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- Part Two:
Alleged Discrepancies Examined And Answered…
11) Jesse had 8 sons, of which David was youngest, the 8th (1 Sam 16:11; 17:12)/Jesse had 7 sons of
which David was youngest, the 7th (1 Chron 2:13-15).
- a) This question, raised by an infidel, actually planted a seed of doubt in an older Christian lady in
Alabama.
- i) She could not answer the question herself.
ii) Hence, she questions the reliability of Scripture until her preacher was able to help her
understanding.
iii) We should know by now not to doubt the accuracy and inerrancy of Scripture.
- b) Jesse’s sons were in Saul’s army, hence constantly fighting wars against the Philistines.
- i) It is possible that one son died, hence making David the 7th and no longer the 8th.
ii) He would still be the youngest son of however many.
iii) I used to tell people of my 8 grandparents.
iv) Now, I only speak of 3.
v) Why? Because 5 have died.
12) Josiah died at Megiddo (2 Kngs 23:29, 30)/Josiah died at Jerusalem (2 Chron 35:23, 24).
- a) What we know:
- i) Josiah was wounded at Megiddo.
ii) He did not die immediately.
iii) He commanded his body be taken to Jerusalem.
iv) He died after having commanded that his body be taken to Jerusalem.
- b) Two Possibilities:
- i) He was fatally wounded at Megiddo.
- (1) He died after giving the command, but before leaving Megiddo.
(2) The phrase: “so he died” does not modify the location of his death, but the fact of
his death.
- ii) He was fatally wounded at Megiddo.
- (1) He died after giving the command and while on the way to Jerusalem, or when
arriving at Jerusalem.
(2) Nonetheless, the fatal wound took place at Megiddo.
(3) Someone is shot in hotel room.
- (a) He is rushed to the hospital where he dies.
(b) The report says, “He was killed in his hotel room.”
(c) Is there a contradiction?
- (4) Some gets in a car accident.
- (a) He dies on the way to the hospital.
(b) His family marks the location of the accident with a customary cross of
memorandum.
(c) Did they mark the wrong place?
13) One goes down to Jericho from Jerusalem (Lk 10:30)/Jericho is north of Jerusalem (note a map).
- a) This is actually one of the most cited alleged discrepancies.
- i) How can Jesus be correct in saying one went down, when it is obvious that Jericho is
north?
ii) A contradiction?
- b) Yes, on a map Jericho is north of Jerusalem.
- i) However, further geographical study will reveal that Jerusalem is 3,500 ft higher in altitude
than Jericho.
ii) Hence, to leave Jerusalem and go to Jericho is to go down.
14) (1) Jesus healed one blind man (Mrk 10:46-52)/Jesus healed two blind men (Matt 20:29-34; Lk
18:35-43). (2) Jesus healed by touching the blind (Matt 20:34)/Jesus healed by touching and
speaking (Mrk 10:52; Lk 18:42). (3) This took place leaving Jericho (Matt 20:29-34; Mrk 10:46-52)
/This took place nearing Jericho (Lk 18:35-43).
- a) Rule of supplementation must be applied:
- i) One may say that Roger has a son.
- (1) Someone else may say Roger has two sons, or a son and a daughter.
(2) The one is not a contradiction of the other, but simply adds to the truth already
spoken.
- ii) Mark focuses on the one, even giving his name and that of his father.
- (1) This may be because his readers were familiar with the man and the account.
(2) This may be because Mark personally knew the man and his father.
(3) It may that this man and his father later became faithful Christians.
(4) If there is an accident involving many people, one of whom we know, would we not
be inclined to mention him whom we know?
- iii) This accounts for numbers 1 and 2.
- b) Possibilities as per number 3.
- i) Consider:
- (1) Lk 18:36—a multitude.
(2) Matt 20:29; Mrk 10:46—great multitude.
(3) One healing took place as Jesus was entering the city—the word spread—
another tool place when leaving the city.
(4) Hence, Jesus may have actually healed three blind men.
- (a) Two when nearing the city.
(b) One when leaving the city.
- ii) Consider:
- (1) During New Testament times there were two Jerichos.
- (a) One is that of Old Testament times (Josh 6:1ff; 1 Kngs 16:34).
(b) The other is that which was built 2 miles south by Herod the Great.
(c) The first lay in ruins with a small village, the other was new Jericho, often
called Herodian Jericho, a larger city.
- (2) Jesus may have been between the two, in the two-mile space, leaving the one
and going to the other.
- iii) These are both reasonable; hence there is no contradiction.
15) Joseph was the son of Jacob (Matt 1:16)/Joseph was the son of Heli (Lk 3:23).
- a) Dennis McKinsey said this opens “a Pandora’s box that apologists would just as soon remained
closed forever” (1995, p.46).
- i) Is he correct?
ii) Is this really something that cannot be answered?
- b) Matthew gives the genealogy through Joseph, seeing as how Matthew focuses on Joseph’s
perspective.
- i) Luke, on the other hand, gives the genealogy through Mary, taking her perspective.
ii) This makes Jacob the father of Joseph and Heli the father of Mary.
iii) One is tempted to ask, then, why is not Mary mentioned in Luke’s account?
- (1) Luke followed the Jewish tradition of mentioning only the names of males.
(2) For this cause, Mary is designated by the name of her husband.
- iv) A son-in-law is often referred to as a son:
- (1) 1 Sam 24:16; 18:27.
(2) One can be a son by birth; by marriage; by descent; being a grandson; or even
by creation.
- c) Greek articles used by Luke.
- i) Every name in Luke’s account is preceded by a definite article (τοῦ, the), with the
exception of Joseph.
- (1) Hence the text reads, “υἱός, Ιωσήφ, τοῦ Ηλί.
(2) The omission of the article, then, “puts the name Joseph outside the genealogical
series” (Frederic Godet).
(3) The parentheses should have been extended to include the name Joseph.