Contradiction with Mark 7:15
Mark 7:15 states that nothing from outside a person can defile them, contradicting Numbers 19:12, which suggests that being unclean is due to an external contact with a dead body.
Mark 7:15: If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Contradiction with Matthew 15:11
Matthew 15:11 suggests that what enters the mouth does not defile a person, contradicting Numbers 19:12’s emphasis on external impurity from touching a corpse.
Matthew 15:11: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Contradiction with Romans 14:14
Romans 14:14 indicates that nothing is unclean in itself, contradicting the notion in Numbers 19:12 that touching something can make a person unclean.
Romans 14:14: I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean. [unclean: Gr. common]
Contradiction with Acts 10:15
Acts 10:15, where Peter is told not to call anything impure that God has made clean, challenges the idea in Numbers 19:12 that contact with death renders one unclean.
Acts 10:15: And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common.
Contradiction with Hebrews 9:13-14
Hebrews 9:13-14 argues that the blood of Christ cleanses conscience from dead works, contrasting the ceremonial impurity and cleansing by ashes in Numbers 19:12.
Hebrews 9:13-14: For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Paradox #1
Numbers 19:12 deals with a purification ritual involving the ashes of a red heifer for those who have touched a dead body. A potential contradiction or inconsistency could arise when comparing this specific cleansing ritual to other purification and sacrifice practices found in different parts of the Bible or in the broader context of ancient Near Eastern customs. The specificity and uniqueness of using a red heifer might also conflict with more generalized sacrificial practices that don't mention such specifics.
Paradox #2
The contradiction or conflict in Numbers 19:12 could be about the idea of ritual purity and cleanliness. This verse indicates that someone who becomes unclean by touching a dead body must follow specific purification rituals. The potential inconsistency arises from the view that physical actions like touching a dead person cause spiritual or moral impurity, which might conflict with modern ethical beliefs that focus more on intentions and actions rather than ritualistic practices for determining moral standing. However, it's important to note that this perspective can vary widely among different readers and interpretations.