The tension: The Priestly source and the Genesis narrative have Yahweh approving Abel's animal sacrifice and later filling Leviticus with hundreds of verses of mandatory bl…
The tension: Job 15:14, Isaiah 64:6, and Romans 3:10 deny anyone is righteous — all our righteousness is as filthy rags, there is none righteous, no, not one.
The tension: The Hebrew Bible repeatedly narrates theophanies in which God is seen face-to-face — by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, seventy elders, Manoah, Micaiah, Job, Isa…
The tension: A wide set of passages (Gen 14:19, 22; Exod 9:29; 19:5; Deut 10:14; Ps 24:1; 50:12; 89:11; 1 Cor 10:26) affirm that God owns the earth absolutely.
The tension: The Decalogue and its echoes across the Torah, Gospels, and Epistles absolutize the prohibition on stealing, yet Genesis 31:19 reports without condemnation tha…
The tension: Dozens of texts describe YHWH as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abundant in loyalty — Exodus 34:6, Deut 4:31, the Psalms, the prophets, the New Testament l…
The tension: The Torah, prophets, and Wisdom literature relentlessly command fear of YHWH — Deuteronomy 6:13, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Proverbs 9:10, Matthew 10:28, and Hebrews…
The tension: Deuteronomy 4:40, Psalm 37:29, Psalm 78:69, Psalm 104:5, and Ecclesiastes 1:4 all assert that the earth abides forever — Psalm 104:5 specifically says it 'shou…
The tension: Deuteronomy 7:9, 11:1, 12:1, and Psalm 119:151-160 declare the commandments and statutes binding 'forever,' 'always,' and 'to a thousand generations.' Jesus in…
The tension: Acts 1:24, Psalm 44:21, and Psalm 139:2-3 affirm that God knows the secrets of the heart, that He understands thoughts from afar, that nothing in human conscio…
The tension: Deuteronomy 14:1 calls all Israel 'the children of the LORD your God.' Psalm 82:6 declares 'all of you are children of the most High.' Hosea 1:10, Acts 17:29,…
The tension: The Hebrew Bible repeatedly affirms YHWH as sovereign over all the kingdoms and the whole earth, but several New Testament passages — most notably the Temptati…
The tension: The Hebrew Bible's wisdom literature and older narrative strata treat death as terminal — the dead go to Sheol, lose consciousness, and do not return.
The tension: Multiple psalms and prophetic texts have Yahweh actively hiding his face, refusing to hear prayers, and abandoning those who cry out (Ps 10:1; 22:1; 88:14; Isa…
The tension: 1 Kings 8:12 and 2 Chronicles 6:1 declare that Yahweh said he would dwell in thick darkness, with Psalms 18:11 and 97:2 echoing the imagery.