Bart Ehrman seems to be very popular at the moment. I have recently seen him on Muslim and atheist channels talking about Christianity. It seems that he does this in exchange for the channel advertising his online seminars. He is always introduced as an authority on Christianity with his many books and university credentials. The general theme of the videos is that orthodox Christians are simple and blind to the problems in the Bible. The video I have posted here is an example.
However, I wish to encourage those so fond of Ehrman to check what he says. In this video he gives three major contradictions in the New Testament, yet when you check what he says, none of them are contradictions.
1. Ehrman says that Mark 2:25-26 says Abiathar was the high priest while the Old Testament says Ahimelech was the high priest.
Response: The Old Testament (1 Samuel 21) never says that Ahimelech was the high priest, just simply that he was a priest. Both Ahimelech and Abiathar are said to be priests at the time of David. Both could have been high priests during that time as Ahimelech was killed during David’s time. Ehrman claims he wrote 30 pages trying to explain the contradiction. There is nothing to explain.
2. Then he says that Mark 5:21ff says Jairus said to Jesus that his daughter was sick while Matthew 9:18 says Jairus said she had just died.
Response: If we read the verses we see that Mark 5:21ff says that Jairus first said his daughter was sick and then later he got the news that she had died. That is, he spoke twice to Jesus about his daughter. First that she was sick and then that she had died. Matthew 9:18ff is a short account and only records the final conversation, that she was dead. There is no contradiction here.
3. Finally he says, did Jesus tell his disciples to take a staff (Mark 6:8) on their journey or not to take a staff (Matthew 10:9)?
Response: If we read the verses we see that Mark 6:8 says take a staff, sandals, and only one tunic, while Matthew 10:10 says do not take an extra (two) tunic, sandals, or staff. They say the same thing. Jesus is not expecting them to walk around barefoot and without a staff. Instead, the extra provisions will be provided for them. There is no contradiction here.
For those who think Ehrman is an authority on the Bible, I simply ask you to check what he says and not assume that Christians are stupid and naive.