Character in Context

Episode 194: The Akeida—Genesis 22 for Grownups

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 08:29:30 -0700

There is so much context here! But what stands out in Genesis 22 more than anything are the conflicting emotions and turmoil. Tired of platitudes and pat answers to the hard questions? Me too. There is a lot going on here that too many people don’t even want to acknowledge. This is a text tailor made to be wrestled with and we aren’t given any easy answers to important questions so why pretend otherwise? Sometimes, in order to be our ally in our faith walk, the Bible must eschew easy interpretations to force us to hunt for the meat hidden within.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/11/episode-194-the-akeida-genesis-22-for-grownups/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/W9jW5zKoJAg

Episode 193: Sukkot and the Great Wilderness Reset

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:13:23 -0600

Although what we see today in Jerusalem is more like tabernacling for a week in some pretty elaborate, luxurious, and comfortable “temporary dwellings,” the original command to observe the festival of Sukkot was a memorial to those difficult wilderness years when diligently following the cloud and fire and gathering the daily manna was a mater of life and death. How does this relate to Yeshua’s/Jesus’s command to “follow me”? Why does this change everything in heaven and on earth?

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Azv6kB2HM_A

Episode 192: Yom Kippur and the Great Cosmic Community Reset

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:07:11 -0600

Yom Kippur, apart from being the holiest day of the year, was also the happiest. There’s just something about setting things right with God that is incredibly satisfying. Yes there was fasting and somber reflection because it isn’t joyous to have to watch the High Priest clean up the defilement of the community through blood cleansing, and it wouldn’t have been appropriate to be feasting, but there was also this very real phenomenon of wiping clean the slates in heaven and on earth.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ipC3haFqoV0

Episode 191: Tishri 1 and the Great Cosmic Kingship Reset

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:59:09 -0600

Chag Sameach! Happy Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets! This is a series I did for an online conference back when I was younger and thinner and not hacking up a lung. Just kidding, my lungs are right where they belong but they aren’t happy about it. Since I am under the weather this year in a big way (I shouldn’t hug and kiss sick people but that’s why I get everything that comes through this house), I decided to pull this out of my online conference archives and publish it. Parts 2 and 3 about Yom Kippur and Sukkot coming soon!

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/09/episode-191-tishri-1-and-the-great-cosmic-kingship-reset/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/YeXP5evLieI

Episode 190: Gen 21 for the grownups, part 1

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 10:01:00 -0600

I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that I can teach this chapter without having to go into gory details about sexual nonsense and, as such, anyone can listen to this Context for Kids supplemental teaching on the first portion of Gen 21, which covers the birth of Isaac and the exile of Ishmael and Hagar. Things won’t get awkward again until Gen 29, thankfully—at least not in ways I would end up in an ankle bracelet for talking to kids about.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/08/episode-190-gen-21-for-the-grownups-part-1/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eoneP_humoc

Episode 189: Genesis 20 --Abraham's Sister? A Headache of a Chapter

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 16:29:47 -0600

I am about to begin teaching the kids about Genesis 20 and 21 over on Context for Kids and so it is time to explore the disturbing implications of what is said in Genesis 20 back to what wasn't said in Genesis 12 when Pharaoh took Sarai.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/06/episode-189-genesis-20-abrahams-sister-a-headache-of-a-chapter/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/CD1jhyK8sZU

Episode 188: Stuff I Can’t Teach Kids about Sodom and Gomorrah

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 10:23:35 -0600

Ugh. When I started my Context for Kids radio show, I was just dreading this series. Genesis 19—really the only chapter in the Bible I would want to teach even less is Judges 19. But, I can’t skip it over, right? I will be teaching the kids Genesis 19 interpretation by using the prophets and how they viewed and spoke about Sodom—as an unhospitable and oppressively wicked society—and leave sex out of it. But you guys need to be able to answer the hard questions that would get me fitted for an ankle bracelet if I tried it. This is a brutal, deep dive into the ancient Near Eastern context of the account of the destruction of the cities of the plain and so you’ll likely be hearing things you’ve never heard before such as the ancient practice of shaming via gang rape, and the dyadic community mindset that drove Lot’s daughters to incest. Not for the faint of heart. Not for little kids.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/04/episode-188-stuff-i-cant-teach-kids-about-sodom-and-gomorrah/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/TdWB3d3SeNg

Episode 187: Hospitality or not? Rahab, Yael, Abigail, and Lydia in Context

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:48:14 -0700

Now that we’ve covered the ancient rules for hospitality, I want to talk about the commonly misunderstood accounts of Rahab, Yael and Abigail. And we’ll also talk about how the world had changed by the time of the apostles with a quick look at Lydia.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/03/episode-187-hospitality-or-not-rahab-yael-abigail-and-lydia-in-context/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/nbEgohsMR00

Episode 186: Hospitality, Family, and Travel in the Days of Sodom

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 14:26:26 -0700

Genesis chapters 18 and 19 read as very shallow morality tales without an intimate understanding of the social dynamics going on in the arena of hospitality expectations. This is the first of two teachings describing the established parameters and rituals associated with dealing with strangers to a community and the who, what, when, where and why’s of offering sustenance and lodging. What did Abraham do right? What did Lot do wrong? This is where we can begin to understand these two complex chapters of Scripture—as well as Judges 19.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/02/episode-186-hospitality-family-and-travel-in-the-days-of-sodom/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/xHsnfgK7Vsk

Episode 185: Are we Modeling Good Fruit or Folly?

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:30:31 -0700

This is a companion and more intensive lesson for adults based upon my current series on Context for Kids on "being like Jesus."

