The Naked Bible Podcast
Biblical theology, stripped bare of denominational confessions and theological systems by exposing context.
- Episodes
43:54
2023-09-04
With Dr. Matthew Halsted
After the Amalekites attacked Ziklag and took captive David's wives and other people, David and his men pursued and defeated the Amalekites, recovering all of the captives and goods. Meanwhile, Saul and his men were defeated an...
43:43
2023-08-27
With Dr. Matthew Halsted
1 Samuel 29 tells the story of David's rejection by the Philistines. David had been living in exile with the Philistines after being anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel. The Philistines were preparing for battle ...
42:43
2023-08-19
With Dr. Ronn Johnson
Saul is afraid of the Philistines and seeks guidance from God, but God does not answer him. Saul then disguises himself and goes to a medium in Endor to ask her to bring up the spirit of Samuel. The medium is able to summon Samuel...
43:32
2023-08-13
With Dr. Denise Flanders
David flees to the land of the Philistines in fear of Saul. He lies to the Philistine king, Achish, and tells him that he is no longer a loyal Israelite. Achish believes David and gives him a place to live in Ziklag. David and ...
30:47
2023-07-29
With Dr. Ronn Johnson
David spares Saul's life twice, showing his mercy and compassion. Saul is starting to realize that David is a threat to his throne, and he is afraid that David will eventually kill him and take over as king. The prophet Samuel ano...
40:21
2023-07-22
With Dr. Matthew Halsted
David and his men are in the wilderness of Maon when they hear that Nabal, a wealthy landowner, is shearing his sheep. David sends his men to ask Nabal for food and drink, as is customary when a guest visits. Nabal is a proud a...
22:01:10
2023-07-16
With Dr. Tim Mackie
Saul was hunting David in the wilderness of Engedi when he and his men went into a cave to relieve themselves. David and his men were hiding in the back of the cave, and David's men urged him to kill Saul while he had the chance. Bu...
35:23
2023-07-08
With Dr. Ronn Johnson
David was informed that the Philistines were attacking the city of Keilah. He asked God if he should go to Keilah and help the people, and God told him to go. David's men were afraid to go to Keilah, but David assured them that Go...
25:22
2023-07-02
With Dr. Justin Bass
David flees from Saul to the cave of Adullam, where he is joined by his brothers and other relatives. He also gathers a group of men who are discontented with Saul's rule. Saul learns of David's whereabouts and orders the death of ...
33:06
2023-06-24
With Dr. Ronn Johnson
David fled from Saul, who was seeking to kill him. He went to the city of Nob, where he lied to the priest Ahimelech, saying that he was on a mission from Saul. Ahimelech gave David food and the sword of Goliath. David then went t...
30:12
2023-06-16
With Dr. Michael Brown
David, fearing for his life after Saul has tried to kill him twice, goes to Jonathan, Saul's son, to ask for help. Jonathan promises to help David and to warn him if Saul plans to harm him. Jonathan and David make a covenant of f...
32:09
2023-05-27
We talk to Greg Lyle and Drenna Heiser from Dr. Heiser's non-profit, Miqlat. Greg and Drenna give us updates on future projects of Miqlat and Drenna tells us the story of how brave Mike was when they first met. To support Miqlat please goto Miqlat.org....
23:07
2023-05-20
With Dr. Justin Bass
Saul became increasingly jealous of David and tried to kill him. Jonathan, Saul's son, tried to protect David and warned him of Saul's plans. David fled from Saul and went into hiding. Michal, Saul's daughter, helped David escape b...
28:20
2023-05-13
With Dr. Justin Bass
After David defeated Goliath, Saul became jealous of David's popularity and success. Jonathan, Saul's son, became close friends with David. Saul gave his daughter Merab in marriage to David, but then gave her to another man. Michal...
31:48
2023-05-06
With Dr. Justin Bass
The Philistines and Israelites were at war. Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior, challenged the Israelites to send a champion to fight him. David, a young shepherd boy, volunteered to fight Goliath. David defeated Goliath with a sl...
22:06:46
2023-05-01
With Dr. Tim Mackie
In 1 Samuel 16, the Lord tells Samuel that he has rejected Saul as king of Israel. Samuel is sent to Jesse's home in Bethlehem to anoint a new king. Jesse presents his seven oldest sons to Samuel, but the Lord does not choose any of...
36:19
2023-04-22
With Dr. Justin Bass
God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including all of their livestock. Saul obeys the command to destroy the Amalekites, but he spares the king and the best of the livestock. When Samuel confronts Saul about his dis...
22:06:16
2023-04-15
Listeners of The Naked Bible Podcast take time to remember Dr. Michael Heiser. To support the podcast please go to nakedbiblepodcast.com.
22:05:35
2023-04-09
Listeners of The Naked Bible Podcast take time to remember Dr. Michael Heiser. To support the podcast please go to nakedbiblepodcast.com.
22:23:11
2023-04-02
Listeners of The Naked Bible Podcast take time to remember Dr. Michael Heiser. To support the podcast please go to nakedbiblepodcast.com.
22:04:26
2023-01-08
In 1 Samuel 13-14 Saul throws away the Lord’s dynastic blessing by usurping priestly duties (that is, performing an unlawful sacrifice). Saul’s leadership become more erratic as God’s rejection of Saul has begun, this time putting the life of his ow...
34:35
2022-12-31
1 Samuel 12 is ostensibly Samuel’s farewell address as he yields power to Saul, Israel’s first king. The content of his address in the chapter is both more subtle and confrontational, though, to have it be a simply farewell. The text makes it clear th...
48:41
2022-12-24
1 Samuel 11 explores the inauguration of Saul’s reign as king of Israel. In the previous chapter, the prophet Samuel had given Saul several signs that his anointing was genuine and from the Lord. That validation ended with Samuel’s directive that Saul...
52:02
2022-12-17
In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel ask Samuel to choose a king to rule them, a king that would be like the kings of other nations (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel opposes the idea, interpreting the request as a rejection of his own leadership. God has an equally negat...
35:17
2022-12-10
In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel ask Samuel to choose a king for them who would be like the kings of other nations (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel opposes the idea, giving rise to a larger interpretive question: Was Israel wrong in wanting a king? In this episode o...
51:28
2022-12-04
1 Samuel 7 is about Samuel’s emergence as the nation of Israel’s spiritual and military leader (i.e., a judge). The contrast with the house of Eli is again palpable. The main focus of this emergence is a revival in Israel and the subsequent conflict w...
22:24:39
2022-11-27
Counterfeit Kingdom with Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett
Back in 2017 (Episode 179) apologetics researcher Holly Pivec was our guest to talk about the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement that claims new revelation from God and new apostolic ...
38:46
2022-11-19
1 Samuel 5-6 continues the biblical saga of the loss of the ark of the covenant to the Philistines. Specifically, the chapters detail the fallout upon the Philistines as Yahweh chooses to punish them for taking the ark. The episode includes an interesting...
36:27
2022-11-06
1 Samuel 4 details the loss of the ark of the covenant to the Philistines and the end of Eli’s priestly lineage. In so doing it is the fulfillment of God’s word to Samuel, the young prophet. In this episode of the podcast we talk about the loss of the...
30:26
2022-10-30
1 Samuel 3 marks the call of Samuel to be a prophet. As such it furthers the demise of the house of Eli, a demise that will reach its climax in Chapter 4. In this episode of the podcast we take a look at some of the features of 1 Samuel 3, particularly in...
36:57
2022-10-22
This episode of the podcast continues in 1 Samuel 2 through the end of the chapter. In 1 Sam 2:12-36 we are introduced specifically to how Samuel contrasts with the wicked sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. The chapter raises questions about the nature of ...
40:37
2022-10-16
The story of Hannah’s barrenness and faithful prayer to Yahweh for a child is well known to Bible readers. Yet there is much more to the story and her prayer than meets the eye. In this episode of the podcast we look at how this portion of 1 Samuel conn...
34:19
2022-10-08
Beyond the stories of Hannah and David’s battle with Goliath, the book of 1 Samuel tends not to be well known. This episode of the podcast kicks off a series covering the book. 1 Samuel is a theological history of the beginnings of Israel’s monarchy. ...
31:05
2022-10-01
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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46:16
2022-09-25
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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39:08
2022-09-17
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Jude.
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43:29
2022-09-11
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Jude.
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52:19
2022-09-03
The Afterlife with Dr. Justin Bass
In this episode of the podcast we continue our conversation with Dr. Justin Bass about the various terms we encounter in the Bible that describe the destination of the dead. If you’ve ever wondered about Gehenna, th...
55:32
2022-08-29
The Afterlife with Dr. Justin Bass
It’s expected that the Bible would have a good bit to say about the afterlife. But perhaps surprising are the number of different terms it uses to describe the destination of the dead, and the way afterlife ideas de...
51:08
2022-08-21
In this last installment of the book of Jude (vv. 17-25), we take a look at several points of Jude’s theology, namely his Christology and fear of apostasy on the part of his audience. Jude continues to hammer away at the fact that the false teachers abo...
38:29
2022-08-14
In Jude 14-16, the author continues the theme of the judgment of his opponents, the false teachers. In this instance, Jude cites the book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9) specifically to make his case. In this episode, we discuss the implications of Jude’s citati...
40:34
2022-08-06
In Jude 11-13, the author continues his portrayal of, and warning against, false teachers using three archetypal Old Testament episodes of rebellion and sin. In these verses, Jude compares the false teachers and their content to the rebellion of Cain (Gen...
34:30
2022-07-31
One of the oddest verses in the short epistle of Jude is Jude 9, which describes some sort of struggle between Michael the archangel and the Devil (Satan). Many commentators see an allusion to Zechariah 3, but in this episode we take a different perspecti...
40:04
2022-07-24
In the book that bears his name Jude has compared the false teachers he opposes to the heavenly villains of Genesis 6:1-4 (see Part 3). In this episode, Jude continues this literary and theological strategy by comparing the false teachers to the wicked in...
22:02:42
2022-07-17
In Jude 6 the author introduces his readers to a group of angels that sinned against God. They failed to “stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling.” As a result, these angels are “kept in eternal chains under gloom...
52:08
2022-07-10
This episode focuses on Jude 4-5. In Jude 4 the false teachers who are Jude’s opponents are said to have long ago “been designated for condemnation.” What does this phrase mean? In Jude 5 the author shocks his readers by informing them that it was J...
22:06:33
2022-07-02
The letter of Jude is one of the shortest books in the Bible. Its content, however, is dense, offering a variety of fascinating topics for study. In this episode of the podcast we embark on a series book study of the epistle of Jude. Join us for Part 1!
...
29:24
2022-06-25
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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Article referenced: WHERE WAS TARSHISH?...
22:43:40
2022-06-18
Over the past two years Dr. Heiser has been asked a number of times to respond to the book Demons and Spirits in Biblical Theology: Reading the Biblical Text in its Cultural and Literary Context, by John H. Walton and J. Harvey Walton (2019). The book run...
22:05:15
2022-06-11
Hollywood Heroes with Frank Turek
Millions of people around the world are captivated by fantasy and superhero films. What explains their popularity? According to our guest, apologist Frank Turek, it’s because we long for “another world” that we w...
22:30
2022-06-04
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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28:37
2022-05-28
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
The World Turned Upside Down - Mike's book will be $5 (free shipping) through the end of June. The coupon code is STRANGER5 or the discount is applied automatically if you click the link. The book and video bundle wil...
21:35
2022-05-21
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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28:00
2022-05-14
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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27:12
2022-05-07
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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53:02
2022-04-30
The Queen of Heaven with Dr. Peter Goeman
The “queen of heaven” is an enigmatic deity figure that appears in Scripture in a handful of verses (Jer 7:18; 44:17-19, 25). Who was the queen of heaven to whom the people of Judah were offering idolatrous...
22:03:11
2022-04-23
In the preceding episodes, we’ve seen how Paul reconfigures Old Testament faith, faithfulness, Torah keeping, and Israel’s election in light of the work of Jesus and his own encounter with the risen Christ. In this final episode of our series on Paul...
51:20
2022-04-16
In the preceding episodes, we’ve seen how Paul reconfigures Old Testament faith, faithfulness, and Torah keeping in light of the work of Jesus and his own encounter with the risen Christ. In this episode we look at how Paul recontextualized Israel...
