Answering the Most Pressing Questions About the Bible: Old and New Testament Challenges

Introduction

A Believer’s faith often raises a variety of profound and challenging questions, both for believers and skeptics. From its central message to its answers for existential crises, suffering, and societal concerns, Christianity provides a framework that invites deep thought and reflection. This blog will explore some of the most pressing and diverse questions about Christianity, inspired by engaging conversations.

Stuart and Cliffe Knechtle, a father-and-son duo, have spent decades engaging in thoughtful, often challenging conversations about Christianity with believers and skeptics alike. Known for their open-air dialogues on college campuses and beyond, they model an approach to truth-seeking that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply faithful to the Word of God.

Their hallmark is a blend of humility and courage: they do not shy away from admitting when they don’t have all the answers, yet they firmly stand on the conviction that the Bible offers ultimate truth. In this conversation, they tackled some of the toughest questions about the Bible, spanning both Old and New Testament challenges, demonstrating how faith thrives not in avoidance but in engagement with complexity.

Stuart and Cliffe Knechtle with Alex O’Connor

The below answers are inspired by an interview they did recently with a famous skeptic Alex O’Connor.

1. How Can We Reconcile the Old Testament’s God with the New Testament’s Jesus?

The God of the Old Testament is often perceived as harsh, jealous, and even vindictive, while Jesus in the New Testament is seen as meek, loving, and forgiving. Are they truly the same?

Response:
The God of the Old Testament and Jesus are one and the same, displaying consistent attributes of justice, love, and mercy throughout the Bible. For example:

• God’s jealousy in the Old Testament is a righteous and protective love, akin to a parent’s jealousy when harmful influences threaten their child.

• The New Testament echoes God's justice and wrath against sin, as seen in Revelation’s vivid depictions of judgment.

Quote:
Cliffe Knechtle addressed this tension directly:
“God is the only thing that can ultimately sustain the weight of your greatest desires and your meaning. Yes, God in the Old Testament gets angry, but it’s a righteous anger because He’s confronting evil and injustice.”

2. Does the Bible Condone Slavery?

Passages in the Old Testament seem to permit slavery, such as the allowance to own slaves from neighboring nations (Leviticus 25:44–46). How do we reconcile this with the Bible’s broader message of human dignity?

Response:
Slavery in the Bible reflects ancient cultural realities and is regulated rather than endorsed. For example:

• In the Old Testament, laws surrounding slavery were designed to provide protections unheard of in other ancient cultures, such as releasing Hebrew slaves after seven years (Exodus 21:2).

• Jesus’ teachings, along with Paul’s writings (e.g., Galatians 3:28), emphasize the equality of all people in Christ, planting the seeds for abolitionist movements centuries later.

Quote:
Cliffe explained:
“God’s laws on slavery were instructions, not approval. Regulation, not affirmation. It’s about living in a broken, cursed world and pointing toward a higher ideal—freedom and dignity for all.”

3. What About Women Being Silent in Church?

Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14:34–35, that women should remain silent in church, seem inconsistent with his other writings that commend women’s roles in ministry. Is this a contradiction?

Response:
Context is key:

• In 1 Corinthians 11:5, Paul acknowledges women praying and prophesying in worship, suggesting his silence directive addressed specific disruptions in the Corinthian church rather than a universal rule.

• Some scholars argue that 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 may even be a later scribal addition, as these verses are absent or moved in early manuscripts.

Quote:
Stuart commented:
“Paul wasn’t silencing women universally. In some contexts, worship services had devolved into chaos. Paul was addressing order in the church, not denying women their God-given roles in teaching and prophecy.”

4. Why Does the Old Testament Seem to Permit Violence and Genocide?

Commands for Israel to annihilate entire nations (e.g., Deuteronomy 20:16–17) are deeply troubling. How can these be reconciled with the Bible’s message of love?

Response:
Such commands are tied to unique historical and theological contexts:

• God’s instructions were part of establishing Israel as a holy nation in a deeply corrupt and violent ancient world. These actions were judgment against extreme evil, such as child sacrifice, practiced by these nations.

• Importantly, the Old Testament’s overarching narrative is one of redemption, culminating in Jesus, who fulfills the law and calls His followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Quote:
Cliffe added:
“We live in an unfair, cursed, messed-up world. When God permits or regulates actions in the Old Testament, it’s not because He approves of them—it’s because He’s working within human brokenness to lead us toward redemption.”

5. Is Job’s Message Simply “Don’t Question God”?

The Book of Job is often seen as a dismissal of human questioning in the face of suffering. Is that all there is to it?

Response:
The Book of Job invites readers to wrestle with suffering and divine justice:

• Job is allowed to ask hard questions, and God’s response from the whirlwind (Job 38–41) highlights His sovereignty and wisdom.

• The climax isn’t a set of answers but God’s presence, offering Job a profound sense of trust and comfort.

Quote:
Cliffe reflected:
“The real comfort in Job is not God saying, ‘Don’t ask questions.’ It’s God saying, ‘I am with you.’ That presence, that relational comfort, is the foundation of hope even in the face of suffering.”

6. Why Didn’t Thomas Believe Without Evidence?

In John 20:24–29, Thomas famously doubts Jesus’ resurrection until he sees physical proof. Does this suggest that faith requires evidence?

Response:
Thomas’ story illustrates the balance between evidence and faith:

• Jesus provides evidence to Thomas but commends those who believe without seeing. This isn’t a call to blind faith but an affirmation of trust in credible testimony.

Quote:
Stuart explained:
“Thomas wasn’t scolded for doubting—Jesus honored his request for evidence. But Jesus also pointed to a higher blessing for those who believe through faith, not because they lack evidence, but because they trust the testimony of others.”

Conclusion

This dialogue serves as a reminder that faith and humility go hand in hand. Stuart and Cliffe Knechtle demonstrated courage in admitting when answers were incomplete while holding firm to the trustworthiness and transformative power of Scripture. Their approach encourages both believers and skeptics to engage with the Bible not as a book of easy answers, but as a profound invitation to explore the depths of human experience and divine love.

As Cliffe summarized beautifully:
“God has given us enough light to believe and enough shadow to require faith. That balance is where trust and relationship with Him flourish.”