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2024/01/episode-185-are-we-modeling-good-fruit-or-folly/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/qh8SjoSnwiA

Episode 184: The Gospel of Matthew #3—The ‘Greater Than’ Motif/Second Moses

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:22:11 -0700

A huge early theme of the Gospel of Matthew that carries throughout is the portrayal of Yeshua as the latter and greater Moses. In addition to this, He also declares Himself to be greater than the Temple and a whole lot of other sacred cows of the first century. This week we will investigate these claims and find out why they are so important to Matthew’s particular audience.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/11/episode-184-the-gospel-of-matthew-3-the-greater-than-motif-second-moses/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/6zimKlSuW0k

Episode 183: Gospel of Matthew #2--Honor and Shame in the Kingdom of Heaven

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 11:25:03 -0600

What is the Kingdom of Heaven and how does it differ (if at all) from the Kingdom of God spoken of by Mark and Luke? How is it to be compared with the Kingdom of the Beast and the worldly systems of honor and shame culture?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/11/episode-183-gospel-of-matthew-2-honor-and-shame-in-the-kingdom-of-heaven/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/RYrRBigIdo0

Episode 182: Matthew #1—The who, what, why and when of the “first” Gospel.

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 14:45:32 -0600

Why is the Gospel of Matthew called a biography when it looks absolutely nothing like our modern biographies? What were the rules of writing an ancient life story and how did Matthew use this genre to communicate the story of the Messiah to his very unique audience at a very tumultuous time in history?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/10/episode-182-matthew-1-the-who-what-why-and-when-of-the-first-gospel/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/_RMRv0sxLRI

Episode 181: Privilege--what it is, isn’t, and why it matters

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:49:54 -0600

When I teach the kids, they call me Miss Tyler, but today I am Auntie Tyler. Privilege is a concept that appears all over the Bible and in every sort of literature within it. Privilege is incredibly important within the Biblical narrative--but why? I want to peel back a lot of the rhetoric, talking points, and misinformation out there to take a hard look at how Christians should view privilege and what it should mean in the life of the Body of Christ.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/10/episode-181-privilege-what-it-is-isnt-and-why-it-matters/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Omp1KQJaJ1c

Episode 180: Help Me C4K! My Kids Need to Learn about Circumcision!

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 06:50:10 -0600

Or maybe you think they don’t need to learn about Circumcision. Fair enough, but I can’t teach them anything about Genesis 17 and the foundation of the Land Grant Covenant without dealing with it. Neither of us can teach them about the important Scriptural meta-narrative of the circumcision of the heart that they will need to understand in order to live as disciples in the New Creation life we want for them. I will also be talking frankly about the importance of being open and honest with our kids about body parts and sex because if we can’t do that, then they won’t have adequate guides in us for learning the Bible. And when they do have questions, they will find someone else. In addition, I also talk about the importance of calling things what they are, without shame, and how it prevents sexual abuse.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/09/episode-180-help-me-c4k-my-kids-need-to-learn-about-circumcision/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/iYhEwnr0uJE

Episode 179: What Yom Kippur Can’t Fix

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:02:01 -0600

There are many misconceptions about Yom Kippur but the most grievous is the lack of understanding of exactly what is cleansed and what is forgiven and what is not. Yom Kippur was good news for the community but not necessarily for the individual so this week we will talk about why.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/09/episode-179-what-yom-kippur-cant-fix/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/G46UG2EHPm8

Episode 178: Psalm 4: What on Earth Is Going on Here??

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:40:39 -0600

There is so much debate about this Psalm. Not only does it contain two words that we don’t know what the heck they mean, but the context is quite the mystery. Is the Psalmist (David?) being lied about? Are the Kingdom elites resorting to Ba’al worship in order to bring an end to a famine? Is this Psalm 3 part 2 where David’s advisors are defecting to Absalom? Lots of questions and lots of debate.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/09/episode-178-psalm-4-what-on-earth-is-going-on-here/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/42lW87CiS08

Episode 177: Psalm 3-- ”Mimzor l’David?”

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 10:25:12 -0600

What is a Psalm of David? Or is it a Psalm by David? A Psalm in the style of David or about him? This week we will talk about irritating Hebrew conjunctions and why context is incredibly important—and sometimes unknowable. And what about the fourteen titled Psalms? How do we read this one in light of David and Absalom? The Bible is a messy book about messy people and messy situations and so this Psalm is going to be really messy too.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/09/episode-177-psalm-3-mimzor-ldavid/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/IXKgCjbL4DA

Episode 176 Psalm 2: More than Messianic

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 13:49:25 -0600

Psalm 2 is one of the most famous “Messianic” psalms out there but it also pairs with Psalm 1 to teach the readers how to view the entire collection of hymns, laments, and royal tributes. How do Psalm1 and Psalm 2 work as a team in introducing the rest of the psalter? Why is it important for wisdom and kingship to dwell side by side in Covenant relations?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/08/episode-176-psalm-2-more-than-messianic/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/fyonTJg9AjM

Episode 175: Psalm 1--A Proverb in the Psalms?

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 12:19:29 -0600

This is the beginning of a new series exploring the Psalms. I am going to alternate between the Psalms and the Gospel of Matthew because knowing the Psalms will help with understanding this Gospel and Yeshua’s/Jesus’s role as the Greater Moses as well as the Greater David. It won’t be obvious at first, but after a while it really will begin to make sense.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/07/episode-175-psalm-1/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/05Vnl-DvsgU

Episode 174: Help! How do I explain Hagar’s story to my kids?

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:35:30 -0600

I have actually been dreading this moment since I began the Context for Kids radio show and knew that one day, I would have to cover the Biblical account of Abram and Sarai’s use of Hagar to produce a child. In context, it’s an ugly tale, albeit a common one in the ancient world. I can’t be as blunt about the situation with the kids as I can be with adults and so I am devoting a program over on this side of my ministry with the hopes of helping adults know how to teach children about what is going on in this chapter from beginning to end. As these sorts of accounts are often used in the cultish justification of sexual abuses in the Church, kids really do need to have a decent working knowledge that this sort of situation isn’t okay.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/07/episode-174-help-how-do-i-explain-hagars-story-to-my-kids/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/yDki5L7lTNk

Episode 173: The Study Series 18—Inerrancy, Inspiration, and Authority

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 09:59:56 -0600

What is inerrancy? Depends on who you ask. And yet, with so many definitions and no absolute agreement even on the basics, people sure do a lot of fighting about it. It’s a word that means different things to different people and so, based on what we have covered so far in the study series, what can we believe about the Bible? And does the Bible claim to be inerrant, or something else entirely?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/06/episode-173-the-study-series-18-inerrancy-inspiration-and-authority/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/MSzugzF9s-w

