I'm re-posting these here from my posts in Contradictions since this seems to be the place for update suggestions for Steve Wells to see.
The "fig tree" item below is updated pointing out an apparent biological evolution contradiction.
-----
Here is a verse that should go in "Contradictions" under "Should we believe everything?" category and probably under "Is it OK to test (or temp) God?" as well.
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God," -- 1 John 4:1
-----
I would like to suggest a contradictions category of "Should faith be discussed with non-believers?" along with contradiction annotations being added for the Bible quotes below.
Yes:
"... and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" -- 1 Peter 3:15
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. -- Colossians 4:5-6
No:
"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:" -- 2 John 1:10
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith." -- 1 Timothy 6:20-21
"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." -- 2 Timothy 2:16
-----
Should the "fig tree" quotes below be considered a contradiction?
Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard caretaker who intercedes on behalf of a fig tree that is not doing so well, but Jesus shows no such consideration at all for a (supposedly healthy and maybe owned by someone else) fig tree that he curses because he is hungry and it isn't producing fruit out of season.
I suppose this puts the fear of God in the near by fig trees to start producing figs sooner. Perhaps this is Jesus' attempt to bio-engineer higher producing fig trees. I wonder if Jesus would have cursed the tree if he was not hungry, but one of his friends was.
Also, note the apparent evolutionary differences in the two "cursing" quotes being completely opposite. "May no one ever eat from you again". I would think that is a curse a fig tree would welcome. The curse could be interpreted as a curse to anyone else hungry and passing by who might try to eat from the fig tree. All the better for the fig tree to spread its genes. But in the end the interpretation does not seem to apply since in both cases the fig tree promptly dies.
I know Jesus is just speaking figuratively (ha ha) with the fig tree in the parable and so it might be considered differently from the fig tree being cursed, so this might not really be considered a contradiction. Perhaps it can be considered a contradiction in Jesus' attitude toward fig trees. He seems to praise the caretaker's efforts for making his fig tree be productive.
Luke 13:6-9
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
Mathew 21:18-21
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done."
Mark 11:13-14,20-21
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. ... In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
The "fig tree" item below is updated pointing out an apparent biological evolution contradiction.
-----
Here is a verse that should go in "Contradictions" under "Should we believe everything?" category and probably under "Is it OK to test (or temp) God?" as well.
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God," -- 1 John 4:1
-----
I would like to suggest a contradictions category of "Should faith be discussed with non-believers?" along with contradiction annotations being added for the Bible quotes below.
Yes:
"... and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" -- 1 Peter 3:15
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. -- Colossians 4:5-6
No:
"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:" -- 2 John 1:10
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith." -- 1 Timothy 6:20-21
"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." -- 2 Timothy 2:16
-----
Should the "fig tree" quotes below be considered a contradiction?
Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard caretaker who intercedes on behalf of a fig tree that is not doing so well, but Jesus shows no such consideration at all for a (supposedly healthy and maybe owned by someone else) fig tree that he curses because he is hungry and it isn't producing fruit out of season.
I suppose this puts the fear of God in the near by fig trees to start producing figs sooner. Perhaps this is Jesus' attempt to bio-engineer higher producing fig trees. I wonder if Jesus would have cursed the tree if he was not hungry, but one of his friends was.
Also, note the apparent evolutionary differences in the two "cursing" quotes being completely opposite. "May no one ever eat from you again". I would think that is a curse a fig tree would welcome. The curse could be interpreted as a curse to anyone else hungry and passing by who might try to eat from the fig tree. All the better for the fig tree to spread its genes. But in the end the interpretation does not seem to apply since in both cases the fig tree promptly dies.
I know Jesus is just speaking figuratively (ha ha) with the fig tree in the parable and so it might be considered differently from the fig tree being cursed, so this might not really be considered a contradiction. Perhaps it can be considered a contradiction in Jesus' attitude toward fig trees. He seems to praise the caretaker's efforts for making his fig tree be productive.
Luke 13:6-9
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
Mathew 21:18-21
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done."
Mark 11:13-14,20-21
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. ... In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
