Answering Bible Contradictions: Part 8

The start of a new month! I strongly suggest that you read last month's articles if you haven't done so. Very interesting material you'd find there.

This is part 8 of my answers to acclaimed Bible "contradictions." If you want the beginning story you'll have to go back to August's archives and read the beginning of "Answering Bible Contradictions: Part 1." The acclaimed contradictions are in bold, while my answers are in regular type. Thank you for reading!

Strong drink?
proverbs 31:6,7
john 2:11-11

Wait, what contradiction is there to point out? Read the scripture you are posting. I have heard of this "contradiction" before however, so this is your lucky day. I think the scripture you are referring to isn't John 2:11-11 (11-11??), but is really Timothy 5:23.

Poverbs says it is indeed bad to dring wine since it intoxicates, but in Timothy, Paul refers to medical reasons, since it mentions "...use a little..." and "...for...your frequent infirmities."

When second coming?
MAT 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

MAR 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
LUK 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
1 thessalonians 4:15-18

The word "generations" does not necessarily mean the normal twelve years we view a generation as being. There are all kinds of scripture that have "generation" meaning twelve, or five, or a hundred, or a thousand years. The generation Jesus is referring to is the generation of Christ. We have been in that generation for about 2000 years. There is no contradiction.

Solomon's overseers
550 in I Kings 9:23
250 in II Chron 8:10

Refers to what standards of office the writer was referring to.

The mother of Abijah:
Maachah the daughter of Absalom 2 Chron 9:20

Michaiah the daughter of Uriel 2 Chron 13:2

I don't know if Maachah and Michaiah were two people or the same person, but Absalom and Uriel were married. So, where's the contradiction?

When did Baasha die?
26th year of the reign of Asa I Kings 16:6-8
36th year of the reign of Asa I 2 Chron 16:1

Baasha died in the 26th year of king Asa's reign in Judah, just as the writer of 1 Kings tells us.

The reference to the 36th year in II Chronicles 16:1 means the 36th year since the division of the two kingdoms, which fell during the reign of Asa. Rehoboam reigned 17 years, Abijah reigned 3 years, and at the occurrence of this conflict, Asa had reigned 16 years. Baasha would die 10 years after this event.

How old was Ahaziah when he began to reign?
22 in 2 Kings 8:26

42 in 2 Chron 22:2

Look again at the context. II Kings 8:17 says about Joram (also called Jehoram), "Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem."

That would make him 40 then, right? Then it says about him,

"In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign."

--2 Kings 8:25

Ahaziah was made king when his father reigned, at the age of 22, acccording to II Chronicles 22:2, but after his father's death he was finally confirmed king when he was forty-two years old. The father died when 44, since it was his twelfth year. Ahaziah probably started reigning since the father was sick during the last two years of his life according to II Chronicles, and since Ahaziah was already named king at 22. Simple.

Who was Josiah's successor?
Jehoahaz - 2 Chron 36:1
Shallum - Jeremiah 22:11

Ahaziah had many nicknames, including Jehoahaz and Shallum. These two names refer to the same person.

What was the color of the robe placed on Jesus during his trial?
scarlet - Matthew 27:28

purple John 19:2

Does this matter at all? The soldiers grabbed a bright robe that was nearby. Maybe the actual color was somewhere in between (crimson). Maybe the garment gave off hues of both red and purple. (Red and dark black-blue of the night make a purple color.) Who would be dumb enough to care anyway? There is no contradiction here. Also, all through the Bible, and if you study other ancient writings, the color "red" or "scarlet" is used for any object that contains red. Purple contains red. Any questions?