The Bible as Literature

Latest Episodes:

Bereshit Bara Elohim Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

This week, Fr. Paul explains how the first three words of the Bible are practically unintelligible without a working knowledge of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. (Episode 106)

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Thank You, God of the Universe Feb 20, 2020

Show notes

The way students are formed in the contemporary West makes it difficult for our minds to accept the empirical truth of functionality. There are many reasons for this, none more insidious than our desire to control the world through our assessment of it. In doing so, we can’t but enshrine something wicked as our good thing, good tradition, good person, or worst of all, good ruler. Why? Because in the folly of our own judgment, we believe that we are good.

In Scripture, there is only one who is good, not because we recognize him as such, but because he has said so. Until you come to terms with this fact and the meaning of functionality in all its facets, you will never truly be set free from the tyranny of Hellenism, and you will never understand the Bible.

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 15:10-14.

Episode 316 Matthew 15:10-14; Music from https://filmmusic.io: “Shades of Spring” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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There is No “Is” Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

This week, Fr. Paul continues his discussion of itinerant words with a review of the particulars of Hebrew. (Episode 105)

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The Problem of Fundamentalism Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

When the scribes and the Pharisees complain that the Lord’s disciples do not wash their hands, even if they are referring to Exodus 30, their understanding of the washing of hands is rooted in ignorance and fundamentalism.

When the Lord deals with the question of clean and unclean in the Bible, do we really think he’s talking about hygiene? Is that what God’s teaching is telling us? Please wash up before you eat? Really? So does that mean that if you don’t get sick from bread handled by dirty hands you are righteous? Really? What spirit has disabled your brain such that you really believe that food contaminated from dirty hands is the measure of clean and unclean in the eyes of God?

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 15:10-14.

Episode 315 Matthew 15:10-14; Music from https://filmmusic.io: “Severe Tire Damage” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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The Itinerant Word Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

This week, Fr. Paul begins a second reading of Genesis 1-11. (Episode 104)

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Dirty Hands Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

There is nothing—nothing—that justifies disobedience or disregard for the commandments of God. Nothing. In Galatians, St. Paul exclaims that no one, none of the other apostles, not even an angel from heaven—no one—can contradict the teaching of God. In the Gospel of Matthew, no human words can even be presented as though they are a teaching. It is only the written words of God that can be our true elders, teaching us how to treat the human elders in our life and showing us the true meaning of clean and unclean hands.

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 15:1-9.

Episode 314 Matthew 15:1-9; Music from https://filmmusic.io: “Five Armies” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Nahor Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, Fr. Paul concludes his reading of Genesis 11, continuing his discussion of the Toledot of Terah, noting the importance of the name Nahor. Fr. Paul illuminates his reading of chapter 11 by taking time to review examples of equestrian imagery from the Book of Job and Psalms. Over the past one hundred or so episodes, Fr. Paul has repeatedly emphasized the importance, first, of Genesis 1-4, and later Genesis 1-11. With this in mind. before we move on to chapter 12, Richard and I thought it would be helpful for Fr. Paul to take a pause and revisit these these texts from a different angle. We’ll say a bit more about this in our introduction to this program next week, so stay tuned. (Episode 103)

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Who’s Afraid of Ghosts? Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

People doubt the Bible. They make excuses for difficult verses and express concern about biblical metaphors that fall out of step with cultural norms. Instead of placing trust in the teaching, maybe they trust in their own words about the teaching. Maybe they co-opt the Bible to serve their political ideology or their religion, placing trust—not in God—but in princes and sons of men.

We say we want God to command us, but not really. “All men,” David proclaims, “are liars.” (Psalm 116:11) We lie to ourselves and we we lie to God. When the going gets tough, we do not want to teach what we are commanded to teach, and we definitely do not want to walk according to its precepts. We think it’s too hard, too risky, or too out of step.

“O ye, of little faith.” (Matthew 14:31)

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 14:22-34.

Episode 313 Matthew 14:22-34; Music from https://filmmusic.io: “Night in Venice” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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The Missing Toledot Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

This week, Fr. Paul continues his discussion of the Toledot of Shem, noting that Abraham does not have a Toledot in Scripture but is instead placed within the Toledot of Terah. (Episode 102)

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The Daily Bread Jan 23, 2020

Show notes

When Jesus commissioned his disciples in Matthew 10, he admonished them, saying: “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.” (Matthew 10:9-10) In giving this order, Jesus reflected his Father’s instruction in Deuteronomy: “The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” (Deuteronomy 30:14) If the word is near you, in Matthew, it means that you already have what you need for the journey. If the word is near you, you do not need a city or a village in order to survive.

“I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-16)

If the disciples have everything that they need to live and multiply, why do they doubt Jesus? Why do they want to send the people away?

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 14:13-21.

Episode 312 Matthew 14:13-21; Music from https://filmmusic.io: “Aquarium” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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