41:52
2022-04-09
In the preceding episode, we saw how Israel’s elective vocation was reconfigured by Paul to focus on the work of Christ and the resurrection. The focus was Romans 1-3 and how Paul understands faith/faithfulness and Torah keeping. In this episode the tem...
22:08:56
2022-04-04
To this point in our series on Paul’s use of the Old Testament we’ve focused on Paul’s “storied reading” of the Old Testament—specifically, how the Old Testament profile of messiah emerges. In the last episode we talked about how Malachi sets ...
22:12:52
2022-03-27
The book of Malachi closes our English Old Testament. Because of its position and status as one of the “minor prophets,” this book is one of the more neglected in the Bible. What possible relevance could it have for the messianic profile discussed in ...
57:14
2022-03-19
Like the previous episode, this discussion with Dr. Matt Halstead takes us to Daniel 9, a passage that uses mashiach (“anointed one”) twice, as well as the verb mashach (“to anoint”). The passage has historical fulfilment roots in the second centu...
58:08
2022-03-13
In the previous episodes with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. To this point, we’ve explored reading...
22:03:28
2022-03-06
In the previous episodes with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. In the previous episode with Dr. Halste...
22:17:43
2022-02-28
In the previous episodes with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. What was needed, we concluded, was a ...
22:18:57
2022-02-21
In the previous episode with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. What was needed, we concluded, was a “...
52:06
2022-02-13
Many Bible students would be shocked by the fact that many scholars, including a number in evangelical ranks, believe the New Testament portrayal of Jesus as Messiah is basically foreign, or goes creatively beyond, what the Old Testament says about Messia...
54:14
2022-02-07
Many Bible students are unaware of the controversy surrounding how Paul (and other New Testament writers) cite the Old Testament. This is not only a question of taking the time to notice how Paul’s citations alter Old Testament verses, but also because ...
28:09
2022-01-31
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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26:43
2022-01-22
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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22:01:33
2022-01-17
Jesus and the Old Testament with Chad Bird
Naked Bible Podcast listeners are familiar with concepts like Hebrew word studies and the centrality of Christ in the biblical storyline. Two recent tools for the layperson in both these areas have recently emer...
22:06:42
2022-01-10
Exodus Old and New with L. Michael Morales
Listeners to the podcast are no strangers to the book of Exodus. Our series on that book of the Torah took almost a year. In this episode of the podcast we welcome Old Testament scholar Dr. L. Michael Morales to...
45:44
2022-01-03
The podcast brings the year to a close with a special guest and resource for listeners, and with a look to the future of the podcast. Join us as we chat with Johnna McKinnon about Live In Context, a small group content resource that focuses on the superna...
49:24
2021-12-25
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation.
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51:48
2021-12-19
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation.
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51:44
2021-12-11
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation.
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58:38
2021-12-04
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation.
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NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE NOW:
Who Is Like You, among the Gods?: A Prayer Digest Based on the Original Biblical Languages
John's Use of the Ol...
22:08:19
2021-11-27
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation.
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22:06:12
2021-11-20
HAPPY 400TH!!
Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation.
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22:05:48
2021-11-13
Miracles Today with Dr. Craig Keener
Do the sorts of miracles we read about in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles happen today? Is there any reliable source material for documenting such miracles? Why does it seem miracles happen less in ...
22:07:39
2021-11-06
Beginner Guides to New Testament Studies with Dr. Nijay Gupta
For those who love to study Scripture, it is easy to discern rather quickly that to really move into in-depth Bible study takes serious tools and some mentoring. How does one go about choosing...
22:21:49
2021-10-30
Revelation 21-22 is John’s climactic vision of the new Jerusalem and new earth. In Part 1 we looked at how Israelites thought about the concept of “temple” and how that concept led John to conflate the expectation of a new temple and see fulfillment...
22:23:29
2021-10-24
Revelation 21-22 is John’s climactic vision of the new Jerusalem and new earth. Not unexpectedly, there are deep Old Testament roots underlying his vision. But it is often a surprise to note that John specifically informs us that his end of days vision ...
54:10
2021-10-10
The New Perspective on Paul, with Dr. Kent Yinger
The “new perspective on Paul” (NPP) has been one of the most talked-about and debated topics within New Testament studies for the last forty years. But while the topic title is familiar to many, id...
22:04:09
2021-10-03
Since the time of the Protestant Reformation, interpreters of Paul’s writings have struggled to resolve the tension of the apostle’s statements that we are saved by grace solely through faith (Eph 2:8-9) and also “to those who by patiently doing goo...
22:02:10
2021-09-25
In the previous episode (Rev 19, Part 2) we looked at how John’s use of the Old Testament, especially Ezekiel 38-39, more or less proves that Revelation 16-20 cannot be read as a linear sequence of events, but as a series of cycles that describe the sam...
22:20:44
2021-09-19
Is the battle of Armageddon in Rev 19:11-21 unique in the book of Revelation—or is it alluded to elsewhere? Of what importance is that question to how we read Revelation 16-20? Armageddon, as John tells us, is “in the Hebrew tongue” Har-Magedon (Rev...
53:58
2021-09-04
The major focus of Rev 19:1-10 is the marriage supper of the Lamb (vv. 6-10). This meal, a celebration of the victory over the Beast and his followers, is the climax of an ancient Old Testament motif: the “meal with God” or communal meal in God’s ho...
22:05:37
2021-08-27
Revelation 17-18 overlaps a good deal with elements in preceding chapters, most notably 13-16. In those earlier chapters readers were introduced to the Beast, the symbolic representation of anti-Eden chaos drawn from Daniel 7; Babylon as a metaphor for th...
22:01:09
2021-08-15
Revelation 15 and 16 deal with the seven bowl judgments meted out against all those who follow the
Beast. The passage contains several images drawn from the Old Testament that telegraph the victory of
Jesus and the Father over the Beast and the chaos syst...
22:05:02
2021-08-07
Dr. Michael F. Bird is a well-known New Testament scholar and theologian from Brisbane, Australia. After serving in the military as a paratrooper, he completed his PhD at the University of Queensland. Dr. Bird is currently the Academic Dean and Lecturer i...
30:39
2021-07-31
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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59:53
2021-07-25
Messiah Son of Joseph with Dr. David Mitchell
Christians know Jesus as the messianic son of David. The fact that the messiah is referred to by other titles and terms (e.g., Servant, Branch, Root) is also well known. But there is one title or trajectory ab...
48:35
2021-07-17
The Psalms and Eschatology with Dr. David Mitchell
Many Bible readers have wondered, and perhaps suspected, that there is a logic to the ordering of the Psalter, the Book of Psalms. Surely the material cannot be random. In this episode of the podcast we d...
22:01:53
2021-07-10
Revelation 14 looks back at the 144,000 (see episodes 372, 373), the sealed counterparts to those who bear the name and mark of the Beast (Rev 13). The chapter includes messages from various angels who initiate the judgment of the wicked nations and their...
22:14:04
2021-07-05
Revelation 13 is known as the chapter about the Beast whose number is 666. However, the chapter actually describes two beasts. There are several Old Testament passages from which the descriptions of these beasts may derive. While people are familiar with ...
22:01:35
2021-06-26
The imagery of Revelation 12 is familiar to many Bible readers. A woman with twelve stars around her head gives birth to the messiah child, after which that child is caught up to God and his throne, the response to which by Satan (the Dragon) is a spiritu...
22:08:55
2021-06-19
Revelation 11 is well known for two major items: the two witnesses and the reference to the temple court. Both are controversial. Who are the two witnesses? Are they individual people? Old Testament prophets who did not die (Enoch, Elijah)? Are they symbo...
50:52
2021-06-13
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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22:09:04
2021-06-06
The Bedrock of Christianity with Dr. Justin Bass
Dr. Justin Bass is a scholar of biblical studies and apologetics. In particular, his work addresses the weaknesses of Jesus mythicism and skepticism about the resurrection of Jesus. He is currently teaching...
56:58
2021-05-30
Revelation 10 is a hiatus from the trumpet judgments. The chapter describes a “mighty angel” who holds a scroll that the awestruck John will take from his hand and eat. This odd language has Old Testament precedent in Ezekiel. However, it is the angel...
22:09:27
2021-05-22
Revelation 9 reveals John’s vision of the fifth and six trumpet judgments. Several interpretive issues are immediately apparent? What is the nature of the angel with the key to the bottomless pit (Rev 9:1)? Is this angel the same or different than that ...
55:04
2021-05-16
Revelation 8 begins the vision of the first six trumpets. In Part 1 of our look at this chapter, we looked at features of the first six verses, such as the Lamb’s opening of the seventh and final seal on the scroll from Revelation, the accompanying sile...
47:20
2021-05-09
Revelation 8 begins the vision of the first six trumpets. The sequence is kicked off by the Lamb’s opening of the seventh and final seal on the scroll from Revelation 5. The chapter raises some immediate questions: How are we to understand the silence i...
29:55
2021-05-02
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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22:04:48
2021-04-25
This episode continues our discussion of Revelation 7 and the 144,000. The discussion includes Revelation 14, a second passage referencing the 144,000. This latter passage adds an interesting descriptive detail, one that leads some scholars to wonder if t...
22:07:34
2021-04-18
Revelation 7 is the first of two passages in the book that refer to the 144,000. The passage bristles with questions. Who are these individuals, 12,000 from 12 tribes of Israel? Should we understand the 144,000 literally or metaphorically, or both? Why is...
22:06:41
2021-04-10
Reading Moses, Seeing Jesus, with Seth Postell
According to Acts 15 the Jerusalem church concluded that Gentile believers do not have to keep the Law to be in right relationship with the God of Israel. Nevertheless, many Gentile believers today wonder whe...
59:36
2021-04-04
Revelation 6 introduces the reader to the unsealing of the scroll of Revelation 5. The first such act unleashes the four horsemen of the apocalypse. A variety of Old Testament passages and images are involved in the ensuing description of the terrible eve...
22:08:07
2021-03-29
Many presume the scene in Revelation 5 of the Lamb standing before the throne of God is an enthronement ceremony. The one seated on the throne (God) has a scroll in his right hand, sealed with seven seals. Only the Lamb of God, standing before the throne,...
59:19
2021-03-20
This episode, the third installment of our discussion of the Old Testament in Revelation 4, has a singular point of focus: the twenty-four elders of Revelation 4. Who or what are the twenty-four elders? What do they symbolize? What is their intended meani...
22:00:26
2021-03-14
This episode continues our discussion of Revelation 4, a heavenly council/courtroom scene structured after the divine council scene of Daniel 7 (Part 1). But Daniel 7 is far from the only passage used by John. In this episode we’ll discover how John rep...
53:41
2021-03-07
Revelation 4 is the well know scene of the Lamb of God, the heavenly throne, and the 24 elders. Less well known is the fact that this scene and its elements have a specific Old Testament context: the covenant lawsuit genre. There is a strong scholarly con...
22:14:31
2021-02-20
In this episode we welcome back some familiar guests to the podcast for updates on their ministries. The episode has two parts. Fern and Audrey return to the podcast to talk about the launch of their new online curriculum, accompanied by Brenda, a consult...
22:02:40
2021-02-14
Part 2 of our in-depth look into the role played by the Old Testament in Revelation 3 focuses the otherworldly “keys” in Rev 3:7 (“who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens” and its earlier counterpart, R...
22:04:27
2021-02-06
Revelation 3 contains John’s letters to Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. John uses the Old Testament in a number of places in these letters. Some have been discussed in earlier episodes of this series on the use of the Old Testament in the book of Re...
58:09
2021-01-31
Revelation 2:8-29 contain the letters to the churches of Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. A number of content items in these verses draws on items discussed in episode 360 (Rev 2:1-7). In this episode, we rehearse some of that older content, comment briefl...
22:04:23
2021-01-24
This episode resumes our series on the Old Testament in the book of Revelation. Revelation 2 raises questions about the identity of the angels in the early chapters of the book, an identification that is linked to the lampstands. As noted in earlier episo...
22:24:44
2021-01-16
The Myth Made Fact with Dr. Louis Markos
Should Christians read classical mythology? Such material is, after all, pagan (i.e., non-Christian) and has a great deal to say about what Greeks and Romans believed about their gods—gods opposed to the God of I...
22:24:06
2021-01-02
Were Adam and Eve historical people? Is their historicity compatible with genetic science’s findings about human origins? This episode continues our discussion of whether a historical Adam and Eve is compatible with genetic science. Our guest is once ag...
