The Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast

Episode 282 concludes our 31-week journey through the Bible difficulties of the Book of Numbers by examining the two-witness requirement in Numbers 35:30. Does this law mean that a murderer could only be convicted if two people actually witnessed the crime? If so, wouldn't most murderers simply go free?

Lance Smith explores the skeptical objection, examines the Hebrew word ʿēd ("wit...

In Episode 281, Lance Smith concludes his two-part examination of Matthew 23:35 by tackling the question, "Has there ever really been a righteous person?" The Skeptic's Annotated Bible identifies just four passages that answer "No" and more than eighty that answer "Yes." Is that a contradiction?

By examining passages such as Romans 3, Genesis 15, Hebrews 11, and Matthew 23, Lance shows tha...

In Episode 280 of the Bible Difficulties and Answers podcast, Lance Smith concludes Book Two of C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity by exploring Chapter Five, The Practical Conclusion.

If Christianity is more than simply trying to be a better person, how does the new life Christ offers actually become ours? Lewis argues that God ordinarily imparts the Christ-life through baptism, belief, ...

In Episode 279, Lance Smith examines the apparent contradiction in Numbers 35:19 between God's command, "You shall not murder," and His authorization of the avenger of blood to execute a convicted murderer.

He explains the biblical distinction between unlawful murder and lawful capital punishment, explores the purpose of the cities of refuge, and shows how God's law balanced justice...

Episode 278 examines the apparent contradiction in Matthew 23:35 concerning the identity of Zechariah's father. Was Jesus referring to Zechariah the son of Jehoiada in 2 Chronicles, the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, or someone else entirely?

Lance Smith explores the leading explanations, including ancient naming conventions, possible textual variants, the case for the prophet Zecharia...

Episode 277 unpacks C.S. Lewis's chapter "The Perfect Penitent," showing how humanity's rebellion makes true repentance impossible on our own and why only God becoming man in Jesus can accomplish our rescue.

Host Lance Smith highlights Lewis' rescue metaphor, the necessity of Christ's dual nature, and the central Christian claim that Christ's death puts us right with God.

References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast ma...

In Episode 276, Lance Smith tackles an apparent contradiction between the wilderness itineraries in Numbers 21 and Numbers 33. Why do the lists of Israel's campsites differ if they're describing the same journey?

Drawing from The Big Book of Bible Difficulties by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, along with additional biblical and scholarly sources, Lance explains how the two passages serve different purposes...

Did Jesus contradict Himself?

In Matthew 23, Jesus tells the crowds to obey the Pharisees. Yet elsewhere He warns His disciples to beware of their teaching. At first glance, those statements seem impossible to reconcile.

In Episode 275, Lance Smith examines the historical context behind "Moses' seat," explains the difference between God's Law and the traditi...

In episode 274 Lance Smith walks through Chapter 3 of C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, explaining why God gave creatures free will, how that freedom made evil possible, and why true happiness requires union with God.

Lewis’ famous “Lord, Liar, or Lunatic” argument is highlighted: Jesus’ claims demand a response. The episode challenges listeners to choose how they understand Jesus and to keep asking honest ques...

Numbers 31 contains one of the most difficult passages in the entire Old Testament. How could a holy and loving God command the destruction of the Midianites?

In this episode, Lance Smith examines the historical and biblical context behind this challenging chapter, tracing the story back to Israel's rebellion at Baal Peor in Numbers 25. Along the way, he addresses common skeptical objectio...

Episode 272 examines the difficult charge that the Bible endorses slavery by distinguishing ancient biblical servitude from modern chattel slavery, reviewing key Old and New Testament passages, and noting protections and limits found in Scripture.

The episode also connects the biblical trajectory toward human dignity with the church’s role in opposing historical and contemporary forms of slavery, including human trafficking a...

In this episode, we continue through C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity with Book Two, Chapter Two — The Invasion.

Lewis takes on Dualism, the idea that two equal powers — one good and one evil — are locked in an eternal war. He argues that this view ultimately fails because evil is not an independent force. Evil is “spoiled goodness” — a parasite that must borrow its power from good in order t...

Host Lance Smith examines the apparent discrepancy between Numbers 25 and 1 Corinthians 10 about whether 23,000 or 24,000 Israelites died after the Baal Peor incident, explaining that Moses records the total deaths while Paul specifies that 23,000 fell in a single day. The episode reviews the background—Israel’s compromise with Moabite worship, Phinehas’ decisive action, and God’s judgment—and shows ho...

In this episode Lance Smith examines apparent differences between Matthew and Mark about when Jesus cursed the fig tree and when it withered, arguing the accounts reflect different emphases rather than a contradiction.

He explains Mark’s chronological “sandwich” and Matthew’s focus on immediacy, and connects the fig tree’s fruitlessness to a symbolic judgment on hollow religiosity.

References to items ...

This week we step into Book Two of Mere Christianity as C.S. Lewis begins unpacking what Christians actually believe about God.

Lewis addresses a common question: Do Christians have to believe every other religion is entirely wrong? He then explores the major division between those who see God as “beyond good and evil” and those who believe God is good, righteous, and actively calls us to set right what has gone wrong i...

This episode examines Numbers 24:7, where Balaam's oracle says Israel's king will be greater than Agag—though the famous Agag in 1 Samuel lived centuries later. The host explains common solutions: Agag may have been a dynastic title for Amalekite rulers, prophetic foresight, or a case of later names used for clarity.

The discussion touches on the Septuagint reading "Gog," the historical context of Amalek, and how the prophecy...

Sidebar Episode: 2026 Midyear Review (Episode 266)

Hello again, everybody! Join host Lance Smith for a special midyear check-in on the Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast. Whether you’ve been listening since our 2023 trailer or you’re just joining us, this episode is packed with encouragement, gratitude, and the latest numbers showing how God continues to use this little podcast.

We take a honest look back at the fir...

Episode 265 examines the alleged gospel contradiction about Jesus riding a donkey and its colt into Jerusalem. The host explains how Matthew mentions two animals present while Mark, Luke, and John focus on the colt Jesus rode, showing the accounts are complementary rather than contradictory.

The episode also explores how Matthew’s detail highlights fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy and offers practical reasons—l...

Episode 264 explores C.S. Lewis' chapter five of Mere Christianity, where he argues that Christianity begins when we honestly face the moral law, recognize our failure, and receive forgiveness. Lance Smith guides listeners through Lewis' candid diagnosis of the human condition and the path from uneasy conviction to real comfort.

References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:

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