or does not come across truly that well. for one has to have an understanding of how in the Hebrew times things are portrayed etc and also have a bit of a handle regarding the Greek and some understanding of Latin as well ! It then can make much more sense.
Then as to why English was written the way it was ! but also English is a bastard language that can change over time 180 deg and that can make a person loose what is truly being convayed and then again with stupid bastardised English translations of the last 30 years or so.
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
shepherdsword
Active Member
The terms "holiness" and "righteous" appear to be interchangeable in numerous passages. Do you have a specific place where they are not?
shepherdsword
Active Member
One could place "holy" in place of "righteous" in any of these passages:
Ex 9:27
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
2 Ch 12:6
Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.
Ezr 9:15
O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
The limited aspect of behavior you place on righteous cannot apply to the Lord. To do so in these passages would limit him to simply being righteous instead of holy.
(hatsadiyqis used in all three places)
AW Bowman
Active Member
A suggestion for consideration:
Greek definitions:
Holiness relates to divine power, ὅσιος hosios adj. and
Righteousness relates to morally right/justifiable. δικαιοσύνη dikaiosune. n
Think of a very narrow, single-lane, winding dirt country road. It has ruts and holes and ditches on either side. You must navigate this road without driving off into one of these ditches. Now, throw in a nighttime rainstorm, just for good measure, and you have a picture of life. One must learn to travel keeping the tensions between the two ditches as balanced as possible. Walking (living) in the Spirit and obeying the commandments of God is living in the tension between the two extremes, Law vs. Spirit
Selected References:
Matt 7, with emphasis on verses 21-23, 26. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.... And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
(Understood within the context of chapter seven. Spiritual laws work for everyone, just as physical laws do. )
1. Luke 1:74,75 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, -In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
(Holiness and righteousness are a tension between two poles and is a requirement for earth-bound humans.)
2. Rev 12:17, And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(The commandments married with the doctrines of Christ. His evidence was given on our behalf.)
3. Rev 14:12, Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus
(Commandments and faith in Jesus working together.
Yeshua lived a perfectly balanced life in the "power" of the Spirit while observing all of the Law (that applied to Him). To mature spiritually, one must learn how to walk in the footsteps of Christ. A lifelong process!
Greek definitions:
Holiness relates to divine power, ὅσιος hosios adj. and
Righteousness relates to morally right/justifiable. δικαιοσύνη dikaiosune. n
Think of a very narrow, single-lane, winding dirt country road. It has ruts and holes and ditches on either side. You must navigate this road without driving off into one of these ditches. Now, throw in a nighttime rainstorm, just for good measure, and you have a picture of life. One must learn to travel keeping the tensions between the two ditches as balanced as possible. Walking (living) in the Spirit and obeying the commandments of God is living in the tension between the two extremes, Law vs. Spirit
Selected References:
Matt 7, with emphasis on verses 21-23, 26. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.... And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
(Understood within the context of chapter seven. Spiritual laws work for everyone, just as physical laws do. )
1. Luke 1:74,75 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, -In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
(Holiness and righteousness are a tension between two poles and is a requirement for earth-bound humans.)
2. Rev 12:17, And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(The commandments married with the doctrines of Christ. His evidence was given on our behalf.)
3. Rev 14:12, Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus
(Commandments and faith in Jesus working together.
Yeshua lived a perfectly balanced life in the "power" of the Spirit while observing all of the Law (that applied to Him). To mature spiritually, one must learn how to walk in the footsteps of Christ. A lifelong process!
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God is also merciful. Is mercy the same as holiness? You are the one making the comparison....but in error. When speaking about God's judgments, He is righteous. God will judge the world in righteousness.
shepherdsword
Active Member
You are comparing apples and oranges here. Mercy is not on the scale of behavior you setup. 1)Holy 2)Righteous 3)unrighteous 4)wicked
Would s substitution of mercy make sense when compared with the scale of wicked? No, because mercy is not the antithesis of wicked, but both holy and righteous are.
Ex 9:27
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
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David Lamb
Member
God's mercy is not the same as His holiness. His mercy is shown when He doesn't punish a sinner as his sins deserve.
Righteousness is about DOING. Holiness is about BEING.
shepherdsword
Active Member
I thought they were both about being and doing? There places in the bible where holiness is transferred:
Exodus 29:37:
"For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy."
In the same sense, we are made holy by touching the Lord. This is why the woman with the issue of blood was not rebuked by the Lord when she touched him. He was not defiled by her touch and she was healed by it.
Mk 5:27-28
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
Perhaps you are onto something here but it needs to be challenged and discussed until it shows to be irrefutable.
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