By Joseph Mattioli
Whether or not the Bible is the inerrant (100% accurate) word of God has been an explosive issue for over the last 1600 years. Debating this point is an emotion packed event that defies rationality by rational human minds. One insists it is inerrant and another that it is riddled with errors. One says it has withstood the test of time and that it has never been disproved and another says it has already been disproved many times. If it cannot be done in Love, then getting to the truth is not worth the effort concerning this issue.
I am reminded of a true story told to me by a friend who has a granddaughter about 5 years old named Autumn. He baby sits for her most weekends and has become quite fond of their close relationship. One day he grabbed her Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck dolls and held them behind his back. He then asked her, “Autumn, how fingers including thumbs do Mickey Mouse and Donald have on each hand?” Her reply, as a matter of fact was, “Pap Pa, you know they have five fingers on each hand!” To which he replied, “Autumn, what if I were to tell you that they only had four fingers including the thumb on each hand? She answered immediately and said, “Pap Pa, that can’t be. You know they have five fingers on each hand. They are my dolls and I know it is so!” He responded, “What if I was to show you they only had four?” With irritation as if being teased she replied, “That impossible and can’t be Pap Pa cause they definitely have five.” Seeing her irritation, he pulled the dolls out from behind his back and presented them to her and said, “Count them then”. She looked at the Dolls and said. “See they have five fingers” And then proceeded to count them to show him he was wrong but could only count to four. Immediately she became extremely upset and stormed away. Whether she yet believed him or not, I do not know. She might have said to herself it was some kind of trick.
Sometimes we are so sure of something that we fail to even check it out when someone offers an opposing view to a position we hold. So what has this to do with the topic of the Bible’s inerrancy? Well, I would think mostly, everything. When our mind is so made up about anything it is near impossible to change it either way unless the truth stares us right in the eyes and even then we still have the option to choose to not believe or believe not what we see.
So to answer this question, whether it is inerrant or not is up to you and whether or not you really want to know the truth for yourself. So I would only ask you to read one story from the Old Testament for yourself. It is located in 1 Samuel 16: 14-23 and 1 Samuel 17:32 – 58. I would ask you to read it carefully and with understanding of the words taking special note to the last 5 versus. Is there anything wrong with this story? Does it contain an error? You be the one to answer that question after careful reading. If God doesn’t show you an error then neither can I. I will include the KJV text for your reading convenience but you can use your own Bible if you like.
1 Samuel 16:14-23
But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. [15] And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. [16] Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. [17] And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. [18] Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.
[19] Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. [20] And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. [21] And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. [22] And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. [23] And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
1 Samuel 17:32-58
And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. [33] And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. [34] And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: [35] And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. [36] Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. [37] David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
[38] And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. [39] And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. [40] And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. [41] And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. [42] And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. [43] And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. [44] And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. [45] Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. [46] This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. [47] And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. [48] And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. [49] And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. [50] So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. [51] Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. [52] And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. [53] And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. [54] And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
[55] And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. [56] And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is. [57] And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. [58] And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
If you see no error then the Bible to you is indeed inerrant and you have no conflict with me. If you find something wrong or in error then the Bible is not inerrant and you still have no conflict with me.
Love in Christ,
Joseph Mattioli
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