dyl (03/09/83)
J.D. Jensen is too quick to judge Bible "contradictions". 1st "contradiction" Acts 9:7 vs Acts 22:9 "Heard not the voice" is translated as "did not understand the voice" according to the New International Version. So there is no contradiction. The thing to learn here is that Saul's was a law practicing Jew who prosecuted Christians but notice who answered him when he cried "Who are you, Lord?". Jesus answers in the name of YHWH. 2nd "contradiction" Acts 1:18 vs Matt 27:5 Including more verses from the two chapters, the betrayal money that Judas returned to the Priests was used to purchased the public burial plot. Judas was layed there to rot after he hanged himself. Even if one defers from Acts 1:18 that Judas jumped from the Empire State Building, Matthew 27:5 can simply mean he "killed" himself (see definition for lynch in dictionary.) Again, there is no contradiction but something important to learn. Judas betrayed Jesus because he wanted to see his vision of God's kingdom fulfilled (selfwill vs God's will). In the Gospels, Judas kept on cheating even he was shown mercy several times. So by the end, his sin hardened heart could only lead him to remorse and hopelessness. Without hope, he ended his life. Compare Peter to Judas. Peter denied Jesus three times and went back to his oldself (fisherman) when he did not know what to do. But when he saw Jesus, he cried, "It is the Lord!", took off his garment, jumped into the water and swam ashore to meet Jesus. By the same token, we should run towards the Lord for solutions to problems and thank God that he is merciful and slow in executing judgement. As to the books mentioned in the Bible that does not exist, read "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell to find out how historians have been proven wrong over and over again as new archaelogical discoveries are made. challenge anybody to find Bible "contradictions", floyd!Dave Lee