The Bible You Thought You Knew: Recent Episodes
Dr. Frank Anthony Spina
My name is Frank Spina and during my 46 years as a professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology, I noticed that most people only know interpretations of the Bible, rather than the scripture itself.
In this podcast, I will be your teacher and guide through the Bible that not many people are familiar with.
As we unpack quintessential Biblical stories, you will gain an unparalleled understanding of the scripture and discover a new way to think about the bible you thought you knew.
Be sure to subscribe and tune in each week!
In this podcast I deal with the first part of verse 1 of 1 Samuel 4 (the so-called verse 1b). Translators and commentators place this verse as the final verse of 1 Samuel 3. This is because we are told that the word of Samuel came to all Israel, but Samuel says not a word. Plus, he does not even appear in the next story. I argue that is a rhetorical device to have us read the story of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4—6) as a “prophet’s pregnant pause” hovers over the narrative. That strategy intensifies the fact that God had raised up a prophet for Israel, but Israel neglected prophetic ministry for twenty years. Twenty years later (according to 1 Samuel 7) the prophet Samuel finally spoke!
In this story the totality of Saul’s reign is recorded. It is significantly shorter than Saul’s story as narrated in 1 Samuel 9—31. Plus, the story in 1 Chronicles 10 is uniformly negative. It tells about Israel’s losing a battle to the Philistines, about the death of Saul’s three sons, and his being wounded by Philistine archers. Trying to avoid humiliation, Saul orders his armor-bearer to kill him, something that the man is unable to do. So, Saul kills himself (immediately afterwards, the armor-bearer kills himself). The Philistines find the corpses of Saul and his sons; they desecrate Saul’s corpse by decapitation. Eventually, Saul’s and his sons’ bodies are rescued and buried properly in Israelite territory. 1 Chronicles 11 begins the story of King David’s reign.
In this psalm, which is technically a communal lament, the psalmist asks God several times to save the people (i.e., Israel). At first, it is unclear from what the people are to be saved. Eventually, it is either from a severe military defeat or the Exile. Several times in this psalm, God is implored to make His face shine, positively on Israel and negatively on Israel’s enemies. Toward the end of the Psalm, the psalmist points out that should salvation appear in the form of victory, God will be invoked.
The two stories are narrated in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33. In the Kings account King Manasseh was completely opposite his righteous father, Hezekiah. In fact, he was an unmitigated disaster for his idolatrous practices, which even included sacrificing his own son. The incurred God’s wrath and subsequent judgment. In the Chronicles account, Manasseh’s copious sins are also enumerated. But in this account after he had been dragged off to Babylon in chains he humbled himself and implored God. That eventuated in his return to Jerusalem and his fostering Israelite religious practices. The two stories are impossible to harmonize. The best we can do is to note that the characterizations suited differing purposes of the editors of Kings and Chronicles, respectively.
This is the famous dream: “Jacob’s Ladder.” As he was on the way to his Uncle Laban’s place, he spent the night. He had a dream in which he saw a ladder with divine messengers (i.e. angels) moving up and down the ladder. God then spoke, reiterating the promise of numerous descendants and the gift of the land. Jacob commemorated the occasion by converting a stone which he had used as a pillow into a pillar, upon which he poured oil. He also responded to the dream by acknowledging God’s presence. He called the place “the house of God” (=Bethel). He also made a vow to God. That was the good news. The bad news was that he prefaced the vow with a disturbing “if.”
This is the sole story in which Isaac is the main character and where he shines. He and Rebekah had to go to Gerar because of a famine. God warned him not to go to Egypt (as Abraham and Sarah had done). God also reiterated the promises to the family. Isaac passed off his wife as his sister. Because of her beauty, he felt threatened. Eventually, the king of the city realized that Isaac had lied. Though the king made sure no one would bother Rebekah, he ordered the whole family to leave. Isaac did, but did not go far. While in the nearby valley, he farmed, quite successfully. This increased his wealth and numbers, which worried the Philistines. Also, Isaac redug several wells that Abraham had dug but the Philistines had filled with soil. Eventually, the Philistines and Isaac’s family made a non-aggression pact and lived peacefully.
Many psalms are laments in which a psalmist complains about various kinds of crises. Thought the laments are often bitter, typically toward the end of the psalm God either intervenes to deal with the causse of the complaint or God’s intervention is anticipated. That is not the case in Psalm 88. In this lament, there is not amelioration or anticipation of amelioration. The psalmist prays persistently, but there is no resolution. At the same time, the psalmist refuses to give up. Regardless of how bad things are—he seems close to death—he continues to cry out to God. Ironically, laments only make sense if one believes in God. If there is no God, there is no expectation of how things should be. They just are! Laments underscore how profoundly the lamenter holds on to God. And, the lamenter continues to pray regardless of the answer.
Based on 1 Kings 3. This story begins with a mixed introduction of Solomon. On the one hand, he is depicted as righteous as King David, his father. On the other hand, we are told that he married Pharoah’s daughter and engaged in pagan practices. Still, in a dream God asked him what he would like. Realizing the arduous task of being king over Israel, he asked for a wise and discerning mind. God granted this, and wealth to boot. Solomon’s wisdom was soon tested when two prostitutes claimed ownership of the same baby. Solomon used his wisdom to figure out who the real mother was. This decision made his wisdom legendary.
The story is based on 2 Samuel 20. In this somewhat obscure story a man named Sheba foments revolt against David. This was right after Absalom, David’s son, had rebelled against his father. Though Absalom was unable to stay in power, he had greatly weakened his father. Because of that, Sheba tried his hand at removing David from the throne. But this time, David did not have to leave Jerusalem. Eventually, Joab, a military officer, chased Sheba and found him holed up in Abel. While threatening the city, a wise woman in the city negotiated with Joab. Eventually, she agreed to deliver Sheba in exchange for Joab’s withdrawing his troops. The woman persuaded the people in the city to sacrifice Sheba, which they did by decapitating him and throwing the head to the invading troops!
Based on 2 Samuel 12. In this story, in the aftermath of David’s affair with Bath-Sheba and his having her husband murdered Nathan the prophet confronts David. But he does so indirectly. Nathan tells David about two men, one rich and one poor. In this story, the rich man callously exploits the poor man. David is outraged at the rich man and insists that the man pay fourfold for what he has done. Nathan lets David know that he is the man in the story. David, too, will pay fourfold. Though David’s sins are forgiven, the consequences remain. Eventually, David loses three sons and has to deal with his daughter’s Being raped. Even forgiven sins often have consequences.
This story is based on Numbers 20. This is a famous incident in which God wants Moses to “speak” to a rock so that Israel will be supplied with water. Instead, Moses strikes the rock. Both Moses and Aaron (his brother) were involved. And, both incurred God’s anger and punishment. The punishment was that neither would be allowed to enter Canaan, the Promised Land. As it turns out, though, it seems there was another reason that Moses got into trouble. This time, at least, Israel did nothing wrong. But Moses did. He accused Israel of being rebellious when he was the one being rebellious.
It is based on Exodus 19. This story recounts Israel’s first experience as soon as it got into the wilderness after being rescued from Egypt. Moses makes several trips up and down the mountain to communicate with God. God wants the people to prepare for a theophany, in which God will come in a thick cloud, accompanied by smoke, fire, thunder, and other phenomena. Moses is instructed to prepare the people for this by consecrating them. There are requirements to be observed, since getting close to a holy God can be dangerous. Eventually, God comes to the mountain and speaks to the people directly. This is one of the few times that God does not speak through a mediator. What he says is the ten words, or ten commandments. This theophany emphasizes the significance of those commandments.
This podcast deals with Esau, one of the most disliked characters in the Bible. Famously, Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup and later was cheated out of his father’s blessing. This outraged him, and further led him to plot his brother’s murder. Esau had twenty years to wallow in his rage. Yet, when the time came to meet his brother after two decades he was the model of acceptance, forgiveness, and grace. There is almost nothing in the story that gives us so much as a hint as to what transformed Esau. All we have is a detail that when he realized that his parents were upset with his wives, who were outside of the family, he married Abraham’s granddaughter. There is some ambiguity as to whether this was a move to endear himself to the family or aggravate the situation. I suggest the former. Regardless of the reasons for his transformation, though, the scene in which he reconciled with Jacob is perhaps the greatest example of reconciliation in the whole Bible.
The story is found in 1 Samuel 12. In this incident, the prophet addresses “all Israel.” Mostly, he calls them to repentance and urges them to live righteous lives. But the prophet also lies in his address! He criticizes the people for responding to a threat coming from the Ammonite king, Nahash. According to Samuel, when this king threatened Israel, they asked for the prophet to anoint a king. But that was not true. It was when the people saw that Samuel was old and that his sons were corrupt, that they asked for a king. In this speech, Samuel does not even mention his sons’ corruption. Even a great prophet like Samuel has to be discerned when he speaks, since he does not always speak truthfully.
In this Podcast, I explain how the first, foundational part of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, called in Hebrew Torah, was five books instead of four or six. Some have argued that this foundational part of the Bible should be a Hexateuch—that is, the first six books—because the promise of land is so prominent in Genesis and Joshua (the 6th book) describes Israel’s getting the land. Others have argued that the Torah is a Tetrateuch, or the first 4 books, because the vocabulary and outlook of Deuteronomy is replete in Joshua through 2 Kings, but is not found in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Despite these hypotheses, the canonizing community made sure that the Torah was five books. In effect, they took the first book of the Deuteronomistic History (Deuteronomy) and made it the last book of Torah. Why did they do that? Because the Torah ended when Israel did not have the land, the monarchy, or the temple, the very situation they experienced in the Exile. It was in that period that decisions had to be made about how to “shape” Scripture.
Psalm 91 is the polar opposite of Psalm 90. This is because, if taken literally Psalm 91 would eliminate any need to complain or lament the way Psalm 90 does. In Psalm 91, the Lord’s protection makes those who love God immune from injury or death in war, from disease, from being harmed by wild animals, or even from being subject to the effects of gravity! Clearly, the people who wrote and canonized a psalm like this were not naïve. They experienced reverses in warfare, were subject to the ravages of disease, did not blithely pretend that there was no such thing as gravity, and did not pretend that wild animals could be dangerous. This is why the Psalm has to be carefully appropriated. The Devil made no headway when he quoted this psalm when tempting Jesus. Psalm 91 is not about whistling by the graveyard; instead, it is about hope.
I suggest that these psalms need to be read in tandem, much like Psalms 22 and 23 should be read in tandem. Psalm 90 purports to be a prayer of Moses. This is quite appropriate in that it accents Moses’ role as Israel’s mediator. Plus, Psalm 90 is the beginning of the 4th section of the Psalter. Curiously, Psalm 89 is a complaint against God for the Deity’s perceived breaking of the Davidic covenant. In Psalm 90, God asks Israel to “turn back,” or repent, and later Israel returns the favor by asking God to “turn back.” Though the prayer asks God to take pity on Israel, the gist is that God’s punishment has been sufficient and a change of divine demeanor is requested.
These three stories occur in the Synoptic Gospels; John does not have a temptation story. The temptation stories in Matthew and Luke are quite similar; Mark is as cryptic as the other two are detailed. This temptation in the wilderness mirrors Israel’s being tempted in the wilderness after escaping Egypt and being on the way to the Promised Land. In fact, Jesus’ quotes from Deuteronomy in rebuttal of the Devil come from contexts about Israel’s experience in the wilderness. In sum, Jesus is tempted to extol power, wealth, and status. But he rejects this to carry out his God-sent mission.
In this story, Elijah the prophet tells King Ahab that a divinely-sanctioned drought is on the way. Of course, this means the prophet needs to get out of town immediately. The Lord tells him to go to a brook, where he can procure water. Ravens would supply him with food! Eventually, the brook dries up. So, God instructs the prophet to head for Zarephath, a town in Sidon, which is not Israelite territory. God tells the prophet that a widow will take care of him. When Elijah finds the woman, she is in the process of preparing a final meal for her and her son. Elijah nevertheless asks not only for water, but a little food. The woman protests, but still provides Elijah with food. As a consequence, her flour and cooking oil do not run out for the duration of the drought. Before long, though, disaster happens. The woman’s son falls ill and dies. This makes the woman lash out at Elijah, who, she believes, has played a cruel trick on her. However, Elijah is able to revive the child, causing the woman to recognize Elijah as a true prophet of the Lord. The point of the story is that a woman from Sidon was more responsive to Elijah and his God than an Israelite king.
In this episode, Abraham and Sarah have to go to Egypt because Canaan has been afflicted by a famine. When they get there, Abraham urges Sarah to tell everyone that she is his sister rather than his wife. He was worried that the Egyptians would kill him to get to her. Sure enough, Sarah was whisked off to Pharaoh’s house. At that point, the Lord afflicted Egypt with plagues. An irate Pharaoh demands that Abraham take his wife and leave immediately. In the meantime, Abraham is greatly enriched because of all the presents that the Egyptians had given him.
In this podcast, I treat the treatment of Melchizedek according to the Epistle to the Hebrews. In that letter, he has an outsized role. He is not just any high priest. He is a high priest that is not related to any other Israelite priest. Because he has no genealogy, he is taken to be an eternal priest. Christ is the high priest who embodies Melchizedek’s role.
This is an odd story in the Abraham cycle. It involves a huge coalition of rival kings who go to war against each other. In the process, Lot, Abraham’s nephew, gets captured, along with the rest of his family and considerable property. Abraham feels compelled to rescue his nephew. This he does. On his way home, though, he is met by the king of Sodom and the king of Salem, who is named Melchizedek. Melchizedek blesses Abraham using the name of his Canaanite deity. Abraham combines the name of this deity with the name of the Israelite God (YHWH). The only other place where Melchizedek appears in the Old Testament is Psalm 110.
In this final episode, Jesus continues his debate with Jews who were considering was Jesus was saying. The more outrageous (from a Jewish perspective) Jesus was in the claims he made about himself, the more heated the debate became. Jesus demonized the Jews. The Jews returned the favor. The episode concluded when the Jews thought Jesus had been heretical and blasphemous, and therefore picked up stones to throw at him. Somehow, Jesus hid and got out of the temple unscathed.
This material is based on John 7-9. In this episode, right after Jesus deals with the woman caught in the act of adultery he begins teaching in the temple. A handful of Jews start believing in Jesus. But that did not mean that they understood him. They are confused about Jesus says about who sent him, where he soon will be going, why no one will be able to find him, etc. Typical of this Gospel, much of what Jesus says is cryptic.
In this episode, Jesus has been teaching in the temple, impressing those listening. Many of them think either that Jesus is “the prophet” or even the Messiah/Christ. This hubbub leads the Pharisees to send officers to arrest Jesus. But no one bothers him. When the officers explain why they did not arrest Jesus, Nicodemus enters the fray. He wants to know why Jesus is not being given a fair hearing. But Nicodemus is simply criticized by being asked whether he came from Galilee. The story is then interrupted by a story seemingly out of context: the incident with the woman caught in the act of adultery.
This story is narrated in John 7. In this episode, Jesus’ own biological brothers urge him to attend the Feast of Tabernacles which will be held in Jerusalem. At the time, Jesus was in the Galilee area in the north. He had been facing hostility in the south. Jesus tells his brothers, “No.” Later, Jesus goes to the Feast. At first, he does not nothing openly. Later, he shows up in the temple and teaches. This prompts the people to express their opinions of Jesus, which ranged from those who thought he was a good man and those who thought he was leading the people astray. Though the people in the temple were surprised that Jesus seemed so educated, he argued that had nothing to do with formal education. Instead, he seemed literate, so to speak, because of the One who had sent him.
In this last installment, the Ark of God comes back to Israel. This allows an opportunity for repentance and amendment of life. Prior to this, a number of Israelites were struck down for looking in the Ark! When Israel is repenting, the Philistines try a sneak attack. But God prevents them. When Israel’s army went up against the Philistine army, the results were disastrous. When they confronted the Philistines while Samuel was praying for them, they won easily.
