All Episodes
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)
The Jury is Still Out
People who live comfortably look to religion as a source of comfort and stability. They construct their religious worldview as the Pharaohs of old built pyramids of st...
One of a Kind
Today, Fr. Paul begins his discussion of Genesis 22, correcting the common mistranslation “only son” while noting the passage’s interconnection with the servant poems ...
Bread and Oil
For those who impose a triumphalist or sectarian premise on the Bible, it is impossible to hear the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Even if they accept Matthew’s warning t...
The Scriptural Premise
This week Fr. Paul explains that the God of Scripture controls life and death, noting the advantage of using extreme examples when teaching. (Episode 171)
Epilogue: Create in Me a Clean Heart
Fr. Marc and Richard reflect on their editorial decision regarding Fr. Fouad Saba’s speech in Chicago on May 20, 2021.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
The Lord’s warning in Matthew 10, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword,” (10:34) is often abused as a justification for militarism. In truth, as with so much bi...
Not Before the Time
This week Fr. Paul explains that God himself will assess our function concerning our brother on the last day, based on the content of the Torah. (Episode 170)
“But,” Not “So”
The challenge of hearing Scripture has never been more difficult. Each of us is trained to hear what we want to hear. We decide what we think about God before we crack...
Scripture Unedited
This week Fr. Paul discusses the implications of the creation of human beings out of the dust of the ground. (Episode 169)
Grigoreo!
Names have functional meaning. Students of this podcast know that our ability to hear a name spoken in the original language can unlock the meaning of a sentence, with...
Curse and Destruction
This week Fr. Paul explains the importance of the parallel between the Hebrew words Tohu wa-bohu and ʻâphâr in Genesis. (Episode 168)
Doulos: It is Vexed!
The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom rallies excitement among Orthodox Christians every Easter. We are called to "rejoice together – rich and poor, sober and slot...
But of That Day
In the film Avengers: Infinity War, the story’s arch-villain, Thanos, destroys one-half of humanity with the snap of a finger. In the Book of Genesis, and later, in th...
ṣaddîq and yāḵaḥ
This week, Fr. Paul takes the opportunity of our questions to stress the difference between the Hebrew terms ṣaddîq and yāḵaḥ. (Episode 167)
These Words Are Permanent
It’s been nearly two millennia since Matthew’s Gospel was written—that’s roughly 80 generations. Every 25 years, for the last 2000 years, every generation has been war...
Progeny and Lies
In the Bible, Fr. Paul explains, Abe is not honest, the nations look good, and (sorry Plato) life is not about you. (Episode 166)