58:03
2020-12-28
Were Adam and Eve historical people? Is their historicity compatible with genetic science’s findings about human origins? This episode is the first of a two-part interview with Dr. S. Joshua Swamidass. Dr. Swamidass is an M.D. and Ph.D. research scienti...
22:12:08
2020-12-21
This episode in our series on John’s use of the Old Testament in the book of Revelation looks at Rev 1:7-20. In these verses John repurposes the divine council scene in Daniel 7, specifically the descriptions of the Ancient of Days and the Son of man. H...
22:03:51
2020-12-13
This episode continues our series on John’s use of the Old Testament in the book of Revelation. We resume with material in Rev 1:4 not covered in the previous episode and move the discussion into verses 5-6. What is the relationship of the seven churche...
43:35
2020-12-07
Our series on the Old Testament in the book of Revelation opens with Rev 1:4a, where we find the phrase “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” The phrase is repeated in Rev 1:8 where parts of it are defined in an important way. Scholar...
22:05:08
2020-11-29
This episode launches our new series on the use of the Old Testament in the book of Revelation. The series will not examine end times theories or systems. It will also not propose a new system for interpreting the book of Revelation for discerning what Go...
22:16:35
2020-11-22
In earlier episodes (322, 334) we chatted with Professor Louis Markos about how the cosmologies of The Lord of the Rings and Milton’s Paradise Lost compare and contrast with the biblical worldview described by Dr. Heiser in The Unseen Realm. In this epi...
51:43
2020-11-16
One of the more important Hebrew words familiar to Christians is ḥesed, usually translated “lovingkindness” or “steadfast love” in English Bibles. The term certainly conveys those ideas, but those translation options don’t convey the basis of ...
22:14:57
2020-10-31
Relevance Theory and Biblical Interpretation with John Hilber
Christians talk a lot about interpreting the Bible in context, but that goal is fraught with difficulties, some which are preventable, and others that are self-imposed. One of the most obvious ...
22:06:56
2020-10-25
The story of Jonah being swallowed by a “great fish” (misunderstood as a whale) is familiar to Bible readers and those in the wider culture who have never read the Bible. Given the flexibility of the Hebrew phrase behind “great fish” (dag gadol), ...
22:08:09
2020-10-19
It’s common for scholars and critics of New Testament presentations of the birth of Jesus to suggest that the idea of a divine Israelite messiah goes beyond what the Old Testament envisions. The most Jews would expect, so this thinking goes, is a milita...
51:17
2020-10-10
Ezekiel and John 15, the Vine and the Branches
Jesus’ allegory about the vine and the branches, ultimately about himself (the vine) and those who would claim to be his disciples (the branches) is quite familiar to Bible readers. Far less familiar is the...
54:53
2020-10-04
Gentile inclusion is a familiar theme in the salvation plan of God. Bible students are generally aware that the idea is found in the Old Testament, typically in places like Gen 12:3. But the psalms are another fruitful (and even surprising) source for thi...
22:07:25
2020-09-19
In our last episode we saw how the Gospel of John repurposed parts of Ezekiel (chs. 34, 37:15-28) to describe Jesus as the Good Shepherd who would fulfill the role of God and King David as the rightful shepherd(s) of Israel. As we’ll see in this episode...
22:07:10
2020-09-12
John 10 is one of the more familiar passages in the Gospel bearing that name. The chapter presents Jesus in bold ways. Listeners have already heard Dr. Heiser’s thoughts on the latter item (John 10:30-38), where Jesus quotes Psalm 82 in defense of his d...
59:09
2020-09-05
Hebrews 12:1 opens with a familiar exhortation: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. . . ...
43:45
2020-08-29
We’ve noted many times how the New Testament draws on the Old Testament for its content. Some books stand out in that regard. The Gospel of Matthew is one of them. Long regarded as the most Jewish gospel due to its numerous hooks into the Old Testament,...
22:00:38
2020-08-22
Recently Dr. Heiser reached out to his audience asking whether pastors who follow the podcast had tried teaching the content of his book, The Unseen Realm, to their congregations. The response was amazing, with close to 150 responses. The interest in shar...
22:05:48
2020-08-09
In Matt 1:20 the gospel writer describes Mary’s pregnancy to Joseph this way: “do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” The wording is unusual for several reasons, most notably that the Gree...
22:01:01
2020-08-03
In John 20:11-16 is a famous scene after the resurrection that takes place at the garden tomb. To our surprise we learn that Mary Magdalene failed to recognize the risen Jesus, instead “supposing him to be the gardener” (John 20:15). In this episode o...
22:26:20
2020-07-26
Dr. Louis Markos returns to the podcast (first appearance, episode 322), this time to talk about the influence of Paradise Lost, the classic work by John Milton, and its influence on Christian thought about Satan and demons. Dr. Markos is Professor of Eng...
22:02:27
2020-07-20
Listeners to this podcast know that the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament is crucial to being an intelligent reader of the New Testament. Usually this takes the form of a New Testament writer citing a specific Old Testament passage and either int...
22:04:35
2020-07-11
Recently Dr. Heiser reached out to his audience asking whether pastors who follow the podcast had tried teaching the content of his book, The Unseen Realm, to their congregations. The response was amazing, with close to 150 responses. The interest in shar...
22:07:06
2020-06-28
Few passages in the Bible are as familiar to Bible readers as John 3, the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. John 3 of course gives us memorable lines, such as “you must be born from above” (more popularly, “you must be born again”) and of ...
22:04:22
2020-06-21
In Matthew 16:19; 18:18 Jesus tells the disciples they have the authority to “bind” and “loose” in heaven and on earth. What does this language mean? What is being bound or loosed? In what way does the “binding” and “loosing” operate? Is ...
22:13:50
2020-06-14
In Luke 24:36-43 the resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples. To help cure their disbelief, Jesus asks them if they have something to eat. The passage records how Jesus is given a piece of fish which he eats before their eyes to establish his resurrect...
53:47
2020-06-06
The Psalms of (or to) the sons of Korah are a small subset of the Psalter. However, their content is significant to the matter of whether the Old Testament has a theology of a positive afterlife, where the righteous are present with the Lord. The sons of ...
58:01
2020-06-01
Recently Dr. Heiser reached out to his audience asking whether pastors who follow the podcast had tried teaching the content of his book, The Unseen Realm, to their congregations. The response was amazing, with close to 150 responses. The interest in shar...
22:20:28
2020-05-16
With the advent of the coronavirus threat and subsequent quarantine measures, many people are referencing Psalm 91 as though it were intended to provide immunity from the virus. This is an abuse of this psalm. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about...
22:24:55
2020-05-09
Having authored more than sixty books and appeared as a frequent guest on major cable and network television programs, Dr. Ben Witherington is one of the most widely read biblical scholars in the world. He has for many years serves as Professor of New Tes...
22:41:19
2020-05-04
Dr. Louis is Professor of English at Houston Baptist University. He is an authority on C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and also teaches courses on mythology, Classical Literature and Victorian and Romantic Literature. Dr. Markos recently reviewed Dr. Hei...
52:02
2020-04-19
Recently Dr. Heiser reached out to his audience asking whether pastors who follow the podcast had tried teaching the content of his book, The Unseen Realm, to their congregations. The response was amazing, with close to 150 responses. The interest in shar...
22:04:54
2020-04-12
Recently Dr. Heiser reached out to his audience asking whether pastors who follow the podcast had tried teaching the content of his book, The Unseen Realm, to their congregations. The response was amazing, with close to 150 responses. The interest in shar...
54:30
2020-04-04
Divorce and Remarriage in the New Testament with David Instone-Brewer
This episode follows the previous discussion on divorce and remarriage and the Old Testament with Dr. David Instone-Brewer. Divorce and remarriage are obviously sensitive and difficult ...
51:52
2020-03-28
On this episode of the podcast we talk to Dr. Jamie Aten, founder and executive director of Wheaton’s Humanitarian Disaster Institute, and Kent Annan, Director of Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership. Dr. Aten is a disaster psychologist, author, and s...
22:01:57
2020-03-22
Divorce and Remarriage in the Old Testament with David Instone-Brewer
Divorce and remarriage are obviously sensitive and difficult subjects. Not surprisingly, the Bible has something to say about both. In this episode we chat with Dr. David Instone-Brewer...
49:14
2020-03-15
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
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51:36
2020-02-17
Exodus 35-40 is highly repetitive with the content of Exodus 25-31. However, the order of the material presented is quite different. This episode explores how scholars have thought about the similarities and differences. Scholars have discovered literary ...
22:14:37
2020-02-10
Exodus 33:12-23 constitute the famous passage where Moses’ asks to see the Glory of God. In return, he receives a deflective answer and yet experiences God in human form on Mount Sinai. After having delved into this passage in the previous episode of th...
22:06:30
2020-02-02
This episode of the podcast returns to parts of Exodus 32 that dovetail with the content of Exodus 33. The exchanges between God and Moses in these chapters produce points of confusion: If God really decided not to destroy Israel for the golden calf incid...
22:11:59
2020-01-27
Exodus 32 details the tragic failure of Israel’s apostasy with the golden calf. The story is well known, mostly for its portrayal in the movie The Ten Commandments. The Israelites are in a panic. Moses has been gone forty days with no hint that he’ll ...
59:28
2020-01-19
Exodus 30-31 completes the Torah description of the instructions for the Tabernacle and its furnishings. In this episode of the podcast we’ll talk about the altar of incense, the “horn” imagery used of the altar and elsewhere, the meaning and functi...
22:08:57
2020-01-13
The descriptions of the vestments worn by the priests of Israel, particularly the high priest, can make for uninteresting reading. But these two chapters of Exodus and their content put forth significant theological messaging. In this episode of the podca...
54:41
2020-01-04
In this episode of the podcast we welcome T. Dirk Smith, Vice President of EEM.org (formerly known as Eastern European Mission). Dirk tells us about the ministry’s mission of getting Bibles to every person in Eastern Europe and beyond. EEM.org has shipp...
22:01:26
2019-12-30
In Part 1 of our discussion of Exodus 26-27, we talked about the theological messaging of the Tabernacle. Now our attention turns to some historical considerations prompted by some unexpected wording in verses found elsewhere in the Old Testament that app...
56:39
2019-12-22
Exodus 26-27 make for unexciting reading. Who really wants to read the blueprints for the Tabernacle? But we shouldn’t assume that these chapters are uninteresting or devoid of theological messaging. Quite the contrary. There’s a lot in these chapters...
22:14:17
2019-12-15
Carmen Imes is Associate Professor of Old Testament / Program Coordinator of the program in Bible & Theology at Prairie College in Alberta, Canada. She was a recent speaker at the Naked Bible Conference. In today’s episode she shares her research on...
22:05:23
2019-12-01
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32:18
2019-11-23
Dr. Heiser gives us a quick update on the 2019 ETS and SBL conferences.
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22:11:01
2019-11-17
Exodus 25 is about more than the Ark of the Covenant, the subject of the previous two episodes. Exodus 25:23-40 provides God’s instructions to Moses about two other sacred objects: the Bread of the Presence (the so-called “Shewbread”) and the Golden...
58:57
2019-11-10
In Part of our discussion of Exodus 25, we focused on the nature and purposes of the Ark of the Covenant. Many scholars have noted similarities between the form and function of the Israelite Ark and other sacred objects of the ancient Near East. In this e...
46:07
2019-11-03
Exodus 25 begins the book’s description of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. The most prominent item is the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 25:10-22). In this episode, we briefly discuss some of the preliminary comments about the Tabernacle (Exod 25:1-9) be...
52:01
2019-10-27
In Part 1 of our study of Exodus 24 we looked at the covenant ratification ceremony (Exodus 24:1-8). This ceremony led up to the communal meal with Yahweh that is the centerpiece (vv. 9-11) of the rest of the chapter (Exodus 24:9-18). In this episode of t...
45:32
2019-10-20
Exodus 24 is the culmination of the Sinai scene that began in Exodus 19. The first eight verses detail the covenant ratification ceremony. Burnt offerings and, significantly, peace offerings of fellowship, are sacrificed by the Israelites to certify their...
22:05:37
2019-10-12
This episode wraps up the remainder of Exodus 23 (vv. 20-33). There are a number of interesting items in these remaining verses, beginning with the Angel in whom the Name (the presence) of God dwelt. That figure is part of the Old Testament Godhead langua...
