7 Bible Passages In History That Contradict Modern Science And How Christians Defend Them

The Bible happens to be one of the most influential books in human history. Those of the religious sect have considered the bible a sacred scripture holding significant importance in Christianity, Judaism, and even the Islamic Faith. The book includes history, religious Laws, poetic insights, prophecy, and even religious moral teachings.

Through the various discoveries made in the field of Science over the years, most of the biblical scriptures have appeared to contradict some of the most established scientific facts. Bible believers have continued to maintain their firm beliefs in the purity of the Bible and have been defending the sanctity of these scriptures from these controversies. In this article, we are going to look at some of the controversial bible passages that have appeared to contradict the scriptures and how Christians have defended themselves;

1.Genesis 1:31 – The Six-Day Creation Theory

''And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. And the evening and morning were the sixth day.''

The Genesis account of creation often presents God as the origin of all things. In the book of Genesis, there is a structures presentation of creation which happened within 6 days. Scientific Theories formulated over the years appear to contradict this popular belief of a 6 day creation.

While defending the 6- day creation theory, Christians have for years viewed the 'six days' symbolically. This then suggests that each day could represent a long era rather than a 24-hour period. A scripturals verse in 2 Peter 3:8 even suggets that a day to God is like a thousand years.

2.Joshua 10:13 – The Sun Stands Still

“So the sun stood still until the nation avenged itself on its enemies.”

In Joshua 10:13, the Bible recounts an event where the sun stood still to allow the Israelites more time to defeat their enemies. Taken literally, this bible passage often suggests the sun moves around the Earth and can be halted. The scripture is a direct contradiction to the findings of modern science in Astronomy.  

Religious scholars have stated that the passage only reflects the how the people viwed the world at that time before any scientific discoveries were made.

3. Psalm 104:5 – The Earth Cannot Be Moved

''The Lord set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved,"

This specific Bible scripture has frequently been interpreted as indicating that the Earth is immobile and stationary. The ancient notion of a geocentric universe, in which the Earth was at the centre and everything else circled around it, is consistent with this theory.  According to numerous biblical experts, the verse is poetic and conveys the stability and dependability of Earth from a human standpoint rather than its physical immobility. 

4.Revelation 6:13 – Stars Falling to Earth

''And the stars from heaven fell upon the earth..''

The claim that "the stars of heaven fell unto the earth" in Revelation 6:13 presents a serious scientific conundrum if interpreted literally. Like the sun, stars are enormous, blazing balls of gas, and many of them are millions of times bigger than Earth. 

This text is interpreted symbolically by many Christians who see it as a piece of prophetic literature full of metaphor and imagery. Instead of the actual celestial bodies in this instance, stars could stand for spiritual or political forces.

5. Mark 4:31- The Grain of Mustard Seed

''It is as a grain of mustard seed: which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth:''

Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed in Mark 4:31, calling it "the smallest of all seeds on earth." This assertion, if taken literally, runs counter to botanical research, which demonstrates that some seeds, such those of orchids, are noticeably smaller than mustard seeds.

Many of the religious faith, however, consider this paragraph to be a figure of speech rather than a scientific assertion. The mustard seed was widely recognised and utilised in everyday life, particularly in Jewish teaching.

6.Genesis 30:37–39- Alteration of Animal DNA

Jacob places striped and spotted sticks in front of sheep during mating, and the resulting offsprings had similar markings (Genesis 30:37–39). When interpreted literally, this suggests that visual cues during mating can affect the characteristics of the offsprings. Modern genetics, however, clearly undermines this notion. Animal characteristics, such as fur colour or patterns, are governed by genes passed down from the parents rather than by what the animals observe during mating.

Because of this, many people have interpreted the passage as either a divine intervention or a cultural belief of the time, rather than a breeding method that is supported by science. Although the account emphasises Jacob's cunning or divine favour, the procedure stated is genetically impossible from a scientific perspective because it disregards DNA and inheritance.

7.Genesis 3:14

''...upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life''

God curses the serpent in Genesis 3:14, declaring, "You shall go on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life." If taken literally, this implies that snakes consume dust, which runs counter to what is known about snake behaviour and nutrition. As carnivorous reptiles, snakes really consume live prey like insects, birds, and rodents.

Rather than providing a biological explanation, the majority of biblical scholars read this verse as metaphorical, highlighting the serpent's humility and lowly status following the fall.