All Episodes
A New Branch
When a person's behavior improves, we naturally speak of how they have grown or changed, when, what has changed is not the person, but the instruction that controls th...
It's Not a Fortune Cookie
Modern students of Scripture dumb down the power of the New Testament by dealing with the Old Testament as a kind of antiquated fortune cookie. They see a connection b...
The Liberation of Egypt
In secular ideology, we tend to depict everything as a struggle between bad actors and (so-called) good actors; between victims and oppressors. Thankfully, this self-r...
In Christ Jesus
Fr. Paul unpacks the literary function of the expression ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. (Episode 21)
Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride
The most difficult part of following the Bible is accepting the factuality of our powerlessness. Human beings repeatedly invent ways to sustain the illusion of control...
And You, Bethlehem
Everyone emphasizes Jerusalem. It's the big city, the important city, and the object of David's kingly ambitions—but it's not the city from which (or to which) David w...
Raised
Fr. Paul discusses the usage and meaning of the term raised in the biblical canon. (Episode 19)
The People’s Hero
People read religious and philosophical symbols into the Bible all the time. They study other traditions or the symbols of ancient mythologies and jump to conclusions,...
Not From Men
When we talk about children, spouses, siblings, parents, family, or even friends, we can't help but refer to them as our posession: “My” son, “my” wife, “my” family—we...
The Last Generation
In the book of Leviticus, the Jubilee year is a time when everyone—even slaves—are restored to their families, their land, and their original homes. With this in mind,...
Denial of Cultural Superiority
Fr. Paul reviews the Bible's systematic critique of cultural superiorty. (Episode 16)
God Will Establish
In the first section of the genealogy in Matthew, the story behind the names helps readers piece together the puzzle of the book's teaching; but what about the last se...
The Septuagint
Fr. Paul explains the importance of the Septuagint translation of the Bible. (Episode 15)