All Episodes
Pink Floyd and Mr. Rogers
When Jesus uses the word “body” in Matthew’s gospel, unless you abandon all assumptions, transporting yourself to first-century Roman society, it is impossible to hear...
It’s All About You!
We Americans love it when it’s about us. We just love it. Until we are sitting with Jesus in the Middle East, eating with our hands, and Jesus says, “it’s the guy ...
It Can Be Done
This week, Fr. Paul takes questions regarding his analysis of Genesis 24. (Episode 185)
You Are Not Ancient
We imagine an historical connection between the peoples of the biblical story and the peoples living in the modern world because our premise in 2021 is our identity. W...
How Many Ships?
This week, Fr. Paul concludes his reading of Genesis 24, noting the importance of paying close attention to even the smallest detail of every verse. (Episode 184)
Judas Iscariot
Tribe, nation, city, patrimony, heritage, religion, flags and bumper stickers—Judas Iscariot. Value, opportunity, market, profit, commerce, civilization, exploitat...
Live Long and ṣālēaḥ
In today’s program, Fr. Paul explains how the term “prosper,” used in English translations of the Bible, does not reflect the meaning of the original Hebrew term, yiṣl...
A Poverty of Instruction
In so far as the “daily bread” of the Lord’s prayer is the daily reading by which the disciples should be fed, in Matthew’s gospel, poverty is the consequence of refus...
Debarim
This week, Fr. Paul critiques the biblical priests as the first platonists who sought control by making out of the many words of God’s instruction a platonic oneness—“...
An Ordinary Guy
Sometimes we want so desperately for Jesus to be a super hero that we willfully ignore what is written before our eyes. Faced with powerful religious chiefs and elders...
Abraham and Isaac
This week, Fr. Paul introduces his presentation of Genesis 24 touching on Isaac’s role and the significance of what he terms the prolegomena of the story. (Episode 181)
There Will Be No Flags in the Kingdom
Whatever term we use to describe it, be it “worldly,” “earthly,” “materialistic,” or the more precise biblical phrase, “of the flesh,” the fact is, the way we think an...
Let’s Make it Functional
This week Fr. Paul takes questions and discussion on the meaning and usage of Hebrew terminology in Genesis. (Episode 180)
Repeat These Words
Repetition is the foundation of knowledge. A student repeats vocabulary. An athlete repeats a physical movement. An apprentice repeats a task. A reporter repeats what ...
Hebron
In this week’s episode, Fr. Paul explains Hebron’s significance in Genesis 23 as the place of fraternity when human beings return to the adamah. (Episode 179)
Flash-forward, Be Afraid
The opening verses of the Judgment in Matthew 25 establish what the Bible repeatedly proclaims on every page, within every paragraph, and in every single verse. There ...
The People of the Land
In today’s episode Fr. Paul continues his discussion of Genesis 23. (Episode 178)
Wisdom
The human being approaches every situation with the satanic question, “What’s in it for me?” From there, we establish goals, define measurements, and declare success w...
Not Our Mercy
To modern students of the Bible, it seems unfair that the least capable servant—to whom the least was given—was treated the most harshly by the Lord. Fortunately, for ...
The Blessing
This week, Fr. Paul wraps up and extended Q and A session following his reading of Genesis 22. (Episode 176)
The Merchant Class?
The parable of the Talents must be heard in the context of Matthew’s storyline. Jerusalem is about to fall. Jesus has repeatedly warned everyone to make ready for the ...
It’s a Big Deal
In Scripture, Fr. Paul explains, when a word can be removed without being missed, it’s usually an indication of the term’s significance in the broader storyline. (Epis...
Take It and Work It
The Parable of the Talents is a story about work assignments. How much work can each person do? How will each person—from the least to the greatest—be judged for the ...
Interlocked
In today's program, Fr. Paul notes the unmissable parallel between Genesis 22 and 26. As always, it's only unmissable, he explains, when you hear Genesis in the origi...
In the Fear of God
No parable is more widely abused than the Parable of the Talents. On the heels of a series of Matthean stories that warn of destruction and judgment, the Master assign...
Abraham’s Obedience
In this week’s episode Fr. Paul explains Abraham’s obedience and its functions in the content of the Pauline epistles. (Episode 173)