In this episode Eli’s daughter-in-law goes into premature labor due to the Ark of God’s being captured. She dies in childbirth, but is able to name the baby. The name, Ichabod, means “The Glory is Gone.” As the episode continues, the Philistines gloat about the ark. But it wreaks havoc in Philistia for six months, at which time the Philistines send the ark back to Israel. They do it in such a way that it eliminates any chance that the damage done by the ark was coincidental.
n this episode, only a single family is in focus: Elkanah and his two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah was childless; Peninnah had sons and daughters. Peninnah made Hannah’s life miserable because of this circumstance. When the family was in Shiloh worshipping, Hannah prayed that her situation be reversed. Eventually, that prayer was answered and subsequently she gave birth to a son: Samuel. So far, only one family appears to be involved. But that is about to change, and change dramatically.
Text: Acts 1:15-26. In this story, Peter and the fledging community of Jesus’ followers needed to replace the disgrace Judas to ensure that the twelve apostles are able to sustain that number. Twelve is significant in that Jesus’ mission was to the lost house of Israel. The twelve disciples correspond to the twelve tribal units of Israel. The group did two things to discern God’s will: Pray and Cast Lots. The choice was Matthias, who is never heard from again. While this text should not be used to advocate using dice for ecclesiastical decision making, combining prayer and casting of lots at least suggests that we exercise considerable humility when discerning God’s will. Sometimes, knowing God’s will is maddeningly elusive.
In this Podcast, I suggest that the differences among these accounts are not the result of faulty eyewitnesses. Instead, they have to do with the differing theological perspectives of the various Gospels. Attempts to harmonize these texts are ill-advised. This is because harmonization creates a text that no one wrote or read. The Christian community canonized not a harmony of the Gospels, but Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
This story is found in John 20—21. Mary Magdalen goes to the tomb, finds the stone rolled away, and dashes off to tell Simon Peter and another disciple. The two disciples run to the tomb themselves. They both notice graveclothes, but no corpse. The other disciple believed, but what he believed is unspecified. They then go home. Mary stays around and enters the tomb, whereupon she sees two angels. They want to know why she is crying. Right then Jesus appears, but is not recognized by Mary. Eventually, they speak and she recognizes him. She reports this to the other disciples. Later that day Jesus appears to the other disciples, showing them his hands and feet. They are pleased, but say nothing. Thomas is there later but doubt their report that Jesus is alive. He wants evidence. More than a week later, Jesus is with the disciples again, this time Thomas is present. Though invited to touch Jesus’ wounds, Thomas declares, “My Lord and my God.” In the last scene, Jesus prepares a breakfast of fish and bread for the disciples. Jesus’ offering of breakfast imitates Jesus previously feeding the multitude with fish and bread. The scene concludes when Jesus asks three times whether Peter loves him. Jesus says as much three times in response. Keep in mind that Peter had once betrayed Jesus by denying that he knew him three times.
This story derives from chapter 24. It begins with several women going to Jesus’ tomb with spices. When they arrive, the stone to the entrance has been removed. The women look it, but see no body. Instead, they encounter two men who want to know why the women are looking for the dead among the living. Astounded, the women go to the disciples and other followers of Jesus to tell them what happened. But they are not believed. On that same day, two from Jesus’ inner circle encounter Jesus on the Road to Emmaus. However, they do not recognize him until he eats with them. When they are telling the other followers what had happened, Jesus appears. He ensures that they know that his resurrection was a bodily resurrection. He also teaches the group what the Scripture says about him. The chapter ends with Jesus’ commissioning the group, followed by his ascension.
In this Gospel, the accent is on disbelief and doubt. The women who first went to the tomb were afraid to tell anyone what they had encountered, even though the young man in a white robe had told them that Jesus was risen. In the longer version of the chapter (Mark 16), the details are markedly different but the outcome is the same. Mary Magdalene did report what she saw but no one believed her. Then, Jesus appeared to a couple of people who subsequently told his disciples and other followers. But they were disbelieved, too. Finally, Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples but had to scold them for being hard-hearted and lacking belief. Jesus then admonished them to preach the gospel, which would be accompanied by a number of dubious signs.
This is the first of a four-part series in which I deal with the various resurrection stories of the four canonical gospels. Matthew’s version is recounted in Matthew 28. Unique to this gospel, however, is the two earthquakes, one happening at the point of Jesus’ death (in Matthew 27) and a second one caused by a descending angel who rolled back the stone covering the tomb. Also unique is the incredible story that at the moment Jesus dies the tombs of many saints opened, whereupon these saints went into the city and appeared to many.
With Jesus’ resurrection, the angel who rolled away the stone told Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to go to tell the disciples that Jesus was no longer at the tomb. They were to tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee. On the way, they encounter Jesus, who repeats the instruction. The account includes the episode in which soldiers are bribed to tell people that Jesus’ disciples came to steal his body. When the disciples finally see Jesus in Galilee, they worshipped him. But some doubted.
In this presentation, Jesus explains what it means that he is the living bread that results in eternal life. There are overtones of eucharistic activities, revelatory ideas, and ways of relating to Jesus by means of this bread. Believing Jesus and eating his flesh and drinking his blood are part of this. Of course, the crowd does not get this teaching.
Jesus is an ordinary man—everyone knows him, and everyone knows his father and mother. How can someone so ordinary be living bread. It turns out that even disciples have difficulty with what Jesus is saying. Many of them abandon Jesus. Only the twelve stick around. However, Jesus points out that, though he has chosen the twelve, one of them is a devil!
This account is found in John 6. Even though a story in which Jesus feeds a large crowd with meager sources occurs in all four Gospels, the account John is unique. For example, in this story Jesus distributes the bread and fish himself. In the other Gospels, Jesus has his disciples do this. Plus, in this story the crowd seems more interested in a miracle that involves a free lunch than a sign indicative of Jesus’ ultimate mission. John 6 is parallel to John 4. In John 4, Jesus offers “living water” that will quench religious thirst for good. In John 6, Jesus offers “true bread” that will satisfy religious hunger for good.
In this episode, Elijah’s deity shows up and consumes the sacrifice with fire. As though this were not startling enough, the sacrifice and the wood had been drenched. This demonstration had the intended effect, namely, the Israelites acknowledged their God was indeed God. Afterwards, Elijah slaughters the prophets of Baal! Then, the prophet outruns King Ahab to Jezreel, even though the king is in a chariot and Elijah is on foot! I point out why this story should not be seen as a historical description.
This episode is narrated in 1 Kings 18. It is the famous contest on Mt. Carmel. This story also features Obadiah, a man who serves both Ahab and Israel’s God. Obadiah was the one who told King Ahab that Elijah wanted to meet him. Of course, Obadiah was worried that Elijah might get cold feet and not appear. Elijah convinced Obadiah otherwise.
When Ahab and Elijah met, they traded insults. Then Elijah proposed a contest. The prophets of Baal were to prepare a bull offering, but were not to apply fire. Elijah would do the same. Then, both would call on their respective deities to supply the fire. The prophets of Baal did just that, but there was no answer. This is part 1—the story concludes next week.
In this story, Elijah denounces King Ahab of Israel, threatening that God is about to induce a drought. This forces the prophet to flee the king’s wrath. God directs the prophet to go to a place where there is enough water. Ravens would supply food! Soon, though, that area is depleted by the drought. So, God orders the prophet to go into Canaanite territory. God had commanded a widow to take care of Elijah. But when he found the woman, she was in the process of making her final meal for herself and her son. Nevertheless, Elijah had her cook something for him first, then promised that henceforth she would have an unending supply of flour and cooking oil.
That happened! Subsequently, the widow’s son fell ill—he was either at death’s door or dead already. She was irate, of course, at Elijah. Elijah was not too happy himself, all but accusing God of putting him in an impossible situation. Eventually the prophet prayed for the lad and he was soon restored, either being raised from the dead or recovering of some sort of coma. Upon witnessing this last miracle, the woman declare that Elijah was indeed a prophet and that the Israelite God spoke through him.
In this episode, Joseph’s ten brothers arrive in Egypt to buy food. He immediately recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. Immediately, he accuses them of being spies. They insist that they are honest men, ten of twelve brothers, one of whom is dead and the youngest of whom is still with their father, Jacob. Joseph demands that one of the brothers return to Canaan and fetch the other brother. He puts them in jail to think about this. Afterwards, Joseph comes up with another plan. Nine of the brothers can return home, with the provisions they came to buy, fetch the other brother, and return to Egypt. In the meantime, Simeon will stay in a cell in Egypt. Having no choice, the brothers buy food and return. When they get home they tell Jacob what has happened. Of course, he is upset. He has no intention of letting Benjamin out of his sight which also means that he will never see Simeon again. Making matters worse, the money for the food was in the sacks carrying the provisions. On the way home, only one brother had found the money; now, every brother would be implicated. Eventually, again having no choice, Jacob sends his sons back to Egypt with Benjamin in tow.
In this episode of the Joseph story as narrated in Genesis 37—50, Joseph has been thrown into prison after having been set up by Potiphar’s wife, who accused him of rape. But in prison God was with Joseph, which meant at least that he caught the eye of the warden. This led the warden to make Joseph a custodian in the prison. In time, two men—a butler and a baker--who worked for the Pharoah were imprisoned. While there, they had disturbing dreams. Joseph was able to interpret these dreams. In both cases, Joseph knew what the dreams meant. The Butler was reinstated and the Baker was executed. When Pharoah two years later also had disturbing dreams, Joseph was summoned to interpret them for the king. Once again, Joseph was uncannily correct. The dreams predicted Egypt would experience seven years of agricultural bounty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph also suggested that the Pharoah needed to appoint someone who knew how to deal with this situation. The Pharoah appointed Joseph on the spot, making him second in command in all of Egypt. Joseph got a new Egyptian name, jewelry, royal clothing, and an Egyptian wife, who subsequently bore him two sons. Just as Joseph had predicted, seven years of incredible growth occurred, followed by terrible famine. The drama will continue when Joseph’s own family finds itself in desperate need of food at a time when only Egypt has food for sale.
In this episode Joseph’s relatively cushy job of taking care of Potiphar’s household was destroyed. It came about because of Potiphar’s wife, who had an eye for the handsome Joseph. She crudely invited him to bed, which Joseph politely declined. But she would not take “no” for an answer. Once, when she and Joseph were alone, she again made a play for him, but this time by grabbing his garment. Joseph bolted, leaving his garment with her. That allowed her the opportunity to frame him, the consequence was that an enraged Potiphar had Joseph thrown into prison. It seems that God’s being with Joseph was a cruel joke. But God once again was with Joseph, which caught the warden’s eye. Eventually, Joseph was made a custodian who was in charge of the other prisoners. Once again, Joseph had landed on his feet.
In this episode, Joseph finds his brothers who, at first, plot to kill him, but eventually sell him into slavery. Reuben’s efforts to save the lad failed. To cover their tracks, the brothers kill a goat and smear its blood on Joseph’s coat. Then, they show the coat to Jacob, who immediately recognizes it. Jacob cannot be consoled. In the meantime, Joseph is sold to an important Egyptian official and, because God is with him, is put in charge of all the affairs of the man who bought him as a slave.
The story features one of the younger sons of Jacob, who favors this son over his other sons. Jacob’s partiality makes his other sons despise Joseph. The situation gets worse when Joseph has dreams, the import of which is that he will eventually rule over his own family. When the brothers go to Shechem to take care of their sheep, the tone-deaf Jacob inflames the family dynamic by sending Joseph to go see his brothers and bring back word of how they are doing. Of course, Joseph had done this early in the story when he told his father that what his sons were doing was “evil.” What happens when Joseph finds his brothers will be treated in the text podcast.
Jesus’ genealogy according to Luke is impossible to harmonize with the one in Matthew. It goes in descending order from Jesus clear back to Adam. In contrast, Matthew’s genealogy begins with Abraham and goes in ascending order to Jesus. Even Joseph, Jesus’ father, has a different father: Heli (his name is Jacob in Matthew’s genealogy). In Luke’s genealogy, Jesus is descended from Nathan, David’s son, rather than Solomon, David’s much more famous son. Also, by mentioning the pre-Israelite stalwarts in Genesis 1-11, Jesus’ connection to humanity in general is stressed.
Though we moderns find genealogies boring, the writer of this Gospel began his story with a genealogy. This genealogy does two things: (1) It puts Jesus squarely in Israelite/Jewish tradition. Jesus was as Jewish as one could get! Every name in this genealogy would have been familiar with the initial audience, people who knew Jesus’ Bible (the Christian Old Testament) quite well. (2) The second feature of this genealogy emphasizes Jesus’ kingship over Israel. That is why the only son of Jacob mentioned is Judah, his fourth son. But Judah was David’s ancestor. Plus, when David is named, his title of king is also mentioned. As well, keep in mind that this genealogy atypically features five women, four of whom—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah’s wife—were non-Israelites. Of course, the fifth woman was Mary, Jesus’ mother.
This episode is found in 1 Samuel 30. Once David leaves the Philistines he returns to Ziklag. To his horror, this city had been sacked by Amalekites. But the city had been more than defeated. The whole population had been abducted. This included the families of David and David’s army. That meant that David’s own wives had been captured. David led his men to rescue his family and those of his men. At the end of the episode, the men who had actually fought were reluctant to share the spoils with those who had been too exhausted to fight. David developed a new regulation for such a circumstance. From now on, the spoils of war would be shared with everyone, not only those who had wielded spears, swords, or arrows.
This story is narrated in 1 Samuel 29. In this episode, Philistine commanders are upset with Achish, the Philistine king of Gath. They did not understand how he had allowed David to join up with the Philistine armed forces. They knew about David previous Israelite connections, including his getting top billing even when fighting alongside Saul. Because of their suspicion, they told Achish to dismiss David. Achish reluctantly asked David to leave. This was a stroke of luck for David in that he did not have to fight against Israelites and then later present himself as their king.
This story is narrated in 1 Samuel 27. David is exhausted running from Saul. He thinks his chances for survival would improve if he threw in his lot, the Philistine king of Gath. David promises to have his men fight for Achish’s interests. The two leaders enter into a mutually beneficial relationship. However, David is less than honest. He attacks Israelite enemies, annihilating the populations, but tells Achish that he is attacking Israelites. This pleases Achish because the Philistine king knows that David could not become an Israelite king once it was known that he was attacking Israelites. The ruse worked, which enhanced David’s reputation with Israelites.
This is the completion of the story that is narrated in 1 Samuel 25. The second part deals with Abigail’s profuse apology (in Nabal’s behalf) and the lavish present she has put together for David. David was mollified by her words and actions. He admitted that what she did kept him from killing every man who worked for Nabal. Of course, Nabal himself would not have been spared. When Abigail told her husband David’s reaction he was stunned and became, as it were, like a stone. This was amazing in that he had been having a feast and becoming drunk just the night before. In a few days, the Israelite God took Nabal’s life. Once Abigail became a widow, David sought her as a wife. She and one other woman both became David’s wives.
This story is narrated in 1 Samuel 25. It is a story which features Nabal, who is portrayed in completely negative terms. His name means, “Fool.” He is churlish and ill-mannered. He is also fabulously wealthy, but unwilling to give any of his proceeds to David or the ragtag group that is with him. David’s men had emphasized that while they were around Nabal and his servants were safe and his flocks were also protected from thieves. Since this was protection that Nabal neither asked for or paid for, he saw this as extortion. In telling David’s men “no,” he in addition insulted David as a man on the lam from authorities. At this point, Abigail, Nabal’s wife, who is described as intelligent and beautiful, tried to intervene. The first thing she did was to put together a lavish present for David and his men. It was a smart thing for her to do since, once he heard about Nabal’s negative answer and slur, he and 400 men were on the way to Nabal to wreak havoc. On the 28th, we will conclude the story.
