Bible Curious
102 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsNew Listeners, start here: The Birth of Jesus.
Bible Curious is an exploration into sacred scripture, driven by curiosity. The population of planet Earth is 33% Christian. It's 24% Muslim, and the Qur'an does acknowledge the Bible as Holy Scripture. Between these two faiths, that's over half of Earth's population. If I was an alien coming to this planet for the first time, and I wanted to play a game of "Take Me To Your Leader," it wouldn't take long before I found this book in my hands. If I want to understand this planet, planet Earth, I need to know what's in this text. To ignore it, or to dismiss it casually, is to cast aside the very underpinnings of western civilization, which is the dominant culture of this planet. I mean, aren't you at least curious about what it actually says? I know I am.
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Episodes
Sermon on the Mount
January 08, 2023 08:00 - 24 minutes - 34.3 MBDAY 3 (Matt 5-6): Jesus takes advantage of his enormous crowds to teach them, delivering the most famous sermon ever given. Jesus introduced us to his upside-down kingdom, where humility, love, and infinite generosity become the way to conquer your enemies. This is also the first time Jesus mentions Hell, or "Gehenna", as a place of divine punishment.
Temptation in the Wilderness
January 01, 2023 08:00 - 19 minutes - 27.3 MBDAY 2 (Matt 3-4): After Jesus spends his childhood moving around the ancient world to avoid detection by King Herod of Judea, his stepfather Joseph finally settles down in Nazareth, and we hear nothing more about Jesus' life until he reappears as an adult at the river Jordan, where his cousin John the Baptist greets him, sparking a chain-reaction of miraculous events. After Jesus receives baptism from John the Baptist, he fasts forty days in the wilderness in preparation to begin his earthly ...
The Birth of Jesus
December 25, 2022 08:00 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBDAY 1 (Matthew 1-2): The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, and tells the story of Jesus Christ, whose ministry began around 30 AD. We're beginning "in the middle", so to speak, because from a Christian perspective the entire Bible points toward the life, death and resurrection of this man. Matthew's Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus, containing many historical names which would have been familiar to Jewish readers. Now to us it might sound a little bit boring, ...
25 - Cover to Cover
September 24, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 163 MBIt's been over three and a half years since the beginning of Bible Curious, since I started documenting my journey into the Holy Bible and into God's word. Those of you who have been listening, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming along with me and bearing witness as the Holy Spirit reveals secrets buried in plain sight for thousands of years. However, this process is slow. It's time to shift gears, so that we can cover more ground, faster. What we need is to gain a "whole pictu...
Cover to Cover
September 24, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 163 MBEPISODE 25 (Guests: Nate J, Tom F, Dong Y) - It's been over three and a half years since the beginning of Bible Curious, since I started documenting my journey into the Holy Bible and into God's word. Those of you who have been listening, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming along with me and bearing witness as the Holy Spirit reveals secrets buried in plain sight for thousands of years. However, this process is slow. It's time to shift gears, so that we can cover more ground, f...
24 - Covenant
November 07, 2021 20:00 - 58 minutes - 80.5 MBIn Genesis chapter 15, God makes a covenant with Abraham, even going so far as "signing the dotted line" in ancient terms. In this episode, we examine the terms and context of this contract, including reading some of the fine print concealed behind numeric gematria encodings.
Covenant
November 07, 2021 20:00 - 58 minutes - 80.5 MBEPISODE 24 (Guest: Matt Y) - In Genesis chapter 15, God makes a covenant with Abraham, even going so far as "signing the dotted line" in ancient terms. In this episode, we examine the terms and context of this contract, including reading some of the fine print concealed behind numeric gematria encodings.
23 - War of the Kings
May 10, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 133 MBThe fourteenth chapter of Genesis gives a historical account of a conflict known as the War of the Nine Kings, in which four kings from Mesopotamia to the east march into the promised land with their armies to punish the Canaanites for not paying their taxes. Abraham's nephew Lot is taken captive during this exchange, prompting Abraham to muster soldiers of his own to rescue his wayward nephew. Afterwards, Abraham is greeted by Melchizidek, a mysterious priest who commemorates Abraham's victo...
