Today’s Reading: Psalm 40; 49-50; 73

Can the Bible contain contradictions? Many today do believe that the Bible can and does contain them! (If you ever hear someone assert that “the Bible is full of contradictions,” I encourage you to ask them to give you an example or two, and see what they say! Anyway…) One such “contradiction” I see is found today in Psalm 49:7-9.

“No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him—
the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
that he should live on forever
and not see decay.”

Does this not contradict the New Testament teaching that Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, came to redeem us (Galatians 4:4-5) and give His life as a ransom for us (1 Timothy 2:5-6)?

The answer is no. Why not? The context of this supposed contradiction expresses the fact that everyone, both rich and poor, die. It is not saying that someone could not be a substitute for the punishment for sin. Basically, these verses express God’s ultimate authority over life and death, and that no amount of money can buy someone one more day of life.

How sobering it is to think that no matter now hard we work, no matter how much money we save, no matter how much we desire, our lives will one day come to an end and we cannot stop it (that is, unless the Lord Jesus comes to rapture us!). I truly need to be more thankful for the days I have been given by God, and use them wisely for His glory.