This woman appears in all four Gospels, with one exception mainly at the end when the crucifixion of Jesus and his subsequent resurrection are in view. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, she witnesses Jesus’ execution and is later at his tomb with other women. In the Gospel of John, however, she is alone and has an extensive speaking part. Apart from the notation that she once experienced the exorcism of seven demons, everything about her is positive. There is no a single hint anywhere in the New Testament that she was promiscuous, despite the reputation she acquired over the years. Put frankly, this woman has been the victim of gossip!
Her story begins in 1 Kings 16 and her inglorious execution happens in 2 Kings 9. She became an Israelite queen by virtue of her marriage to Ahab, King of Israel. He was notoriously evil from an Israelite perspective. Jezebel added to the problem by being such a zealous promoter of Canaanite deities. She was more capable of exercising power than her husband. In 1 Kings 21 we encounter a story when she saw to it that King Ahab could possess a vineyard that he wanted especially badly. Though the owner of the vineyard, Naboth, was not interesting in selling, King Ahab was disappointed but at least did not try to press the issue. Jezebel had no such qualms. After insulting her husband for not knowing how to press his advantage as a king, she took matters into her own hands. She had trumped up charges leveled at Naboth, who was summarily executed. In the end, however, both Queen Jezebel and King Ahab got their just deserts and, to boot, suffered the ignominy of their corpses being desecrated by dogs.
In this Podcast, we deal with the story whereby Jacob, who would be renamed subsequently Israel, acquired four wives from his mother’s extended family in Mesopotamia. Ironically, Jacob only wanted, and loved, one wife.
But because of his Uncle Laban’s duplicity, he ended up not only with Rachel, but with her less attractive but elder sister, Leah. As wedding presents, both sisters were given maids: Bilhah and Zilpah. Jacob ended up with thirteen children by these four women, twelve sons and one daughter.
The story itself revolves on the rivalry between Leah and Rachel to attract Jacob’s attention, thinking that bearing children was the way to his heart. In a patriarchal culture, it is both ironic and humorous that both women orchestrate not only events but Jacob himself.
Her story is featured in Genesis 24, 25, and 27. First, she is found at a well when Abraham’s servant is on a quest for a suitable wife for Isaac, the child that Sarah bore to him. Abraham wanted a wife for Isaac from the extended family in Mesopotamia. Rebekah, of course, was Abraham’s niece. When she “passed a test” by offering the servant and his animals water, the servant knew that he had hit paydirt. He lavished her with jewelry, asked to stay at her home, and announced to the family why he had come.
Though the family was happy to let Rebekah go to be Isaac’s wife, they at first demurred. But she agreed to go right away. Later, she had trouble conceiving, which prompted Isaac’s prayer for fertility. The prayer worked, but when Rebekah was having a difficult pregnancy God showed up and told her that she was having twins, each boy would become a nation, but the older would serve the younger.
After many years, Rebekah had no qualms about deceiving her husband and betraying her older son so that Isaac would bless Jacob instead of Esau. Rebekah was more than adept about pulling off this grand deception.
Though people talk these days about the “Abrahamic Religions,” referring to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, in the biblical story Sarah is as important as Abraham. In fact, arguably she is more important.
This is because Abraham had many children to different wives (think of Hagar and Keturah), but the “child of promise” from whom Israe would derive came only through Sarah. She is the subject of conversations between Abraham and various kings, and between Abraham and God. The latter famously told Abraham in no uncertain terms that his progeny and the future of God’s elect people would be related to Sarah and to no other wife of Abraham.
She has a few speaking parts: (1) when she tells Abraham to sleep with Hagar and then gets upset; (2) when she denies having laughed at the announcement that she would soon conceive and bear a child; (3) and when she orders Abraham to dismiss Hagar and Ishmael right after she saw Ishmael playing after Isaac’s birth.
In this final installment of the story narrated in the Book of Esther, we observe Esther consolidating her position as queen in the realm and Mordecai soaring into new heights in the same kingdom. Indeed, we are told that Mordecai is outranked only by the king himself. In the meantime, Jews were able to take vengeance on those seeking to harm them. Before long, being Jewish was seen as a great benefit.
Many non-Jews identified with the formerly persecuted community. The story ends by informing us that since this turn of events the Jewish community is to celebrate annually. The annual feast or holiday will be called Purim. This refers to the lots that Haman cast as he was plotting to exterminate the Jews. In the end, the Jews ended up being exalted while Haman, his ten sons, and those who joined in his plot against the Jews received terrible justice. A “pur” is a lot; the plural form is “purim,” hence the name of the holiday.
. The plot thickens in this episode. Mordecai reacted to Haman’s putting into operation a plan to destroy all Jews in the realm. He dressed in mourning clothing, cried out in public, and incited similar reactions in the provinces. Eventually, Esther got wind of this. After taking care of Mordecai, she heard from him that she, too, was vulnerable once her Jewish identity became known. So, she went into action by inviting King Ahaseurus and Haman to a dinner. At this affair, the king invited his queen to ask anything of him, “up to half the kingdom.” She agreed to this, but wanted to delay her request. In the meantime, the king remembered that Mordecai had once warned him about a plot on his life. The king was chagrined that Mordecai had not been properly awarded. When Haman came to the dinner the second day of the feast, the king asked him how to honor someone. Thinking that the king had him in mind, he said that this man should be given royal clothing, a royal crown, and let the kingdom know how honorable he had been. The king did just that, for Mordecai! Then, when it was time for Esther to make her wish, she asked that the king save the Jews from destruction. The king seemed surprised to know about this plot. When he discovered that Haman had concocted this plan, he was enraged. This part of the story ended when Haman was hanged on a very tall gallows that Haman had had constructed for Mordecai.
The Book of Esther is controversial because it does not even mention God. Nevertheless, it is a compelling story. Esther and Mordecai are living as exiles in a land far from home. When the reigning queen insulted her husband, the king, the monarch set in motion plans to acquire a new queen. Due to Esther’s beauty, she was soon selected. At Mordecai’s urging, she had never revealed her Jewish identity. Mordecai was her cousin, but acted more like her father. Even though Esther was highly favored in the realm, Mordecai got himself into trouble when he refused to bow and scrape before a newly appointed official, Haman. This official decided not only to punish Mordecai, but all his people: the Jews. Unfortunately, Mordecai had not been reticent to identify himself. This is Part 1 of the story.
In this second installment involving the character and book of Ruth, the heroine has a successful day in the field, gleaning grain. By seeming happenstance, this field belongs to Boaz, who happens to be a rich relative of Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. Ruth told her mother-in-law how well Boaz had treated her. This made Naomi realize that there might be a benefit to Ruth’s cultivating this relationship. At Naomi’s urging, she acted somewhat seductively the next time she was in the field. This ploy worked, in that Boaz was so flattered that he, rather than the young harvesters, was the target of Ruth’s affection. But the plot had to deal with a snag. It turned out that Naomi had a relative closer than Boaz, who had the first right of refusal to buy property and take responsibility for Naomi and Ruth. This was more than the closer relative wanted to assume. This paved the way for Boaz to redeem the field, take responsibility for the two women, and marry Ruth. The story ends with a genealogy that allows us to realize that Ruth became an ancestor to none other than David and, of course, Jesus, according to the New Testament.
The first part of Ruth deals with an Israelite family deciding to reside in Moab because Israel had been afflicted with a famine. Moab is notorious in biblical lore because Moab (and Ammon) was the result of the incestuous relationship between Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and his two daughters. This led to Moab having a lithesome reputation. This Israelite family consisted of Elimelech and Naomi, and their two sons. Once in Moab, the sons grew up and married Moabite women. In the course of time, the husband and the two sons died, leaving three widows. When Naomi heard that Israel how had food, she decided to return. At the border, she encouraged her two Moabite daughters-in-law to return. One did. But the other, Ruth, insisted on staying with her mother-in-law, no matter what. Though in a better circumstance, Naomi was bitter and angry at God for what had happened.
Eve is mentioned twice in the New Testament, once in 2 Corinthians 11:3 and once in 1 Timothy 2:11-15. In the first instance, Paul alludes to the serpent’s tempting Eve in the garden. The Apostle does not want the Corinthian church to be as gullible as Eve was. In the second instance, the author of this pastoral letter elaborates on Eve’s role as a way of admonishing women. Because Eve succumbed to temptation, the writer of the letter does not permit her to teach men. He claims that Eve was deceived, though Adam was not. Because of this, women are to be silent in church educational settings. This, of course, is enormously controversial. Ultimately, the author says that women will eventually saved by bearing children as long as women maintain a holy demeanor. Some Christian churches have taken this admonishment literally as applicable to all places and all times. Other churches have attempted to soften this teaching.
In this Podcast, is treated Genesis 3 and 4, the only places in the Old Testament that Eve’s name is mentioned. Interestingly, even though it is commonly thought that Eve conversed with the serpent and was the first to eat the forbidden fruit, throughout that exchange she is referred to simply as “the woman.” She is given a name by “the man” in Genesis 3:20. The only other time her name appears is in Genesis 4:1, where she conceived and bore her firstborn: Cain. No prophet mentions her. For that matter, what happened in the Garden of Eden plays no role in prophetic denunciations of Israel for its persistent sinning. This contrasts greatly with the New Testament, which makes so much of Eve’s role in the garden episode.
In this segment, I argued that this story is a midrash on Jesus’ own resurrection. A midrash is a form of interpretation in which a story, teaching, or doctrine is enhanced or elaborated on with more details or an analogous event. When Jesus called Lazarus to emerge from the tomb, we are told that he was wearing a face cloth. Only in John’s Gospel is Jesus said also to be wearing a face cloth (the same Greek word is used). In my judgment, this is a literary signal that tells readers to read the Lazarus episode as a proleptic adumbration of Jesus’ own resurrection. This also fits with standard New Testament and later Christian teaching that a general resurrection was made possible by Jesus’ resurrection. Until that general resurrection takes place, Jesus is the only one who has ever experienced resurrection. Lazarus is a resurrection account, not a resuscitation account.
The story is found in John 11. It is unique to this Gospel. The story is about a family with whom Jesus is especially friendly. When Lazarus falls ill, his two sisters, Mary and Martha, send word to Jesus. But Jesus does not rush to deal with the sick man. Instead, he brushes off the appeal, noting that the illness is not terminal. A little later, Jesus tells the disciples that Lazarus has fallen asleep. The disciples do not understand. It turns out that Jesus told them that Lazarus had died. In spite of the danger, Jesus decided to go to Bethany, where this had taken place. Even though the disciples knew how risky this trip would be, they resolved to accompany Jesus. When Jesus got there, Martha scolded him for delaying a whole two days. Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again, something that Martha believed in any case due to the fact that many Jews believed in a general resurrection at the end of time. Jesus then said that he was the resurrection and the life. The scene ends when Jesus goes to the burial place and is overcome by emotion by all the weeping of the family and friends.
The story is narrated in 2 Kings 1. It begins with the information that Moab had just rebelled against Israel, meaning that the vassal state was refusing to pay tribute. However, King Azariah paid no attention to this problem. Instead, he was concerned over injuries he sustained in a fall. Due to his concern, he sent messengers to inquire of a deity who was not Israel’s God. Elijah intercepted the messengers and had them return to the king to tell him that he would not recover, mostly because he was consulting another god. Azariah sent two large groups to confront Elijah, but they were consumed by divine fire at Elijah’s orders. A third group was spared since its leader begged for his life and the group he led. Elijah did not harm them, but went himself to speak to Azariah. The message was the same: Azariah would not recover. Azariah immediately dies.
This features a short prophetic book that is a scathing denunciation of Assyrians generally and Nineveh, the capitol city, particularly. The oracle points out that, though God is gracious, this same deity is also willing to avenge evildoers. Even though Assyria was used by the Israelite God to punish Israel, Assyrian policy was at the end of the day too severe and inhumane. The Israelite God is powerful enough to take on even an empire as formidable as Assyria. Even some of the countries with which Assyria was allied come in for denunciation. By the time Nahum was written, Assyria had already lost its status as an empire. Though ascendant in the 8th century and beyond, soon Nineveh would be replaced by other powers, notably Babylon and the Medes.
In the second installment we concentrated on not only the denunciation of Edom/Esau but its impending destruction at the hand of Israel’s deity. Of course, the punishment on Edom is intense because it was so closely related to Israel. After all, Esau/Edom was the twin brother of Jacob/Israel. This is fraternal hostility at its worst. But more than Edom is the target of God’s wrath. A number of other countries are also targets of divine judgment. Eventually, Israel will be rulers of Edom. Since this has never happened, the theological import of a book like Obadiah has to be rethought.
This deals with the shortest book in the Old Testament. The single chapter prophecy denounces Edom, whose other name is Esau. As Jacob’s/Israel’s brother, Esau/Edom enjoyed certain privileges. Edom had kings before Israel did. Their territory was allotted to them also by the Israelite deity. As well, Israel was admonished to treat Edom well because of the fraternal relationship. Tragically, though, Edom and Israel did not have amicable relations. In fact, Edom stood by when Judah and Jerusalem were attacked and the people were exiled. Edom did not offer sanctuary to their brothers. This was an abominable way for brothers to act.
This podcast deals with the fact that Saul is barely a footnote in 1-2 Chronicles, after playing a prominent role in 1 Samuel 9—31. Indeed, 1 Chronicles has a few details about Saul’s falling in battle against the Philistines and his subsequent suicide. His three sons are killed in the same battle. This is related in 1 Chronicles 10. After a brief note condemning Saul for being disobedient and unfaithful, he basically disappears from the story. The point of the podcast is that 1-2 Chronicles is not simply a condensed version of the Israelite story. Instead, it is a radical revision that focuses primarily on David.
In this Podcast we treat the Pentecost event as narrated in Acts 2. The point is that the author of Acts used the prophecy from the Book of Joel aptly. Joel’s prophecy was about Israel’s restoration, one of the signs of which was that God’s spirit would be available to every Israelite. Likewise, the author of Acts makes the same point. The Pentecost event was a Jewish event, involving Jews exclusively (and a few proselytes). Peter addresses the crowd as a Jewish crowd. Later on in the Book of Acts, Saul/Paul will receive the Holy Spirit and be commissioned to minister to Gentiles. Before long, Gentiles, too, will have access to the Holy Spirit. But the Pentecost event was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jews, and Jews alone.
It is derivative of the prophetic Book of Joel and Acts 2. The 1st part covers Joel. In that prophecy, Israel is in focus. At first, Israel is subject to a scathing oracle outlining its considerable violation of the covenant. Yet, because Israel repented and rededicated to keeping God’s covenant, the Lord decides to restore Israel. Part of that restoration will involve every last Israelite having access to God’s spirit. Before this time, only special people had access to God’s spirit: prophets, priests, sages, and kings. Soon, everyone will have access. But this prophecy pertains to Israel alone. The question to be asked is: Did the writer of the Book of Acts misuse this prophecy from Joel. That question will be treated in next week’s podcast.
It is derived from Isaiah 6. It features God’s call of Isaiah. It is an interesting contrast to Jeremiah’s call in Jeremiah 1. In the latter, the prophet, Jeremiah, was extremely reluctant to heed God’s call. By contrast, Isaiah responded positively to the divine call, with the memorable words: “Here I am. Send me.” Also in the Isaiah text is the startling image of the Israelite God seated on a high throne surrounded by cherubim, each of whom have six wings (!) and are intoning praises to this holy God.
This derives from Jeremiah, chapter 1. Starting with typical boilerplate that introduces most prophetic book, the text lets us know that God had destined Jeremiah for his prophetic role before he was even conceived! However, this startling fact does not faze Jeremiah. He believes God made a poor choice in that he is too young (a “youth”) and is not rhetorically gifted. God accepts neither excuse. God will be telling Jeremiah what to say, in any case. Then God shows Jeremiah two visions, both are emblematic of the prophet’s pending message to Judah.
