Join host Jeramiah Giehl and renowned scholar Dr. James Tabor for a powerful 90-minute follow-up conversation, we explore the historical Jesus, the Ebionite tradition, the leadership of James the Just, the influence of Paul, and the real-world dangers of apocalypticism and Christian nationalism.
🔍 Episode Themes:
Dr. Tabor responds to critics who claim this approach is “anti-Christ,” affirming it is, in fact, pro-historical Jesus. Using the historical-critical method, he shows how redactions in the Gospels altered Jesus’ words and message. He explains the Q source, the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, and examples like (“Why call me good?”) edited in Matthew to support later theology. The aim: recover Jesus’ original voice before it was reshaped by church doctrine.
The discussion dives into the Ebionites, early Jewish followers of Jesus who:
Viewed him as a human prophet (not divine),
Rejected animal sacrifices,
Practiced vegetarianism,
And challenged Paul’s theology, especially the Eucharist.
Tabor explains their beliefs using Isaiah 66 and highlights how church fathers later branded them heretics. He suggests they may represent the earliest and most authentic form of the Jesus movement.
Tabor shifts focus to James the Just, leader of the Jerusalem church and likely the beloved disciple, not John. Referencing Acts 15 and his upcoming book A Lost Mary (releasing Sept 30, 2025), he argues that Jesus passed leadership to James—not Peter or Paul—indicating a dynastic, family-based leadership structure, or “caliphate.”
The Clementine Homilies support this by urging followers to confirm doctrine with James himself.
Tabor discusses Paul’s genuine letters (Galatians, Romans, etc.) as full of urgency and expectation of the end times. Paul advised believers not to marry or work, expecting the world to end soon.
While some theorists suggest Paul may be fictional or linked to Simon Magus or even Josephus (via Marcion), Tabor argues Paul was a real, charismatic apocalypticist.
He draws comparisons to modern doomsday movements, referencing his work on Waco and the Branch Davidians, noting that apocalyptic predictions have a 100% failure rate.
Jeramiah raises the rise of Christian nationalism and movements like the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Tabor warns against merging religious belief with state power, drawing from Why Waco? and historical persecution of dissenters.
He calls for protecting religious freedom, citing Jefferson’s Bible and John Huss, both of whom focused on Jesus’ ethical teachings while rejecting dogma and authoritarian control.
Tabor shares how his book Restoring Abrahamic Faith represents his vision of ethical monotheism, grounded in the Hebrew Bible. He affirms a belief in divine purpose.
Rather than clinging to literalism, Tabor proposes a post-Christian, Jesus-positive Hebraic faith that values justice and righteousness over dogma or salvation formulas.
This discussion is a goldmine for:
Spiritual seekers,
Biblical skeptics,
Post-evangelicals,
Jewish-Christian inquirers,
And anyone concerned about faith weaponized for political gain.
It challenges listeners to re-examine the origins of Christianity while offering a path forward rooted in wisdom, ethics, and historical integrity.
Subscribe to the Pulling the Threads Podcast on YouTube.
Visit jamestabor.com for blog posts, lectures, and resources.
Read:
The Jesus Dynasty
Paul and Jesus
Restoring Abrahamic Faith
Pre-order A Lost Mary (Release Date: September 30, 2025)
Watch Dr. Tabor’s video series on apocalypticism and prophecy failure.
Explore thetorah.com for critical biblical scholarship.
🎧 Listen Now
This isn’t just an interview—it’s an exploration of the real Jesus, the forgotten James, and the rise and risks of religious extremism. Join us as we pull the threads of history, faith, and ideology shaping our world today. Subscribe, share, and stay tuned for more hard-hitting conversations.