Episode 172: The Study Series 17—Psalms and Laments

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:27:21 -0600

How come, when forty percent of the Psalms are laments, plus whole sections of the prophets and the entire book of Lamentations, are worship songs so focused on how hunky-dory life is? Sure, some of the Psalms are praises, but there are fewer praises than sad songs of complaint and hopelessness. As my next series is going to be about the Psalms, it is important that we have a healthy and balanced perspective on how psalms work, what we should expect to find in them, and what they tell us about how to relate to God.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/06/episode-172-the-study-series-17-psalms-and-laments/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/m5w8Q_7z604

Episode 171: The Study Series 16—The Torah, the Sermons and the Problem with Epistles

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 05:49:52 -0600

We’re almost done with genre studies, I promise, so next week will be it. But this time, we have to look at the differences between the Sermons that Yeshua/Jesus delivered and the letters to specific congregations written by Paul, Peter, James and others. When we read a letter (aka epistle) as though it is a sermon, it can lead to some really bad problems. Maybe most importantly, how are we supposed to read the “law codes” in the Bible?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/06/episode-171-the-study-series-16-the-torah-the-sermons-and-the-problem-with-epistles/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/c0yX5u1iclg

Episode 170: Why Gender and Identity Confusion Are All YOUR Fault…and Mine Too.

Thu, 11 May 2023 18:13:12 -0600

Last summer, I did a series on my kids show about gender identity issues and I wrote this at that time to help adults understand how it is absolutely not the kids or just the liberal media who have created this problem—we’ve been just as bad and even worse as believers. How can that be? What can we do? This week we are going to explore just that. There is an extensive book list on this issue at the end of my transcript.

My series for kids can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu85aHCKqEA&list=PLyGci9v9u1suH86q2pBxL3jL5pmfiuR0m

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/05/episode-170-why-gender-and-identity-confusion-are-all-your-faultand-mine-too/

Episode 169: The Study Series 15—Wisdom literature, Poetry, Parables, and Allegories

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 08:29:43 -0600

Alonso Schökel once said that “what has been written with imagination must be read with imagination,” and although we completely understand the difference between reading one of Shakespeare’s sonnets and Shirer’s Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, we tend not to do that with Biblical poetry, which makes up roughly a third of the Hebrew Scriptures. We have the same problem when we don’t understand the original purpose of wisdom literature in general, and parables and allegories. Learning how to read these will revolutionize your Bible studies.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/04/episode-169-the-study-series-15-wisdom-literature-poetry-parables-and-allegories/

Episode 168: The Study Series 14—Apocalyptic Literature vs Prophecy vs Historical Narratives

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:27:31 -0600

We’re going to look at Daniel, Revelation, and Enoch within the context of post-exilic Israel to find out what an apocalypse is, what it isn’t, and how the original audience would have read it. We’ll also cover what the Prophets are and are not, as well as historical narratives and how getting these confused with Apocalyptic writings make the popular books on Revelation not even worth the paper they are printed on.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/04/episode-168-the-study-series-14-apocalyptic-literature-vs-prophecy-vs-historical-narratives/

Episode 167: Study Series 13—Your Bible is an Interpretation

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 13:19:51 -0600

Translation isn’t an exact science and there is no “one true interpretation”—not in any language. Translators have to look at words in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and then make hard choices about which word in their own language would be the best substitute. And not every word can be translated easily—some can’t be translated at all because the original meaning of the word was lost. Also, sometimes Paul simply seems to have made up words by putting two actual words together. Words like dayenu, shema, ubuntu, and many others throughout the world cannot be translated without using a whole sentence or phrase. In addition, when the Bible was first written down, there were no vowel points in Hebrew and there were no spaces between words in Greek—who the heck thought that was a good idea anyway?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/04/episode-167-study-series-13-your-bible-is-an-interpretation/

Episode 166: The Study Series 12—The Speaker, Audience and Context of Verses

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 11:45:30 -0600

If you have ever sent me a question asking me about such and such, I will almost always ask you for the book, chapter and verse. Not because I don’t know my Bible, but because I respect it enough not to lean on the Holy Spirit to teach me something out of context. Who a section of Scripture is addressed to is just important as who the speaker is, what situation is being addressed, the genre type, and what the historical reality is. When we don’t know these things, we can turn the Bible into a cherry-picker’s idea of paradise where anything can mean whatever we want it to mean.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/03/episode-166-the-study-series-12-the-speaker-audience-and-context-of-verses/

Episode 165: Study 11—Binding the “Strong’s” Man: How Not to Use a Concordance

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 04:08:27 -0700

One of the most misunderstood and definitely the most misused Bible study aid is Strong’s Concordance. Today we’re going to find out what the problem is, what a Concordance is and isn’t and what it should and shouldn’t be used for. Warning: this lesson will likely make you wince at a lot of YouTube sermons.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/03/episode-165-study-11-binding-the-strongs-man-how-not-to-use-a-concordance/

Episode 164: Purim 2023—Honor, Shame and Two Brave Queens

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 13:59:50 -0700

The book of Esther is a thrilling story to read about and yet we rarely look into what this would have been like to live through for the two very brave and virtuous (yes, both of them) Queens who had to walk a knife edge within the world of honor/shame dynamics where a shamed woman could easily wind up a dead woman. (And yes, Mordecai was her cousin--not sure where my brain was on that and why I didn't catch it in editing.)

For families, I recommend the more child-friendly content that I will be putting out on Wednesday at contextforkids.podbean.com and contextforkids.com

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/02/episode-164-purim-2023-honor-shame-and-two-brave-queens/

Episode 163: Sociology II—Religion, Weird Science, and Practical Linguistics

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 08:56:34 -0700

You might be wondering why we need to talk about religion when we are already studying the Bible—but religion in the ancient world was nothing like what we experience today. There was no separation between “church and state” or church and anything. Religion was everything and everything was religious. We’re going to tie ancient religion into their pre-scientific beliefs, and we are also going to talk about some of the wrong ways to treat ancient words in modern interpretations.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/02/episode-163-sociology-ii-religion-weird-science-and-practical-linguistics/

Episode 162 Sociology I: Groupthink, Holy/Profane and Clean/Unclean

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 14:49:45 -0700

Anyone who knows me knows that ancient sociology is my absolute favorite aspect of Biblical context. Today we’ll talk about the ancient community identity, and the differences between Holy and Profane/Common as well as Clean vs Unclean. They are all entirely different but once you understand them, the Bible makes a whole lot more sense!

