All Episodes
Ask, Seek, and Knock
Too often, the Lord’s promise in Matthew 7:7, that those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, is reframed by a consumer mindset, as though prayer is the...
Toledot
In the third part of his introduction to the Book of Genesis, Fr. Paul revisits his discussion of the Hebrew word toledot. (Episode 48)
Dogs, Swine, and Pearls
Too often, teachers use Matthew 7:6 to cast aspersion on the unchurched, difficult students, or people who are not interested in what they have to say. In doing so, t...
The Triliteral Root
In the second part of his introduction to the Book of Genesis, Fr. Paul continues his discussion of the language of Scripture with an overview of triliteral roots. (Ep...
Only One Opinion Counts
Too often, we co-opt the prohibition against judgment in Matthew as a mechanism of our self-imposed fragility. We don’t want to be challenged with our sins, so when co...
The Language of Scripture
In the first part of his introduction to the Book of Genesis, Fr. Paul expounds on the language of Scripture. (Episode 46)
Sufficient for the Day
When we step back to consider the full scope of any effort, even when the work in front of us pertains to God and not to mammon, it’s easy to become paralyzed by stres...
Five Smooth Stones
Fr. Paul explains 1 Samuel 17:40. (Episode 45) “Breakdown” Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com (http://incompetech.com/) (http://incompetech.com/) (http://incompe...
The Lilies of the Field
Everyone loves Matthew's passage about the lilies of the field. We love it because who doesn't want to be consoled and encouraged not to worry about anything? But our ...
Adamah and Eretz
Fr. Paul discusses the use of the Hebrew terms adamah and eretz in Ezekiel. (Episode 44)
Treasure in Heaven
“Those who want to become rich,” St. Paul writes, “fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. “F...
Possess vs. Inherit
Fr. Paul discusses the terms possess and inherit in the language of the Bible. (Episode 43)
The Lord’s Prayer
When Mr. Miyagi, the eighties era fictional Karate master, set out to teach his disciple, he asked him to paint a fence, wax cars, and sand a huge floor using ineffici...
Hypertextuality
Fr. Paul discusses hypertextuality and the contributions of Bartosz Adamczewski to the field of Biblical Studies. (Episode 42)
It’s Not Hyperbole
When someone makes a statement that is difficult or unreasonable, human beings rationalize in order to ignore or moderate their words. Maybe the person didn't mean it,...
The Maccabees
Fr. Paul discusses the significance of the Maccabees for the formation of the New Testament. (Episode 41)
False Humility
The expression “false pretense” is very strange. By definition, a pretense is the act of giving an appeance. In the Bible, anything that presents an apperance is alrea...
Be Perfect
The United States is at a crossroads. Regrettably, all of us listened to our parents, teachers and Walt Disney, who conspired to convince us that we should believe in ...
Empty Promises
People love to talk about what they want to do, what they should do or what they believe is right. We love it. We go online to brag about it and to cajole each other. ...
Shemites
Fr. Paul explains the significance of the word shem in the biblical tradition. (Episode 38)
Love is Not a Feeling
To our peril, we think about love and relationships in terms of how we feel about a person or how that person makes us feel. This attitude is understandable in childre...
Every Last Cent
Christians come up with strange explanations as to the relationship between the Law of Moses and Pauline grace. Maybe, they argue, only part of the Law is valid—like t...
No Better Establishment
Fr. Paul explains how the biblical story does not propose a better establishment. (Episode 36)
Not One Iota
“Being instructed out of the Law,” are you “confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, [an...
The Purpose of the Greek Epics
Fr. Paul explains the purpose of the Greek epics and the way in which the biblical story pushes back. (Episode 35)