1001 Errors in the Christian Bible
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Matthew -- Errors 36-42
#36
Matthew 2: (KJV)
6… “for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule
my people Israel.”
The Masoretic text says, “from you there will come forth for me one
who is to be a ruler in Israel”. (Early Christian Greek translations
generally say, “”a leader of Israel”). “Matthew”
has changed the prophecy of a leader of the country Israel to a leader
of the people Israel. At the time that “Matthew” wrote he likely
realized that Jesus was never a ruler or leader of the country Israel.
#37
Matthew 2: (KJV)
9 “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star,
which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over
where the young child was.”
By modern, astrological standards such an event would be impossible (the
location of a star identifying the location of an individual house.) But
claiming an error here based solely on modern standards would reflect
an anti-supernatural bias. However, according to Matthew, this star moved
from the East to Jerusalem, then south to Bethlehem and then stopped over
Bethlehem. There were non-Christian astrologers around this time who recorded
all unusual astrological phenomena and none of them mention this event
which easily would have been the most unusual they would have reported.
#38
Matthew 2: (KJV)
15 … “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”
“Matthew” is referring to Hosea 11:1 (JPS):
“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I
called My son.”
Hosea chapter 11 is referring to the history of Israel and is not a prophecy.
Hosea 11:2 (JPS):
“The more they called them, the more they went from them; they
sacrificed unto the Baalim, and offered to graven images. 3 And I, I taught
Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed
them. 4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was
to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I fed them gently.”
Christian Greek translations of Hosea 11:1 generally acknowledge the plural
subject of Israel by translating: “Out of Egypt have I summoned
his children”.
#39
Matthew 2: (KJV)
15 … “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”
As the KGB agent said to Clint Eastwood in the classic movie, “Firefox”,
“Your papers, they are not in order.” “Matthew” gives
a prophecy fulfillment claim that Jesus was called out of Egypt in verse
15. But up to verse 15 Jesus is still in Egypt. Jesus doesn’t leave
Egypt until verse 21.
#40
Matthew 2: (KJV)
16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men,
was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were
in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under”
In his excitement to report this dastardly deed “Matthew” neglects
to tell us exactly WHAT was sent forth by Herod. Some translations fill
in obvious choices such as “orders” and “men”. A careless
omission by Matthew and also a grammatical error.
#41
Matthew 2: (KJV)
16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men,
was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were
in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under”
No historian writing close to this time mentions any such massacre. The
author of Luke doesn’t mention it either. Josephus thoroughly documented
the brutal deeds of Herod during Herod’s final years yet makes no
mention of this incident which easily would have been Herod’s worst.
Christian apologists estimate that there would not have been much more
than 20 such murders of baby males in Bethlehem by Herod based on assumed
population and birth rates thereby arguing that such a low number may
have escaped Josephus’ attention. Even 20 murders of babies would
have been Herod’s worst act. The apologists ignore that the text
also says “and the regions all around it” (in all the coasts
thereof). The early Church assumed that according to Matthew thousands
of male babies were killed in the “massacre”.
#42
Matthew 2: (KJV)
17 “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying,
18 “In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted,
because they are not.”
The real tragedy here is that I can only count this quote as one error.
The context of the quote above in Jeremiah is that Rachel is mourning
for the captivity of the ten northern tribes in general and the tribe
of Ephraim (the main northern tribe) specifically. Rachel was the mother
of Joseph who was the father of Ephraim. She is not mourning for anyone’s
death or for the tribe of Judah which was a southern tribe and not in
captivity at the time that Jeremiah wrote the above.
The Gospel Of Jimmie
In the beginning was the Father, Jor-El, who created the Crystals. And the Crystals were with Jor-El, and the Crystals were Jor-El, they were His Knowledge and Teachings. Through the Crystals all things were made. The Crystals that give men light.
There came a woman sent by Jor-El, her name was Lois. She came as a
witness to report concerning The Light to our planet.
The Crystals became flesh and Jor-El sent His only son to us to provide
leadership so that we might become a great people. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only, who came from Jor-El, full of truth, justice
and The Way.
He was in our world, but He was not of our world and so our world did
not recognize Him. His enemy was Luthifer who desired to be a god of our
world. When He became the light, the Crystals became the darkness and
so became the only weapon which could be used against Him.
Lois reports concerning Him. Her writings cry out, saying, "This
was He of whom I said, He who surpasses me even though He was before me
because He is faster, more powerful and graceful".