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2023/02/episode-162-sociology-i-groupthink-holy-profane-and-clean-unclean/

Episode 161: The Advent of John the Baptist in Luke

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:56:06 -0700

Sometimes we forget that the Gospels contain three, and not just two, advent accounts because the arrival of “Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord” was anticipated almost as much as the coming of the Messiah Himself! And it’s an exciting story full of angelic visitations, a barren older mamma, a prophetic unborn child, and a dad who is quite literally speechless!

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/12/episode-161-the-advent-of-john-the-baptist-in-luke/

Episode 160: Special Teaching #1--The Advent of the Messiah in Matthew

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 08:03:13 -0700

As this is the time of year when a third of the world is focused on the birth of Immanuel, and many believe that Hannukah was the time of His divine conception, I wanted to spend a few weeks learning about the account that Matthew and Luke dedicated two chapters each teaching us. This week we will learn Joseph’s story in the Gospel of Matthew. What better time of year to become educated about the answer to so many Jewish prayers for so long?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/12/episode-160-special-teaching-1-the-advent-of-the-messiah-in-matthew/

Episode 159: The Study Series--Understanding Polemic and Irony

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 09:19:34 -0700

I have always enjoyed teaching the ancient art of polemic but I have never actually taught Biblical irony before and I can tell you that it is absolutely a game changer for understanding how the Bible works, how the Kingdom of Heaven works, and how God works. I really enjoyed putting this one together, and I have some great book recommendations for you.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/12/episode-189-the-study-series-understanding-polemic-and-irony/

Episode 158: The Study Series—Understanding Rhetoric, Locution, and Figures of Speech

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 12:39:11 -0700

Can the Bible be understood literally? At face value? Was it meant to be understood that way and what does that even mean? This week, we will talk about communication and how figures of speech (anthropomorphisms, metaphors, and similes) have to be accepted on their own terms so that we don’t misunderstand the intention of the passages.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/11/episode-158-the-study-series-understanding-rhetoric-locution-and-figures-of-speech/

Episode 157: The Study Series—Reading the Bible as a Library, Not as a Book

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 08:14:36 -0700

When we look at the Bible as just one book with one kind of literature and don’t learn how to do “resets” based on what exactly we are reading, we can really misunderstand and misinterpret the text. What is Genre and why is it so important for understanding what different parts of Scripture are and aren’t useful for? How can we get into trouble when we try to make all of the Bible fit into one kind of box?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/11/episode-157-the-study-series-reading-the-bible-as-a-library-not-as-a-book/

Episode 156: The Study Series—Reading the Bible as it was meant to be HEARD 3

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 07:02:45 -0600

How and why did the transmission of Scripture change in the first century and beyond? How did they get from the spoken words of John the Baptist and Yeshua/Jesus to the epistles of Paul and written Gospel accounts—and more importantly, why did they do it? What does it mean for us today in terms of God’s ongoing relational quest to communicate with His people?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/10/episode-156-the-study-series-reading-the-bible-as-it-was-meant-to-be-heard-3/

Episode 155: The Study Series—READING the Bible as it was meant to be HEARD 2

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 13:21:38 -0600

This week we will continue with the discussion of how Scripture was originally presented and experienced--orally as a relational conversation between God and mankind and as wisdom literature. We will look at how things began to change due to Persian and Greek influences and will segue into the ongoing controversy over the Apocryphal books and how an avoidance of and a loss of knowledge of Hebrew led to it.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/10/episode-155-the-study-series-reading-the-bible-as-it-was-meant-to-be-heard-2/

Episode 154: Sukkot and the Mystery of the Eighth Day

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:12:53 -0600

I apologize for uploading the episode from last week again this week! Thanks to my friend Elizabeth for catching that! It's fixed now!

What do the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, the eighth day, the pilgrimage festivals, and the Fruit of the Spirit all have in common? Everything.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/10/episode-154-sukkot-and-the-mystery-of-the-eighth-day/

Episode 153: Yom Kippur and the Rapture

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 06:29:14 -0600

No, I am not suddenly endorsing the Rapture hypothesis but I am going to talk about how it is incompatible with any idea of white American (like me) and European Christians qualifying for it based on both Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25 and the historical reality of the persecuted church worldwide never being snatched from far worse than we can even imagine. This is a clarion call to all of us to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, without which, all the fasting in the world won’t impress God. For those of you unfamiliar with my pre-Yom Kippur broadcasts, just know that I don’t pull my punches.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/10/episode-153-yom-kippur-and-the-rapture/

Episode 152: The Study Series—Reading the Bible as it was meant to be HEARD 1

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:49:32 -0600

I can’t stress enough how important it is to understand the ancient Hebrew view of authority and what makes a text inerrant and what does not. We’re going to start exploring what it means to the Body corporately and to us as individuals when we are aware that the Bible was never written to be read but to be heard. It means, among other things, that we have to look at the Bible as a community text and not as a personal one. Neither is it a scientific text. Neither was it finally written down in order to be read but instead to be archived. What is the Bible and what was it never intended to be?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/09/episode-152-the-study-series-reading-the-bible-as-it-was-meant-to-be-heard-1/

Episode 151: The Study Series—Good Source or Bad Source, Part 2

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 09:21:22 -0600

Last week I talked about the red flags to avoid while building a library and I even named names on some of the worst of the resources. This week, I am going to share not only how to build a terrific library but also the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary resources. I will also be posting my resource list for this series in a separate blog that I will link as soon as I get done putting it together. No secrets or mysteries here.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/09/episode-151-the-study-series-good-source-or-bad-source-part-2/

My Facebook E-Book Sale Page: https://www.facebook.com/TDRScholarlyBookSales

Episode 150: The Study Series—Good Source or Bad Source, Part 1

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 05:37:00 -0600

One of the most important first steps in really getting serious about Bible context studies is to get yourself a good quality library (and learning how not to misuse it) without investing in stinkers or spending more money than you have to. This week, we’re going to look at the most common red flags that will keep you from buying books that should have never been printed, and avoiding common YouTube and Google mistakes.