” This is also based on Jeremiah 7. Jeremiah doubles down on his denunciation. Speaking for God, he criticizes Israel’s sacrificial system, saying that it is ineffectual in light of Israel’s continuing disobedience. As well, just as God judged Shiloh and the Northern Kingdom, Israel, God will do the same with Judah. The phrase, “The temple of the Lord,” turns out to be an empty slogan giving the people of Judah false hope. Judgment from God is surely coming, which means that Judah will soon experience defeat and exile.
This is based on Jeremiah 7. The background is the strong belief in Judah that God had favored them by allowing them to escape defeat at the hand of the Assyrians. At the same time, Assyria not only defeated the northern kingdom, Israel, but exiled a portion of their population. Jeremiah denounced Judah for this belief, arguing that they had falsely believed that God’s covenant with David made them invulnerable. Part of that belief was based on their confidence that God’s temple in Jerusalem meant that they could avoid defeat. Jeremiah, however, proclaimed that their confidence in the temple had become a mere slogan.
The story focuses on Absalom’s eventual violent death. After receiving strategic intelligence from moles the had placed in Absalom’s inner circle, David plans for his forces to confront Absalom’s forces. Demonstrating his military brilliance, David had divided his army into three segments. At the same time, he ordered all three commanders of these units to go easy on Absalom. David’s armies handily defeated Absalom’s army. But Absalom was unscathed.
Unfortunately for him, however, he got caught when his mule could not navigate thick brush. Caught fast by a tree, Absalom was vulnerable. The first member of David’s army who saw him, though, did not lay a finger on him. He was afraid to harm the king’s son. When Joab, one of the three commanders, learned of this, in a rage he killed Absalom himself. The episode ends with David’s lamenting his son’s violent death, all but forgetting that his had won the decisive battle that would allow him to regain his throne.
This is the continuing saga of the events that plagued David’s adult children after Nathan the prophet had confronted him. In this episode, Absalom let’s all Israel know that he is now in charge of his father’s wives. Plus, as he decides what his next steps are now that David has fled Jerusalem, Absalom has to determine which strategy to follow. As he decides, he makes a fatal misstep, primarily because induced him to reject sound advice in favor of poor advice.
This Podcast features a story in which King David allows his estranged son, Absalom, to return to Jerusalem. But the father and son relationship is so soured that the two have almost no contact. In time, Absalom does much more than refuse to speak to his father. Absalom begins to solicit support from Israelite citizens in an effort to undermine his father. The plot eventually works. King David is forced to flee Jerusalem, thus allowing Absalom to take over. What had begun has a conflict in a single family has now affected all of Israel. A divided family has given way to a divided Israel. This is narrated in 2 Samuel 13 and 14.
This is the first of a series of treatments of terrible things that happened to David’s adult children after his affair with Bath-Sheba and having her husband killed. When the prophet, Nathan, confronted David about this, he relayed a story. David was angry about an actor in the story who had used his power and wealth to exploit a weaker man who happened to be poor. David issued a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy when he blurted out that the rich man needed to pay four times the punishment appropriate to this crime. David paid at least that much in terms of what his family had to endure.
This treatment deals with what Jesus said about the new covenant as reported in the Gospels, what St. Paul said about it in 1-2 Corinthians, and, above all, the what the Letter to the Hebrews said about it. In the latter book, the new covenant is a major theme. This is explicated in chapters 8 and 9 of the Letter to the Hebrews.
The Podcast deals with the fact that in both Hebrew and Greek the word for “slave” is the same as the word for “servant.” Only context allows a translator to know which to choose. In this instance, Israel is rescued by God from slavery to the Egyptians. But their rescue is so that they may subsequently “serve” the God who saved them. Their response to God’s grace was articulated in the Mosaic Covenant given at Sinai. In effect, Israel had the choice to be a slave to Egypt or a servant of God.
In this Podcast I argue that both the Synagogue (=Judaism) and the Church (=Christianity) should view themselves as figured by canonical Israel (Israel as depicted in the Jewish Bible/Old Testament). Both movements were originally almost exclusively Jewish, though in time the Church became decreasingly Jewish and increasingly Gentile. Nevertheless, those origins were crucial and substantial. The Church’s subsequent belief that it had superseded Israel as God’s elect was a major theological (and biblical!) error, the consequences of which historically have been horrendous and a deep stain on the Church.
In this Podcast I summarize the book that I have recently written, which will be published by Wipf and Stock. It deals with numerous stories in the Old Testament that feature one segment of Israel at odds with another segment of Israel. I include a chapter that deals with what the prophetic materials say Israel’s struggle with unity. A final chapter treats division in the early group that followed Jesus and how divisive it was. In this final chapter, I also argue that Israel is a figure for the Church, which throughout her history and even today continues to “multiply divisions.”
In this Podcast we rehearse the two times Jacob exploits his older brother Esau, once by getting him to sell his birthright and again by using deception to steal his paternal blessing. However, Jacob does not get off the hook entirely for these dubious actions. When he goes to his mother’s family there are a series of incidents in which punishment mirrors the nature of his misdeeds. Jacob is victimized by his own appetite, like Esau had been; he was the victim of sibling rivalry, just as he had struggled with Esau; he was duped in a tent, just as his father had been; and he was threatened once again by someone “groping.” Jacob ended up being the “child of promise,” but was not unscathed.
This psalm complains that God has all but forgotten the very people God had elected and redeemed. The evidence for this is that both Jerusalem and the temple have been destroyed. Clearly, this Psalm laments the exile brought about by the Babylonian military. Not only has the temple been destroyed; it has been desecrated. How can God stand to allow non-Israelites have the run of the place? Typically, we moderns may lament individual circumstances—illness, economic reverses, tough times, death etc.—but seldom lament as a community. Might this psalm teach us a different way to pray?
In this presentation, I deal with the “conservative” aspect of biblical wisdom. Wisdom is based on observing everyday life and doing what it is appropriate to succeed. Most of the advice works remarkably well. But sometimes, people conclude that doing the wise thing guarantees results. Wisdom works, arguably, most of the time. But not always. Being patient, prudent, insightful, mannerly, industrious, etc. is always to be recommended, but the results of such actions on occasion simply do not work. That is why two other Wisdom books in the Bible—Ecclesiastes and Job—challenge the viewpoint that wisdom always works.
This is a story narrated in Judges 3. It features a left-handed man, who assassinates King Eglon of Moab. His being left-handed allowed him to go undetected by having a sword under his clothing on his right side. Usually, a concealed weapon would be on the left side, thus facilitating a right-handed assassin. Ehud managed not only to kill the king, but get alone with him and carry out the deed in a manner that would delay the king’s attendants in coming to his aid. Moab had been exacting extortionate amounts of money from Israel for 18 years. That ended with Eglon’s ignominious demise.
The word is related to a Sumerian word—SA.GAZ—and an Akkadian (=Babylonian; Assyrian) word: Hap/biru. People who are designated by these names are always no longer in their original social or political setting. They have been “on the move” for a variety of reasons: (1) Social dislocation; (2) Political Oppression; (3) Economic Distress; (4) the “Grass is Greener” syndrome. Such people speak a variety of languages, are found in texts that span hundreds of years, are geographically diverse, and the like. Thus, they refer to immigrants or refugees. In one biblical text, this is suggested by Hebrews who had attached themselves to Philistines rather than Israelites, though they “switched sides” eventually (1 Samuel 14:21).
In this last segment we finally understand why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. He was worried that his God might actually be gracious should the citizens repent and amend their lives. Indeed, that is how the Israelite God responded to the Ninevites when they repented and resolved to improve their lives. In the last scene, Jonah gets upset when a vine that was providing relief from the hot sun withers. God had seen to it that the vine appeared and then just as quickly disappeared. God asked Jonah why he should be so concerned about a plant that lasted only a day but begrudged God for being concerned about the people living in Nineveh. On that note, the story ends.
In this episode, Jonah is in the belly of the big fish for three days and nights. The good news is that he did not drown. The bad news is that he compares his new digs to Sheol or The Pit, the world of the dead. Nevertheless, he prays during this ordeal. The prayer is alternately ironic, hypocritical, and sincere. The prayer ends not with an Amen, but with the sound of the big fish’s belch. After this, he ends in Nineveh, this time listening to God. Once there, he proclaims that in 40 days Nineveh will be “inverted,” meaning that things might go bad or good for them, depending on their response. The response is good because every last person repented from their evil or violent ways, thus prompting God’s relenting of the judgment. Even the Assyrian cows got religion!
This book focuses on Jonah, a man whom God wants to call onto the carpet Nineveh, a great Assyrian city. Jonah is not interested, so he flees God’s presence by booking passage on a ship headed for Tarshish. God has a storm threaten the ship, which eventually causes Jonah to be thrown overboard. That is when he is swallowed by a big fish. This episode contrasts Jonah’s orthodox theology but terrible religious practice with the sailors’ unorthodox theology but admirable religious practice.
This Podcast deals with the identity of the famous serpent who tempted the woman in the Garden of Eden. There is a long history of interpretation in which the serpent is identified with Satan. Yet, the text says that the Serpent was clever, not evil, and it was a creature that God made. Satan is never blamed for introducing evil anywhere in the Old Testament. Despite depictions in Christian art, the serpent was legless only after divine punishment, not when conversing with the woman. The Old Testament never justifies the phrase, “The Devil made me do it.”
These two obscure figures actually play decisive roles. However, since both names are part of genealogies, no one knows who they are. The first Lamech is a descendant of Cain who predicts an enormous increase of violence, that will outpace the vengeance Cain sought when he murdered his brother. The second Lamech was Noah’s father, who promised that Noah would eventually lessen or remove the curse on the ground (from Genesis 3). Noah accomplished just that.
Critical in this instance has to do with a systematic approach to understanding Scripture. Lower Criticism has to do with the existence of actual manuscripts, all of which differ in greater or lesser degree from each other. The higher criticism in this session will deal with the so-called W-Questions: (1) Who wrote biblical material?; (2) When was the material written?; (3) Why was the material written?; (4) To Whom was the material written?; (5) Where was the material written?
This is part 2 of Amos’ first oracle (Amos 1—2). After dealing with nations surrounding Israel, including Judah (the Southern Kingdom), Amos finally focuses on his main target: Israel. He accuses them of unethical business practices and idolatrous activities. They have participated in this shameful behavior even though God had done so much for them. He paints a picture of judgment in which the image is like a bad dream in which we find ourselves in danger but cannot escape. We cannot hide, our legs will not carry us to safety, we try to scream for help but nothing comes out of our mouth, etc. It is a nightmare! This launches a series of diatribes in the rest of the Book of Amos.
It derives from Amos 1—2. This oracle is rhetorically stunning in that the prophet addresses a number of foreign countries: Syria, Tyre, Moab, Edom, and Philistia before he gets to Judah, where he is from. Interesting, though, is that Israel (the northern kingdom) is his main target. However, he issues diatribes first against these other countries—mostly for war crimes—and then lambastes his own area of Judah. Not only he is implying that Israel’s God is the God of everyone else too, but he is “softening up” Israel to relax before they are addressed.
This story is narrated in 2 Kings 3. In this episode three countries and their kings—Israel, Judah, and Edom—go against Moab and its King Mesha. Moab had refused to pay tribute after Jehoram and taken over for his father, Ahab, in Israel. The kings asked Elisha the prophet for help when they ran out of water. Elisha was not interested, but finally relented. The story ends with Moab being soundly defeated and a desperate King Mesha sacrificing his own son to a god. Incredibly, the folk from Israel and Judah reacted to this as though they thought it was efficacious.
This comes from a bizarre story recounted in 2 Kings 2:23-25. In this story, 42 children (!) make fun of Elisha’s bald head, whereupon they are dealt with by two mama bears. As strange, even absurd, as the story is, the details hint at something more sinister than making fun of someone’s hair, or its lack. Still, even with these hints, the story does not make for easy biblical material, to say the least.
In this story Elijah passes the mantle to her understudy Elisha before leaving spectacularly in a Whirlwind accompanied by a chariot of fire and horses of fire! Right after this, Elisha does his first miracle using Elijah’s now discarded mantle. This fantastic story is followed by one of the most bizarre incidents in all the Bible, to be treated next week.
I deal with two questions: (1) Was the early Church a golden age, where everything went well?; (2) How is it that one of the most common names for those who followed Jesus was “saints.” That seems strange in that, for example, so many of the letters in the New Testament deal with problems that these saints are having. Also, I distinguish between Upper Case Saints and Lower Case saints.
In this Podcast, I deal with the very different version from that found in 2 Samuel 24. The 1 Chronicles version has David arranging for Solomon, hos son, to build the great Jerusalem temple.
It is based on 1 Chronicles 21, in which Satan not God incites King David to take a census. Even though the story is somewhat the same, the material from Chronicles accents another point.
It is based on 2 Samuel 24. It is a bizarre story in which God instructs King David to take a census of Israel and Judah. David does so, but with a twist. David counts only troops, apparently to assess his military strength. God is not amused. After a period of judgment, which David is “allowed” to choose, the king ends up being pastoral rather than monarchial with his people. The same story is told from a radically different point of view in 1 Chronicles 21.
In this session, I deal with the psalmist’s accusation that God had violated the covenant made with David. The psalm does not resolve the issue; plus, it ends with an incongruous celebratory phrase. The very next psalm, curiously, is the only one attributed to Moses. In a sense, the psalm allows for an interpretation that indicates God will honor the Davidic covenant, but not in the way normally expected.
Part 1 of a two part treatment of Psalm 89. At first, the Psalm praises God for divine power expressed over creation and God’s everlasting covenant with King David. So far, so good. Then, the Psalm becomes a lament, which is not uncommon. Many Psalms lament this, that, or the other misfortune being experienced. As we shall soon see, this lament is against God for breaking the covenant made with David.
The story is told in Acts 5, and features the couple lying about the price they received for sold property. They were part of the early church, in which everyone held all their property in common. The couple sold for a certain price, but withheld some of the profit. Evidently, that would have been OK had they not lied about the transaction. They paid a dear price for their indiscretion, to say the least.
This bizarre and gory story is found in Judges 3. Ehud is an Israelite assassin. He carries out his nefarious deed because he is left-handed and able to hide his sword on this right side. Security people would be watching for a right-handed man. Not only does Ehud accomplish his grisly task, but does it in a way that allows him to escape. The question is: What possible religious lesson comes from such a strange story?
In this final part of the story Tamar tricks her father-in-law in a manner that leads him to sleep with her. That ensures her future with the eventual birth of twins. Ironically, in the process she saves Judah’s future, not to mention Israel’s future by being an ancestress of the great David. Since Tamar ends up in Jesus’ genealogy, from a Christian point of view she saves the world’s future. Saving the future is also a motif in the Joseph story, in which Genesis 38 is embedded.
This is an odd story in that it features an extremely strange cultural practice if one’s brother dies before having children. Plus, the story is scatological in that it describes a sexual act in lurid detail. Not only that, this story seems to interrupt the beloved story of Joseph. Yet, it turns out to be a compelling story.
In this episode, I address the question of whether one should one read the Bible literally. I note that the term may be defined in various ways. I reject the view that a “historical” reading in and of itself is appropriate for reading the Bible. On the other hand, reading literally makes sense once understands the rhetorical purpose and artistry of the biblical material.
“Since New Testament authors used mainly the Greek version of the Jewish Scripture rather than the Hebrew, which version is more accurate? Plus, are there significant differences between the two versions?”
. In this episode, the story tells the story about how Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, extorted Naaman for a little money by lying to him about a request allegedly coming from Elisha himself. Thinking he had gotten away with this ruse, Gehazi is caught red-handed by the wily prophet. As a punishment, Gehazi contracts Naaman’s skin condition, something that will not allow him to worship in the temple. A story that at first had a happy ending became a story with a tragic epilogue.
