Contradiction with Luke 14:26
This verse speaks about hating family, including a wife, whereas Deuteronomy 20:7 allows a man to stay with his betrothed wife.
Luke 14:26: If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Contradiction with 1 Corinthians 7:27
Advises against seeking a wife, potentially conflicting with Deuteronomy 20:7, which supports marrying a betrothed.
1 Corinthians 7:27: Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
Contradiction with Ecclesiastes 3:8
States there is a time for war, which might contradict Deuteronomy 20:7, where a man is exempt from war to marry.
Ecclesiastes 3:8: A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Contradiction with Matthew 19:29
Encourages leaving behind family, including a wife, for the sake of Jesus, contrasting with staying home in Deuteronomy 20:7.
Matthew 19:29: And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Paradox #1
Deuteronomy 20:7 mentions a situation concerning men going to war and having a fiancée. A potential contradiction or inconsistency could be regarding differing accounts in other biblical texts about who was exempt from military service or the specific reasons for exemptions. Some inconsistencies might arise when comparing these rules to other ancient cultural practices or legal norms found in different parts of the Old Testament or other historical sources.
Paradox #2
Deuteronomy 20:7 can present a contradiction because it allows a man who is engaged to be married to return from battle to ensure he can marry his fiancée. This might conflict with other biblical themes of putting communal and religious duties before personal desires. It raises questions about prioritizing personal relationships over collective responsibilities, especially in the context of war.