My Facebook E-Book Sale Page: https://www.facebook.com/TDRScholarlyBookSales

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/09/episode-150-the-study-series-good-source-or-bad-source-part-1/

Episode 149: Mark 74 The Empty Tomb and the Contested Verses

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 18:00:52 -0600

At long last, the last episode about the Gospel of Mark and this one has a lot more context and controversy that most. We’re going to go through the entirety of chapter 16, including all four of the proposed endings—but are any of them the original? We will also talk about the legality of using women as witnesses during those times within Judaism.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/09/episode-149-mark-74-the-empty-tomb-and-the-contested-verses/

Episode 148: Sisterhood, Unity, and Miracles: My Weekend at Surge Messianic Women’s Conference

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 05:21:54 -0600

I promised a report on the amazing things that happened in Texas at the conference and so here is a small taste of the miracles, friendship and healing I experienced over a weekend that I freely admit to dreading but so glad I went.

https://www.younityfitness.com/conferences

She's already planning a bigger and better sequel because this one completely sold out and the attendees are already clamoring for another!

Episode 147: The Sin of Sodom and Setting the Record Straight on Recent Accusations of Heresy

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 06:43:33 -0600

First off, I had an AMAZING weekend with the most wonderful group of ladies at the Surge Conference over the weekend in Texas. I had a miraculous healing that will allow me to travel and I will share that next week!

But Monday was bizarre--as it always the case when we have spiritual triumphs, right? And so I was subjected to some false accusations about what I do and do not support, teach, and say in two private Facebook groups which cater to a grand total of 800 members, while what I actually say was twisted and misrepresented. In a classic case of "Church as usual" because the poster was an admin, there was an argument about whether the post should be removed which took shamefully too long in the (much) smaller group and is still ongoing in the second. He is still an admin in good standing in both groups but I am not going to name names. My goal here is to address the accusations of heresy because my primary ministry is to children and I cannot allow the accusations to scare parents away. Parents, of course, need to be careful. I understand that and so I am always very careful about what I present to their children. I have asked God to judge between them and I because I trust Him. This isn't the first time I have been lied about and slandered by people who don't fact check (and if they had fact checked and look at the current series I am teaching to children they would have simply rolled their eyes) and it won't be the last, but I am taking a page out of the playbook of Mister Rogers and stopping to address only those accusations which could end up hurting children.

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/08/episode-147-the-sin-of-sodom-and-setting-the-record-straight-on-recent-accusations-of-heresy/

Episode 146: Critical Failure--Why Are So Many Homeschooled Adults Abandoning the Bible?

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 05:41:38 -0600

This was a homeschool conference talk I gave over the weekend and fair warning--it is not for the faint of heart. I directly tackle the reason so many kids are walking away from the Bible and their faith and deconstructing after being homeschooled. But it also applies to churched kids in general. What happens when we teach our kids to think critically about everything EXCEPT the Bible and about faith and about our own interpretations and doctrines? It's an easy mistake to make even without meaning to. Let's explore the problems and how to reverse is so that if our kids do deconstruct, they will still have the building materials to reconstruct a better and stronger faith.

Context for Kids www.contextforkids.com

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/08/episode-146-critical-failure-why-are-so-many-homeschooled-adults-abandoning-the-bible/

Episode 145: Mark 73 Good Friday?

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 07:10:09 -0600

Which Preparation day was this? The day before the Passover or the day before the Sabbath or something else entirely? We’ll explore this controversy by pulling together some information that might surprise you! What was the significance of Joseph of Arimathea claiming the body of Yeshua/Jesus?

Transcript: https://theancientbridge.com/2022/07/episode-145-mark-73-good-friday/

Episode 144: Mark 72 The Ninth Hour and the Centurion’s Declaration

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:28:14 -0600

There is far more to the account of Yeshua’s/Jesus’s death than meets the eye. We’re going to be talking about the Tamid offerings and their timing, the cosmic event language in Matthew and Mark concerning the darkness and the torn veil, and the importance of the Centurion’s declaration that, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Transcript https://theancientbridge.com/2022/07/episode-144-mark-72-the-ninth-hour-and-the-centurions-declaration/

Episode 143: Mark 71 Save Yourself!

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 14:25:07 -0600

This week we will continue with Yeshua/Jesus in the background as the world takes center stage against Him. This week is very context heavy, from the proposed location of Golgotha, the properties of myrrh, the rights of Roman soldiers, the hours of prayer, the controversy of cross vs tree vs stake, to the importance of the titles King of the Jews and King of Israel.

Episode 142: Mark 70 The Mockers, the Passerby, and Where Do We Fit in?

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 08:59:10 -0600

Something that generally goes unnoticed in chapter fifteen is that Yeshua/Jesus has ceased to be the main character, replaced by a multitude of “they” references. He is no longer the actor but the acted upon. What does this have to do with the forces of chaos, evil, sin, and death? And where exactly did the crucifixion take place?

Episode 141: Mark 69 Pilate, Barabbas, and the Pawn

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 08:34:50 -0600

So, at long last we are beginning the most harrowing chapter of the Gospel of Mark—chapter fifteen. Chapter fourteen ended with a condemnation of death, but one without any teeth because the power over life and death in Judea belonged entirely to Pontius Pilate, who was so cruel that he managed to achieve modern war criminal status during peacetime and even the Romans couldn't deal with him anymore. It is here that Yeshua/Jesus becomes a mere pawn in political power games—or so it seems.

Episode 140: Avoiding ”Torah Terrorism”--a beginner’s guide to not destroying your witness

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:14:05 -0600

When I wrote The Bridge: Crossing Over into the Fulness of Covenant Life, it was for the purpose of bringing people together who didn't understand one another. On one hand, we had the burgeoning "Torah movement" of Christians who were discovering the delights of the Sabbath and Festivals, and the benefits of eating cleaner and on the other hand we had their families who were taught that this was legalistic. And no one was really behaving themselves or really listening and so people got needlessly angry and when people are angry, they are very likely to believe the worst about one another. And so they did--and we all forgot that we were saved at the Cross and not when we came to a certain level of knowledge. I gave a talk like this a couple of months back to an online group and I am recreating it from my notes today. My notes will be in the transcript at www.theancientbridge.com but it will not be the usual full transcript.