This is Part 1 of a two part Podcast. The story is narrated in 2 Kings 5. It introduces Naaman with lavish praise. Curiously, though he has had a successful military career, some of that success is because of Israel’s deity. That is strange in that Syria was often a sworn enemy of Israel. Naaman had everything going for him except for a serious skin condition. The little Israelite girl, who had been abducted and became a slave in Naam’s household, noticed this condition and pointed out to his wife that Israel had a prophet who might be able to deal with this. Naaman ends up going to Israel to meet this prophet. But he took a circuitous route by first going to the king. When he finally gets to the prophet’s house, he is insulted. Elisha sent a messenger to the door to give orders to Naaman to wash in Jordan River. After calming down, Naaman does this and is restored. This first episode ends when Naaman’s effort to offer money as a thank offering is rebuffed, at which point Naaman asks for a gift for himself. What is that gift? Israelite dirt!
It is based on Isaiah 1. Sodom and Gomorrah are actually representative of Israel in this text. The prophet has a scathing denunciation of Israel’s worship practices, saying that God has no use for sacrifices, offerings, the burning of incense, and the like. These are the very worship practices that God commanded in Torah (the first five books of the Bible). Clearly, the prophet wants Israel’s ethical, religious, and spiritual deportment to match its liturgical practices. Christians need to realize that when Isaiah speaks to and about Israel, the prophet is also addressing them, who have been adopted into the Israelite family or grafted into the olive tree that represents Israel.
It is based on a story in Luke 24 in which two discouraged people are lamenting the fact that after Jesus’ death he will be unable to redeem Israel. Jesus shows up, though they do not recognize him. They explain why they are sad, but Jesus scolds them for their anemic faith. Eventually, Jesus explicates the Jewish scripture regarding his mission. They finally recognize Jesus when they “break bread” after inviting Jesus to stay with them.
The story comes from Acts 12. It is a story which features the martyrdom of James the brother of John, followed by the rescue of Peter from jail and his possible martyrdom. It is an interesting juxtaposition of two very different outcomes for members of the church. Herod gets his just desserts from God, but no gloating is appropriate when this happens, for most of the tyrants of this world have been able to inflict human misery with impunity.
This is a strange story in which King Saul induces a female medium to conjure up the “ghost” of the Prophet Samuel, who obviously had died. Because this sort of occult activity was not allowed in Israel, Saul had previously expelled mediums, wizards, and the like. Still, there was some of this kind of activity going on. Saul went to Endor in disguise to see whether he could communicate with Samuel the prophet. He was successful, in a sense, but only received bad news. This “truth story” is most sobering.
In this final episode Balaam continues to bless Israel, but also manages to “curse” their enemies, thus reversing what the enemies wanted to happen originally. As I comment on this story, I draw a few conclusions, including how one should regard a story with a talking ass!
In this episode, Balaam finally “sees” the angel that had been blocking his way, only to be told that the ass had saved his life. When Balaam finally was poised to speak to Israel, he did not curse but bless—twice. Of course, King Balak was irate. Still, the stubborn king did not give up thinking that Balaam would come through in the end. He may have been delusional, but he cannot be accused of giving up easily.
The story is found in the Book of Numbers, chapters 22 through 24. In this story the King of Moab tries to hire someone to curse Israel, which is on the way to the Promised Land. Balaam is the man for the job; at least, that is what the King of Moab thinks. Balaam ends up going with the delegation the king sent, but with strict orders to follow God’s lead. Inexplicably, God gets angry with Balaam even though he was being obedient. What God became an obstacle to Balaam, not only did his ass “see” God’s angel, but even “spoke” about it. It is a bizarre, but compelling story.
The parable is found in Luke 15. Often treated as a stand alone story, in fact it is in a sequence of three parables Jesus told in response to people grumbling that he received and ate with tax collectors and sinners. The first parable is about a man who lost one of a hundred sheep, went to find it and carried it home rejoicing. The second parable was about a woman who lost one of ten coins, but unrelentingly searched till she found it. She was also thrilled. The third story is about the prodigal son, but the emphasis is on the gracious father and the angry elder brother.
The second part features God fostering discord between the people of Shechem and King Abimelech, even though they first supported his rise to power. Though he wins in an initial skirmish, even burning down the city and the tower in which the remaining citizens were hiding, in the end King Abimelech was killed when he attacked another city, Thebez. This time his fate when an unnamed woman threw a millstone at his head, a stone that evokes the “one stone” on which he had originally killed 70 of this half-siblings. Abimelech’s ruthless use of power ultimately sealed his own fate.
This episode features one of the strongest statements anywhere in the Bible about the power that undergirds politics. No wonder! Abimelech’s elevation to the throne was based on his ability to murder 70 siblings. Only one survived this massacre, Jotham, who is responsible for the anti-politics diatribe when he tells the Parable of the Trees.
The story appears in Genesis 11. At first, it seems misplaced because many languages are spread throughout the world in Genesis 10, whereas in 11 there is only one language, few words, and everyone occupies the same space. Context suggests a different reading of chapters 10 and 11; they are to be read simultaneously, not sequentially. As well, the Babel story is the gateway to the rest of the Bible.
It is a quote of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15. Many commentators think that the writer of the Gospel misread this text. Instead, I argue that the prophecy contrasts two Sons of God, a disobedient Israel and an obedient Jesus.
It is a story about Jesus and the blind beggar from John 9. It focuses on a story in which a physically blind man has more spiritual insight than a number of sighted people who demonstrate how little insight they in fact have. The blind sometimes see better than those who think they have no vision impairment at all.
King Ahaziah’s death. It comes from 2 Kings 1. It “stars” a famous prophet, Elijah, and an obscure Israelite king: Ahaziah. It is a confrontation of two forms of power—the power the king has as his disposal and the power that is a manifestation of divine power.
In this famous parable that Jesus told, we mostly ignore the details or interpret it individualistically. The judgment is on nations, not individuals. There is some ambiguity about the identity of “the least of these,” though the phrase might refer to anyone needing the items mentioned. Perhaps most startling is the fact that both sheep and goats are completely surprised about the verdict. Equally startling is that the judgment is based completely on behavior, not belief. Given those last two data points, the parable is hardly comforting.
his is a Q & A Podcast. The question is: Does Archeology prove the Bible? This question involves what we mean by “history,” what sort of documentation is required for historical argument etc. As well, it has to do with archaeology itself, which is the study of material remains. Of course, without documentation archaeology itself requires interpretation. It turns out that the question is not a simple question. Archaeology and history are extraordinarily complex issues.
This is a Q & A Podcast. The question is: Does Archeology prove the Bible? This question involves what we mean by “history,” what sort of documentation is required for historical argument etc. As well, it has to do with archaeology itself, which is the study of material remains. Of course, without documentation archaeology itself requires interpretation. It turns out that the question is not a simple question. Archaeology and history are extraordinarily complex issues.
Once the woman has headed back to town, Jesus engages the disciples. He gives them a little lesson about farming! To get to the harvest, many tasks are involved. Obviously, Jesus is not talking about agriculture, but about people. At the end of the story, the townsmen to whom the woman had spoken went to see Jesus for themselves. They noted that their belief now relied not only on what the woman had said but what they had confirmed for themselves. This story was, in a way, about a “Samaritan ministry.” In this case, the “harvest” was the Samaritan, who were outcasts in the eyes of a majority of Jews.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today, I'll be tackling another Bible story.
The tale starts with Jesus on his way to Galilee with his disciples. At lunchtime, he stops in Samaritan territory.
The disciples traveling with him go to town to buy food while Jesus takes a break near a well.
Suddenly, a Samaritan woman comes to the well where Jesus is resting.
When he sees her, he asks her for water.
What happens after? And how does the story end?
Tune in now to find out!
Key points discussed
How the story begins (00:42)
Jesus rests at a well (02:56)
An awkward situation (04:53)
The Samaritan's interest is piqued (08:49)
A sudden change of subject (10:06)
A debate between Jews and Samaritans (13:11)
The disciples return (15:58)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
In today's podcast, I'll be telling and analyzing the story of Nicodemus’ conversation with Jesus.
Not many know this tale, but it is as interesting and as riveting as any of the Bible's more famous ones.
The story starts with Nicodemus, a ruler in Israel, going to Jesus at night. He wanted answers to his questions about the signs performed by him.
What was Jesus' answer?
Tune in now to find out.
Key points discussed
How the story begins (01:34)
“He came by night…” (03:08)
Jesus' answer (07:35)
Nicodemus doesn't believe (11:25)
Jesus invokes scripture again (16:08)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today's episode is not a usual one. I won't be recounting a popular Bible tale or analyzing an infamous character.
Instead, I'll be answering your most burning questions.
Yes, it's time for another Q&A!!
I hope you're excited, because many of you have been sending me questions and I've decided it's high time we discussed some of them.
Today, I'll be answering two questions from you: "Was Israel monotheistic?" and "Is the God of the Old Testament the same as the God of the New Testament?"
Ready to hear the answers?
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
It's Q&A time! (00:47)
Was Israel monotheistic? (00:56)
Is the God of the Old Testament the same as the God of the New Testament? (09:47)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today's story is not as famous as the one I discussed in the last few episodes. However, it is just as thrilling, and just as interesting.
This week’s tale is about King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's scheme to rob Naboth's vineyard.
The story starts with the royals eyeing Naboth's vineyard. King Ahab tries to buy it from him, but Naboth refuses.
However, Queen Jezebel does not accept Naboth's rebuff. In fact, she decides she'll just confiscate his land and have him executed for a false crime.
And she does just that.
What are the consequences of her act?
Find out the answer in today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Key points discussed
An interesting cast of characters (00:50)
How the story starts (01:18)
The queen gets to work (05:20)
God speaks to Elijah (08:53)
God's judgment (10:52)
Ahab is remorseful (14:23)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
In today's episode, we continue where we left off last week.
If you remember well — and if you haven't listened to last week's episode, I invite you to do so —, last week's episode was about the story of Moses and the burning bush.
Moses is in Hebron when he encounters a burning bush that doesn't seem to be consumed by the fire.
God speaks to him through the bush, telling Moses about his plans to rescue the people of Israel and of Moses' role in all of it.
Moses doesn't want the responsibility, and starts making excuse after excuse, angering God.
What happens after God disregards all of Moses’ excuses?
I discuss just that in today’s episode, so tune in now to find out!
Are you ready?
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
Picking up from last week's episode (00:43)
Moses' fourth excuse (01:34)
Moses returns to Egypt (04:41)
Something bizarre happens (10:47)
God spares Moses (14:06)
Moses performs miracles (15:59)
Let's analyze the story (17:18)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
In last week's episode, I discussed and analyzed the story of Moses, the Israelites, and the golden calf.
Though one of the most famous tales in the Bible, it isn't as famous as the one I'll be talking about today: Moses and the burning bush.
For those of you not familiar with the famous event, here's a quick summary:
While in Hebron, Moses encounters a bush that is burning but not being consumed. God speaks to Moses from the bush and lets him know of his plans to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, and explains how Moses is part of the plan.
What happens after?
Let's find out together!
Key points discussed
The story begins (01:15)
An angel suddenly appears! (03:26)
God's plan for the Israelites (07:51)
Excuse after excuse (11:19)
God gets into the specifics (14:33)
Moses is still not persuaded (18:00)
A quick summary (21:35)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
As always, today, I'll be discussing a story from the Bible.
Like the tales I've talked about before, this one is not as straightforward as you might think. It's full of hidden meanings, and that's exactly what I'll be diving into.
So, what's today's story about?
Well, none other than Israel, Moses, and the golden calf.
Many already know it: Moses goes to the top of a mountain to converse with the Lord, the Israelites left behind start becoming anxious about having no access to God, and thus, build a golden calf, which they equate with Him.
What happens after that? And what is the meaning of this story?
Tune in now to find out!
Key points discussed
Let's talk about Moses (00:48)
God is angry (05:33)
Moses challenges God (07:36)
Moses goes down to the people of Israel (10:39)
Moses' judgment (15:04)
Moses returns to the mountain (16:39)
Let's analyze the story (18:23)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Last week we continued with Samson's saga. So far we have observed an ostensive Israelite hero virtually devoid of any redeeming moral qualities.
Even his communication with God is dubious. Yet that same God has used Samson to punish the Philistines for their domination of Israel.
In this week's podcast, I will conclude the Samson story. If we think this final chapter of Samson's story will eventually result in a man who finally gets his act together - we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.
Samson's new girlfriend Delilah is being bribed by Philistine men who want to find out the source of his strength.
In a Monty Python-esque series of scenes, he keeps telling Delilah lies about what makes him strong. Things go awry for Samson when he tells her the truth.
Captured, blinded, and enslaved by the Philistines, a humiliated Samson plans his revenge, which will have fatal consequences for his captors and himself.
Samson will indeed be the instrument through which God devastates the Philistines. But this final episode underscores the comic tragedy that defines this notorious, biblical anti-hero.
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
The final chapter of Samson's saga (00:46)
Samson's exploits in Gaza and a bold escape (2:20)
Samson meets Delilah (05:35)
Delilah's betrayal (07:04)
Samson finally reveals his secret (15:20)
What happened after the Philistines capture Samson (17:14)
Samson ends it all in a comic tragedy (20:49)
Lessons from Samson's story (25:05)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you'd like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I'd be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus' precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Last week, I started telling Samson's story, his wedding, and the massacre that came after.
Today, I continue Samson's tale. It only gets weirder. Strange events happen all around Samson, and he is in the middle of every single act of senseless violence we hear about.
From grain field fires to angry Philistines, everything that goes on around him seems out of control.
Why is that? And how does his story go, exactly?
I answer these questions (and more!) in today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
Continuing with the Samson saga (00:51)
After last week's events (01:44)
300 foxes and grain field fires? (04:12)
More vengeance and senseless violence (07:42)
The Israelites start asking questions (09:47)
Samson is offered to the Philistines (11:52)
Judges in the Bible (16:37)
Let's interpret the story (19:10)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Before we start, let me ask you a question: Have you heard the story of Samson?
If you know your Bible well (or even if you've just been to Sunday school a few times as a child, OR watched the famous Hollywood movie, Samson and Delilah), then you know the name.
But let me make a quick introduction!
In the Old Testament, Samson was a Nazirite judge with superhuman strength. He’s one of the most famous Bible characters, and much has been said about him in it.
But this isn't how the story we're talking about today starts.
Instead, it begins with Samson as a young man who is smitten by a Philistine woman. His parents object to the union, but they still go along with his marriage plans.
What happens after that?
Let's find out together!
Key points discussed
The story begins (01:42)
A lion appears! (04:40)
Riddle me this... (07:03)
Samson goes on a murder spree (12:12)
Let's talk about Samson (13:35)
What about Samson's parents? (16:55)
Bride or pawn? (17:52)
God's role in all of this (20:21)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Not every Bible story is straightforward. Some are confusing, some are filled with inscrutable metaphors, and some are just plain strange.
Today's story is one of the later ones. A strange, sometimes weird story of two prophets, a king, and a lion.
If you're not sure what I'm talking about — after all, this isn't one of those famous (or infamous) Bible stories we all know of —, I invite you to refer to First Kings, Chapter 13.
In it, the narrator tells us the story of two unnamed prophets.
One who denounces King Jeroboam and one who lies. Like many Bible stories, this one ends with a death.
Who dies? Who lives? And what's the meaning behind this strange tale?
Find out the answers to these questions in today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Key points discussed
A strange tale (00:48)
How the story starts (01:34)
The real beginning (07:27)
A prophet or a liar? (09:41)
The prophet and the lion (11:58)
How the episode ends (16:35)
Let's analyze the scripture (21:55)
Sharing my interpretation (25:26)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Last week's episode was a Q & A session. Today, we go back to our usual format, which means I'll be recounting a Bible story!
And this week's story is about King Solomon.
King Solomon is known in the Bible for his wisdom. And that's exactly what I'll be talking about today.
In the story I'll be telling, King Solomon asks God for wisdom. God not only gives him that, but also bestows riches and fame upon him as well.
Nice story, right?
However, this is only the beginning...
Key points discussed
King Solomon and wisdom (00:51)
Solomon's story (01:51)
The details tell us more (03:55)
Solomon, a king full of dualities (09:08)
Solomon asks for wisdom (11:21)
What happens after the dream? (14:37)
The consequences of Solomon's wisdom (20:14)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Everyone, 2022 is here, and with it comes a new Q&A episode!