22:11:38
2019-09-29
This episode follows Part 1 of our brief exploration of the “Book of the Covenant”—the laws in Exodus 21-23 that follow the Ten Commandments. These laws are applications within ancient Israelite culture of the absolute, enduring principles expressed...
22:12:10
2019-09-21
Most listeners will know the Ten Commandments. They might even know that those commandments are in Exodus 20. But few will know that those famous commandments are followed in Exodus 21-23 by a litany of odd, ancient, at times conflicting, “case laws” ...
22:19:51
2019-09-14
In the previous two parts of our discussion of Exodus 20, we talked about issues related to Decalogue and the first four of the Ten Commandments. In this episode we cover the remaining six commandments (honor your father and mother, do not murder, do not ...
22:19:03
2019-09-08
In the previous episode of the podcast we looked at the issues raised by close examination of the placement and nature of the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. In this episode of the podcast, we take a look at the first four commands: having no gods before...
54:20
2019-08-31
Exodus 20 is familiar to Bible readers for the Ten Commandments. Actually, only Exod 20:1-17 delineates those commands. The rest of the chapter resumes the Sinai theophany whose description began in Exodus 19. The “interruption” of that episode with t...
54:53
2019-08-25
Exodus 19 begins with the short move of the Israelite community from Rephidim to Sinai. The chapter not only sets the stage for the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20, but the covenant ceremony of Exodus 24. This episode focuses on the preparations for receivi...
22:12:22
2019-08-18
Evil and Satan with Dr. Archie Wright.
Many listeners will know that the New Testament teaching about Satan underwent a good deal of development during the centuries that followed the Old Testament era. Like many theological concepts that begin in some fo...
22:03:45
2019-08-11
This chapter of the book of Exodus features the idea of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law- to appoint judges in Israel to help Moses render judgment on disputes within the community. There is some confusion about the relationship of these judges to elders in...
22:21:07
2019-08-03
Exodus 17:8-16 chronicles the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. The episode contains odd elements. So long as Moses’ arms were raised, Israel did well in battle. When they dropped, they did not. What is the point of this action? Why is t...
22:03:12
2019-07-28
The first seven verses of Exodus 17 give readers the story of the water from the rock at Rephidim. The story is straightforward enough. Moses strikes the rock as God instructs him (Exod 17:6) and God provided water in the desert wilderness for the Israeli...
22:10:21
2019-07-20
Bible students will know Exodus 16 as the story of God’s provision of manna, the “bread from heaven” that sustained the Israelites during the long years of journeying to Canaan. The chapter is actually filled with a number of textual issues, most of...
22:16:31
2019-07-14
Exodus 15:22-27 ostensibly serves as an itinerary anecdote about the grumbling of the Israelites at Marah, where they found the water undrinkable (“bitter”). But there is much more behind the short account. These verses theologically and symbolically ...
22:14:13
2019-07-07
On this episode of the podcast Mike chats with Stovall Weems, lead pastor at Celebration Church in Jacksonville, FL. The conversation focuses on the story of how Mike and Stovall met and how their initial phone conversation was the catalyst to Mike accept...
22:15:06
2019-06-29
Exodus 15 is referred to by scholars as the Song of Moses. The label is due to its poetic nature. On the surface the Song reiterates the crossing of the Red Sea. But there are actually a number of items in the passage that dip into divine council worldvie...
48:01
2019-06-22
In Part 1 of our discussion of Exodus 14 and the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt we focused on the yam suph (“sea of Reeds” / Red Sea) problem and issues related to the ambiguity of physical place names (toponyms). In this episode of the podcast ou...
22:00:30
2019-06-15
Exodus 14 is one of the major chapters detailing Israel’s departure from Egypt and the miraculous passing through the “Red Sea.” Other chapters include Exod 13:17-22, Exodus 15, and Numbers 33:5-8. The passages do not always agree in the way the eve...
22:13:47
2019-06-09
Exodus 13 takes us into the subject of the offering of the firstborn. Certain scholars argue that the passage is to be taken literally, that Yahweh demanded the Israelites to sacrifice their firstborn male child (i.e., human sacrifice). This episode surve...
48:27
2019-05-25
This episode continues the early/late date discussion.
Scholars who accept the historicity of the biblical story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt have argued for centuries about when it occurred in real time. There are several theories, but the two main ap...
45:53
2019-05-18
Scholars who accept the historicity of the biblical story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt have argued for centuries about when it occurred in real time. There are several theories, but the two main approaches are the “Early” Date (1446 BC) and the “...
22:14:35
2019-05-11
This episode of the podcast begins our discussion of the circumstances of the exodus event. There are many difficulties and issues that have distracted scholars over the years. Exodus 12:37 and Exodus 12:40 are two that we will discuss in this episode. Th...
22:08:29
2019-05-05
Exodus 11 and 12 focus on the final plague against Egypt, the death of the firstborn, and the institution of the Passover (Hebrew: pesaḥ / pesach). Like the other plagues, the death of the firstborn is an assault on not only the pharaoh and his people, ...
22:02:13
2019-04-27
The previous episode discussed the four scholarly approaches to understanding the plagues upon Egypt in the exodus story. Two of those approaches (polemic, de-creation) were deemed more fruitful than the others, for they cast the plagues in terms of Yahwe...
54:20
2019-04-21
Exodus 7:14-25 is the entry point for the series of ten plagues God sent upon the land of Egypt and its people for pharaoh’s defiance of his command to free his people, Israel. This episode includes an introduction to how scholars talk about the plagues...
22:14:48
2019-04-14
Aside from the date of the exodus event and the revelation of the divine name, one of the most frequently discussed issues in the book of Exodus is the hardening of pharaoh’s heart. The narrative affirms that both God and pharaoh are the agents responsi...
22:03:50
2019-04-06
This episode of the podcast covers two chapter of Exodus. Aside from some comments that relate to items in previous episodes, our discussion focuses on the biblical motif of the “hand of the Lord” and “outstretched arm” of the Lord. Both expressio...
22:11:29
2019-03-31
The second half of Exodus 4 presents a series of chronological problems in relation to Moses’ movements to and from Sinai and Jethro’s home and, ultimately, the journey to Egypt. The section includes the bizarre episode in verses 24-26 where God sough...
43:12
2019-03-23
Exodus 4:1-17 continues Moses’ conversation with God at the burning bush after the revelation of the divine name. It is marked by Moses’ unwillingness to do what God has tasked him to do. This episode covers God’s compassionate responses to Moses an...
22:09:46
2019-03-16
Exodus 3:13-14 are two of the most familiar verses in the Old Testament: “Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall...
42:50
2019-03-09
This episode builds off Part 2a and our discussion of the Kenite Hypothesis. The episode essentially asks this question: How would a literate ancient Jew, with knowledge of 1 Enoch and the Hebrew Bible, understand the biblical writer’s linkage of the Ke...
56:47
2019-03-02
Exodus 3:1 puts Moses in Midian, a land that, as we saw in Part 1, is closely tied to occupants known as Kenites. The Kenites, in fact, overlap in biblical thought with the Midianites (Judg 1:16; 4:11). Midian is also connected with the idea that Yahweh, ...
22:13:06
2019-02-24
This episode focuses on Exod 3:1 (“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God”) and how the place names (Horeb, Mid...
22:02:20
2019-02-17
Exodus 2:11-25 is the story of Moses’ capital offense in Egypt and his subsequent escape to the land of Midian. The story includes several textual and interpretive difficulties, leading to important questions. Where is the land of Midian? What is its re...
22:04:13
2019-02-09
In this episode we chat with Dr. Tim Mackie and Jon Collins about their amazingly successful and eminently useful ministry, The Bible Project. We learn a bit about their backgrounds, individually and as friends, how the Bible Project was born, and plans f...
22:09:41
2019-02-05
Exodus 2:1-10 is the familiar story of the birth of Moses in Egypt. Lurking behind the familiar story is a point of controversy and misunderstanding: its presumed relationship to ancient stories of the “abandoned child,” most specifically the legen...
57:35
2019-01-27
This is the second of two episodes on Exodus 1. This episode focuses entirely on how the name “Raamses” in Exod 1:11 can potentially be accommodated by either the early (1446 BC) or late (1250 BC) date of the exodus from Egypt. We explore how the name...
22:11:25
2019-01-19
Exodus 1 is short in terms of verse count, but there are a surprising number of items in the text that need some comment—so many that we need two episodes! In this episode we look at the language describing Israel’s condition under bondage in Egypt ...
22:05:46
2019-01-12
This episode launches our new book study series on the book of Exodus! As we do with every book study, this initial episode overviews the sorts of things to expect as we progress through Exodus: difficulties, controversies, and other points of interest re...
50:26
2019-01-05
In this episode we interview “Theo,” an American living in Nepal who teaches students full time. Theo has been a long-time listener to the podcast. Theo found the divine council context put forth in Dr. Heiser’s books to be paradigm changing, and no...
22:23:27
2018-12-22
What is the Day of the Lord? Most Bible students would associate it with a time of judgment. The reality, however, is that judgment is only one aspect. The Day of the Lord concept concerns things like the reclaiming of the nations, the general resurrectio...
55:58
2018-12-15
Craig Allert is a scholar specializing in Patristic Fathers, those early Christian thinkers who lived and wrote just after the end of the apostolic age to (roughly 451 AD). On today’s episode we talk with Craig about his work in analyzing how the early ...
59:20
2018-12-09
Rick Brannan plays a lead role in the production of ancient language resources for Logos Bible Software. He has also published several books on apocryphal gospels, the apostolic fathers, and the Pastoral Epistles. In this episode our focus is Pauline auth...
22:02:19
2018-12-02
The word elohim frequently speaks of a single deity, most notably the God of Israel, in the Hebrew Bible. Exceptions include Psalm 82:1, 6, where plural elohim refers to the members of God’s heavenly host (his council or assembly; cp. Psa 89:5-7). Dr. H...
23:16:41
2018-11-24
Dr. Heiser and special guest answer questions from a live audience. Thank you to everyone who came and joined us in Denver, Colorado.
22:15:43
2018-11-23
In our second set of SBL interviews we talk to Dr. David DeSilva about his revised New Testament Introduction, Dr. Mike Grisanti about his books and ministry as a tour guide to Israel for Masters Seminary, Dr. David Goh about his pastoral ministry and his...
22:05:08
2018-11-21
In our first of two installments of interviews at the annual meeting of the SBL (Society of Biblical Literature) we talk to Dr. Bill Arnold about a new book on the History of Israel that he co-edited (with Rick Hess), Dr. Dan Wallace about his work at CS...
22:08:53
2018-11-20
In this episode we sit down first with Dr. Carl Sanders and Dr. Ronn Johnson to talk about rejected ETS papers (!) and the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament; next we chat with Dr. Karl Kutz and Dr. Rebekah Josberger, authors of an important new first-year ...
49:38
2018-11-19
In this episode we chat with Doug van Dorn, a pastor in the Denver area who authored the Lexham Press handbook on Mike’s book, The Unseen Realm; Dr. Gary Yates, OT professor at liberty University, who uses Unseen Realm in one of his courses; Jesse M...
45:13
2018-11-18
This episode features conversations with Dr. David Capes of Wheaton, Dr. Gerry Breshears of Western Seminary, and Dr. Mark Futato of Reformed Theological Seminary. We talk about a new book for the non-specialist on earl high Christology / Jewish binitaria...
52:26
2018-11-18
In this set of interviews we talk to Dr. Peter Gurry of the Evangelical Textual Criticism blog; Henry Smith of ABR (Associates for Biblical Research); Dr. Mark Ward of Lexham Press/Faithlife/Logos, and Mike’s original pastor after he came to the Lor...
22:15:44
2018-11-11
The psalms are often thought of as purely devotional. They of course have that value, but they also contain significant theological statements, especially to ancient Israelites whose ears were tuned to specific points of their content. We often miss such ...
22:09:41
2018-10-14
This episode of the podcast concludes the series on Colossians. While the last chapter of Colossians contains mostly personal references to traveling companions and greetings from Paul, there are several items of interest. Does the chapter refer to a hous...
22:16:38
2018-10-06
Paul continues his teaching on how gratitude toward Jesus, the author of salvation who is supreme over all other powers, ought to influence the believer’s conduct. In this Colossians 3:18-25, Paul focuses on commands about household management. The “h...
