Are There Contradictions in the Bible? - Continue with The BIble's answer

  Principles 2 and 3: Viewpoint and history

Where did Jesus heal the blind man?  The book of Luke says that Jesus healed a blindman as Jesus "was getting near to Jericho," while the parallel account in Matthew mentions two blind men and says that the incident occurred when Jesus was "going  out of Jericho." (Luke 18:35-43; Matthew 20:29-34) These two accounts, written from different viewpoints, actually complement each other.  Regarding the number of men, Matthew is more specific as to there being two, while Luke focuses on the one to whome Jesus directed his remaks.  As for the location, archaeologists have found that in Jesus' time  Jericho wasa double city, with the Jewish city situated about one and a half kilometers (1 mi) away from the new Roman city. Jesus may have  been between the two cities when he performed the miracle. 

Principle 4: Figurative and literal terms

 Will the earth be destroyed?   The Bible says that the earth remains forever," which to some apparently conflicts with its statement that "the elements will destroyed by heat-with the earth." (2 Peter 3:10, Beck) In the Bible, however, the word "earth" is used both literally, referring to our  planet, and figuratively, referring to the people who live on it.   (Genesis 1:1; 11:1) The destruction of the "earth" described at 2 Peter 3:10 refers, not to be burning up of the planet, but to the destruction of the ungodly people." - 2 PETER 3:7. 

Next time: Are There Contradictions in the Bible? - Conclusion of The Bible's answer

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