The Dead Hitler Analogy
Sometimes Bible contradictions can be harmonized.
Occasionally updated and edited.
Copyright © 2009
The death of Adolph Hitler has nothing innately relative to the Bible.
The telling of the story of Hitler's death, however, can provide an analogy of how some Biblical texts seem to conflict when, in reality, they can be harmonized to yield a fuller and more accurate account than they do independently.
Hitler's "Gospels"
Suppose an historian named Mark were to write a brief biography of Hitler. At the conclusion of his story, Mark informs us that Hitler's death was by suicide. He gives us no further details.
A few years later another historian named Luke writes a more detailed biography of Hitler. Luke uses Mark's story as a reference, often copying the information verbatim. Luke adds detail not mentioned by Mark. He notes, for example, that Hitler not only died by suicide, but did so by ingesting a cyanide capsule given him by his physician.
Another historian, unaware of Luke's story, also writes Hitler's biography. Like Luke, this third author, named Matthew, borrows information from Mark and adds detail of his own. When writing his account of Hitler's suicide, Matthew says nothing of a cyanide capsule but, instead, informs us that Hitler died of a self-inflicted gun shot wound.
Years later a fourth historian, named John, writes Hitler's biography. Unlike Luke and Matthew, John does not use Mark as a reference. Instead, John's writing includes many details the other biographies omitted. When relating the death of Hitler, John says nothing about suicide. Rather, he notes that the charred body of Hitler was discovered by Russian troops as they entered his compound.
The casual reader of John's story would conclude that Hitler burned to death. That would seem to conflict with Mark, Luke and Matthew's account of suicide. What's more, there is a clear contradiction between the stories of Luke and Matthew. While one claims Hitler died of cyanide poisoning, the other contends that he died of a self-inflicted gun shot wound.
Independently read, the four biographies appear to contain contradictions. By blending the four biographies we are able to obtain a more accurate accounting:
Hitler died by suicide. His physician provided him with a cyanide capsule which he ingested to assure his death, should the self-inflicted gun shot wound fail to end his life. Hitler's aids then burned his body as the Russian troops neared the compound.
Similarly, apparent contradictions in the Bible can be blended to acquire fuller, logical accounts.
The Judas Contradiction
The death of Judas Iscariot is one such example. Judas, you'll recall, betrayed Jesus to the authorities. According to Matthew's Gospel, Judas committed suicide by hanging himself. Acts, written by Luke, claims that Judas died when, falling head first, "he burst asunder . . . and all his bowels gushed out." (Acts 1:18).
Did Judas die from hanging? Or from a nasty fall?
By blending the two accounts, we can conclude that Judas hung himself and, perhaps by force of his own weight, the rope snapped causing him to fall. The impact caused his gruesome end. This certainly makes more sense than supposing Judas had merely tripped over a stone while, coincidentally, walking through the very field purchased by the elders with the money intended as Judas' fee for betraying Jesus.
Women of the Resurrection
The Gospels also seem to disagree on which women visited the empty tomb of Jesus after his death.
That's not to say the Gospel accounts of Judas's suicide and the women at the empty tomb are historical fact; it's to say that they can be harmonized. They may be harmonized history, harmonized fiction, or a combination of both.
March 9, 2009