22:02:57
2018-09-29
Colossians 3 is the pivot point for the epistle. Having tracked through a number of significant theological points relating to Christ’s supremacy to the law and angels, Paul turns to practical ramifications. This episode of the podcast focuses on two: (...
22:30:54
2018-09-22
Part 1: Johnny Cisneros – Bible Study Apps for Word Studies in Colossians
What are some of the best Bible study apps today? And how can you use those study apps to gain meaningful insights into the key words in Paul’s Letter to the Colossians? In ...
22:00:55
2018-09-16
The subject of honor and shame-based cultures is familiar to anthropologists, but a foreign topic to most people interested in biblical studies. Nevertheless, it is an important aspect of New Testament interpretation. In this episode we chat with Dr. Davi...
22:06:13
2018-09-08
Our preceding three episodes in large part set the table for the remainder of Colossians 2. Paul revisits some familiar themes: the superiority of Jesus to Jewish mystical teachings about angels (stoicheia), food laws, and the Sabbath. The new element her...
22:17:17
2018-09-01
These two verses are (in)famous in New Testament study. Paul’s comments about baptism and circumcision, and a “circumcision made without hands” have been an interpretive battle ground every since they were written down. How does baptism relate to ou...
22:06:36
2018-08-25
As we saw in our previous episode, a lot of theology can be packed into just a handful of verses. Colossians 2:6-8 leads to the focus of this episode, Colossians 2:9-10. These two verses are the pivotal content for Paul’s response to the Colossian heres...
22:10:36
2018-08-18
Two of the things we talk about most on the podcast pop up in this episode: the importance of deriving what you believe from the text of Scripture itself and the importance of reading the text in its original context. Regarding the first, we’ll explore ...
22:00:00
2018-08-11
This episode continues our discussion of the epistle to the Colossians. Colossians 1:21-2:5 touch on some theological themes familiar from previous episodes of the podcast: the relationship of Israel and the Church, the need to keep believing the gospel f...
22:16:57
2018-08-04
Colossians 1:13-20 contains some of the most important Christological content in the New Testament. It is also home to some of the most misunderstood. For example, does referring to Jesus as “firstborn” suggest that he was created? Does it point to ch...
55:35
2018-07-28
We begin our study in the first chapter of Colossians with an eye toward some of Paul’s more important vocabulary. Why does he refer to the Colossian believers as “holy ones” (1:2)? What sort of “knowledge” (1:9) is he talking about? What do t...
22:07:28
2018-07-21
This episode opens our new book study on Colossians. Disputes over the book’s authorship and date contribute directly to the major content issue of the book—the nature of the “Colossian heresy.” The so-called “Colossian heresy” is the label us...
22:09:02
2018-07-14
2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 contains two enigmatic features. In the first four verses Paul takes on the false teaching, circulating in the Thessalonian church, that the Day of the Lord had already come to pass. In the process Paul tells the believers “Let no ...
22:09:39
2018-06-30
How ancient Israelites thought about the institution of kingship is deeply rooted in the ancient Near Eastern ideology of kingship. Kings were viewed as extensions of the rule of deities, the providers of life and welfare and order. Kings ensured that lif...
22:03:05
2018-06-23
1 Corinthians 15:29 is one of the more enigmatic verses in the Bible. Scholars have long struggled with the meaning of Paul’s questions: “. . . What do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are peo...
22:06:03
2018-06-03
Many Christians believe the book of Job is the earliest book of the Bible, written sometime before Moses in the patriarchal era. Few Old Testament scholars assign any merit to this idea. Why the disagreement? Is there any basis for thinking Job is earlier...
22:24:40
2018-05-26
When it comes to debates over biblical inspiration, the authorship and the book of Isaiah is one of the more contentious topics. Traditionally, the book in its entirety (66 chapters) was considered to have been entirely written by the prophet Isaiah, who ...
27:47
2018-05-19
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
Dr. Heiser’s paper:
Does Deuteronomy 32:17 Assume or Deny the Reality of Other Gods?...
23:00
2018-05-12
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
Link referenced:
http://christiancadre.blogspot.com/2014/05/has-new-chapter-of-acts-been-found-acts.html...
22:28:04
2018-04-28
What is the proper biblical relationship between faith and works? Do good works contribute to salvation? If not, then why should we care about the way we live? Personal holiness is something taught in Scripture, but the desire to please God in our lives o...
22:11:42
2018-04-21
The basic details of the Israelite conquest of Jericho are well known. The renewal of the covenant at Shechem, the miraculous crossing of the Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant, Joshua’s encounter with the supernatural commander of the Lord’s host, t...
22:09:30
2018-04-15
In 1 John 3:11-12 the apostle warned believers, “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother.” Does this passage mean tha...
57:24
2018-04-07
This episode of the podcast raises a straightforward question: Does God ever deceive anyone? While listeners might think the answer must be in the negative, that actually isn’t the case. This episode considers several passages where God uses deception a...
22:01:20
2018-03-31
This episode welcomes Fern and Audrey back to the podcast. Fern and Audrey minister to trauma survivors, particularly those whose trauma resulted in dissociation (see Episode 68). The conversation in this episode includes Alexa, a client of Fern and Audre...
22:08:32
2018-03-18
Revelation 4-5, the Divine Council, and the Covenant Lawsuit Motif: A Discussion with Dr. Alan Bandy
Revelation 4-5 with its vision of God’s throne room and the 24 elders has long fascinated Bible students. While the heavenly throne is obvious to the sc...
54:25
2018-03-13
Numbers 29:12-34 describes the sacrifices involved in the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, called in Hebrew, the Feast of Sukkot (“Booths”). Included in those sacrifices were 70 bulls, a number that far exceeds any other Israelites festival. S...
22:15:49
2018-03-03
The enigmatic “two swords” passage of Luke 22:35-38 that famously features Jesus’ command to the disciples, “the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one” (22:35), has long plagued biblical interpreters. Scholars ...
22:28:17
2018-02-24
On this episode of the podcast we once again devote time to acquainting listeners with strategies and tools for more productive Bible study. Dr. Heiser talks to Dr. Steve Runge, a colleague at Logos Bible Software and an important name in the study of Gre...
22:49:39
2018-01-29
Our 200th episode celebrates the reach of the podcast and that of Dr. Heiser’s books, The Unseen Realm and Supernatural. The Naked Bible Podcast has dedicated listeners all over the world. Many found the podcast because of Dr. Heiser’s books. This epi...
22:05:24
2018-01-20
The final chapter of the book of Hebrews combines pastoral encouragement for believers under stress and reminders about the superiority of Jesus against what their persecutors were offering. This episode wraps up our book study by highlighting how the w...
22:19:30
2018-01-14
Hebrews 12 follows on the heels of the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11. That’s important because heeding that context (and that of the rest of the book of Hebrews) will prevent us from taking certain things in Hebrews 12 out of context. The writer doe...
22:02:22
2018-01-07
Many Christians refer to Hebrews 11 as the “hall of faith.” The label is appropriate, but the chapter raises questions. Why did the Old Testament individuals listed in Hebrews 11 “make the cut”? Was there something extraordinary about them? This e...
22:16:41
2017-12-31
Hebrews 10 wraps up the author’s discourse on the superiority of the high priesthood of Jesus—a theme begun in chapter five. The chapter revisits how the Torah’s system of sacrifices could not take away sin as it was a shadow of things to come. The ...
22:33:53
2017-12-25
There is much discussion online at this time of year as to the presumed pagan origins of Christmas. December 25, we are told, was a date stolen from pagan worship, specifically from the festival of the “Birth of the Unconquered Sun” (Sol Invictus)? Sh...
59:09
2017-12-16
In his ninth chapter, the writer of Hebrews continues with his theme of the superiority of Christ over the Levitical sacrifices and priesthood. In chapter 8 he had referred to the “heavenly tent,” where Jesus was seated “at the right hand of majesty...
22:14:03
2017-12-09
The writer of Hebrews has, to this point, put forth the idea that Jesus is superior to Moses, Melchizedek, the Aaronic / Levitical Priesthood, and the angels. In this chapter he adds another point of comparison—the Mosaic covenant. The work of Jesus on ...
26:38
2017-12-02
Our final set of interviews at SBL includes discussions with Tim Mackie from The Bible Project, and we learn about opportunities for biblical studies education in the UK from Dr. Matthew Lynch, a scholar in the UK familiar with the podcast and Mike̵...
22:03:54
2017-11-30
In our second set of interviews from SBL in Boston, we talk with Ben Giffone about how to earn an advanced degree without going into debt, teaching overseas, and his own interest in Unseen Realm content and Israelite religion. We also chat with John Schwa...
59:07
2017-11-28
Mike and Trey once again traveled to Boston for the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). In this first set of conference interviews include getting caught up with David Burnett, now in his first semester of doctoral work at Marquett...
22:37:30
2017-11-25
Dr. Heiser and special guest David Burnett answer questions from a live audience. Thank you to everyone who came and joined us in Boston, Massachusetts.
22:23:51
2017-11-23
In this second installment of ETS interviews, Mike chats with Carl Sanders and Ronn Johnson, two long-time friends. In the first part of the conversation with Carl and Ronn, we focused on their own response to “higher life” sanctification and reminisc...
22:17:44
2017-11-21
It’s that time of year – a new round of interviews with scholars and professors at the annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). In this first installment we talk to Hugh Ross about his ...
58:19
2017-11-19
Mike and Trey recently visited Fern and Audrey. The visit produced an opportunity not only to share some of the items discussed during that visit, but also new developments in their ministry to trauma survivors. This episode explores some of their work an...
22:12:26
2017-11-11
Hebrews 7 picks up themes that are familiar already to readers of the book. The writer defends the superiority of Christ’s priesthood to the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament on the basis of his connection to Melchizedek. A key part of this stra...
22:27:21
2017-11-04
Our series on the book of Hebrews continues the writer’s emphasis on the faithful priesthood of Christ – this time as the basis for turning away from a theology of dead works and clinging to faith. The centrality of not turning from the true gospel of...
49:18
2017-10-28
Hebrews 4:14-5:10 focuses on the fact that our high priest—the person who runs interference between us and God when it comes to eternal life—is the same person who gave his life for that purpose: Jesus. It is inconceivable in the writer’s mind that ...
52:43
2017-10-22
Hebrews 4:1-13 continues an important theme introduced in Hebrews 3—holding fast to faith so as to enter into God’s rest (i.e., inherit the promise of eternal life). The writer strikes an analogy between the rest of God, earlier related to entrance (o...
22:04:58
2017-10-15
Hebrews 3 is the reader’s first introduction to what will be a familiar tension in the book: conditional statements about the believer’s salvation status. This episode focuses on this tension, pointing out that conditional statements in Hebrews are no...
22:12:07
2017-10-07
This episode continues our discussion of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) from the previous episode. Our guest on this episode is Dr. Michael L. Brown, biblical scholar and host of the well-known radio show, Line of Fire. Dr. Brown has long been part o...
22:27:01
2017-09-30
What is the New Apostolic Reformation, with Holly Pivec
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) seems to quite clearly justify labeling it a movement or denomination. Millions of people around the world are part of its network of churches. However, many NAR l...
22:02:35
2017-09-24
September 23 has come and gone. The world didn’t end. Jesus didn’t return. There was no rapture. Planet X (Nibiru) never showed up. Why not? The answers involve both astronomy and sound biblical interpretation. We’ll leave the astronomy to experts i...
22:15:59
2017-09-16
In Hebrews 2 the writer continues to focus on the supremacy of Christ to the Law (Torah) and angels. Christ is superior for many reasons, but chiefly because only he, through his sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection could provide the eternal sacrif...
22:02:36
2017-09-09
The writer of Hebrews builds on his assertions that the particular son of God (Jesus) who was the agent of creation, eternal wisdom, and the essence of God, by comparing him to other supernatural sons of God (angels). But what does a phrase like “You ar...
22:03:26
2017-09-02
Hebrews 1:1-4 sets the tone for the entire epistle. The writer asserts that the revelation given by God through one particular son—Jesus Christ—is superior to Torah. It is Christ who is the full expression of God’s wisdom, and the actual, essential ...
56:12
2017-09-02
Dr. Heiser answers questions from a live audience. Thank you to Wayland Baptist University for hosting and Nathan for organizing the event. Thank you to everyone who came and joined us in Lubbock, Texas.
