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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nAlleged contradictions are the holy grail of biblical criticism. When trying to find contradictions in the Bible, critics typically look for two passages that seem to say different things, without considering anything else. They usually ignore essential things like vocabulary and context (which is how these discrepancies are created initially). One online resource that does a spectacular job of this is the Skeptic\u2019s Annotated Bible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In the entry titled \u201cDoes God respect anyone?\u201d the text says that in some places, the Bible says yes, and in others, the Bible says no. This is the kind of thing we\u2019re talking about. Critics often use an older translation, like the King James Version, where the wording gives them enough room to shoehorn a supposed contradiction into the text. And this is one of those cases. Let\u2019s explore some individual examples.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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- \u201cAnd the\u00a0Lord\u00a0had\u00a0respect<\/u>\u00a0unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not\u00a0respect<\/u>\u201d (Genesis 4:4b-5a)<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>Right off the bat, we can see that the word respect is being used differently than how we might use it today. The Hebrew word\u00a0\u0161\u0101\u02bf\u00e2\u00a0<\/em>means to look at with approval, and in this instance, it means \u201cto accept.\u201d Simply put, God accepted Abel and his offering. The word\u00a0respect<\/em>\u00a0as used by the translators of the King James Version had a different shade of meaning than the modern use of the word.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- \u201cAnd God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them\u201d (Exodus 2:25)<\/strong>. Here we have a different Hebrew term. It is the word\u00a0y\u0101da\u02bf,<\/em>\u00a0which primarily means \u201cto know.\u201d That is a very different meaning from the modern definition of respect. Modern versions correctly translate this phrase as \u201cGod knew.\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cFor I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you\u201d (Leviticus 26:9)<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>Once again, we have another different Hebrew term. The word used here is\u00a0p\u0101n\u00e2<\/em>, meaning \u201cto turn.\u201d The verse should be accurately translated as \u201cI will turn to you and\u00a0make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you.\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cThough the\u00a0Lord\u00a0be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off\u201d (Psalm 138:6)<\/strong>. This is the fourth use of the word respect, and yet again we have a different Hebrew word:\u00a0ra\u2019ah<\/em>, meaning \u201cto see, consider.\u201d When we look at this verse, it\u2019s saying that God is close to the lowly but distances himself from the prideful. You can see this same approach all over the Bible, especially in the ministry of Jesus. He often showed concern for the downtrodden and the helpless, and was typically at odds with arrogant elitists. That\u2019s precisely what this verse is talking about.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When we consider the original languages, we can see that the modern word \u201crespect\u201d doesn\u2019t fit these verses most of the time. So we\u2019ve got a translation issue here. Specifically, an older translation where the key word has changed in meaning for a modern audience. Also, the translators who worked on the King James version chose to render several different Hebrew words with just one English word. If you aren\u2019t paying attention to that fact, it will cause some confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are other passages where the Skeptics Annotated Bible says that God doesn\u2019t respect people. But we\u2019ve already seen that the author here has a massive problem with understanding languages. It only gets better from here. Let\u2019s look at some of those passages. Let\u2019s work through some of these passages.<\/p>\n
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- \u201cWherefore now let the fear of the\u00a0Lord\u00a0be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the\u00a0Lord our God, nor\u00a0respect<\/u>\u00a0of persons, nor taking of gifts\u201d (2 Chronicles 19:7)<\/strong>. So does this verse contradict the others we\u2019ve seen? Does God\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0respect people? Well, the Hebrew phrase\u00a0ma\u015b\u015bo\u02be p\u0101n\u00eem\u00a0<\/em>means literally \u201cto lift up the face.\u201d It\u2019s an idiomatic expression that means to show favor. Simply by looking at the context, you can get a hint that there\u2019s something else going on here other than giving someone respect, because the word is sandwiched between iniquity and bribery. Modern translations accurately render this as \u201cpartiality.\u201d So the text is not telling us that God never respects people, it\u2019s saying that he doesn\u2019t show favoritism.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- \u201cGod is no\u00a0respecter<\/u>\u00a0of persons\u201d (Acts 10:34)<\/strong>. The word here is the Greek term\u00a0pros\u014dpol\u0113mpt\u0113s<\/em>, which means to show favoritism or unjustly treat one person better than another. Paul also says that God is no respecter of persons in Ephesians 6:9 and says something similar in Colossians 3:25. He uses the same Greek word in both places. So this isn\u2019t about showing respect, it\u2019s about showing partiality.<\/li>\n
- God is \u201cwithout\u00a0respect<\/u>\u00a0of persons\u201d who \u201cjudgeth according to every man\u2019s work\u201d (1 Peter 1:17)<\/strong>. Just by reading the entire verse, we can get a sense that there\u2019s more to this than meets the eye. And when we look at the Greek, it becomes even clearer. The word\u00a0apros\u014dpol\u0113mt\u014ds<\/em>\u00a0describes someone who behaves in an unprejudiced manner. So the apostle isn\u2019t saying that God disrespects people; only that he doesn\u2019t play favorites.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
By examining the original languages, we can see that many so-called contradictions are easily solved. The Skeptic\u2019s Annotated Bible is a gold mine of problems with more bark than bite. It\u2019s easy to see that the author of this book didn\u2019t take the time to understand the difference between the Modern and Early Modern uses of the word \u201crespect\u201d or investigate the underlying Greek and Hebrew terms. Once we do this, this supposed contradiction evaporates like so many others\u2014which is typically what happens when you take the time to do a little research.<\/p>\n
For the video version of this post, please go here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
- \u201cGod is no\u00a0respecter<\/u>\u00a0of persons\u201d (Acts 10:34)<\/strong>. The word here is the Greek term\u00a0pros\u014dpol\u0113mpt\u0113s<\/em>, which means to show favoritism or unjustly treat one person better than another. Paul also says that God is no respecter of persons in Ephesians 6:9 and says something similar in Colossians 3:25. He uses the same Greek word in both places. So this isn\u2019t about showing respect, it\u2019s about showing partiality.<\/li>\n
- \u201cAnd God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them\u201d (Exodus 2:25)<\/strong>. Here we have a different Hebrew term. It is the word\u00a0y\u0101da\u02bf,<\/em>\u00a0which primarily means \u201cto know.\u201d That is a very different meaning from the modern definition of respect. Modern versions correctly translate this phrase as \u201cGod knew.\u201d<\/li>\n