For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How should Sabbath-breakers be punished?
Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction:
They should be exiled.
“Therefore you are to keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.” (Exodus 31:14)
They should be killed.
“Therefore you are to keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.” (Exodus 31:14)
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.” (Exodus 31:15)
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.” (Exodus 35:2)
“Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation; 34 and they placed him in custody, because it had not been decided what should be done to him. 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him [a]to death with stones, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Numbers 15:32-36)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
The Domain for Truth 