Yes friends, if you remember, a few months ago, I promised to answer your most burning questions in a few Q&A episodes, and I'm delivering on that promise.
This month's questions and answers session will be treating two very interesting subjects:
"Who decided the contents of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament?"
... and
"Who decided the contents of the New Testament?"
Curious what the answers are?
Tune in now to find out!
Key points discussed
Where did the Old Testament come from? (00:57)
The Jewish Bible today (05:53)
Why the Old Testament was written (09:07)
Where did the New Testament come from? (10:02)
How scripture is given validity (12:17)
The role of the Christian church's antisemitism in all this (14:57)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
One of the most famous Bible stories, the tale of David and Goliath is as old as time.
To many, it depicts how an underdog like David, a shepherd’s boy, can beat someone like The Philistine, Goliath, who was a stronger, bigger, and more experienced military man.
Today, this biblical story is used as a metaphor to describe defying the odds and succeeding at something no one thought was possible.
However, is that what the original tale was about? Many will say yes, but I come to you with an alternative answer!
In this week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we discuss how David, a shepherd’s boy, came to power; why Goliath was known as The Philistine, and what their story truly means.
Key points discussed
David and Goliath - a tale that withstood time (00:49)
A hero’s journey - from shepherd boy to king (05:42)
Why was Goliath referred to as The Philistine? (09:58)
What is the David and Goliath story truly about? (15:53)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
As you'll come to see (or hear, if I'm being technical), this week's episode is VERY different to my usual ones.
Today, I'm not recounting a forgotten Bible story or analyzing the actions of some infamous character.
Today, I'm telling you WHY you should be listening to this podcast (as I've come to learn, there is no shame in self-promotion).
And yes, I can hear you already: There are already hundreds (if not thousands) of podcasts about the Bible, so why should I listen to this one?
My answer is simple: To me, the devil is always in the details. This means that when you listen to my podcast, you don't simply get a superficial analysis of the stories I'm recounting.
No, instead, I do my best to go over every single detail with a fine tooth comb. And no, it's not tedious, because, as you'll come to see, these Bible tales I discuss in every episode are more thrilling than you might imagine!
Not convinced yet? Give one of our episodes a listen and see for yourself, maybe you’ll change your mind!
Key points discussed
Why you should listen to The Bible You Thought You Knew (00:50)
It's not always straightforward (02:56)
How well do you know your Bible? (11:01)
Nothing in Scripture is irrelevant (14:16)
Here's what to keep in mind (21:26)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello friends, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
A few weeks ago, I discussed two of Jacob's most infamous sons: Reuben and Judah. So, it is only fair to now discuss another member of the family, Dinah, Jacob's only daughter.
Dinah is only featured once in the Bible, in Genesis 34. And that's the exact story I'll be discussing today.
Sadly, like many other Bible tales that center around women, this one isn't a happy one.
In fact, I'd like to warn you first: This story is a tragedy, so be prepared.
All right, are you ready?
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
How the episode begins (01:19)
Absurdity ensues (05:52)
Hamor negotiates with Jacob's sons (09:17)
The bargain (13:56)
Biblical plot twist! (16:19)
Jacob's position in all this (21:09)
What to make of the story (23:05)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Like always, today, I'll be discussing a Bible story that's not as straightforward as you might think.
This week's tale is that of David's demise and his deathbed speech to his son, Solomon.
This episode tells us a lot about the Israelites and their fate, and has some of the most famous (or shall I say infamous) players in the Bible, such as Adonijah and Bath-Sheba.
How does the story go?
Tune in now to find out!
Key points discussed
How it all begins (01:08)
David's hit list (02:53)
Solomon's rule begins (07:52)
Adonijah gets assassinated (14:01)
Solomon appoints a new priest (17:46)
Is God's will being accomplished? (20:58)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In the last episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we learned about two infamous sons of Jacob: Reuben and Judah.
Today, the patriarch himself takes center stage.
Yes friends, this is a Jacob episode, and there's a lot to talk about!
Dubbed a trickster, Jacob is one of the most (if not the most) colorful and interesting characters in the Bible.
His life was full of highs and lows, and his journey is legendary.
Today, I discuss part of that journey, when Jacob took on an unusual role: that of a religious reformer.
How did that happen, you ask?
Tune in to find out!
Key points discussed
Let's get to know Jacob (00:40)
God issues a command (01:43)
To Bethel! (07:24)
Something is amiss (09:26)
God appears to Jacob once more (14:18)
Rachel gives birth to Benjamin (16:42)
How the story ends (21:31)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today's podcast is going to highlight the story of two of the most prominent siblings in the Bible.
Any idea who I'm talking about?
In fact, no need to guess, because I'm about to tell you now: Reuben and Judah.
If these names don't ring a bell (although I'm sure they do), all you need to know is that Reuben and Judah are the oldest and fourth oldest son of Jacob, respectively.
And their story is as interesting and full of twists as you might imagine.
So, grab yourself a nice hot tea and have a seat on your favorite chair and let's dive into this tale together!
Key points discussed
Intro (00:00)
Meet Reuben and Judah (01:15)
Reuben and Judah vs. Joseph (09:43)
Tamar tricks Judah (15:27)
Reuben's story (19:32)
Has Judah had a moral transformation? (24:23)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello friends, and welcome back to The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today, like every week, I'll be discussing a Bible story that's not very prominent: The tale of Isaac.
As you might already know, Isaac is part of one of the most used phrases in the Old Testament: "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Seeing as this sentence is so prominent in the scripture, you'd think Isaac's stories would be front and center in the Bible, like Jacob's and Abraham's.
However, there is very little about him, apart from one chapter in Genesis 26 that is entirely dedicated to him.
And that's exactly the chapter I will be covering in today's episode.
Are you ready?
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
Let's talk about Isaac (00:44)
How the story begins (01:50)
Isaac vs. the Philistines (07:34)
The Lord appears to Isaac (09:51)
Abimelech shows good faith (14:11)
How the chapter ends (16:58)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
It's been a while since we featured a podcast that accents women. And what an episode this is! Today we’ll talk about the story found in Judges, chapter four. This episode features two women, Deborah, who is quite famous, and Jael, who is less known by the general public.
In the meantime, that difference in popularity becomes trivial, as we learn how the power of 900 iron chariots, though daunting, is finally neutralized by two women. The patriarchy takes a backseat to the two powerful women who are front and center. Men do not look good in this story.
This example doesn’t focus on feminism but instead underscores unconventional power. And in the biblical framework, power exercised by women will always be seen as unconventional. Still, God uses unconventional power of that sort all the time, even when going up against iron chariots.
Never underestimate God's power or the women the deity uses to exercise it.
Tune in now and get full details!
Key points discussed
Introduction (00:00)
Political and historical background to the story (1:17)
Deborah is called as a prophetess (2:14)
Jael kills Sisera (6:47)
God's judgment is never the final word or final action (19:16)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
In the previous episode, we talked about how the Lord called David to be Israel’s King and Saul’s successor. In this episode, the narration is in 1 Kings 1. At this point, David is too feeble to run his kingdom. He seems to be spending all his time in bed trying to get warm, creating a vacuum.
Adonijah, David’s elder son, saw the situation and decided to take the bull by the horns.
In this episode, within conspiracies and stratagems, we will learn who succeeded David and deal with this critical question: who should have been David’s successor?
Tune in now and get those and more answers!
Key points discussed
Introduction (00:00)
David is quite old and frail to rule properly (1:05)
Adonijah decided to take his opportunity (2:37)
Nathan made a counter move (6:38)
Did David still consider Adonijah as his son? (18:57)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
In podcasts #43, #44, and #45, we dealt with the story of Saul. From the time he was anointed Prince to his first actions as Israel's ruler. This week we will treat the episode in which Saul's successor, David, was called to be Israel's King.
This narration is in First Samuel 16. Some of this material was presented in podcast #7 when I treated the story of David and Goliath. You may want to listen to that episode, either as a refresher or for the first time. In this podcast, however, we will be focusing on the primary issue of David being anointed Saul's successor.
Why was Saul replaced? And more importantly, why did God choose David?
Tune in now and get those and more answers!
Key points discussed
Introduction (00:00)
Why did God want a new ruler? (01:39)
“The Lord looketh on the heart” (04:58)
Transitional events between Saul’s and David’s reigns (10:16)
God had to work with, and through flawed people (21:50)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today's episode is a bit different. Yes friends, you've asked, and I've delivered, we're having a Q&A session!
A few episodes ago, I said that I would be having one or two of these Q&A episodes every month, and well, like I promised, here it is.
In this episode, I'll be answering three of your most burning questions, and discussing some interesting subjects, such as the name of Israel's God, "were there atheists in the ancient world?", and are the stories in the Bible historically accurate?
Curious about the answers?
Tune in now!
Key points discussed
Our first Q&A! (00:41)
Can Israel be a figure for the church? (00:56)
What was the name of Israel's God? (06:37)
Are these Bible stories historical? (14:24)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
This week's episode is a continuation of Saul's story, which I started recounting two weeks ago.
As you might already know by now (and if you don't, make sure to listen to the last two episodes first), Saul is considered the first legitimate king of Israel, and in the last two podcasts, I discussed his life before becoming king, where he came from, and his encounter with the prophet Samuel.
Today, I continue on with Saul’s story and discuss of one of the most absurd and strangest stories in the Bible.
Ready?
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
How the story begins (01:14)
When Saul appears (05:24)
The Ammonites are subdued (11:07)
Saul's detractors (13:08)
An analysis of the story (18:25)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand-new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
In last week's episode, I discussed the beginning of Saul's journey and how he would become the first legitimate king of Israel and his encounter with the prophet Samuel.
Today, I pick up where I left off, and dive deeper into Saul's life and how he became king of Israel.
So, without further ado, let's dive in!
Key points discussed
Picking up where we left off (00:40)
The anointing ritual (01:25)
More prophecies (07:48)
Samuel summons the tribes (14:41)
Saul is found (18:05)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In this week's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we dive deep into the tale of Saul and how he became Israel's legitimate king.
As you might already know, technically, Saul was not Israel's first king. That title goes to Abimelech.
However, king Abimelech was a tyrant and a usurper, and his kingship had nothing to do with God.
Which is exactly why Saul is regarded as Israel's first legitimate king.
But, who was Saul exactly? And how did he come into his power?
I answer these questions in today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
How Saul's story begins (02:11)
Saul and the servant go to the city (05:38)
Saul and Samuel finally meet (11:16)
Saul's answer to Samuel (13:57)
The word of God (17:21)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
What am I discussing today?
The answer is something a bit different from what you’re used to in this podcast: The concept of stupidity in the Bible.
Or, if I'm being a bit more precise, Stupidity as a Biblical category.
To talk about Stupidity and Wisdom (both capital letters), I'll be delivering a sermon I preached a few years ago at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church.
The sermon is based on a text from the first six verses of Chapter 9 of the Book of Proverbs.
The story in this text highlights Stupidity as a Biblical concept and explains why its opposite is not intelligence but Wisdom.
So, without further ado, let's dive in!
Key points discussed
A reading of Dining at Wisdom's table (00:50)
Giving God ultimate thanks (03:29)
Stupid: A biblical category (05:16)
The rules of Wisdom (07:30)
Does morality increase with modernity? (12:55)
Science and Wisdom (15:42)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today, I'll be recounting one of the most (if not the most) famous Bible stories: The story of Adam and Eve and the Serpent and their incident in the Garden of Eden.
Now, like most people, you must think: "I already know about the tale, what else is there to learn about?"
And yet, this story is not as straightforward as you might think. After all, it's on this podcast!
So, are you ready for a retelling?
Let's dive in!
Key points discussed
One of the most famous incidents in the Bible (00:54)
The power of names (08:04)
Who's the Serpent? (10:37)
The aftermath of Eve meeting the Serpent (14:49)
The features of wisdom (18:18)
The human dilemma (27:17)
The story in the popular imagination (30:37)
Additional resources
To join my September mini-course, click here.
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review and email me at fspina106@gmail.com
I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in my next Q&A episode!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today, I come back to you with a new Bible tale.
It is the story of Amaziah and Amos, which is based on a text from the Latter Prophets, specifically Amos 7, which is part of the Book of the Twelve.
The tale starts with the prophet, Amos, having a vision. A scary vision. One of God judging Israel, because the people of Israel were not living up to their covenant with God.
Then comes a second vision, then a third.
What did these visions mean? And what's Amaziah's role in all of this?
I answer both these questions in today's episode, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
Prophets and priests (00:54)
The beginning (02:20)
The second vision (07:00)
God will no longer forgive (09:42)
Amaziah speaks against Amos (13:04)
Amos's answer (16:42)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
This week, I dive deeper into Abraham's life and story. A few episodes ago, I discussed the tale of his children and how they came to life from different mothers.
Today, I focus on Isaac, the son Abraham had by Sarah, his wife. Specifically, I talk about how Abraham arranged a wife for Isaac.
As you know, in the ancient Near Eastern world, most, if not all marriages, were arranged by families. Think of it as their own dating website, Bible style!
Of course, this meant it was Abraham's responsibility as a father to procure his son with a good and dutiful wife.
With that in mind, Abraham sets up his faithful servant to the task of finding Isaac a wife.
How does the story go? And who does Isaac marry?
I answer both these questions in today's episode, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
Western movies and arranged marriages (00:53)
How the story begins (4:25)
The search for Isaac's wife starts (08:00)
A warm welcome (13:44)
Rebekah, Isaac's future wife (19:52)
The obstacle (21:56)
Rebekah's journey begins (25:16)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today, I'll be discussing the story of an unnamed woman who, nonetheless, has an entire chapter of the Bible dedicated to her.
This tale is told in one of the lesser-known books, the Book of Judges. And the unnamed woman in it is none other than Samson's mother.
How does the story start?
Following the same pattern as many other stories, it starts with Israel having done something to anger God. This, of course, calls for punishment, and in this case, Israel's punishment comes in the form of a forty-years long Philistine oppression.
But what does this have to do with Samson and his parents?
Listen to the episode to find out!
Key points discussed
- An unnamed woman of the utmost importance (00:52)
- Meet Manoah (02:40)
- God answers Manoah's prayer (08:33)
- The angel of the Lord refuses to offer his name (12:06)
- Manoah's wife truly understands the message (14:54)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today, I will be tackling a tale featuring Ahab, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. In the middle of the ordeal are also a group of prophets loyal to the Israelite court, and Micaiah ben Imlah, the one prophet who goes against the grain.
This story starts with an unusual alliance between Israel and Judah against Aram/Syria.
When this happens, the prophets' opinion is unanimous: They want the two kings to go to war.
However, one other prophet, Micaiah ben Imlah, disagrees, and accuses the royal prophets of lying.
What are the consequences of this turn of events? Let's find out together!
Key points discussed
The story begins (00:53)
The prophets' answer (04:29)
Micaiah ben Imlah's response (10:53)
Micaiah is thrown in jail for his blasphemy (17:46)
Ahab is struck (21:49)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand-new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
In today's episode, I'm going to do a sermon I preached at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church.
It's called "A Rock and a Hard Place" (as is the episode) and it's based on two scriptures: Isaiah 51, verses one through six, and the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16, verses thirteen through twenty.
In it, I will be discussing the Church, its foundation, and the nature of prophets.
Why am I talking about this?
Tune in to the episode to find out!
Key points discussed
First, a reading of the scriptures (00:55)
Let's start the sermon (04:17)
"Who am I?" (06:25)
The nature of the Church (11:59)
The rock - A fitting metaphor (14:29)
What are prophets? (16:47)
Additional resources
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
As you know, last week, I started recounting the famous tale of Sarai, Abram, and Hagar.
Today, we pick up where we left off and continue on with the saga.
If you remember well, the story starts with a couple, Sarai and Abram, who couldn't have children.
