In this episode we’ll dive into a particular formula (3 stories of healing followed by a call to discipleship) that Matthew uses to present Jesus’ ministry. When we’re done, you might ask if infectious skin diseases could be a part of your church’s outreach ministry!

In this episode we’ll be talking about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It spans nearly three chapters in Matthew’s gospel… and it will challenge you to rethink many assumptions you may have had about how this life of ours should be lived. This is a quick flyover looking at the structure of the sermon.

In this episode we're diving into Matthew chapter 5 and we’ll notice a fascinating aspect of Matthew gospel. Matthew organizes Jesus’ major addresses into five distinct sermons. The first and the last of which are delivered on mountains. and today, we’ll unpack a link back to the Old Testament story of Moses and Joshua.

In this episode we finish Matthew chapter 4 by looking at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and what some say is the calling of the first disciples. Did these men immediately leave everything in order to serve Jesus? We will discover… following Jesus might not be that simple, demanding, or immediate.

In this episode we’ll spend some time talking about Jewish baptism, take a look at a curious statement Jesus makes, and then talk about his testing in the wilderness at the beginning of Matthew 4. All of that and more in Episode 91 - Fulfilling the Theme of Baptism and Testing.

In this episode we’re in the first 12 verses of Matthew 3. It’s a deep dive into John the Baptist’s ministry and no matter how familiar you think you are with this New Testament character, I guarantee we’re going to discuss several things you’ve never… ever considered.

The story of Jesus’ birth has become more than familiar to many. But even after hearing it year after year during the holiday season, there are still elements we may be missing. In this episode, we’ll focus in on some of the finer details you may have never considered regarding how this story was written.

Mathew begins his gospel with a long list of names… and it’s a list you may be tempted to skip over just to move more quickly to the story of Jesus’ birth… but the birth story really begins with the list of names. It’s a list which includes, among other things, sexual scandal, and the stories of five faithful women.

I’ve always thought most of scripture was inspired… I mean, let’s be honest, those long lists of names in the genealogies, somebody must have snuck those in after the final edits. If that’s what you’ve always thought, get ready, because today’s episode is going to flip your script.

In the movie the Princess Bride, there is a battle of the wits between two characters, Vizzini, a “Sicilian man of genius,” and the main character Westley. For those who have seen it, you know it’s a great example of the old Switcharoony, which suggests a surprising change or reversal has taken place. Well... the gospel of Matthew is full of surprising and unexpected reversals. In today’s episode we’ll introduce the gospel and give some examples of how you’ve probably been misreading it for years.

Some of you have contacted me asking if I’m ok. Yes… everything’s good. I just took the last few months off from producing podcasts. That’s all… For those of you listening in real time… you realize I’ve been absent the last few months. And the beauty being on a podcast means that for many of you… this will just simply be Episode 85… the one that follows Episode 84. In this episode I discuss the War in Israel and I discuss my new projects for the new year.

In an attempt to better understand the signs of the new covenant, baptism and communion, we jump into 1 Corinthians 10 and consider the significance of Paul’s instruction about baptism and communion as displayed in the story of the exodus from Egypt. I bet you haven’t had anyone walk you through what happens in this episode.

Weddings are a big deal. I’m always amazed at the many details that go into such events. It usually takes months to properly plan and execute a modern wedding ceremony. But one doesn’t actually need that much time. There’s really only a few things needed for two people to get married. In today’s episode, we’ll take a closer look at the Biblical wedding metaphor and ask if, in our modern day rendition, we’re maybe unintentionally creating shotgun wedding scenarios with Jesus… where forget to bring the engagement ring.

In this episode I welcome Dr. John H. Walton to the podcast to answer several questions posed by members of "The John H. Walton Discussion Group" on Facebook. Dr. Walton is a scholar and was, until just recently, a professor. He recently retired from his position as professor of Old Testament and coordinator of the Masters of Biblical Exegesis at Wheaton College in Illinois. Before Wheaton He taught at Moody Bible Institute for 20 years. He specializes in the Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds of the Old Testament. Throughout his research, Walton has focused his attention on comparing the culture and literature of the Bible and the ancient Near East. He has published dozens of books, articles and translations, both as writer and editor, including his popular book, The Lost World of Genesis One.

I grew up listening to School House Rock. I know that dates me a little… but I suspect with the internet and all… there are many in every generation that are familiar with songs like Interjections, I’m Just a Bill, and Conjunction Junction. These songs were formative during my development years. It was during those years that I also learned that the number three… well... there’s something about that number that’s magic. In today’s episode we’ll look into the significance of the number three, both culturally and biblically.

Most people are familiar with the process of translation. But, fewer people are familiar with the process of transliteration. Translation is the process of reworking text from one language into another to maintain the original message and communication. Translation answers the question… what does that mean. In contrast… Transliteration changes the words from one language into another with similar-sounding letters. It answers the question… what did the original word sound like. In English Bibles, we usually translate the biblical text to convey meaning, but sometimes we transliterate the text to protect the way the original words sounded when they were spoken. This often happens with names of people and places. In this episode we discuss these two methods and take a look at some of the troublesome complications that arise when they are employed within the pages of sacred text.

In the world of computers, "REST API" stands for Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface. It is an architectural style and a set of principles for designing networked applications. In web development, REST is widely used to create efficient APIs that enable communication between different software systems. However, when it comes to the concept of rest in the Bible, "REST API" takes on a different meaning. While many studies focus on the Old Testament's teachings on rest or Jesus' interactions with the idea, not many delve into the "After Pentecost Instruction" given for rest. Understanding the instruction after the events of Pentecost, in Acts 2, is necessary. Those events mark the birth of the modern church. The instructions given before this were for a world that couldn't fully comprehend the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of the Messiah. Therefore, studying the New Testament's "Rest API" is the ideal conclusion to a comprehensive study on the topic.

In this episode we dive deep into the intriguing titles claimed by Jesus – "Son of Man" and "Lord" – and attempt to unravel their profound implications regarding sabbath rest. We will unravel the historical and theological significance of these titles, examining how they shed light on Jesus' teachings and interactions with sabbath rest. Join me as we discover the meaning cloaked within these titles and explore their relevance to modern believers.

One may be familiar with the term jubilee. It's a descriptor that is sometimes used in our modern culture in a variety of ways. In this episode we look into the biblical context for the idea of the jubilee. We will define it, look at the Old Testament context, and examine how Jesus interacted with the idea. And... spoiler alert... the whole concept points to Jesus' ministry. That's why I often refer to him as the Jubilee Jesus!

Throughout the centuries many authors have described a world-view consisting of a dualistic reality. In other words, there’s one reality that we all interact with in the physical realm, experience and know, but there is another reality that is unseen. And that unseen version is one of a higher quality and perfection. Bible readers may feel right at home with that description. But you may be surprised that the current biblical worldview may have had some of it’s origins in ancient secular philosophy. In this episode we examine the way a two authors, Plato and C.S. Lewis, have possibly influenced your view of the world in which we live. We also compare and contrast how some of these concepts, specifically their use of shadows, may interact with the text of the New Testament. This conversation may be a bit uncomfortable for some… because it might demand you rethink different aspects of your reality.