22:08:44
2017-08-26
This episode launches the next book study on the podcast: the book of Hebrews. After discussing some preliminaries about the book, the episode preps listeners to the fact that Hebrews is a book that draws heavily on the Old Testament. That strategy of the...
47:43
2017-08-05
In the previous episodes on Melchizedek we covered the Old Testament data (Parts 1A, 1B) and Second Temple Jewish interpretation (Part 2) of the enigmatic Melchizedek. This episode focuses on Hebrews 7, the New Testament passage that focuses on Melchizede...
22:34:42
2017-07-30
Surviving and Thriving in Seminary, with Danny Zacharias and Ben Forrest
Ever thought about taking a seminary class? Getting a degree in biblical studies? Even if you haven’t and just want good advice on how to do biblical research on your own, you’ll...
22:12:07
2017-07-23
In the previous two episodes on Melchizedek (1a, 1b) we covered the Old Testament data on this enigmatic figure. Jewish writers and readers in the Second Temple Period (ca. 500 BC – 70 AD) naturally had ideas on who Melchizedek was and how to understand...
59:29
2017-07-15
Melchizedek is one of the more enigmatic figures in the Bible. Mentioned in only two passages in the Old Testament (Gen 14:17-24; Psalm 110), he nevertheless drew a lot of attention during the Second Temple Period and the New Testament. Thousands of pages...
44:43
2017-07-09
Melchizedek is one of the more enigmatic figures in the Bible. Mentioned in only two passages in the Old Testament (Gen 14:17-24; Psalm 110), he nevertheless drew a lot of attention during the Second Temple Period and the New Testament. Thousands of pages...
22:14:57
2017-06-24
David Burnett returns to the podcast to discuss Paul’s defense of his apostleship and his heavenly ascent in 2 Corinthians 11-12. This episode expands upon an earlier episode on Paul’s ascent, specifically linking it to Second Temple Jewish apocalypti...
22:07:46
2017-06-18
Gerald R. McDermott (PhD, University of Iowa) is Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. Before joining Beeson, he was the Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion at Roanoke College. He is also associate pastor at Christ ...
22:16:36
2017-06-11
The “evil eye” was a widespread superstition in the ancient world, one that continues on into the present day. The belief that one could cause someone harm merely by looking at them, or cast a spell over them by the same means, shows up in ancient Egy...
22:05:55
2017-06-03
In this episode Dr. Heiser talks to the men behind a new translation project, John Hobbins and Samuel Bray. The first volume of their effort is entitled Genesis 1-11: A New Old Translation for Readers, Scholars, and Translators. Our discussion focuses on ...
22:14:15
2017-05-28
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
resource referenced:
Erickson, The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament...
48:15
2017-05-21
The episode of Noah’s drunkenness in Genesis 9 has long befuddled interpreters. One of Noah’s sons, Ham, commits some heinous crime against his father. Oddly, though, Ham is not the one cursed by his father. Instead, Ham’s son Canaan bears the wrath...
22:31:27
2017-05-14
The Ark of the Covenant is well-known because of the popular Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. That pop culture film offers just one of over a dozen theories on what happened to the Ark of the Covenant. The question arises because the ark is n...
22:18:03
2017-05-06
This episode continues our discussion of Ezekiel’s temple vision. Whereas Part 1 noted the problems a literalistic approach produces for both coherent interpretation and consistency in biblical theology, this episode looks at positive indications in the...
22:04:36
2017-04-30
These final chapters of Ezekiel are known for the prophet’s vision of a new temple. However, scattered within that vision is an enigmatic figure referred to as the “prince” (Hebrew: nasiʾ). In this episode we discuss whether or not Ezekiel’s temp...
22:07:51
2017-04-22
This episode features a conversation with David Limbaugh, author of The True Jesus: Uncovering the Divinity of Christ in the Gospels. While the conversation naturally focuses on David’s most recent book, we also get to know him, his spiritual journe...
22:05:03
2017-04-08
This follow-up to Part 1 on these popular and controversial chapters focuses on the interpretation of the Gog-Magog invasion as a whole. Special attention is paid to how Rev 20:7-10 re-purposes Ezekiel 38-39 and how that re-purposing is consistent with a ...
22:01:58
2017-04-01
Ezekiel 38-39, Part 1: Who or What is Gog?
As was the case with Ezekiel 37, these chapters are among the most familiar in the entire book of Ezekiel. This first of two episodes on these chapters focuses on the terminology: Gog, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and ...
22:20:42
2017-03-26
Ezekiel 37 is one of the most familiar in the entire book, but that familiarity really extends only to the first fourteen verses. The chapter actually contains two oracles which telegraph the same ideas and work in tandem. This episode discusses the visio...
45:39
2017-03-18
These two chapters seems intrusive. The oracles against the nations ended in Ezekiel 32, followed by the announcement of Jerusalem’s fall (ch. 33) and a transition to the future hope of Israel (ch. 34). Chapters 35-36 are an oracle against Edom (“Moun...
22:18:46
2017-03-11
This episode follows episodes 68 and 120. Fern, Audrey, and Beth minister to trauma victims whose trauma has produced DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) or involved Trauma-based Mind Control (TBMC). If those terms and associated concepts are unfamilia...
22:03:37
2017-02-27
On the surface, these chapters finalize the destruction of Jerusalem and the covenant failure of its leadership and people as the cause. But there is more than meets the eye. The notion of a “watchman” prominent in Ezekiel chapter 33 is found elsewher...
22:00:39
2017-02-19
Ezekiel 32 is a lament for the empire of Egypt, whose hubris was compared to a rebellious divine council member in the previous chapter (one of the “trees” of God’s garden in Lebanon/Eden). This episode focuses on two items in the chapter. Early in ...
22:10:19
2017-02-12
Ezekiel 31 is part of the prophet’s oracles against Egypt (chs. 29-32). The chapter strikes an analogy between the mighty nation of Egypt and a great cedar tree in Eden, the envy of other glorious trees in the garden of God. The symbol of the “world t...
22:08:43
2017-02-05
Ezekiel 29-30 are the first two of four chapters that preserve a series of oracles against Egypt and her Pharaoh. As in the case of the oracles against the prince of Tyre, Ezekiel’s imagery of cosmic, non-human forces of chaos that resist God’s order ...
22:04:07
2017-01-29
The focus in this episode is Ezek 28:1-19. As readers of my book, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible know, this is a controversial passage. All scholars agree that this is an oracle and lament against a human prince of ...
49:13
2017-01-21
Five of the seven nations that are the target of judgment oracles were found in Ezekiel 25. Tyre takes its position in the prophetic crosshairs next. Over the course of three chapters (26-28), God has Ezekiel pronounce Tyre’s dire future in the wake of ...
55:30
2017-01-15
Following the prophecy of Jerusalem’s fall (Ezek 24), the next major section in the book of Ezekiel is a series of oracles against the foreign, enemy nations that celebrated the city’s demise. Seven nations are denounced by the prophet as under Yahweh...
47:59
2017-01-08
Chapter 24 is a turning book in the book of Ezekiel. After Ezekiel’s call (Ch. 1-3), the book has, to this point, been a series of gloom-and-doom pronouncements to the exiled Jews in Babylon subverting their expectations that Jerusalem, the temple, and ...
22:39:36
2016-12-25
On what day was Jesus actually born? What year? Does the timing matter? Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, but virtually all Christians know that day isn’t the real birth date of the messiah. While that is certainly the case, has th...
58:59
2016-12-17
Ezekiel 23 essentially takes up where Ezekiel 16 left off. The latter chapter is perhaps the most sexual explicit in the entire Bible, as its theme is to present Jerusalem and Judah as a whore to telegraph her spiritual betrayal of Yahweh. In this chapter...
56:41
2016-12-10
These two chapters of Ezekiel beat a familiar drum: Jerusalem is doomed (21) because of her unrelenting wickedness and apostasy (22). Chapter 21 consists of four oracles “clarifying” for hard-of-hearing Israelites what fate awaited them as Nebuchadnez...
22:24:14
2016-12-04
These two chapters in Ezekiel rehearse parts of Israel’s tragic history in different ways. This episode discusses both chapters, but devotes more attention to several controversial and difficult passages in chapter 20. Ezekiel 19 is a lamentation that u...
22:03:52
2016-11-27
During the recent annual meetings for biblical studies scholars held in San Antonio, Dr. Heiser interviewed a number of scholars about their recent work. In Part 6 of those interviews, we chat with Stephen Huebscher (PhD candidate at Clarks Summit Univers...
23:21:18
2016-11-26
Our first live episode where Dr. Heiser and special guest David Burnett answer questions from a live audience. Thank you to everyone who came and joined us in San Antonio, Texas.
...
55:05
2016-11-25
During the recent annual meetings for biblical studies scholars held in San Antonio, Dr. Heiser interviewed a number of scholars about their recent work. In Part 5 of those interviews, we meet Dr. John Walton (Old Testament professor at Wheaton College), ...
22:07:29
2016-11-24
During the recent annual meetings for biblical studies scholars held in San Antonio, Dr. Heiser interviewed a number of scholars about their recent work. In Part 4 of those interviews, we chat with Dr. N. T. Wright (former Bishop of Durham and Canon of We...
50:41
2016-11-23
During the recent annual meetings for biblical studies scholars held in San Antonio, Dr. Heiser interviewed a number of scholars about their recent work. In Part 3 of those interviews, we hear again from David Burnett, a familiar voice on the podcast, and...
56:55
2016-11-22
During the recent annual meetings for biblical studies scholars held in San Antonio, Dr. Heiser interviewed a number of scholars about their recent work. In Part 2 of those interviews, we meet Dr. Andy Naselli (New Testament professor at Bethlehem College...
22:08:32
2016-11-21
During the recent annual meetings for biblical studies scholars held in San Antonio, Dr. Heiser interviewed a number of scholars about their recent work. In this first installment, we hear from Dr. Carl Sanders and Thomas Hudgens (respectively, professors...
55:39
2016-11-13
Ezekiel 18 focuses on one central idea: individual accountability for one’s own sinfulness. The chapter opens with God’s rejection of the pervasive Israelite idea that the suffering of one generation is the result of the sins of previous generations. ...
22:20:36
2016-11-05
Everyone interested in the study of Scripture wants to feel adequate to the task. But there are many obstacles—real and merely imagined—to being competent in Bible study. In this episode Dr. Heiser interviews his long-time friend and colleague, Johnny...
22:00:04
2016-10-29
Ezekiel 17 presents a riddle or parable of two eagles about the treachery of Zedekiah, the puppet governor appointed by Nebuchadnezzar to replace Jehoiachin, the Judahite king taken captive in an earlier wave of exile of which Ezekiel had been a part. Zed...
22:13:06
2016-10-23
Ezekiel 16 is known for being the most sexually explicit chapter in the Bible. Some scholars even consider it pornographic. The prophet casts the city of Jerusalem as a whore when articulating why God has condemned it and marked it for destruction. This e...
22:07:24
2016-10-14
The words of Ezekiel 14-15 were addressed to Jewish elders in Babylon who had come to Ezekiel for a word from the Lord. Knowing they were still idol worshippers in their hearts, God refused to give them comfort. Instead he lowered the boom: Jerusalem’s ...
51:39
2016-10-08
The prophet Ezekiel has telegraphed the doom of Jerusalem in a series of visual re-enactment signs, visions, and prophetic oracles. Chapters 12-13 continue with more sign acts, but shifts to God’s assessment of objections by the exiles as to the certain...
22:23:55
2016-09-30
Fern and Audrey return with an update on their work with ritual abuse survivors, and introduce a colleague (“Beth”) who does the same work. Beth tells listeners her own story of growing up in “traditional” deliverance ministry, and how her approac...
22:14:49
2016-09-25
Ezekiel 10-11 are the concluding chapters to a prophetic vision that began in chapter 8. In this episode we discover how these chapters provide more Godhead talk from the Old Testament and the departure of the glory of God from the temple.
22:24:40
2016-09-18
Dr. Heiser answers your questions.
links referenced:
Romans 5:12 and the fate of the unborn, aborted, those who cannot believe
Dissociative Disorder
Link to Mike’s recommended reading for 2nd Temple Jewish Literature
(not mentioned on th...
22:21:43
2016-09-11
Ezekiel 8 and 9 falls in the section of Ezekiel that concerns two themes: the punishment of Jerusalem and the departure of the glory of God. In Chapter 8 we’re introduced to some specific points of Israelite idolatry – worship of Asherah and worshippi...
