Bart Ehrman: Biblical Contradictions Exposed
1
Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem
Matthew vs. Mark/Luke
Matthew 21:7
"They brought the donkey and the colt, and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them."
Mark 11:7 / Luke 19:35
"They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat on it."
Contradiction:
Matthew has Jesus riding TWO animals (donkey and colt) to fulfill Zechariah 9:9 literally
Mark and Luke have only ONE animal (the colt)
2
Temple Curtain Torn
Mark vs. Luke
Mark 15:37-38
"With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."
Luke 23:45-46
"The curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!' And having said this he breathed his last."
Contradiction:
Mark: Curtain torn AFTER Jesus dies
Luke: Current torn BEFORE Jesus dies (while still alive)
3
Women at the Tomb
Four Gospel Accounts
Different Accounts:
Matthew 28:1: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
Mark 16:1: Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, and Salome
Luke 24:10: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James, and other women
John 20:1: Mary Magdalene alone (but says "we" in verse 2)
Scholarly Note:
John's account switches from singular ("she") to plural ("we") without introducing other women.
4
Jesus After Baptism
Synoptics vs. John
Matthew/Mark/Luke
"Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness... tempted by Satan 40 days."
John 1:29,35
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him... 'Behold the Lamb of God!'... The next day again John was standing..."
Contradiction:
Synoptics: Jesus goes immediately to wilderness for 40 days
John: Jesus is with John the Baptist "the next day" and begins ministry
5
Paul's Jerusalem Visits
Galatians vs. Acts
Galatians 1:15-18
"I did not consult with any human being... nor did I go up to Jerusalem... Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas."
Acts 9:23-26
"After many days had passed... he went to Jerusalem and attempted to join the disciples."
Contradiction:
Paul: Did NOT go to Jerusalem immediately after conversion
Acts: Went to Jerusalem immediately after Damascus
Bart Ehrman:
"Acts wants apostles and Paul to agree on everything. Galatians shows Paul's independence."
6
Jesus' First Miracle
John 2:11 vs. 4:54
John 2:11
"Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee."
John 4:54
"Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee."
Problem:
Between 2:11 and 4:54, Jesus performs "many signs" in Jerusalem (2:23)
Yet healing the official's son is called the "second sign"
Source Criticism:
John likely wove together different sources, creating this numbering inconsistency.
7
Genealogy of Jesus
Matthew 1 vs. Luke 3
Key Differences:
Matthew: 14 generations × 3 = 42 generations from Abraham to Jesus
Luke: 56+ generations from Adam to Jesus
Joseph's father: Matthew: Jacob | Luke: Heli
Different kings: Matthew includes kings Luke omits, Luke includes names Matthew omits
Theological Purpose:
Matthew emphasizes Jesus as Jewish Messiah (Abraham to David to exile). Luke emphasizes Jesus as universal Savior (Adam to Jesus).
8
The Death of Judas
Matthew vs. Acts
Matthew 27:3-5
"Judas... went away and hanged himself... The chief priests... bought the potter's field."
Acts 1:18-19
"Judas... fell headlong, his body burst open... and all his intestines spilled out... That field was called... Field of Blood."
Contradiction:
Matthew: Judas hangs himself, priests buy field
Acts: Judas falls and bursts open, buys field himself
9
Slavery Stance
Jesus & Paul on Slavery
Biblical Evidence:
Jesus never opposed slavery institution (Matthew 5:17-19)
Paul tells slaves to obey masters (Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22)
Paul returns runaway slave Onesimus to owner Philemon
Bart Ehrman:
"Jesus did not oppose the institution of slavery. Neither did Paul. Nobody in antiquity did. It wasn't seen as an ethical issue."
10
Textual Variants
500,000+ Differences
Key Statistics:
500,000+ textual variants among NT manuscripts
Most are minor (spelling), but thousands are significant
Example: Mark 16:9-20 (Longer ending) absent from earliest manuscripts
Example: John 7:53-8:11 (Woman caught in adultery) absent from earliest manuscripts
Bart Ehrman:
"There is no professor of New Testament in the world who thinks we have in every detail the original text."
The Cumulative Evidence
The biblical contradictions documented by scholars like Bart Ehrman reveal important truths about the nature of the biblical texts:
1. Human Composition: The Bible was written by different authors in different times with different theological agendas.
2. Historical Development: Texts evolved through copying, editing, and theological refinement over centuries.
3. Theological Diversity: Different authors emphasized different aspects of Jesus and Christian theology.
4. Textual Uncertainty: We don't have the original manuscripts, only copies with variations.
These contradictions don't necessarily disprove religious faith, but they do challenge literalist interpretations and inerrancy claims. Understanding these textual issues leads to a more historically accurate and intellectually honest approach to biblical studies.
1. Human Composition: The Bible was written by different authors in different times with different theological agendas.
2. Historical Development: Texts evolved through copying, editing, and theological refinement over centuries.
3. Theological Diversity: Different authors emphasized different aspects of Jesus and Christian theology.
4. Textual Uncertainty: We don't have the original manuscripts, only copies with variations.
These contradictions don't necessarily disprove religious faith, but they do challenge literalist interpretations and inerrancy claims. Understanding these textual issues leads to a more historically accurate and intellectually honest approach to biblical studies.
"Do they not then reflect on the Quran? Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would have certainly found in it many inconsistencies."
Quran 4:82