Episode 139: Firstfruits and the Resurrection--The Foundation of Our Faith

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:42:29 -0600

HE IS RISEN! Although we take it for granted, it was very controversial among both Jews and Gentiles--but why? We will look at this obscure day on the Biblical Calendar, what it meant in the first century, and why Yeshua's fulfillment of it is the most important event in the history of the world. We'll also talk about why it is the foundation of our faith and what it means to live in belief and why so many of us really don't.

Episode 138: Mark 68 The Oath, the Curse, and the Denial

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:40:47 -0600

This is our last encounter with Peter in this Gospel and what a horrible end it is. Of course, we know the other side of the story, but in the Gospel traditionally credited as being Peter’s recollections he makes no effort to paint himself as a great hero of the faith or to restore his reputation--instead, it paves the way to tell the greater story of the One who did not fail and led the Greater Exodus promised by Isaiah. As we finish up chapter 14 this week, we are going to come face to face with our own frailty as well as his, and especially as it compared to the parallel account of Yeshua’s/Jesus's trial.

Episode 137: Mark 67 The Kangaroo Court?

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:52:11 -0600

Now that the controversy over the status of the hearing itself has been covered, let’s look at another big scholarly debate—what exactly triggered the blasphemy charge? It isn’t as obvious as it may appear once we take extra-biblical accounts from that same time period into account.

Episode 136: Mark 66 The Trial: Sanhedrin or Beit Din?

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0600

Before we go forward with the trial, we need to talk about the difference between the sort of Sanhedrin Josephus chronicled during the first century, and the more Biblical Beth Din described in Mishnah Tractate Sanhedrin. The difference is extremely important for understanding exactly what was going on and whether it was a Kangaroo Court or not.

Episode 135: Mark 65 The Kiss and the Falling Away

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0600

As the prophecies begin to come true, the disciples are shocked and scattered—and probably more than just a bit crushed to discover that Yeshua won’t be leading a Messianic uprising after all.

Episode 134: Mark 64 Gethsemane

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0700

This week we are going to make good use of my last year spent studying laments in Hebrew scripture and culture. We’ll talk about the word Abba and what it does and does not mean, and whether or not Gethsemane was actually a garden or if the word points to something other than the traditional understanding.

Episode 133: Mark Part 63—The Communion and the Coming Denial

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0700

This is both a beautiful and dreadful section of scripture. Beautiful because Yeshua/Jesus is revealing how the Passover is redefined through His ministry, and dreadful because of Peter’s proud assurances that he will never deny His Master—and calling Him a false prophet in the process.

Episode 132: Mark Excursus—The Passover in the First Century

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0700

Before we get into the actual breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine, we need to talk about the Passover in the first century and what we can know (and can’t know) about it through contemporary writings. Not contemporary to us but contemporary to Yeshua/Jesus and His followers.

Episode 131: Mark Part 62--The Controversial Passover Controversy

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 07:28:20 -0700

Was the Last Supper a Passover seder or not? John and the Synoptics seem to disagree. But this week what we are really going to ask is: "Is that even the right question or are we missing the bigger theological picture of what the author of Mark (as well as Matthew, Luke, and John) was trying to communicate to us?" Lots to discuss this week about ancient Hospitality laws and social etiquette.

Episode 130: Mark Part 61—The Plot, the Anointing, and the Betrayal

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0700

This week we are going to talk about the Greek word paradidomi, translated as handed over, betrayed, delivered over, etc. in both the Gospels and in the Greek OT, the Septuagint. What does the way paradidomi was used in translating the prophets teach us about Yeshua’s/Jesus’s betrayal?

Episode 129: Excursus—The Biblical Calendar

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 05:16:59 -0700

I am back and I am going to talk very briefly about why the episodes stopped and what has been going on over the last five months. As for this episode, I was writing out Mark part 61 concerning the Passover, and about two pages in, I realized that not everyone would be familiar with the Biblical calendar so we’ll be covering that today. We’ll be covering all four Biblical new years mentioned in Scripture but with a special emphasis, obviously, on the festival calendar because—you know, Passover is the subject of the final three chapters in Mark. These will no longer be airing on HNR because I just can't keep up with both shows nonstop and have decided to air only Context for Kids on HNR. Coming up with an hour and a half of material every week is just way too much and the kid's show is more important to me.

Episode 128: Sukkot—When the Season of Our Joy isn’t Joyful

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0600

We knew how to celebrate and love Christmas, but a lot of people really struggle when coming into the Biblical festivals and especially Sukkot. We’re going to take a look at some really common challenges based on a great conversation on my social media wall and come up with some solutions and we’re also going to talk about that elusive spiritual fruit of joy—which doesn’t mean being happy all the time!

Episode 127: Yom Kippur, Job, and the Prosperity Gospel

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0600

The Prosperity Gospel comes in many forms—all of them smacking of paganism and an extreme misreading of the purpose of blessings and curses in the Bible and oftentimes a lopsided cherry-picking of wisdom literature. As this aberration curses those who we are commanded to bless, we’re going to talk about how believers should respond to the reality that not everyone who seems blessed has their blessings due to righteousness and not everyone who seems cursed has their troubles due to unrighteousness.

Episode 126: Rosh HaShanah and the Barren Woman

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 11:11:52 -0600

Traditionally, the barren women of Scripture are studied and celebrated on Rosh HaShanah—so why are they historically considered cursed and sometimes even experience persecution by other women? And what does Proverbs 31 woman have to say about the perfect wife/woman?

Episode 125: Mark Part 60—No One Knows the Day or Hour…Except the Guys on YouTube

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 11:09:05 -0600

Yeah, you guys get the picture. I have my snark on for this one. Yeshua/Jesus is pretty specific here but we don't like it so we try to find workarounds. Let's look at these final verses of the Olivet Discourse in Mark 13 to find out exactly what He is and is not saying.