War of the Kings
May 10, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 133 MBEPISODE 23 (Guests: Nate J, Tom F) - The fourteenth chapter of Genesis gives a historical account of a conflict known as the War of the Nine Kings, in which four kings from Mesopotamia to the east march into the promised land with their armies to punish the Canaanites for not paying their taxes. Abraham's nephew Lot is taken captive during this exchange, prompting Abraham to muster soldiers of his own to rescue his wayward nephew. Afterwards, Abraham is greeted by Melchizidek, a mysterious pr...
Dust of the Earth
August 02, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBEPISODE 22 (Guest: Christine G) - As Abram and Lot's fortunes grow, they find themselves in competition over the best grazing land. To ease this tension, Abram makes the surprising decision to surrender the best available land over to his nephew, while keeping the remainder for himself. In doing so, Abram begins to exercise his new-found faith. What exactly does it mean to be the recipient of God's promise? And how far into the future does the fulfillment of such a promise extend?
22 - Dust of the Earth
August 02, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBAs Abram and Lot's fortunes grow, they find themselves in competition over the best grazing land. To ease this tension, Abram makes the surprising decision to surrender the best available land over to his nephew, while keeping the remainder for himself. In doing so, Abram begins to exercise his new-found faith. What exactly does it mean to be the recipient of God's promise? And how far into the future does the fulfillment of such a promise extend?
21 - The Calling of Abraham
May 30, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 98.3 MBYahweh's calling of Abraham is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Genesis. Modern people know Abraham best for the harrowing account where God asks him to sacrifice his own son Isaac as a burnt offering, and Abraham actually obeys, only to be stopped by an angel at the last moment and told to sacrifice a wild ram instead. This astonishing act of total submission to God's will is held up by Christians, Jews and Muslims alike as a model of perfect faith and obedience, while at the sa...
The Calling of Abraham
May 30, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 98.3 MBEPISODE 21 (Guest: Christine G) - Yahweh's calling of Abraham is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Genesis. Modern people know Abraham best for the harrowing account where God asks him to sacrifice his own son Isaac as a burnt offering, and Abraham actually obeys, only to be stopped by an angel at the last moment and told to sacrifice a wild ram instead. This astonishing act of total submission to God's will is held up by Christians, Jews and Muslims alike as a model of perfect fa...
Dong and Johnson (pt 2)
May 17, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 112 MBEPISODE 20 (Guests: Nate J, Dong Y) - In this episode, Nathan, Dong and I finish the conversation we started previously. We talk about the moral implications of being human. Are we indeed beings of free will, or are we simply biological machines, acting upon impulses buried too deep in our subconscious for us to ever fully understand? What about Church? Does organized religion help us to achieve our moral obligation? Who are you, really? Who am I? Is it possible to make real contact with a pe...
20 - Dong and Johnson (pt 2)
May 17, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 112 MBIn this episode, Nathan, Dong and I finish the conversation we started previously. We talk about the moral implications of being human. Are we indeed beings of free will, or are we simply biological machines, acting upon impulses buried too deep in our subconscious for us to ever fully understand? What about Church? Does organized religion help us to achieve our moral obligation? Who are you, really? Who am I? Is it possible to make real contact with a personal God, or is all of this just del...
Dong and Johnson (pt 1)
May 04, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 114 MBEPISODE 19 (Guests: Nate J, Dong Y) - Before diving back into Genesis and the story of Abraham the Patriarch, I want to share a recent conversation I had with a Christian Chinese American named Dong, introduced to me by my good friend Nathan Johnson, whom I have known since my college years at UCLA. Dong grew up with an as an athiest in communist China but found in the Christian lifestyle a practical way to bring harmony to his family, regardless of his personal beliefs. In the following conv...
