Contradiction with James 4:3
This verse contradicts Isaiah 58:4 by highlighting that requests made with wrong intentions will not be fulfilled, while Isaiah 58:4 emphasizes improper fasting to achieve one’s own desires.
James 4:3: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts. [lusts: or, pleasures]
Contradiction with Matthew 6:16
This verse advises against fasting with the wrong intentions, similar to how Isaiah 58:4 criticizes fasting that is done to pursue strife and not with purity.
Matthew 6:16: Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Contradiction with 1 Corinthians 13:3
This verse emphasizes the futility of actions without love, contradicting the self-serving purpose described in Isaiah 58:4.
1 Corinthians 13:3: And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Paradox #1
Isaiah 58:4 talks about people carrying out religious rituals like fasting but still engaging in arguments and fights. The potential contradiction is that the rituals are intended to bring people closer to God and promote peace, yet their actions show the opposite. This highlights the inconsistency between religious practice and moral behavior.
Paradox #2
The contradiction in Isaiah 58:4 could be that people are fasting and engaging in religious rituals, but at the same time, they are being unjust and quarrelsome. This inconsistency lies in practicing spiritual acts without reflecting them in one's behavior towards others. The conflict is between outward religious rituals and the absence of genuine, ethical treatment of fellow people.