The New Testament Contradicts Itself

Hi Spencerjoyage14,Thank you for setting up this debate, and I hope that we can discuss these difficult issues by following reason and logic over our emotional inclinations.My Argument will be structured as follows:1. Judas and the Field of Blood2. Jesus and the Centurion3. Jesus and the Empty Tomb4. Paul's ConversionThere are many other notable contradictions I could mention, but these will suffice for this debate I thinkArgument #1 l Judas and the Field of BloodMy opponent briefly created an argument in her opening statements regarding this passage, she attempted to create a reasonable explanation for why there seemed to be two different accounts in the manner by which Judas died. While I personally don't find the explanation convincing, I will not highlight that portion of the text. Rather, I believe what the text says regarding the field of blood is perhaps the most blatant of contradictions in the NT.Here are the two texts:"Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day."[1] “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)"[2]I wanted to include to direct contexts of the passages so as to demonstrate I am not misrepresenting the texts.Now, I will demonstrate how these two passages contradict each other by asking a series of questions.What did Judas do with the thirty pieces of silver?Matthew: He changed his mind, and brought back the silver throwing it at the feet of the chief priests and elders.Acts: "this man" Judas acquired a field with the thirty pieces of silver.Who purchased the field of blood?Matthew: The chief priests and elders purchased it for burying strangers, because the silver could not be put in the treasury.Acts: "this man" Judas acquired a field with the thirty pieces of silver. (previous argument revealed this contradiction)Why was it called the field of blood?Matthew: Because it was purchased with the bloody money.Acts: Judas' bloody death became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who then called it the field of blood due to Judas' bloody and gruesome death.These differences in the account I submit are irreconcilable, as they portray not only different events happening, but go even further to explain why these events played out the way they did.Argument #2 l Jesus and the CenturionThe two texts: "When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”[3] "After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”[4]Who greeted Jesus in regards to the healing of the Centurion's Servant?Matthew: The Centurion greeted Jesus and appealed to him to have his Servant healed.Luke: Elders of the Jews greeted Jesus to appeal to him regarding the Centurion's Servant. More friends of the Centurion came to them once they were close to the house and asked that they not come in, but Jesus merely speak a word in order for his servant to be healed. Jesus never meets the Centurion in Luke, according to this account.Due to the fact that Jesus never meets the Centurion in Luke, and that others appeal to Jesus saying different things, makes this text contradictory to the one in Matthew. Argument #3 l Jesus and the Empty TombSpices for Burial"Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews."[5]"When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb."[6]Who brought the spices?John: Nicodemus, brought the spices (a mixture of myrrh and aloes).Mark: Mary and Mary brought the spices.When did they anoint Jesus' body?John: Jesus was bound in the linen cloths with the spices, as was the custom of Jewish burial rites.Mark: Mary and Mary went on the dawn of the morning of the resurrection day to anoint the body of Jesus.Clear contradictory accounts.Angels at the Tomb?"And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid."[7]"Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”[8]Were there angels present when the women came to the tomb?Mark: Yes, there was one angel with the appearance of a young man who told them upon entering the tomb that Jesus had been raised and that they should tell Petre and the disciples.John: No, they came in and were shocked the body was gone thinking it had been stolen, then went to get Peter and the disciples. They did not see an angel until he came in v.12 of that chapter while Mary sat weeping outside of the tomb.Another clear contradiction.Argument #4 l Paul's Conversion"The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one."[9]"and they who are with me the light did see, and became afraid, and the voice they heard not of him who is speaking to me."[10]"And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’"[11]Who fell to the ground?Acts 9: Only Paul did, and others stood speechless.Acts 26: All of them had fallen to the ground.Who heard the voice?Acts 9: Paul and his companions heard the voice.Acts 22: Paul alone heard the voice.It is important to note that most modern translations render the world "understand," but this is a very dishonest rendering of the Greek word O72;κουσαν. In every other usage within the word O72;κουσαν, it is absolutely translated in some form of "heard". Rather, the author would have used the familiar Greek word συνQ34;καν, which he used in Acts 7:25 to demonstrate that they did not understand.In Acts 22, the negative adverb of οP16;κ therefore turns the phase into "they heard not," as is properly rendered by the YLT. Acts 5:24 V-AIA-3P BIB: P33;ς δP50; O72;κουσαν τοP58;ς λa2;γους NAS: [guard] and the chief priests heard these Acts 11:1 V-AIA-3P BIB: O80;κουσαν δP50; οO85; NAS: Judea heard that the Gentiles Acts 28:27 V-AIA-3P BIB: P32;σP54;ν βαρ^1;ως O72;κουσαν καP54; τοP58;ς NAS: THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED Concluding Statements:In order for my opponent to demonstrate that there are no contradictions in the New Testament, she must successfully refute each of these arguments that I have presented here.Kind Regards, TrueScotsman[1] Matthew 27:3-8 (ESV)[2] Acts 1:16-19 (ESV)[3] Matthew 8:5-9 (ESV)[4] Luke 7:1-8 (ESV)[5] John 19:39-40 (ESV)[6] Mark 16:1 (ESV)[7] Mark 16:5-8 (ESV)[8] John 20:1-2 (ESV)[9] Acts 9:7 (ESV)[10] Acts 22:9 (YLT)[11] Acts 26:14 (ESV)