Paul's Conversion (Response to RAM on Acts 9:7 & 22:9)

This video is in response to the gentlemen of Rebel Alliance Media. One of their major criticisms of Christianity is rooted in the accusations that there are contradictions in the Bible. While I, personally, do not like to discuss alleged contradictions in religious texts, I wanted to touch on the discrepancy they bring up most often: the description of how Paul's companions experienced his conversion in Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9.

The gist of the response is that Paul's companions did not see a man, but they did see a light (that is not a contradiction), and when the text says they heard in one place and did not hear in another, it means they heard the sound but, on some level, did not fully understand it (cf. Matthew 13:13).

In this video I cite two sources which are available at Manhattan's main Research Library (on 42nd street and 5th avenue):

W.E. Vine, "An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words," (Thomas Nelson, 1985), p. 296
CALL NUMBER: *R-RMRR PA881 .V5 1985
[It is on the shelf of the main reading room.]

Lawrence T. Martin, "The Venerable Bede: Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles," (Cistercian, 1989), p. 173
CALL NUMBER: JFD 90-1511
[Must be requested via slip.]

Category:

Education

Tags:

• RebelAllianceMedia
• Rebel Alliance Media
• Bible contradictions
• apologetics
• Apostle Paul
• Saint
• st
• Road to Damascus
• camino a damasco
• atheism
• theism
• biblical inerrancy
• errancy

[Wisdom126]

excellent job abu..put them rebel zeitgeist pussy's in there place..

[AbuKhamrAlMaseeHee]

Thank you for your kind words, sir, but I think we can be more gentle in how we refer to the gentlemen in the Rebel Alliance Media. Consider the following:

SIRACH 5:11-13

"Be swift to hear; and let thy life be sincere; and with patience give answer. If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth. Honour and shame is in talk"

I take that to mean we should try to patiently discuss those subjects we are able to speak on.

[muchtribulation]

Your explaination is half right and just enough to silence those void of uderstanding.

[AbuKhamrAlMaseeHee]

MUCHTRIBULATION, could you elaborate on what you mean regarding my video being half right?

[beantownisraelite]

this video cut the hell out of you guys, it's funny because I was about to make the same type of video about this subject, but you guys can not refute this it's in the greek text so now you will have to find another excuse to heathens and non believers or you can repent brothers.

[kahanyah]

WOW!! this video was a TKO!!

excellent scholarship Abu! can no one contest this video. Its right and exact.

[HellRazor71638]

i think that ram was sayin that paul said that his men saw nothing,but then later on paul says they saw somethng not so much as what they heard or didn't hear.

[EdomiteSlayerYoMomma]

God is the Wizard of Oz, it's all a big joke really!

[musclemanvd]

@AbuKhamrAlMaseeHee good cut

[ksogeke1]

cHECK OUT TRY NREAD IT IN GREEK ... CAUSE U WRONG

[jimoz3]

But in neither account is it stated that his companions ever heard that Voice in the accusative case.

[jimoz3]

A good explanation is offered by Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason L. Archer.

In the original Greek, however, there is no real contradiction between these two statements. Greek makes a distinction between hearing a sound as a noise (in which case the verb "to hear" takes the genitive case) and hearing a voice as a thought-conveying message (in which case it takes the accusative). Therefore, as we put the two statements together, we find that Paul's companions heard the Voice as

[jimoz3]

i agree No contradiction here

In acts 9:7 they saw nobody but in acts 22 they saw a light.

In acts 9:7 they heard a sound but some translations say voice. The word used is not specific φωνης (phones) can mean either sound or voice

[hndzoutmypocket]

I agree the bible do contradict itself that's because it's not all there so you really cant believe it.