Contradiction with Exodus 33:11
This verse states that the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, contradicting the claim in John 1:18 that no one has seen God.
Exodus 33:11: And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Contradiction with Genesis 32:30
Jacob claims he saw God face to face, which contradicts John 1:18's assertion that no one has seen God.
Genesis 32:30: And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. [Peniel: that is, The face of God]
Contradiction with Judges 13:22
Manoah fears for his life because he believes they have seen God, contradicting John 1:18's claim.
Judges 13:22: And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
Contradiction with Isaiah 6:5
Isaiah claims to have seen the King, the Lord of hosts, which contradicts John 1:18's declaration.
Isaiah 6:5: Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. [undone: Heb. cut off]
Contradiction with Exodus 24:10
The Israelites see the God of Israel, contradicting John 1:18's statement that no one has seen God at any time.
Exodus 24:10: And they saw the God of Israel: and [there was] under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in [his] clearness.
Paradox #1
John 1:18 might seem contradictory because it says no one has seen God, yet there are other parts of the Bible where people, like Moses, have encounters with God. This can create confusion about whether God can be seen.
Paradox #2
Some people point out a contradiction between John 1:18 and other parts of the Bible that mention people seeing God, like in the stories of Moses or the prophets. The tension comes from whether these encounters were direct and face-to-face with God or more symbolic and indirect. So, the conflict is about how to interpret these experiences of seeing God, whether they were literal or not.
Paradox #3
Some people see a contradiction between the idea that no one has seen God, as mentioned in this verse, and other parts of the Bible where it describes people experiencing God's presence or seeing visions of God. This can be confusing for some because it seems to say different things about whether humans can perceive God directly.
Paradox #4
John 1:18 might seem contradictory because it says no one has seen God, yet other parts of the Bible mention people having visions or seeing God in some form. This could create confusion about whether it's possible to see God or not.