What is the answer to every human conflict and how is this answer sabotaged by human wisdom? What does it mean, in biblical terms, to be called by God? How does St. Paul use praise as a tool of judgment against the church in Roman Corinth? This Christmas Eve, Richard and Fr. Marc celebrate the…
Category: The Bible as Literature
Epilogue: Freeing the Dove
In a special anniversary edition marking the 100th episode of the podcast, Richard and Fr. Marc take the opportunity to draw on themes from the show’s first two years while unpacking the surprising meaning of Genesis 47. An epilogue to their six-part series on Galatians, this week’s episode also serves as an introduction for Walid…
Unearned Suffering: In Memory of John Price
On December 4, 2015, John Ashton Price IV, age 18, and Jacob Flynn, age 17, were killed in an automobile accident in Lakeville, Minnesota. In concluding their six-part series on the letter to the Galatians, Richard and Fr. Marc take time to reflect on the tragedy of this unbearable loss in the light of St….
The Sons of Jacob
Hearing Galatians in translation and out of context, it’s tempting to conclude that St. Paul is arguing for some new alternative to the teaching of Old Testament; but for those who make an effort to hear the text in context, it becomes quickly clear that Paul’s letter is not only reading and explaining — but…
The Children of Hagar
What is the difference between a child and an heir in Roman society and what role does the Roman household play in the content of Paul’s gospel? Why does Paul use two different languages, Aramaic and Greek, to address the Father of Jesus? How could a barren woman have more children than someone capable of…
Only the Dead Are Perfect
What is the purpose of the Law in Galatians and how does it relate to Abraham’s faith in God’s instruction? What is the connection between the Law of Moses and the Crucifixion of Jesus? How and why does the Torah illustrate Abraham’s wickedness while also insisting on his centrality? Does the Law contradict faith? If…
Broken for the Sake of the Poor
Why does St. Paul specify that he was away from Jerusalem for an interval of fourteen years? Does the length of time have any significance? Why did he insist on meeting privately with Peter and James during his visit? Why are Peter, James and John referred to as the Pillars? Why is the death of…
God is My Judge
What does St. Paul mean when he explains that no one, not even an “angel from heaven,” can contradict the gospel that was preached in Galatia? To what does Paul appeal in making the claim that his authority comes directly from God and not from men? How do the norms of civil law shed light…
No Oxygen Allowed
Rationalize (verb): to attempt to explain or justify (one’s own or another’s behavior or attitude) with logical, plausible reasons, even if these are not true or appropriate. Synonyms: justify, explain, explain away, account for, defend, vindicate, or excuse, as in, “he tried to rationalize his behavior.” Thanks, Google Dictionary, for providing such a lucid description…
Bless Thine Inheritance
What if someone wrote a book that imposed patriarchal authority at the expense of patriarchs, redeemed inheritance at the expense of wealth, upheld a patronymic without blessing the name, linked patrimony and childbirth to each other and to God’s teaching while emphasizing the commandment to care for the widow, the orphan and the foreigner, rubbed in…