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The Bible as Literature — Education
The Bible as Literature

Each week, Fr. Marc Boulos discusses the content of the Bible as literature. On Tuesdays, Fr. Paul Tarazi presents an in-depth analysis of the biblical text in the original languages.

Latest Episodes:

Do Not Be Amazed, Be Obedient Nov 03, 2016

Show notes

The fallacy of the Messianic Secret is based on a presupposition that openly contradicts the teaching of Mark's Gospel. While scholars assume that Jesus is preoccupied with his identity and secrecy, in the text of Mark, Jesus is in a big rush to preach to as many people as possible in as many places as possible and he wants his followers to do the same. He does not want them to sit around and be amazed with him and his acts of mercy. He wants them to hear the Gospel and to do the same work he is doing, immediately. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss the Gospel of Mark 1:29-45. (Episode 146; Mark 1:29-45); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Voltaic" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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A New Teaching? Oct 27, 2016

Show notes

Teaching is tedious work. No matter how many times you explain something, for every one person who doesn't get it, there are a thousand people you can't get to. It's even harder when the teaching itself is so counterintuitive that even people who think they get it have to keep relearning it. It's no wonder that people believe the New Testament is saying something new. But the New Testament is not new. If it sounds new, it's because you have not been paying attention and as a result, have fallen yet further behind those who came before you. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss the Gospel of Mark 1:15-28. (Episode 145; Mark 1:15-28); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Fearless First" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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Pleased With Himself Oct 20, 2016

Show notes

Ancient religions stood on a simple premise: find a way to please the gods or face their wrath. Are you afraid of bad weather? Make a sacrifice. Worried about your family? Make a sacrifice. Afraid of impending war or plague? Make a sacrifice. Like all people in power, the ancient gods lived off the backs of their subjects. Since such gods reflect the behavior of those who make them, it's easy to see human religion for what it is: ritual betrayal of your neighbor for the sake of your security. But what if there were a God who refused to dwell in a temple and who could not be pleased, no matter how hard his subjects tried to impress him? Richard and Fr. Marc discuss the Gospel of Mark 1:9-15. (Episode 144; Mark 1:9-15); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "DarxieLand" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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A Path in the Wilderness? Oct 13, 2016

Show notes

The first few verses of Markâs gospel are packed with prophetic imagery. From the impossible concept of a path in the wilderness to the Baptistâs position outside Jerusalem, the Markan prologue heralds the victory of the Prophetsâ teaching against human cities and the imminent inclusion of those beyond the Jordan in Godâs city. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss the Gospel of Mark 1:1-8. (Episode 143; Mark 1:1-8); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Thinking Music" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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Eye of the Needle Jokes Oct 06, 2016

Show notes

The biblical system proposes hyperbole, scandal, and logical contradiction as a means to disassemble the statues and false gods we construct in our minds. At the same time, hearers of the Bible tend to rationalize these tensions away, explaining to themselves and others what Jesus "really" meant. Yes, the Bible is a language of metaphor, but on the whole—far from pacifying us—those metaphors are given to amplify the Bible's attack on our egos. Besides, as we'll learn from Mark, sometimes an eye of the needle is just an eye of the needle. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss the Gospel of Mark 10:13-31. (Episode 142; Mark 10:13-31); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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Third Time is Not a Charm Sep 29, 2016

Show notes

We Christians assume that God’s love is unconditional and that it is never too late to change our ways. Although comforting, this idea contradicts the story of the Bible. Yes, it’s true, God is patient. In fact, he is so patient in the Bible that by the time you get to the New Testament, his patience is running out. In each of his letters, St. Paul repeats a stern warning: you were given an opportunity to repent and you failed. You are now on your second chance. Be wary: the Lord is coming soon for the third and final time, and it will not be a charm. Richard and Fr. Marc conclude their reading of 2 Corinthians. (Episode 141; 2 Corinthians 13); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Drankin Song" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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It's Not a Two-way Street Sep 22, 2016

Show notes

In broken families, parents complain that their children "owe" them and children delude themselves that their parents "need" them. From each perspective, the relationship devolves into extortion. A broken parent shames their child because they want repayment, "after everything [they] did for them." In stark contrast, St. Paul shames his children, not to extract worldly honor or repayment for himself, but to pressure them to become providers for the sake of others, canceling out a child's sense of entitlement and self-importance. True parents, St. Paul explains, do not need anything from their children, except that they do the commandments of God. Richard and Fr. Marc review 2 Corinthians 12:14-21. (Episode 140; 2 Corinthians 12:14-21); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Zig Zag" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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Silence is Not Golden Sep 15, 2016

Show notes

What good would it be if a man were to ascend to the highest heaven and return with nothing to say? Would you be impressed by him? Would you brag about him to others? If so, what would you say? If this man has nothing to say about his so called revelation, what is there to brag about? I know how some of you will answer. You will talk about his feelings and the life changing wonder of having such an experience. Unfortunately, your feelings, your experience and 50 cents will not buy me a cup of coffee. Actually, in 2016, your feelings, your experience and $2 will not buy me a cup of coffee. But I digressâ¦ (Episode 139; 2 Corinthians 12:1-13); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Super Cool Dude" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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Let No One Think Me Foolish Sep 08, 2016

Show notes

People embrace social norms in much the same way that fundamentalists embrace religious rules: as a means of self-approval. A person feigns modesty either to win acceptance or to exemplify correctness. That's why St. Paul's disciples in 2 Corinthians are so distressed by his boasting. Not only because his behavior is socially unacceptable and grossly immodest, but because in human eyes, his cause for boasting is even more absurd than his arrogance. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. (Episode 138; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Curse of the Scarab" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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The Great Corinthian Brain Hack Sep 01, 2016

Show notes

How can a teacher reach someone who is set in their ways or engulfed by ideology? What if the way a person looks at the world -- their unstated assumption about everything -- is backwards? Is it possible to help them reason their way out? Can you talk someone out of their own ego? According to St. Paul, the answer is no -- "we are not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers." (2 Timothy 2:14) So how does Paul reach his disciples in Roman Corinth? Before modern computers, there was another form of dangerous malware. It was a kind of analog software, distributed by God himself, through "the hands of Moses in letters divinely inscribed." Richard and Fr. Marc discuss 2 Corinthians 11:1-15. (Episode 137; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15); Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature; "Severe Tire Damage" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http:// creativecommons .org/ licenses /by/3.0/)

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