Because of that, Sarai asks her husband to sleep with her Egyptian maid Hagar, who later becomes pregnant.
However, things quickly take a sour turn, and Hagar finds herself pregnant and on the run from her mistress. That’s until she meets the Lord's angel who tells her to go back.
In today's episode, we discuss the aftermath of that decision, from Hagar giving birth to Ishmael to the birth of Sarai's own son, Isaac.
Curious how all this goes?
Tune in now!
Key points discussed
A reminder of the tale's beginning (00:54)
Sarah is pregnant (and a change in names occurs) (02:42)
God's intervention (09:22)
Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness (10:45)
Ishmael's descendents (18:22)
Apostle Paul's interpretation of the tale (20:13)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today, I will be delving into the compelling story of Sarai, Abram, and Hagar.
If you don’t know much about this tale, let me give you a quick summary.
The story starts with a married couple, Sarai and Abram, who are finding it difficult to have children. Because of that, Sarai tells her husband to sleep with her Egyptian maid, Hagar.
However, once that happens and Hagar gets pregnant, her demeanor changes and she starts looking down on Sarai.
Angry and upset, Sarai asks her husband to expel Hagar, but he refuses.
So, she starts mistreating her, and Hagar, tired of this, flees her mistress. However, Hagar’s fate changes when she encounters an angel.
What message did the angel have for Hagar? And what were the consequences of her pregnancy? I answer these two questions in today’s episode, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
Sarai, Abram, and Hagar (00:42)
How the story begins (02:08)
Sarai and Abram in Egypt (07:35)
Hagar’s pregnancy (11:43)
Hagar encounters the Angel of the Lord (14:54)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to a new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today, we pick up where we left off last week.
If you remember, in the last episode, I started recounting the stories of Israelite kings Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
Both of them played a strategic role in the schism of Israel, with one of them ruling the southern kingdom, Judah, and the other ruling the northern kingdom, Israel.
Today, we continue on with their tale and analyze the aftermath of Rehoboam's actions.
So, if you're curious to know how their story goes, give us a listen!
Key points discussed
Some news for you! (01:49)
Rehoboam follows the children's advice (05:24)
The people's rebellion (08:09)
The appearance of Shemaiah (10:14)
What about the northern kingdom? (11:35)
Israel's sin (14:03)
Additional resources
If you are interested in donating to The Hive, click here.
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand-new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
As always, today, I will be discussing and analyzing a Bible story.
In the last few episodes, I discussed the life and death of a mostly-forgotten Israelite king, King Josiah.
Today, I'm keeping up with that theme! I will be talking about two infamous Israelites kings: Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
You might not have heard of them, but both Rehoboam and Jeroboam were kings of different parts of Israel after the Schism.
In fact, they were Judah's and Israel's first kings.
Curious to know what makes their story special? Give this episode a listen!
Key points discussed
How Solomon's story begins (02:44)
Jeroboam becomes a threat (07:54)
With Solomon's death comes the Schism (11:36)
The elders' counsel (14:38)
The yeladim's counsel (19:47)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome to a new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
Today's podcast is a special one.
Why, you ask?
Well, because in it, I interview a fellow Bible scholar, the brilliant Dr. Rick Jordan.
Dr. Rick Jordan, for those who don't know him, has been in ministry since college. He has served local churches as a youth minister, a pastor, an education minister, etc...
For the last 18 years, Dr. Jordan has been working with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in North Carolina.
Today, he tells us all about his ministry, Great Bible Teachers, and discusses two of the podcast's episodes with me: The Road to Dothan and Fish, No Chips.
If this sounds like your cup of tea, and I know it does, tune in now!
Key points discussed
Introducing Dr. Rick Jordan and Great Bible Teachers (01:55)
Discussing The Road to Dothan (12:13)
Discussing Fish, No Chips (26:12)
Miracles have to be seen internally (35:26)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello and welcome back to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew.
Today, I will be wrapping up the story we started two episodes ago: The tale of King Josiah.
In those episodes, I discussed Josiah's early life, how he became king of Judah, and Huldah's prophecy.
I also pointed out something peculiar: Despite Josiah's apparent rockstar position in the Bible, he is all but forgotten by the church.
Today, King Josiah's story takes on a whole new spin. I will be discussing him according to Second Chronicles, Chapters 34 and 35, which gives a completely different perspective on Josiah's life and his death.
Curious to know how Josiah's story ends?
Tune in to this week's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew to find out!
Key points discussed
-
What we know about King Josiah (00:52)
-
King Josiah in Second Chronicles (03:55)
-
When the story truly changes (14:22)
-
King Josiah's death in Second Chronicles (20:29)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Hello everyone, and welcome to a brand new episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew!
As you know, in the last episode of this podcast, I introduced one of the key players in the Bible, a man considered to be the greatest king of Israel: King Josiah!
We talked about how he became king, and how that one event ended up changing the destiny of many. We discussed the finding of the Torah and we met the prophetess Huldah.
Today, we dive even deeper into Josiah's story and we learn even more about him, his life, and how he was the first king of Israel to celebrate Passover.
So, if this still sounds like your cup of tea, tune in to this week's episode now!
Key points discussed
-
Previously on The Bible, You Thought You Knew (00:53)
-
Josiah's commands (04:14)
-
Josiah's work knew no bounds (10:43)
-
The dilemma (16:27)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In today's episode, I'll be discussing the story of King Josiah.
Does this name ring a bell? No? That's natural! Sometimes, even the most avid Bible readers don't know much about him.
This is because when one thinks of Israelities kings, only a few names come to mind: Solomon, Saul, or David. And if you're fancy, maybe you'll even think of Hezekiah or Ahab. But never Josiah.
King Josiah lives in obscurity, but that doesn't mean he's less than extraordinary. In fact, Josiah is acclaimed in the Bible as Israel's greatest king.
So, if he's so great, how come most don't know much about him? And what is his story?
I answer these questions and more in today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Know, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
King Josiah who? (00:42)
How the story begins (05:51)
The discovery of the Torah scroll (10:07)
The judgement of Judah (17:42)
Josiah's fate (19:38)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
As you'll come to see (or hear, if I'm being technical), this week's episode is VERY different to my usual ones.
Today, I'm not recounting a forgotten Bible story or analyzing the actions of some infamous character.
Today, I'm telling you WHY you should be listening to this podcast (as I've come to learn, there is no shame in self-promotion).
And yes, I can hear you already: There are already hundreds (if not thousands) of podcasts about the Bible, so why should I listen to this one?
My answer is simple: To me, the devil is always in the details. This means that when you listen to my podcast, you don't simply get a superficial analysis of the stories I'm recounting.
No, instead, I do my best to go over every single detail with a fine tooth comb. And no, it's not tedious, because, as you'll come to see, these Bible tales I discuss in every episode are more thrilling than you might imagine!
Not convinced yet? Give one of our episodes a listen and see for yourself, maybe you’ll change your mind!
Key points discussed
-
Why you should listen to The Bible You Thought You Knew (00:50)
-
It's not always straightforward (02:56)
-
How well do you know your Bible? (11:01)
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Nothing in Scripture is irrelevant (14:16)
-
Here's what to keep in mind (21:26)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In this week's episode, I discuss Job's story, and, as always, it's not as straightforward as you might think.
As you already know, Job is basically a Bible rock star. He's the patron saint of patient people. Not only was Job successful and blessed, he was also a man who feared God. A true role model!
In the classic story, Job was tested by God and The Satan. The Satan caused catastrophic events that completely changed Job's life to the worst, and yet, he never complained, and he never showed bitterness.
Or so you'd think!
But there is another side to Job's tale, and it's exactly what I'll be talking about today.
As you know, it's all in the details, and those details will help us truly delve into Job's story and analyze it from the inside out.
So, if this sounds like your cup of tea, grab a seat and give us a listen!
Key points discussed
Job's story begins (01:49)
The Satan tests Job (07:21)
The aftermath (12:47)
Job's lament (19:20)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we’re putting a new spin on the infamous tale of David and Bath-Sheba.
I will be discussing the events of the story with my dear friends, colleagues, and feminist scholars Dr. Karen Winslow and Dr. Sara Koenig.
In this interview, we go deeper into the character of Bath-Sheba. There isn’t a lot known about her, and even the story in the Bible doesn’t go into much detail.
Or so you’d think.
Through analyzing the tale, my colleagues and I discuss and debate Bath-Sheba’s internal life, her motivations, and her feelings.
What was in her mind during her affair with David? And did she have any agency in these events?
We discuss these questions and more in this week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
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Introducing Dr. Karen Winslow and Dr. Sara Koenig (01:39)
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Bath-Sheba: Victim or seductress? (02:25)
-
Uses of feminine and masculine forms in the Bible (10:56)
-
David vs. Uriah (13:25)
-
David’s evolution (17:37)
-
Nathan’s role in the story (22:12)
-
The language in Samuel (28:57)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In today's episode, I'm going to be discussing a story many of you already know. Maybe you've studied it countless times in Sunday school, or maybe you've heard way too many sermons on it at your church.
However, like always, I will be putting a spin on it. After all, more often than not, these Bible stories are not as straightforward as we think.
What story am I talking about?
Well, in today's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I will be recounting the two feeding tales of large crowds in the Gospel of Mark.
The first story goes like this: While stuck in the wilderness with a hungry crowd of over five thousand people, Jesus was able to bless some bread and fish and turn it into a feast for the weary travelers.
However, the second story was a bit different.
How so?
If you want to find out, grab a cup of tea, have a seat, and give us a listen!
Key points discussed
What we're discussing today (00:54)
Another look at the famous story (03:18)
The second tale (09:21)
Jesus' encounter with the Pharisees (16:27)
Perception and understanding (21:22)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
Today's podcast is a bit unusual. It comes from an unlikely biblical source. Why is that, you ask? Well, this reading is usually ignored by most preachers and completely kept in the dark.
However, I think it's the perfect subject to discuss in this week's episode, and so, here we are: a reading of Exodus 35:1 through Exodus 36:7.
This passage tells the story of Moses and the Israelites building the tabernacle while on the road to the Promised Land.
Boring, you might think. But, as you must have learned already, there is always an exciting story (or explanation) behind every tale I discuss in this podcast.
So, how does this story go? And why do I think it’s so compelling?
I answer these questions in this week's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
- Intro (00:51)
- How the tale begins (02:30)
- The importance of detail (04:42)
- Israel's generosity (07:34)
- The golden calf (11:17)
- The building of the tabernacle (15:46)
- Israel at their best (20:34)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
In this week's episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I will be discussing one of the most fascinating tales of the Bible: the story of creation.
This tale holds more meaning than you might think. After all, the creation of human beings is the climax of God's creative efforts. We are his most fascinating project.
However, the first question we should be asking ourselves is, is it only one creation story? As it happens, the answer is more complicated than that. You don't have to be a scholar to recognize that the first two chapters of Genesis present two creation stories instead of one.
So why do we call Genesis 1 THE creation story? Well, this is one of the many questions I'm answering today.
If you want to learn more about the story of creation, the significance of Genesis 2, and why humanity is made in God’s image, tune in now!
Key points discussed
- Answering one of your questions (00:53)
- Introducing Genesis 1 and 2 (02:19)
- Genesis 1, THE creation story? (05:29)
- The creation of humanity (10:03)
- Humans are made in the image of God (15:24)
- The essence of humanity (19:28)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to give us a follow now!
This week's episode is different from my usual ones.
Instead of just me discussing the subject, I am instead turning it into a group discussion with two brilliant friends and colleagues, Dr. Karen Winslow, professor of Old Testament at Azusa Pacific University and Azusa and Dr. Sara Koenig, professor of Old Testament at Seattle Pacific University and Seattle Pacific Seminary.
And today's subject is just as brilliant as my guests! We will be discussing the amazing women of the Exodus, the women in the New Testament, and their impact on the stories we know.
We will also be talking about other tales from the Bible that subvert the patriarchal culture the biblical material arose from, from the story of Tamar to the famous tale of Bath-Sheba.
So, if you want to learn more about the women of the Bible, their stories, and their influence, tune in now!
Key points discussed
- Introducing Dr. Karen Winslow (01:33)
- Introducing Dr. Sara Koenig (03:38)
- The women of the Exodus (07:00)
- The importance of Providence (17:43)
- Women subverting the patriarchy in the Old Testament (20:49)
- Sarah and Hagar (29:40)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
In the last two episodes of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I recounted the story of David and Bath-Sheba's affair, the subsequent murder of Uriah, and how this one event changed the course of David's life and resulted in pretty dire consequences.
I ended the story with remarks about the difference between comedy and tragedy.
And today, we’re going to be discussing comedy. And what better example of comedy than PSalm 51? After all, it has all the traits of one: hope and possibility.
Why am I discussing Psalm 51 this week? Simply because it is the most fitting conclusion to David and Bath-Sheba's tale.
What is Psalm 51 about? And why is it an essential part of David's story?
I answer these two questions in today’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now!
Key points discussed
- Why Psalm 51 (02:06)
- Psalms 22 & 23 (05:15)
- God's grace (09:24)
- David's sin - a sin against God (12:59)
- Returning to God (18:23)
- The final two verses (22:34)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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In last week's episode, I recounted David's most infamous story. One where he, without a doubt, is the antagonist.
This week, I will discuss the aftermath of David's cruel endeavors.
As you know, David slept with Bath-Sheba, impregnated her, and orchestrated her husband's murder, as well as the murder of several other Israelite soldiers.
Of course, God saw this as the grave, evil sin that it is, and as a result, sent the prophet Nathan to confront David.
Nathan tells David the story of two men, one rich, and one poor. In the story, the rich man takes the poor man's pet lamb whom he loved as one of his children, slaughters it, and serves it in a feast to his guests.
This story, of course, comes with a clear moral.
What was David's reaction to it? And what was his punishment?
I answer these two questions in this week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now to learn everything you need to know about David’s story!
Key points discussed
- David's cruelty (01:25)
- God sends Nathan to confront David (06:24)
- David's response (09:07)
- David's punishment (12:59)
- Even forgiven sin has consequences (15:00)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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In a previous episode, we went through the story of David and Goliath, and analyzed it, trying to truly understand the moral of it.
Today, we're doing the same, but with a more infamous story, one where David is the clear antagonist.
It's springtime, which means kings are going to war. However, David only sends his army, and stays in Jerusalem. This is a peculiar decision.
While his soldiers are at war, David meets Bath-Sheba, the wife of Uriah, an elite soldier under David's direct command.
Her being married does not deter David, and so, he sleeps with her. Unfortunately, Bath-Sheba gets pregnant.
Because her husband was not present, it would be obvious that the child was not his.
To avoid scandal, David calls for Uriah back to Jerusalem, and tries to make him go home and sleep with his wife.
However, this plan doesn't work. Instead of going home, Uriah sleeps by the palace's door, with the other servants.
Why did Uriah not go home to his wife? How did David respond? And what were the consequences of his affair with Bath-Sheba?
I answer all these questions and more in this week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, so tune in now to learn more!
Key points discussed
- Spring, the time of war (01:31)
- The introduction of Bath-Sebah (04:42)
- David’s dilemma (07:22)
- Uriah’s code of honor (10:22)
- Uriah’s death (14:23)
- God’s reaction to David’s evil deeds (18:51)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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In Genesis, God tells Abraham that kings will come forth from him.
As we know, this was not a lie. Indeed, first came Saul, then David, then Solomon, but none of them was right for Israel.
Why is that?
Well, before the Israelites even demanded a king, Moses decided to spell out some criteria on who it should be, the most important one the king having to be an Israelite.
He also added that the king shall not want horses, wives, or wealth, and he shall model for other Israelites what it means to "fear God".
And this is when Samuel comes into play. In 1 Samuel 8, he is old, and his sons are corrupt. The Israelites are worried about who's going to succeed him, and so, they ask him to appoint a king.
However, they want a king like all the other kings, going against Moses’ words.
How did Samuel respond? Who did he appoint as king? And what were the consequences of that fateful decision?