Episode 124: Mark Part 59—The Coming on the Clouds and the Fig Tree

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0600

What is the huge deal here about the Son of Man coming on the clouds and what does it tell us about the identity of Yeshua/Jesus? And fig trees again? Did the fig tree growers association have an endorsement deal with the writers or is there a deeper meaning to be found here?

Episode 123: Mark Part 58—The Abomination that Causes Desolation

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:26:00 -0600

Such a controversial subject and we are going to look at some of the leading theories as to when this was as well as some more off the beaten path proposals. And just what is it that the reader is directed to understand?

Episode 122: Mark Part 57—These Are Not the Signs You’re Looking For

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Here, at the beginning of the Olivet Discourse, the longest speech in Mark and perhaps the oldest written document about Yeshua/Jesus, Yeshua responds to the disciples question of “When the heck is the Temple going to be destroyed??!!” with a bunch of false signs which won’t tell them much of anything because, as He says, “These are all just part of normal life.” And so why, when so many non-scholars read them, do they get moved out of the immediate context and into predictions of still future events?

Episode 121: Mark Part 56—The Fall of Jerusalem and the Temple of Doom

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 10:55:00 -0600

The destruction of the Temple Herod rebuilt marked the end of Jewish life as they had known it. The Temple marked the center of Jewish culture, Jewish religion, Jewish worship, Jewish hopes, Jewish nationalism, and Jewish identity. To call it the end of the world as they knew it is to severely misrepresent what it was like for them. This week, we will look at the writings of Josephus, Tacitus, and other historians at the Jewish war of 66-70 CE and the destruction of the Temple by Titus in 70 CE.

Episode 120: Mark Excursus—Apocalypticism, Prophecy, and Eschatology in Context

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Mark 13 is filled with apocalyptic symbolism and prophecy—but is it pointing to what we presume it us? We’re going to do a quick and dirty crash course in the genre of Jewish apocalypse. We’re going to clarify and clean up the reality and wrong assumptions about prophecy in Scripture. And we will find out what eschatology means and how it relates to Mark 13, if at all.

Episode 119: Pharmakeia in Context/Mental Illness, Suicide, and the Church

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0600

The son of a social media friend committed suicide back in February and while talking about it, I realized how shamefully the believing community fails to serve those who are suicidal, clinically depressed, and mentally ill. Part of the problem is a terrible misunderstanding of what the word Pharmakeia meant in the ancient world and the tendency for modern people to look at a word and judge the ancient context by what related terms mean today. As this misunderstanding adversely affects those who need our help the most, we’ll be looking at Pharmakeia in the Greco-Roman world and also at what it is actually most like today—and the results may shock you.

Episode 118: Is Polygamy/Polygyny Really a Biblical Thing?

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0600

This is a real controversial topic within some fringe Torah groups and I was asked to address it from a Biblical/historical perspective. Last week, I talked about male and female-identified religion and the dangers—and this is a big draw for some men. So, we’re going to look at what the Bible does and does not say about it. Is it ever spoken of in a positive way? What is the fruit? What restrictions did Yeshua/Jesus put on marriage and what did Paul have to say about polygynists in leadership?

Episode 117: Gender-Identified Religion and the Anti-Missionary Menace

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Hey all! The Dire Straits is upon us—that three-week period before the 9th of Av when like all heck breaks lose spiritually. We’re starting out the next few weeks with a break before diving into Mark 13 and 14, and I am going to cover three (at least) topics that people have been requesting I discuss. This week I want to talk about those pesky people who used to be believers before denying Yeshua/Jesus and then become stealth missionaries for the other side, actively manipulating people by presenting the Bible out of context for the sole purpose of slowly converting people away from our Messiah. I will use that as a segue into the problem of male and female identified religions—which is where people who go this path will often end up. Men and couples into more male-identified modes of religious life and women into neo-paganism. After watching this happen for the last eight years, there is a definite trend and I want to talk about how and why it happens.

Episode 116: Mark Part 55--The Scribes and the Widow’s Mite

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Lest all the scribes get credit for the wisdom and honesty of the one (remember, the ones attached to the Sanhedrin have decided to get rid of him at this point), Yeshua takes the group of them to task for, among other things, oppressing the vulnerable and namely, widows. And what is the tragedy of the “Widow’s Mite” that is so often missed?

Episode 115: Mark Part 54--The Great Commandment and the Son of David

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Lest we make the mistake of thinking that all scribes are against Yeshua/Jesus, we have a wonderful encounter here and *gasp* an honest question for a change. After Yeshua answers, no one dares approach Him again—and after He brings up His own controversy about the Son of David in Psalm 110, the leadership has no choice but to follow Him or kill Him.

Episode 114: Mark Part 53—Death and Taxes

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0600

After being bested in their challenge to Yeshua’s/Jesus’s authority, the Sanhedrin delegation sends in the Pharisees and the Herodians, who have been plotting together since Mark 3:6 as to how to destroy Him. Then, the Sadducees, who have gone unmentioned up to this point, take a stab at tripping Him up. Exactly how does that work out for them?

Episode 113: Mark Part 52—The Tenants and the Cornerstone

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0600

When read in context, this comes off as nothing short of a terrifying political thriller. And as such, we should not be shocked to learn that this is the moment when Yeshua/Jesus purposefully signs His own death warrant—not at His mock trial but here with a terrible accusation, made in parable form against the Jerusalem power-brokers.

Episode 112: Mark Part 51—The Baptism of John and the Rejection of the Messiah

Fri, 28 May 2021 10:00:00 -0600

In the first of five (or four or six depending on which scholar you agree with) controversy dialogues on the Temple Mount before Passover, Yeshua/Jesus deftly captures the chief priests, scribes and elders in their own trap. They demand to know what right He had to shut down Temple commerce the previous day, and He demands that they take a stand on whether or not John was a prophet—putting them in the hot seat no matter which answer they give. Also, we are going to talk about the Constitutionality of the Ten Commandments and whether or not Christians can really claim that certain rights are rights at all.

Episode 111: Shavuot 2021—Ruth and the Reverse of the Curse

Fri, 21 May 2021 13:45:52 -0600

The kingship of David appears to be in direct violation of the Mosaic Law—or is it? As Ruth is traditionally studied in celebration of Shavuot/Pentecost, I want to tackle this important question.