22:05:00
2016-09-03
Having performed a series of sign acts dramatizing the demise of Jerusalem and the temple in (Ezek 4-5) and explaining the justification for God’s punishment (Ezek 6), in Ezekiel 7 the prophet tries to jolt the exiles with the reality of the impending d...
22:16:05
2016-08-28
Chapter 6 of the book of Ezekiel focuses on the primary reason for Judah’s exile: idolatry. This episode discusses the vocabulary used by Ezekiel for idolatry and spiritual apostasy and its links back to passages like Leviticus 26, which connect occupat...
22:13:24
2016-08-21
These two chapters of Ezekiel confront the reader with a series of “sign acts” on the part of the prophet. These signs are dramatic visualizations of events that are or will befall Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. They present a range of int...
22:09:06
2016-08-14
The second and third chapters of Ezekiel continue the episode of his call as a prophet. This episode of the podcast focuses on some interpretive issues in the chapters as well as some divine council elements that get less attention than chapter 1....
22:07:18
2016-08-06
The vision of Ezekiel 1 (also described in Ezekiel 10) is one of the more famous passages in the Bible. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode Dr. Heiser explains what we’re looking at in Ezekiel 1 and what it means. Along the way, i...
22:06:26
2016-07-30
This episode marks the beginning of the Naked Bible Podcast series on the book of Ezekiel. Several characteristics set Ezekiel off from the rest of the classical (“Writing”) prophets: the prophet’s bizarre behavior, the use of symbols and symbolic a...
48:44
2016-07-15
In view of Mike’s work on the divine council and Psalm 82 in his best-selling book, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, many have asked what’s going on in John 10, where Jesus defends his deity by quoting Psalm 82. Th...
22:01:29
2016-07-02
This episode continues and concludes our discussion on the book of Obadiah, with an emphasis on its foretelling of Edom’s doom and how that prophecy was – and will be – fulfilled.
48:49
2016-06-26
Chances are good that you’ve never read the book of Obadiah. If you have, you likely haven’t given it much thought. In this first of two episodes devoted to the book, we get a bird’s eye view of what Obadiah is about and why it’s important for for...
22:04:43
2016-06-19
Our 13th Question and Answer episode!
paper and video referenced:
Heiser OT Response to Pagan Divination
22:26:36
2016-06-12
On a previous episode, Mike interview Rick Brannan on how we got the New Testament Testament and why conspiratorial ideas about the Greek New Testament are bogus. In this episode the Old Testament gets equal time. Mike overviews how the OT books were comp...
22:13:20
2016-06-05
Many Bible students find the episode in Numbers 21:1-9 confusing. Why would God tell Moses to make a bronze serpent (nachash)? Did God forget about the serpent of Genesis 3? Why would Jesus compare his impending death on the cross to the bronze serpent? T...
54:16
2016-05-28
It’s common among Christians to interpret Paul’s statement that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:25-26) to refer to mean that national Israel will be saved by God in the end or that all Jews will eventually turn to the messiah in the end times. ...
22:15:15
2016-05-21
Lots of Christians interested in prophecy talk about the tribulation period (aka, the “Great Tribulation”), but they never seem to get around to asking where the idea comes from. In this episode we explore the development of the eschatological tribula...
22:16:42
2016-05-15
We reached a milestone and celebrated with our listeners. Thanks to all who sent in their thoughts. It’s gratifying for both Trey and myself to be helpful to those who care about biblical content. Thank you for listening to The Naked Bible Podcast God ...
22:32:14
2016-05-10
How did we get the New Testament? This episode is in response to listener requests. Mike and Trey interview Rick Brannan, the information specialist for Greek New Testament products and databases at Logos Bible Software, about how we got the New Testament...
22:30:04
2016-04-30
In this episode Mike and Trey talk with Tim Andrews and Rich Baker about alternative ways to think about church – specifically, if church wasn’t a time or a place, what would that be like? Tim Andrews currently lives in Atlanta, GA, and has been in le...
22:48:35
2016-04-09
This episode invites David Burnett back to the podcast for a discussion of his research on 1 Cor 15:35-50. In an earlier episode on this chapter, we talked about the meaning of Paul’s phrase “the spiritual body.” This time around, David draws our at...
22:20:31
2016-04-02
Biblical scholars know that Paul subordinates the Law to Christ (Gal 3:1-18). He writes about how the Law could not result in the fruition of the promises given to Abraham (and, by extension, to all nations; Gen 12:1-3). Paul then asks “Why then was the...
22:02:36
2016-03-29
The book we know as 1 Enoch was well known to early Christians. Its importance produced an understandable question among some influential early Christian writers and, one may presume, Christians in general: Should 1 Enoch be considered inspired and thus ...
37:42
2016-03-19
Ezekiel 28:14, 16 describe an “anointed cherub” who walked in the midst of “the stones of fire” and was removed from among “the stones of fire.” What are the stones of fire? What do these verses describe? How do the phrases relate to what’...
50:21
2016-03-05
This episode discusses why hellfire in the New Testament is associated with “the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41). Where does that idea come from? There are in fact earlier books that are the basis for this language—inside and outside the Old ...
22:03:42
2016-02-28
There are over a dozen references in the Old and New Testaments to “books” in heaven. The idea of such books extends back to Sumer and Mesopotamian (“tablets of destinies”). In this episode, we trace the lineage of the idea through ancient Near Ea...
49:35
2016-02-20
This episode focuses on Paul’s language, in 1 Cor 15 and elsewhere, about the “spiritual body” of the resurrected Jesus—a body that believers will also share. In Paul’s day, Gentiles (Greco-Roman culture) and Jews (OT) both believed that g...
43:17
2016-02-14
There is no direct talk in the Old Testament about the messiah, the son of David, would cast out demons. Yet that title (“son of David”) is found only in the synoptic gospels in association with Jesus’ healing and demonic exorcisms. While healing is...
58:11
2016-02-07
This episode begins a series of topical episodes following the end of our series on Leviticus. The topic for this episode is the controversial head covering reference in 1 Cor. 11:13-15. The discussion summarizes the material discussed in a scholarly jour...
22:09:16
2016-01-30
Our 9th Question and Answer episode! Also find out what topics are next for the podcast.
to support our show go to: our Support page
Harvey book on term Jew:
Graham Harvey, The True Israel: Uses of the Names Jew, Hebrew, and Israel in Ancient Jewish and ...
22:08:59
2016-01-23
This episode covers Leviticus 26-27, bringing our study of Leviticus to a close. Our focus is primarily a question raised by Lev 26 — whether the offer of restoration to Yahweh (and thus to the land) described in Lev 26:40-42 is being fulfilled now ...
22:16:26
2016-01-17
This episode discusses items in three chapters of Leviticus including how Leviticus 23 conceptualizes the Sabbath, how its description of Israelite feasts and festivals diverges with other passages in the Torah, the imagery of the “shewbread” (“brea...
22:15:32
2016-01-10
Our 8th Question and Answer episode!
to support our show go to: our Support page
59:45
2016-01-02
Leviticus 21-22 overlaps a great deal with earlier material in Leviticus. This episode focuses on certain mourning rites and Israel’s need to maintain a holiness distinction from pagan religions in that regard. Of special interest in this episode is Lev...
22:02:41
2015-12-26
This episode covers two chapters in Leviticus, chapters 19-20. Leviticus 19 is essentially a mini-Torah of sorts, in that it mimes a number of the Ten Commandments and a wide range of laws and commandments that are representative of the overall Torah. Cha...
22:17:11
2015-12-18
These two chapters launch that portion of Leviticus (17-26) that scholars refer to as the Holiness Code. The Holiness Code is oriented by the idea that the people of Israel bear the responsibility for holiness, a concept expressed in Lev 19:2 (“You shal...
36:28
2015-12-12
Every year Mike attends the annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), the Institute for Biblical Research (IBR), the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the American Academy of Religion (AAR). This year Mike recorded short convers...
22:07:06
2015-12-06
Every year Mike attends the annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), the Institute for Biblical Research (IBR), the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the American Academy of Religion (AAR). This year Mike recorded short convers...
59:55
2015-11-30
This episode focuses on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ritual. Unlike many popular commentaries teach, this important Old Testament ritual was about “resetting” the tabernacle/temple sanctuary, its priesthood, and the Israelite people to the state ...
59:48
2015-11-21
This episode covers Leviticus 12-15, chapters that speak to the ritual impurity of women after childbirth, skin diseases (commonly referred to as leprosy), and loss of bodily fluids. The episode discusses the theological and worldview rationale for the la...
45:51
2015-11-07
This chapter of Leviticus describes the categories of clean and unclean animals allowed or disallowed for food. The Israelite “food laws” have long puzzled scholars. This episode overviews the various approaches to discovering a coherent rationale for...
38:57
2015-11-01
Leviticus 10 describes the deaths of the priests Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, for offering “strange fire”. The nature of their transgression and other admonitions from God to the priesthood are discussed in this episode.
55:01
2015-10-24
Leviticus 8-9 describes two distinct but related ceremonies: the consecration of the altar and Tabernacle, and the consecration of Aaron as High Priest (vv. 6–12) and his sons as priests. This episode focuses on some of the objects worn by the high prie...
22:13:11
2015-10-18
Our 7th Question and Answer episode!
to support our show go to: our Support page
video referenced:
Genesis & Creation – Class 3 of 4 – September 29, 2010 from Grace Church Bellingham on Vimeo....
22:07:28
2015-10-10
Our 6th Question and Answer episode!
to support our show go to: our Support page
papers referenced in the show:
MAGIC-DPL-Arnold
Magical Papyri-DNTB-Arnold...
22:01:27
2015-10-04
These two chapters of Leviticus present the “law” for each of the sacrifices described in chapters 1–5. The earlier chapters emphasize the mechanics of the sacrifices (e.g., the preparation of sacrifices and their ingredients). Leviticus 6-7, on t...
52:51
2015-09-26
In this episode we take a break from Leviticus to talk to two friends of Mike who use the divine council worldview of biblical theology in a unique way – ministering to deliberately / ritually traumatized people (e.g., victims of human trafficking and s...
49:09
2015-09-18
Leviticus 5 focuses on the so-called “guilt offering” of the OT sacrificial system. As was the case with the “sin offering” of Leviticus 4, the terminology / translation “guilt offering” is misleading, due to how Christians naturally filter OT...
53:33
2015-09-12
Leviticus 4 focuses on the instructions for, and meaning of, the so-called “sin offering” of the OT sacrificial system. In this episode, we talk about how the translation “sin offering” is misleading, due to how Christians naturally filter OT sacr...
49:29
2015-09-05
Each of these two chapters covers a different offering: the grain offering (Lev 2) and the “peace offering” (Lev 3). This episode focuses on the theological messaging of prohibitions (leaven, honey) and requirements (salt) in the rituals....
47:16
2015-08-29
Leviticus 1 focuses on one offering, the burnt offering. Our focus this episode is how an Israelite (not a modern Christian) would have processed the ritual and its meaning. The burnt offering was not about forgiveness of sin. Rather, it was designed to i...
56:37
2015-08-21
Leviticus is a fascinating but neglected book. In this episode Dr. Heiser introduces the flow of the book and important concepts that will reoccur throughout the book: sacred space, holiness, and ritual impurity vs. moral impurity.
...
22:09:35
2015-08-15
Our 5th Question and Answer episode!
to support our show go to:
patreon.com/nakedbible
59:15
2015-08-07
In this episode Mike interviews his friend and fellow divine council researcher David Burnett. David is a graduate student and teaching pastor in Texas. Mike and David discuss how they met, David’s research, and how he teaches Scripture framed by a div...
48:25
2015-08-02
This episode wraps up our study of the book of Acts. These two chapters focus on Luke’s account of Paul’s hazardous journey by ship to Rome. Through the course of his narrative, Luke drops some cryptic references to the theological concept of a promis...
22:12:10
2015-07-25
Our 4th Question and Answer episode!
to support our show go to:
patreon.com/nakedbible
paper referenced in the show:
Chiel-The-Mysterious-Book-of-Jasher...
45:08
2015-07-18
These chapters cover the trials and imprisonments of Paul before setting sail for Rome to appeal to Caesar. Rather than focusing on the trial scenes, this episode of the podcast for the most part focuses on several statements of theological importance nes...