We answer all these questions in this week’s episode, so tune in to learn everything you need to know about Israel’s first kings, the story of Samuel, and why Moses gave very specific criteria for the king of Israel!
Key points discussed
- The ancestral stories of Genesis and Deuteronomy (03:38)
- What a king should be (06:17)
- The story of Samuel (13:41)
- A king like all other kings (17:04)
- An Israelite monarchy is born (23:57)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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In last week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we left Abraham ready to sacrifice his son Isaac, after God had ordered him to.
Instead of protesting this horrifying decision or trying to protect his son, The Child of Promise, he just goes with it.
However, as soon as Abraham is ready to take his son’s life, an Angel intervenes and lets him know all of it was a test by God. At the same time, a ram appears, and they sacrifice it instead.
This story might seem straight-forward, but many parts of it are shrouded in mystery.
For example, on the journey to the place of the sacrifice, Abraham and Isaac are accompanied by two young men, but we never really know who these men are.
Similarly, when everything is well and done, it is said Abraham and the two young men go back to Beer-Sheba, with no mention of Isaac.
What happened to Isaac after the test? Who were the two young men accompanying Abraham and his son? And what is the significance of the ram?
We answer all these questions in this week’s episode, so tune in to learn how Abraham’s saga ended!
Key points discussed
- Abraham and Isaac make their way to the place of worship (02:41)
- Abraham is ready to sacrifice his son (05:02)
- The meaning of the test (07:01)
- The reason behind the ram’s appearance (09:23)
- The two young men (15:06)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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Towards the end of Abraham’s saga, in Genesis 22, God orders him to sacrifice The Child of Promise, his son, Isaac.
And although Abraham was not the one to stay silent when talking to God, this time, he complied, without uttering a single word.
That is how the story of the Akedah begins.
When the day of the sacrifice comes, Abraham gets everything ready, takes his son with him, and forges the path to the mountain where he has to sacrifice Isaac.
When they make it there, Abraham prepares himself to sacrifice The Child of Promise, but an Angel intervenes and stops it.
In the end, all of it was nothing more than a test by God. A test to see how faithful Abraham was, and he had passed it with flying colors.
And yet, as clear as we think this story is, there are still many mysteries to it.
Why did God order Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? Why did Abraham comply so easily? And how can we interpret this story?
In this episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I answer all these questions and more. So tune in to learn more about the story of the Akedah, how Abraham passed God’s test, and the importance of Abraham’s response to the test.
Key points discussed
- A reading of Genesis 22 (02:08)
- God’s test (6:39)
- From Hebrew to English (09:15)
- A modern look at the story (14:04)
- Abraham stays silent (17:07)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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When Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, Thomas didn’t believe. Instead, he said that
unless he could examine the body with the tale-tale signs of crucifixion, to him, Jesus would stay dead.
Many view this as God telling us how doubting Jesus’ resurrection was bad, however, if you’ve listened to any episode of this podcast, you know where this is heading: the story is much more complex than we think, and it has a completely different moral.
You see, when you go through the Gospels, you learn that Thomas was not the only one who doubted. Many unnamed disciples couldn’t believe in Jesus’ resurrection until they met with him. And even then, they didn’t rejoice as you would think they did.
In fact, once Thomas believes Jesus is back to life, he is the only one who recognizes who Christ truly is. And this means that, in this story, Poor Doubting Thomas is the Hero, not the Fool.
What is the true meaning behind Thomas’ tale? Why did other disciples doubt Jesus’ return? And how did Thomas get his “Poor Doubting” moniker?
In this episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I answer all these questions and more. So tune in to learn more about the story of Poor Doubting Thomas, why he didn’t believe, and the true moral of this famous Bible story!
Key points discussed
- About the Essenes (01:36)
- Thomas was not the only disciple to doubt (08:23)
- Thomas in John’s Gospel (14:38)
- Eight days later (18:43)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
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In episodes 2 and 3 of this podcast series, I discussed how Christians view the Old Testament and New Testament in completely different ways.
In the former, God is a vengeful, unforgiving entity, while in the latter, he is loving, forgiving, and merciful.
Naturally, this created a dichotomy in the minds of those of Christian faith. And thus, even though the Old Testament is considered to be Jesus’ Scripture, it’s not viewed as favorably as the New Testament.
This is especially true with the younger generation of Christians. As my guests in this week’s episode, Pat Vance and Steve Delamarter, tell me, young people don’t seem to be enthralled with the Old Testament.
To them, it’s too dark and too violent.
Why are Christians so dismissive of Jesus’ Bible? Why are their feelings about the Old Testament so negative? And what can we do to change these attitudes?
In this episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I discuss all of this with my two esteemed guests. So, tune in to learn more about the Old Testament, how Pastor Pat Vance worked on changing attitudes in his ministry, and the importance of learning about both testaments!
Key points discussed
- Introducing Pat Vance & Steve Delamarter (00:53)
- A look back at Jesus’ Bible - Episodes 2 & 3 (03:46)
- People’s reluctance to Jesus’ Bible (05:28)
- How Pat changed attitudes in his ministry (09:02)
- Cultivating appreciation for both texts (12:51)
- The nature of the Christian church (18:08)
- The many interpretations of the Scripture (22:48)
- Final words of wisdom from our guests (25:53)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
In the Bible, every character is important, even the ones without a backstory, or the ones who show up for only a few verses.
Every character has a purpose, and none of them had a more important purpose than the unnamed man who asked Joseph the one question that changed his fate: “ma t’vakesh? - “what are you looking for?”
That is how Joseph’s story begins.
Because he was favored by his father Jacob, Joseph was hated by his brothers. One day, when they leave home to pasture the flocks, Jacob sends Joseph to check on them.
When Joseph goes and doesn’t find them, he starts wandering around, looking for them, and meets the unnamed man who asks him “What are you looking for?”
The answer to that question leads Joseph to Dothan, where his brothers sell him to a caravan going to Egypt. Had that not happened, history would have been completely different.
Why was this encounter so important? How did it change the course of history? And why is the unnamed man one of the most crucial characters in the Bible?
In this episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I answer all these questions and more. So tune in to learn more about the role of providence in the bible, what lurking provenance is, and how all of this ties up to the history of humanity!
Key points discussed
- The importance of minor characters in the Bible (01:20)
- The man who lead Joseph to Dothan (04:49)
- How one encounter changed history forever (11:35)
- The role of Providence in the Bible (13:25)
- The Lurking Provenance (19:19)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
Abraham and Sarah were the Patriarch and Matriarch of the Israelites. In the New Testament, they are seen as pious, virtuous, and faithful followers of God.
However, just like every other human being, they were not perfect. They too made mistakes, disobeyed God, lacked faith, and committed errors that had grave consequences.
One of these mistakes, Abraham and Sarah’s first misstep, was taking their nephew Lot with them on their voyage to the land promised by God.
In the Old Testament, we learn everything about the consequences of this action, and we see Abraham and Sarah as who they truly were: complex, flawed, and completely human.
How did Abraham’s story start? How was his relationship with Lot? And how did that affect the fate of the People of Israel?
In this episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I answer all these questions and more. So tune in to learn about the true story behind Abraham’s first misstep!
Key points discussed
- How it all began (00:51)
- God appears to Abraham (08:13)
- Abraham’s first mistake (12:03)
- Abraham and Sarah - flawed humans (16:54)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
We all know the story of Jesus turning water into wine. It’s one of the most famous, most rehashed tales of the Bible, and even people who are not well-versed in the book know about it.
However, do we really understand its true meaning?
In the story, Jesus turns water into wine while attending a Jewish wedding in Cana, Galilee. The party runs out of wine, and Jesus saves the day. Pretty simple, right?
And yet, this tale is much more complex than you think; and the moral of this story is not always evident.
Why did Jesus turn water into wine? What was Mary’s role in this? And what did this event mean for the disciples?
In this episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, I answer all these questions and more. So tune in to learn about the true meaning behind this notorious tale!
Key points discussed
- Jesus turns water into wine (00:42)
- Our basic understanding of the story (01:45)
- What is the timeline of the story? (04:47)
- The role Jesus’ mother plays (0:43)
- A deeper look at this notorious tale (11:37)
- The moral of the story (19:00)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
In the popular imagination, the Book of Exodus is a story centered around men, and men only. Women have no place in it, and we rarely hear about them.
Well, today, I am here to argue the opposite. Women do play an important role in the Book of Exodus!
In fact, the contrast between these many women and Moses and the Pharaoh is present throughout the story as we learn everything about them, from how the midwives Shiphrah and Puah opposed the king of Egypt, to how Moses’ wife, Zipporah, saved him from God’s wrath.
Who were these women? What part did they play in the Exodus of the Israelites? And how did they use their wits and intelligence to start their own revolutions?
This episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew answers all these questions and more. So, tune in, and learn everything you need to know about the seven women in the Book of Exodus, their lives, their quiet fights, and how their use of soft power shaped the story of the Israelites.
Key points discussed
- The women of the Book of Exodus (00:51)
- The Pharaoh’s fear of the Israelites (01:46)
- The story of Shiphrah and Puah (04:48)
- Moses saved by the Pharaoh's daughter (11:02)
- Moses vs. the women of the Exodus (18:32)
- The story of Zipporah, Moses’ wife (24:00)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
One of the most famous Bible stories, the tale of David and Goliath is as old as time.
To many, it depicts how an underdog like David, a shepherd’s boy, can beat someone like The Philistine, Goliath, who was a stronger, bigger, and more experienced military man.
Today, this biblical story is used as a metaphor to describe defying the odds and succeeding at something no one thought was possible.
However, is that what the original tale was about? Many will say yes, but I come to you with an alternative answer!
In this week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we discuss how David, a shepherd’s boy, came to power; why Goliath was known as The Philistine, and what their story truly means.
Key points discussed
- David and Goliath - a tale that withstood time (00:49)
- A hero’s journey - from shepherd boy to king (05:42)
- Why was Goliath referred to as The Philistine? (09:58)
- What is the David and Goliath story truly about? (15:53)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
Today we read from Matthew 27, a curious and somewhat bizarre passage in the Bible. In this text, Matthew describes Jesus’s trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. Now, we are all familiar with this topic, but did you know Matthew also described the general resurrection?
What are we to make of a general resurrection, in which tombs were open and a number of people who were buried rose up and appeared to many?
After all, the general resurrection was supposed to be at the end of the process, not its beginning! It was supposed to happen when Jesus returned, not before. Tune in today to find out why Matthew decided to jump the gun and how we interpret this text.
Key points discussed
- Matthew 27 reading (00:00)
- Why many priests avoid this topic (09:10)
- The reason Matthew jumped ahead in this story (14:09)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
The story of Cain and Abel, told in the fourth chapter of the Book of Genesis, is the first murder story in the bible. It’s an infamous tale of contempt and jealousy between siblings, but many of us forget it’s more than just that.
The brothers’ story starts with two offerings. One from Abel, which God accepts. And one from Cain, which God rejects.
Why? Many over the centuries have theorized the reasons for this, from religious ones to cultural ones.
In this week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we discuss all of them, and explore a new theory - the role of the ground, Adamah, in the the bible, and how a curse on it affected Cain and Abel’s faith.
Key points discussed
- Cain & Abel - The bible’s first murder (00:46)
- Why did God reject Cain’s offering? (04:02)
- Two religious hypotheses to explore (04:44)
- Two theological hypotheses to explore (07:56)
- When God created Adam and Eve (10:49)
- The cursing of the ground by God (16:34)
- How Noah lifted the curse on Adamah (20:21)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
In last week’s episode of The Bible You Thought You Knew, we looked at Jesus’ relationship with Israel and the church’s claim to it.
This week, we continue the story and answer your most burning questions.
What prompted the centuries-long conflict between the church and the synagogue? What were the consequences of that conflict? And, most importantly, why is the church now reluctant to see itself as a figure of Israel?
Today’s episode is all about the Jewish people’s claim to Israel, the shared history of Judaism and Christianity, and the political rivalry that made them what they are now.
Key points discussed
- How the synagogue has claim to Israel (00:53)
- Two communities rising from the ashes (02:33)
- The beginning of a centuries-long conflict (06:27)
- The church taking ownership for its mistakes (11:01)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
The Old Testament was Jesus’ personal Bible, but there’s another reason that compels Christians to take the scripture seriously. This reason is found in the story of Israel, the main feature of the Old Testament. What relationship did Jesus have with Israel?
In this episode, we’ll look at the evidence that clearly points to the fact that Jesus’ movement was completely dedicated to Israel and its future.
Over the course of this episode, you will see that the church is justified in seeing itself as a continuation of Israel. But what about Judaism and their claim to Israel? This is a story for the next episode…
Key points discussed
- What was Jesus’ vision for Israel (00:54)
- Is the ethnic connection all that important? (05:01)
- The argument for the church’s claim to Israel (10:05)
- Jesus and Israel as written in the gospels (11:45)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
In this episode, we further explore the origins of Jesus’ Bible, i.e. the Old Testament or Jewish Bible. We will dive deep into the early history of Jesus’ Bible and I’ll present evidence that unequivocally shows Jesus regarded the Old Testament as the scripture to be followed and revered.
It is without any doubt that Jesus thought that he and the Old Testament God were one. He thought from the Old Testament throughout his life and profoundly believed that the God of Abraham and Sarah was also his God.
So how come Christians today prefer the New Testament to the Old? And why did the Jewish people reject the Greek translation of their own Bible, that they themselves commissioned for translation?
These are the questions I’ll answer in this and episodes to come. We will see that some of the negative feelings towards the Old Testament stem from the fact that many of us don’t know the biblical text in all its glorious detail.
However, as we move forward in our studies, we will come to understand the full depth and power of the Bible!
Key points discussed
- Why are Hebrew and Greek translations seen differently? (00:48)
- The New Testament evidence of Jesus’ attitude towards the Old (04:29)
- Understanding how Christians see the Old and New Testament (09:35)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
What was the Bible called during Jesus’ era? In this episode, we will take a look at the origins of the Old Testament and the different names it had during the time Jesus lived.
Jesus’ Bible is what Christians eventually called the Old Testament. But that term was not used when Jesus was walking on the earth! In fact, Christians began to use the term Old Testament only after they had come to regard the documents making up the New Testament as scripture.
So what did Jesus and the religious community at the time call Jesus’ Bible?
Understanding the proper and historic terminology regarding the Old Testament is an important first lesson in our Bible studies. So, let’s get to it!
Key points discussed
- My plan to deliver a lecture for the ages (00:53)
- The origin and terminology for the Jesus’ Bible (06:58)
- Why was the terminology so fluid in Jesus’ era? (11:19)
Additional resources
Do you have a question about the Bible or a topic you’d like to know more about?
Yes? Then go ahead and leave a rating and a review! I’d be honored to hear your thoughts and answer your questions in the next episodes!
And if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
For more reading, check out my book The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story!
My name is Frank Spina and during my 46 years as a professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology, I noticed that most people only know interpretations of the Bible, rather than the scripture itself.
In this podcast, I will be your teacher and guide through the Bible that not many people are familiar with. As we unpack quintessential Biblical stories, you will gain an unparalleled understanding of the scripture. More importantly, my teaching style is fun, engaging, and always inspirational!
But before we get into dissecting the scripture, I’d like you to know a little about me and how I got to the position of speaking to you on this podcast.
I didn’t always think of myself as a scholar, but today I speak seven languages and hold numerous degrees. In high school, I was a “C” student who could never imagine teaching at a college. What inspired this transformation?
In this episode, you will hear all about my journey of becoming a professor at the Seattle Pacific University and an Episcopal priest at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Bellevue, Washington.
I developed a specific pedagogical method for teaching scripture that I’m happy to share with you today and in future episodes. As a result, my students found the Bible not only fascinating but also deeply transformative. It is my hope that you will receive this podcast as a blessing as well!
So if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
We’re only getting started.
For more reading, check out my book
The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story