The Bible as Literature

Latest Episodes:

Why the Plural? Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

This week, Fr. Paul unpacks the power of the grammatically plural noun, Elohim, explaining how it functions to supplant all other deities in the Bible. (Episode 111)

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The Bread of the Gospel Mar 26, 2020

Show notes

Faced with stubborn teenagers, a wise parent is steadfast and repetitive. Nothing under the heavens—save the feet of those that preach the gospel—is more beautiful than a parent who disciplines through repetition. By patiently and stubbornly repeating a wise statement, the parent inscribes wisdom in such a way that it can never be erased. Maybe that’s why the topic of bread keeps reappearing in Matthew.

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 16:5-12.

Episode 321 Matthew 16:5-12; Music: Study And Relax by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Factual is the Opposite of Real Mar 24, 2020

Show notes

In today’s program, Fr. Paul explains the difference between factual and real, and ends with a subtle observation about the deception of the serpent in Genesis. (Episode 110)

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A Sign From Heaven Mar 19, 2020

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In good times and bad, in peace and at moments of crisis, an evil generation seeks a sign. We want a sign that the good times will keep rolling. We want assurances that the crisis of this moment will come to an end. That’s why we’re “an evil generation”—because we look for signs in the world that satisfy our appetite for comfort and security. Such signs—the projection of our fears—are most certainly evil. The only valid sign in God’s eyes is the sign post he plants in our eyes through the hearing of his instruction. That’s why no sign will be given to us, “except the sign of Jonah.” (Matthew 16:4)

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 16:1-4.

Episode 320 Matthew 16:1-4; Music: Air Prelude by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3346-air-prelude

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Real and Realistic Mar 17, 2020

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This week, Fr. Paul expands on the problem of projecting into the biblical text or it’s actual setting—whether historical or geographic. (Episode 109)

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On the Way Mar 12, 2020

Show notes

Whenever we encounter a repeat of any biblical parable, the first and most important question is to ask why the author is repeating this story here, and secondly, how they have have changed certain elements of the story in order to make their specific point. This question is even more curious when the repetion happens within the same book.

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 15:32-39.

Episode 319 Matthew 15:32-39; Music: Painful Disorientation by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4191-painful-disorientation

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Elohim Mar 10, 2020

Show notes

This week, Fr. Paul tackles the versatility of the Hebrew word elohim, exposing the frailty and reductive tendencies of English translations. (Episode 108)

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Up on the Mountain Mar 05, 2020

Show notes

When Scripture deals with the question of healing, it’s tempting to think of modern medicine, which places its focus on the wellbeing of an individual body. But the very nature of the physical body is what makes it so useful for making the Bible’s point: just as a human body is made up of several parts that all work together, so too is a human community; moreover, just as a physical body is restored by medical therapy, so too a body politic—made up of a group (or groups) of people—is restored by a very specific and narrowly defined therapy found only in the content of the Bible.

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 15:29-31.

Episode 318 Matthew 15:29-31; Music from: “Sinfonia No. 3 in D Major - BWV 789” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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The Author’s Intent Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, Fr. Paul explains how the assumptions we make about the meaning of words obscures the author’s intent. (Episode 107)

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If I Were a Rich Man Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

Some people have to work two jobs or more to make ends meet. They can’t afford childcare or healthcare. Each day, they battle the same frustrations and emotions that each of us carry inside, with the added misery of poverty and disadvantage.

The working poor live among us, hidden in plain sight. Yet, those of us who have time to read the New York Times, to browse the web, or listen to podcasts—those of us with time and access—often complain that we don’t have time. This complaint echoes the cry of the disciples in Matthew, who repeatedly beg Jesus to send the needy away.

The Syrophoenician woman in Matthew is Lord’s answer to this complaint. Like that of the disciples, her cry is persistent, but it reflects a different kind of thinking, one born out of need.

“If I were rich man,” the famed Tevya exclaimed, “I would discuss the holy books with learned men seven hours every day. That would be the sweetest thing of all.” (Fiddler on the Roof)

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 15:21-28.

Episode 317 Matthew 15:21-28; Music from: “Jewish Blues” by The Art of Seven (jamendo.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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