40:58
2015-07-12
In an earlier episode (#50), we asked whether Paul’s stoning at Lystra in Acts 14 was the backdrop for the heavenly visionary experience he described in 2 Corinthians 12. Did Paul in fact have an NDE? We concluded that the chronology Paul alluded to in ...
44:03
2015-07-04
Acts 20-21 describes Paul’s last missionary trip before returning to Jerusalem where he was saved by Roman soldiers from rioting Jews who spotted him in the temple. His deliverance would ultimately result in an appeal to Caesar and subsequent journey to...
59:36
2015-06-28
In this episode Mike chats with his friend and co-conspirator in divine council research, Dr. Ronn Johnson. Ronn and Mike met as undergraduates in Bible college in the early 1980s. Ronn has a PhD in Bible Exposition (Old and New Testament) from Dallas The...
22:06:01
2015-06-20
Acts 18-19 introduce three people that become part of Paul’s ministry and the storyline of his missionary journeys: Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos. This episode discusses some of the language in Luke’s description of how the testimonies of people who ...
22:26:26
2015-06-13
Our third Question and Answer episode!
to support our show go to:
patreon.com/nakedbible
Here are the papers referenced in the show:
REMNANT-DOTPROPH
RESTORATION OF ISRAEL, Remnant-DPL...
49:47
2015-06-06
In Acts 16 Timothy joins Paul and Silas. In these two chapters there are several items of interest: the Spirit forbids and directs the team, they encounter a “python spirit,” they are supernaturally delivered from prison, and Paul uses some pagan lite...
57:56
2015-05-30
Acts 15 is the account of the Jerusalem council, the meeting of the leadership of the church in Jerusalem, along with Paul and Barnabas, to discuss the matter of Gentile acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some Jewish believers were of the opinion t...
45:52
2015-05-23
Acts 14 has several items of interest related to the ancient supernatural worldview of the New Testament writers. This episode will take us into Greco-Roman beliefs about the gods, some Pauline commentary on the Deuteronomy 32 worldview, and the possible ...
44:58
2015-05-16
Acts 13 marks the transition in the book to the ministry of Paul. That is, Paul and the mission to the Gentile nations becomes the focus, whereas the church in Jerusalem fades into the backdrop. In this episode, we’ll discuss the odd citation of Psalm 2...
53:53
2015-05-10
This episode continues with the expansion of the early church. In the wake of Cornelius’ conversion, early Christians (who are mostly converted Jews or converted Jewish proselytes) are learning that the gospel is meant for Gentiles as well. This episode...
47:34
2015-05-02
Acts 10 is the account of Peter’s vision whereby God teaches him that Gentiles are acceptable candidates for the gospel and the first transparently Gentile convert in the book of Acts – the centurion Cornelius. The chapter takes us into Jewish attitud...
22:13:33
2015-04-25
Our second Question and Answer episode!
Here are the papers referenced in the show:
Why use the Septuagint?
ANE Pagan Divination Practices
Belial-Mastema-Satan-Devil-DNTB
LordsDayDLNT...
51:03
2015-04-18
Acts 9 marks a transition in the story of the early church – the conversion of Saul, apostle to the Gentiles. That’s the part everyone knows (and it’s important, to say the least). But there are other interesting and noteworthy things going on in th...
41:45
2015-04-10
Acts 8 features snippets from the ministries of Peter and Philip. Against the backdrop of Jesus’ words that the disciples would take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the “uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8), as well as the messaging...
49:42
2015-04-04
Acts 6-7 are familiar to most Bible students as being about the selection of deacons and Stephen’s martyrdom. For sure those items are important, but there are other items of interest in these chapters that are frequently overlooked. Some of these conne...
52:52
2015-03-27
Acts 4-5 picks up threads discussed in previous podcasts: the “name theology” of biblical theology re-imagined in Jesus, the use of the OT by NT writers to make subtle theological assertions, and the “having all things in common” theme. We’ll di...
50:29
2015-03-20
There are two focus points in this episode. The first is Acts 3:6, specifically the concept of the “name” and the NT understanding of the term “Christ” (Greek: Christos). Is the term merely an adjective (“anointed”)? Is it a proper nam...
45:21
2015-03-14
Our first Question and Answer episode!
Here is the paper referenced in the show:
GOD’S PLAN AND GOD’S POWER: ISAIAH 66 AND THE RESTRAINING FACTORS OF 2 THESS 2:6-7...
33:08
2015-03-06
This passage has been used by scholars and lay folks alike to justify socialism, communism, or some sort of politically utopian society that has the veneer of socialism or communism. This isn’t the case at all. Jesus couldn’t have been clearer when he...
51:52
2015-02-27
This episode will focus on two items of biblical theology that are controversial in biblical study:
How the New Testament writers / apostles quoted the Old Testament
The meaning of Acts 2:38
Of the two, the second is more familiar to Christians due to de...
22:04:17
2015-02-21
While this episode covers Acts 2:1-21, the emphasis is on vv. 14-21. The first thirteen verses are only summarized with respect to what they describe and its biblical-theological significance. Listeners are encouraged to watch the video Introducing the Di...
41:57
2015-02-14
This episode focuses on the decision to replace Judas and restore the number of disciples to 12. There are several issues of interest:
What was an apostle?
What was the significance of the criteria for choosing the replacement for Judas?
What are the OT...
40:52
2015-02-05
Most Bible students would say this passage is about the ascension of Jesus to heaven. For sure that’s described, but the passage directs our attention to several points of biblical theology that are simultaneously tied to the OT and look forward to the ...
20:49
2015-01-22
Episode 33 continues our series on Bible study at the word level. Last time we talked about word usage as it pertains to usage by a single biblical author within the scope of that author’s writings. Our launching point was the lemma behind “...
26:31
2015-01-22
Today we’re continuing with our series on Bible study at the word level. Last time we talked about exegetical fallacies that arise from flawed word study methods. In this episode, I want to transition to some important elements that go into word stu...
19:54
2015-01-22
This episode continues the series on studying the Bible at the word level. The episode utilizes the audio of a short screen capture video (click to download) that Dr. Heiser created to illustrate a range of exegetical fallacies that amateur researchers ...
22:51
2015-01-22
In this episode, the series on taking Bible study seriously transitions to word level research by overviewing some directions we’ll take as we think about studying biblical words.
14:35
2015-01-22
In this episode, we’re going to talk about two genres: prophecy and apocalyptic. The reason for doubling up will become apparent as we proceed, but basically we need to talk about these two genres because most modern Bible students don’t realize there...
20:56
2015-01-22
This episode of the Naked Bible podcast features Dr. Heiser's interview with his friend Dr. Sam Lamerson about the use of the comedic genre in the New Testament. Dr. Lamerson is Professor of New Testament at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, ...
12:23
2015-01-22
In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in light of its various types of literature – its literary genres. We looked at parables and offered some guidelines for interpreting them. In this episode, we’re going to brief...
14:34
2015-01-22
In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in light of its various types of literature – its literary genres. We looked at an example related to the New Testament – how the literary features of Greco-Roman phantom tales ...
13:40
2015-01-22
In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in light of its various types of literature – its literary genres. We’re going to continue that effort in this episode and shift gears into the New Testament.
I want to look tod...
18:05
2015-01-22
In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in a way that amounts to more than reading by taking a look at the legal genre in Old Testament books. Today we’re focusing on another genre – military annals. I think the best ...
15:55
2015-01-22
In the last episode of our series on studying the Bible, we transitioned to an important area of study: learning to read the Bible in terms of the various types of literature found in its pages. Our first example concerned reading narrative, where I recom...
23:33
2015-01-22
In the past few episodes of the podcast series on learning how to really study your Bible, I’ve focused on the issue of how critical it is to take the Bible in its own context, not a context that is familiar to us, like modern evangelicalism or the Refo...
25:56
2015-01-22
In the last podcast, I recommended the best books and reference sources for understanding the religion and culture of the ANE for OT study. This episode wraps up my overview of taking the Bible’s own context seriously by immersing oneself into the intel...
23:37
2015-01-22
We’ve talked in previous episodes about how the best way to understood the original context of the biblical writers is to immerse yourself in the worldview of the civilizations with which the biblical writers had regular contact. We’ve already s...
24:24
2015-01-22
The series on Bible study continues with the emphasis on interpreting the Bible in its own context. The context we’re discussing is the world of the ancient Near East (with respect to the OT) and the Second Temple period with respect to the NT. Inte...
18:24
2015-01-22
The last episode of the podcast dealt with the need to tap into the intellectual output of the ancient Mediterranean world — the Bible’s own context – in order to start thinking the thoughts of the biblical writers. This episode takes this recom...
28:26
2015-01-22
In this second episode of the series on Bible study, Dr. Heiser discusses what interpreting the Bible “in context” really means — taking the Bible’s own primitive context seriously. Rather than filter the Bible through creeds datin...
16:54
2015-01-22
This episode begins a series on learning how to engage the biblical text in ways that take you beyond merely reading the Bible. Dr. Heiser overviews a popular Naked Bible blog post (“Heiser’s Laws for Bible Study“) as an introduction. ...
18:16
2015-01-21
This episode builds on the previous one, where Dr. Heiser discussed the context of Paul’s teachings on the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11 — namely, the three chapters prior, 1 Corinthians 8-10. Those chapters show Paul laying out the ...
17:48
2015-01-21
This episode transitions the discussion of a biblical theology of the Lord’s Supper to the primary passage in the New Testament on the topic: 1 Corinthians 11. The episode focuses on the context of 1 Corinthians 8-10 for informing what Paul says abo...
12:12
2015-01-21
Today’s episode continues the problem of John 6, the “bread of life” passage. We explore the rest of the passage, drawing attention to two items: that the second half of the passage needs to be interpreted in light of the first half, and that Jo...
14:54
2015-01-21
When I introduced this topic and series, I said that I’m convinced that this doctrine is one of the least critically examined of all biblical doctrines. This episode gets us into some territory that illustrates the pervasive influence of assumptions abo...
9:39
2015-01-21
Today we begin a new topic, and with it a short series on a doctrine that most listeners will have heard of or experienced firsthand. I think it would be difficult to find anyone who has spent any time in a Christian church of any denomination who has not...
11:42
2015-01-21
Our next problem passage related to baptism is Acts 2:38. The interpretation of this passage involves the Greek preposition eis as well as the overall context of the book of Acts when it comes to repentance and baptism.
13:19
2015-01-21
Acts 22:16 is a passage that often provokes debate due to its apparent connection between baptism and “washing away” of sins. But that idea is connected to other phrases in succession in the passage. How should Acts 22:16 be interpreted amid t...
13:49
2015-01-21
1 Peter 3:14-22 is an odd, controversial passage since it amalgamates, baptism, salvation, Noah, the ark, and Jesus’ descent to preach to spirits in the Underworld. The key to understanding the passage is to recognize that Peter embraces the worldvi...
16:25
2015-01-21
How should baptism be done — immersion, sprinkling, or pouring — and can we gain any clarity about this from the biblical text?
This episode of the Naked Bible focuses on the mode of baptism, focusing on the Greek word baptizo, frequently tran...
8:06
2015-01-21
Getting the Baptism-Circumcision Relationship Right: Adult and Believer’s Baptism
In the previous episode, we talked about how to articulate a biblically defensible doctrine of infant baptism, one that avoids the theological problems created when ...
10:38
2015-01-21
Getting the Baptism-Circumcision Relationship Right
In the last few episodes, we saw how some of Christianity’s historic creeds made statements about baptism (particularly infant baptism) that muddles an otherwise clear gospel presentation. The prob...
13:36
2015-01-21
Contradictions over baptism and salvation in creeds, continued (Part 3).
In the previous episode, we saw how the Belgic Confession and Heidelberg Catechisms offered muddled, contradictory statements on salvation by grace through faith and what happens at ...
18:44
2015-01-21
Contradictions over baptism and salvation in creeds, continued (Part 2).
In the previous episode, we saw how the Belgic Confession was, in places, clear on its articulation of the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone. And yet when it discuss...
11:37
2015-01-21
In the first podcast episode on baptism, I made the comment that many well-known Christian creeds are internally contradictory when it comes to articulating the clear gospel (salvation by faith in Christ apart from any work or merit of our own) and baptis...
12:30
2015-01-21
Inaugural Episode: Introducing the series on understanding and misunderstanding baptism.
Everyone knows about baptism, right? What’s there to think about? Turns out quite a lot. Christian traditions all have positions on baptism, but it is rare to find ...