Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman

Latest Episodes:

Christians and Romans Jan 31, 2023

Christianity started out as a tiny sect of Jewish followers of Jesus, but within 400 years it was the dominant religion of the Roman world and a major political force. It had a rough start, however; Romans did not accept this new movement with open arms. But was Christianity an illegal religion? Did the followers of Jesus have to hide in the catacombs? Did the emperors consider it a threat to the social order? In this episode we talk about the early reception of Christianity, in particular the persecutions, in order to explode many of the myths one hears about the new faith in its early days.

How Wild Can it Get? The Diversity of Early Christianity Jan 25, 2023

You think Christianity is diverse today? Fundamentalists? Roman Catholics? Mormons? Methodists? Branch Davidians? Episcopalians? Russian Orthodox? And on and on?

In fact, the wide varieties of Christian today pale in comparison with what you could find in antiquity, with beliefs that virtually defy belief. How could people with views that seem so far beyond the pale (that there were many gods? That the Creator was evil? That Christ never died?) call themselves Christian and claim they were following the teachings of Jesus? That's what we discuss in today's podcast.

The Genius of the Gospel of Matthew Jan 17, 2023

Most readers completely overlook Matthew's portrayal of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah who fulfills the Jewish Law AND insists that his followers do so as well. (What? Jesus' followers have to KEEP the Law of Moses?) But Matthew conveys the message loud and clear in some passages and with brilliant ingenuity in others, including some that are widely familiar but not widely understood. Think: the magi.

Am I Going to Hell? What the New Testament Says About Death and the Afterlife Jan 10, 2023

If there is one thing most people are certain of about the Bible, it is that it describes how after people die they will be rewarded with heaven or tormented in hell. But does it? As it turns out ... well, you'll be surprised by what the Bible actually says. And once your surprise fades, you'll probably want to know: where do the Christian ideas of the afterlife come from?

How to Translate the Bible: Problems and Pitfalls Jan 03, 2023

There are hundreds of Bible translations available – but why so many and why are they different? When a biblical scholar decides to do a translation, which manuscripts do they choose to use, how to they know what the ancient words meant, and do religious considerations get in the way of accurate translations. Are there places where no one can agree on what the original text says? Jennifer Knust is a prominent New Testament scholar who helped lead the committee that recently produced an updated edition of the New Revised Standard Version. Here she discusses with Bart the problems and pitfalls of biblical translation.

What is the King James Version? Dec 27, 2022

What's wrong with the King James Version? Anything? Why don't we *all* use it? The KJV is the best known and arguably most elegant, aesthetically pleasing, and significant piece of English literature ever. But there are problems with it for anyone wanting to know what the biblical authors actually said. Some of the problems are today rather amusing, many are serious, and all are worth knowing about.

Can the New Testament Possibly Be True? Dec 20, 2022

Many people say that the New Testament cannot be true because we don’t know exactly what the authors originally wrote, or because there are contradictions in it, or because some of the books were not written by their alleged authors, or because there are historical mistakes. But even if these things are true, does that mean the New Testament cannot be true – on some level?

The Coming Apocalypse! Jewish and Christian Views of the End of the World Dec 13, 2022

Dive into the exciting belief of apocalypticism in ancient Jewish times. What is it? Why is it in the New Testament? And what was its purpose?

Must Women Keep Silent? What Were Jesus’ and Paul’s Actual Views of Women? Dec 06, 2022

What does the New Testament actually say about women's roles in the early church? Has the church acted consistently with the examples and guidelines offered in New Testament?

Historical Paul: What Scholars Actually Know About Paul's Life, Beliefs, and Personality Nov 29, 2022

Special guest, Dr. James Tabor, offers a historical "revealing" of the apostle Paul. Through careful examination of Paul's authentic or “undisputed” letters, his disputed or “Deutero-Pauline” epistles, and the book of Acts, Dr. Tabor peels back the layers to get to the historical Paul's life, beliefs, and personality.

The Gospel Truth: What Are the Gospels of the New Testament? Nov 22, 2022

While our four gospels eventually were named Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, did you know they're actually anonymously written? So, who actually wrote the gospels? And when were they written? Do we know where the writers were when they were written? And much more!

Faking It: Is the Bible Full of Forgeries? Nov 15, 2022

What is considered forgery in ancient times? Do we find examples in the New Testament? And is it an acceptable practice to write in the name of someone else "for the greater good?"

Who Chose the Books of the New Testament? Nov 08, 2022

There are 27 books in the New Testament Canon. How were they chosen?

We have other non-canonical gospels, epistles, and apocalypses that didn't make it in.

So why these 27? And why were the others left out?

For more information, visit https://www.bartehrman.com

Who Changed the Bible, and Why? Nov 01, 2022

From simple misspelling mistakes to intentional changes, find out how the manuscripts of the New Testament got copied over the centuries and whether the copy mistakes affect any major Christian theology.

For more information, visit https://www.bartehrman.com

Bart and the Bible: What Made Bart Ehrman Change His View on Biblical Inerrancy Nov 01, 2022

How Dr. Ehrman's view of the Bible changed after studying the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament.

For more information, visit https://www.bartehrman.com

Announcing a New Podcast by Dr. Bart Ehrman! Oct 18, 2022

In each new episode, my host Megan Lewis and I will discuss just about everything you can imagine about the New Testament and the early years of Christianity.

Issues connected with the historical Jesus
The mysterious book of Revelation
The non-canonical gospels
Early Christian groups such as the Gnostics

In the podcast, I'll explain New Testament and early Christian scholarship in layperson's terms so that you could learn what the issues are, see what the scholars have argued, and allow you then to make up your own mind.

Please follow the show on your favorite app so you don't miss out. You can also enjoy the show in video format by subscribing to my YouTube channel, which you can find by visiting bartehrman.com/youtube.

I hope you tune in!

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