History in the Bible

Latest Episodes:

Bonus 40 Noah: The Movie, with Pod Academy Jan 23, 2022

Show notes

In this bonus episode, Gil Kidron and Rutger Vos graciously invite me on to their long-running show Pod Academy. This show is dedicated to applying a critical intellect to popular media, especially movies or TV series. In this bonus we discuss the 2014 movie Noah, staring Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson. With a special appearance by Ray Winstone, doing what Ray Winstone always does: being himself.

Bonus 39 The Twelve Minor Prophets VI: Haggai and Zechariah Jan 09, 2022

Show notes

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are the three post-exilic prophets. In Jewish tradition, they are the last of the prophets. After them, prophecy ceased. Haggai is a pragmatic man relaying God's words to the Jewish leadership. Although contemporary with Haggai, Zechariah is his polar opposite. Zechariah is off his nut, with the trippiest imagery outside of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation.

Bonus 38 The Twelve Minor Prophets V: Zephaniah and Habakkuk Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

I'm joined by Steve Guerra as we continue our series on the twelve minor Old Testament prophets. Here we tackle Zephaniah and Habakkuk. Both are short. Zephaniah ranted during the last decades of the kingdom of Judea. Zephaniah is doom, doom, doom. Habakkuk tackles with a fundamental problem about God's goodness: why is God about to let the wicked Babylonians overcome Judah?

3.12 Earliest Christians IV: Conflicts in John's Community Dec 05, 2021

Show notes

I finish my discussion of Revelation, cheekily asking if the book implies that only gays will go to heaven. The Greek East only grudgingly accepted the book. The book sulked in the shadows of Christianity until the 19th century, incomprehensible and unwanted. British Protestants re-interpreted the book as the veriest key to the whole Bible. That obsession took root in North America. I also peruse the amusing Acts of John, and the intriguing three letters attributed to John.

Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

3.11 Earliest Christians III: John's Community and Revelation Nov 14, 2021

Show notes

Alongside the Jerusalem Jesus clubs, the clubs founded by Paul and others, and the Thomasines, scholars believe there was a fourth primitive Christian community: the Johannines. This community produced the gospel of John, the letters attributed to John, and Revelation. They traced their foundation to John the Belove Disciple. I investigate this community, and introduce the fantastical book of Revelation.

Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

3.10 Earliest Christians II: Paul Against Peter Against Thomas Oct 24, 2021

Show notes

We believe there were four distinct early Christian communities: the gentile clubs of Paul, the Jewish clubs of Peter and James, the clubs who followed the writings of Thomas, and clubs attached to the disciple John. In this episode I tackle the first three. The letter to the Hebrews is the most vigorous exposition of Paul's views and denigration of his own people, the Jews. But the letter never claims Paul as its author. And its not even a letter. Various books try to harmonise Paul and Peter. In Acts, Peter sounds like Paul of the letters, and Paul sounds like Peter of the gospels. Acts may conceal a hostility to Paul in its depiction of Simon Magus. The pastoral letters move Paul closer to Peter's views. The two letters of Peter move Peter closer to Paul. The gospel of Thomas and Acts of Thomas show that some communities were attracted to early Gnostic views.

Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

3.9 Earliest Christians I: Deciphering Jesus Oct 03, 2021

Show notes

The earliest Christians had three theological problems to tackle. First, what exactly happened at the resurrection of Jesus? Was his physical body brought back to life? Or was he transformed into an immortal spiritual body? Perhaps he never had a mortal body in the first place. Second, how was Jesus related to God? Perhaps he was a good man adopted by God. Eventually Christians came to believe he was no mere man, but an eternal divine being. Third, what happens to people after they die? Jews knew that nothing happened to them. They were not in heaven or hell because there was no heaven or hell. In the world to come, God would eventually resurrect the dead back on earth. After many years, Christians decided that people possessed immortal souls, that went to heaven or hell immediately after death. The idea of the resurrection of the dead faded into the background.

3.8 After the Temple II: The Christians Sep 12, 2021

Show notes

Keynote ep: I look at the two earliest Christian communities we know about: the Judean clubs run from Jerusalem by James and Peter, and the pagan clubs founded by Paul and others. I also have excursions into why women lost their positions of authority in Paul's clubs, the gospel according to the Hebrews, and how Paul transformed the message of Jesus, into a message about Jesus.

Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

Bonus 37 The Patriarchs with A Podcast of Biblical Proportions Aug 22, 2021

Show notes

In this bonus episode I am joined by Omri and Gil of the rambunctious podcast "A Podcast of Biblical Proportions" for a discussion about the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and a little bit about Joseph.

Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

3.7 After the Temple I: The Judeans Aug 15, 2021

Show notes

Keynote ep: The rabbis now make their appearance: the heroes ben Zakkai and more Gamaliels than you can shake a stick at. Scholars grudgingly hold they are rebranded Pharisees, but they are willing to change their minds. The Romans diverted the old Temple tithe paid by the diaspora into a new tax, the fiscus Judaicus. As the Romans tried to work who was a Jew, and hence liable for the tax, they accidentally created the first formal distinction between Jews and Christians. We also see the writing of the last apocalypses and testaments.

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