Episode 110: Mark Part 50—The Unfruitful Tree and the Den of Robbers

Fri, 14 May 2021 10:00:00 -0600

This is a very commonly misinterpreted section of Scripture when we don’t see the “Markan sandwich” which tells us to interpret the overturning of tables through the cursing of the fig tree and vice versa. We will be covering a lot of Biblical fig tree references with respect to the coming of the Messiah and the coming of judgment. We will also be analyzing Yeshua’s/Jesus’s actions in light of later Talmudic writings—which come up on his side in this. And we’re going to talk about those horrid memes about Yeshua overturning tables in light of the prophetic actions that were only His to take and not ours.

Episode 109: Mark Part 49—The Untriumphal Entry

Fri, 07 May 2021 10:00:00 -0600

When looked at as a “Triumph”, military victor’s parade, Yeshua’s/Jesus’s entry leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, He is absolutely snubbed by the very people who would have been required to greet a conquering general or a king with full honors. As such, this is a fitting beginning for the coming condemnation of Jerusalem and the Temple over the course of the following two chapters.

Episode 108: Mark Part 48—Greater than the Temple

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0600

As a preview of chapters 11 and 12, where Yeshua/Jesus condemns and increasingly replaces the Temple as the overlap between Heaven and Earth, we’ll be reviewing some of the “greater than” claims about Yeshua in the Bible and talking about the implications of Malachi, Isaiah and 4QFlor, which discusses the important concept of mikdash adam, the living Temple of the Qumran community.

Episode 107: Mark Part 47—Three Blind Men—James, John and Bartimaeus

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0600

This is our last “in the way” narrative because next week, Yeshua/Jesus and His disciples enter Jerusalem. As such, this is the most climactic and revealing of Mark’s use of Isaiah 42:16 in highlighting the kind of blindness that was currently upon an Israel looking for a bloodthirsty Messiah instead of a Messiah determined to save not only Israel but also her enemies.

Episode 106: Mark Part 46—The Rich Young Seeker

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Although the disciples were guilty of shooing away the disabled and children, rich and powerful men make it right up to Yeshua/Jesus without any problems, highlighting their still very worldly mindsets. This young man asks a question that weighs heavily on the minds of many, “What can I do to merit a place in the world to come?” What does this conversation reveal about him, about Yeshua, and about ourselves?

Episode 105: Mark Part 45—Divorce and Oppression

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0600

Ever hear about “any cause” divorce? Jewish men in the first-century were committing a terrible crime against the wives of their youth and had come to see it as a right—as though marriage existed solely for their benefit and could be ended at their whim. She burns a meal? You can divorce her. Find someone prettier? You can divorce her. As they believed a man could not be guilty of adultery against His wife, and that adultery was only a crime against another man, Yeshua’s condemnation of their divorce entitlement mindset is particularly damning.

Episode 104: Mark Part 44—The Passion Predictions

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0600

In honor of the Passover this week, I am going to leapfrog over the next two accounts in Mark to tackle the third Passion Prediction in light of the first two, which we have already covered. It is important to explore them as a unit in order to learn how Yeshua was revealing, step by step, the fate that awaited Him in Jerusalem.

Episode 103: Mark Part 43—With Us? Against Us? Or Thrown into the Sea?

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0600

The disciples aren’t too thrilled with someone honing in on what they mistakenly believe to be “their territory.” What Yeshua/Jesus has to say to them for getting in the way of another person’s good works should cause us all to pause and reflect on our own priorities and issues.

Episode 102: Mark Part 42—Messianic Reality Check #2

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0700

This week we look at the second Passion Prediction and the disciples’ misplaced sense of ambition. What Yeshua/Jesus tells them about what kind of humility He expects from them would have been revolting in the extreme for any ancient man.

Episode 101: Mark Part 41—Help My Unbelief!

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 09:06:31 -0700

This is an incredibly heart-wrenching account of a father and son locked in an ongoing and deadly battle with a malicious demon—a battle they have been losing. When they go to the disciples for help, they are no help at all! What is the lesson here and what about the controversy over “this kind can’t go out except through prayer and fasting?”

Episode 100: Mark Part 40—The Transfiguration

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 10:15:00 -0700

Yeshua/Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a mountain for different sort of proclamation—but this time the proclamation comes from the ultimate source. And what does this say about Yeshua’s mission and who we are ultimately called to listen to?

Episode 99: Mark Part 39— Mt Hermon and the Beast Kingdom/I Enoch in Context

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 10:14:00 -0700

Just because I Enoch isn’t Scripture or written by Enoch doesn’t mean it isn’t a vital window into the first century beliefs about Genesis 6 and the introduction of evil practices into the world. What did Mt Hermon mean to first-century Jews and why did Yeshua/Jesus make sure that the big announcement about His identity happened in Caesarea Philippi, on the southern slope of this infamous mountain?

Episode 98: Mark Part 38— The Bad News is the Good News

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 10:13:00 -0700

As far north as Yeshua/Jesus will ever travel again during His natural lifetime, it’s time for the secrets to be revealed and His mission laid out. Peter doesn’t like it and gets called Satan for his concerns. But is there more here than meets the eye? It’s our first Messianic reality check and no one liked it.

Episode 97: Mark Part 37— Healing Blindness and the Identity of the Messiah

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 10:12:00 -0700

This is a good example of what is called an acted-out parable. The two-stage healing of blindness is the only episode in the Gospels where someone isn’t healed right away. What is this meant to tell us about our own spiritual state and why is it important to understand before the disciples head to Caesarea Philippi?

Episode 96: Mark Part 36— The Leaven of the Leadership

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 10:10:00 -0700

Things are heating up and Yeshua/Jesus tries to teach the disciples an important lesson—but they miss it entirely because they have their mind on temporal concerns. What exactly is the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of the Herodians and what does it mean in our own lives?

Episode 95: Mark Part 35—The Feeding of the Four Thousand…Gentiles?

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:09:42 -0700

In a miraculous and frustrating turn of events, the Pharisees from the district of Dalmanutha demand a sign from Heaven shortly after Yeshua/Jesus feeds a mixed multitude, leaving four thousand satisfied. But can the Pharisees be satisfied?