19 - Dong and Johnson (pt 1)
May 04, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 114 MBBefore diving back into Genesis and the story of Abraham the Patriarch, I want to share a recent conversation I had with a Christian Chinese American named Dong, introduced to me by my good friend Nathan Johnson, whom I have known since my college years at UCLA. Dong grew up with an as an athiest in communist China but found in the Christian lifestyle a practical way to bring harmony to his family, regardless of his personal beliefs. In the following conversation, Dong shares his experience ...
18 - The Tower of Babel
April 12, 2019 20:00 - 2 hours - 139 MBThe Tower of Babel is one of those strange legends which sounds utterly preposterous on the face of it, but serves as a neat explanation for a real, observable phenomenon: in this case, the proliferation of languages and cultures found across the Middle-East. This legend also casts God in the role of a spoiler, who just can't seem to leave us humans alone to make our own way on this planet.
The Tower of Babel
April 12, 2019 20:00 - 2 hours - 139 MBEPISODE 18 (Guest: Christine G) - The Tower of Babel is one of those strange legends which sounds utterly preposterous on the face of it, but serves as a neat explanation for a real, observable phenomenon: in this case, the proliferation of languages and cultures found across the Middle-East. This legend also casts God in the role of a spoiler, who just can't seem to leave us humans alone to make our own way on this planet.
Table of Nations
April 05, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 113 MBEPISODE 17 (Guest: Christine G) - The genealogy chart given in the tenth chapter of Genesis, popularly known as "The Table of Nations," is important because it is the first chapter which firmly places the Bible on a historical footing, since many of the names contained within it can be directly correlated with ancient cities and tribes known to historians today.
17 - Table of Nations
April 05, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 113 MBThe genealogy chart given in the tenth chapter of Genesis, popularly known as "The Table of Nations," is important because it is the first chapter which firmly places the Bible on a historical footing, since many of the names contained within it can be directly correlated with ancient cities and tribes known to historians today.
The Rainbow Covenant
March 29, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 76.3 MBEPISODE 16 (Guest: Christine G) - After the Great Flood, the eight surviving descendents of Adam and Eve along with God had the challenge of setting new terms for the human civilizations which would subsequently bloom from this family. These terms would take the form of a covenant, or contract, between God and the survivors of the flood.
16 - The Rainbow Covenant
March 29, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 76.3 MBAfter the Great Flood, the eight surviving descendents of Adam and Eve along with God had the challenge of setting new terms for the human civilizations which would subsequently bloom from this family. These terms would take the form of a covenant, or contract, between God and the survivors of the flood.
15 - The Great Flood
March 22, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 93.7 MBThe Great Flood was a catastrophic storm engineered to wipe out all life on earth, and if you take the Bible at its word, was large enough to cover even the highest mountains of the land. This narrative, like the account of the six days of creation, is often used by skeptics as evidence that the Bible could not possibly be historical or factual.
Noah's Ark
March 15, 2019 20:00 - 54 minutes - 56.9 MBEPISODE 14 (Guest: Christine G) - The famous tale of Noah, who built an ark to save humanity from a world-wide flood, is one of the best-known stories in the Old Testament. While geological and archeological evidence has categorically disproven that the earth was ever completely submerged by a single body of water within the last ten thousand years, it is not unreasonable to believe that a flood may have occurred which was large enough to convince a single family of eight people that everyone...
14 - Noah's Ark
March 15, 2019 20:00 - 54 minutes - 56.9 MBThe famous tale of Noah, who built an ark to save humanity from a world-wide flood, is one of the best-known stories in the Old Testament. While geological and archeological evidence has categorically disproven that the earth was ever completely submerged by a single body of water within the last ten thousand years, it is not unreasonable to believe that a flood may have occurred which was large enough to convince a single family of eight people that everyone in the world had perished.
13 - Generations of Adam
March 08, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBToday we will examine a genealogy table known as the Generations of Adam, which the Book of Genesis places immedately after the genealogical history of Cain.
Generations of Adam
March 08, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBEPISODE 13 (Guest: Christine G) - Today we will examine a genealogy table known as the Generations of Adam, which the Book of Genesis places immedately after the genealogical history of Cain.
12 - Cain and Abel
March 01, 2019 20:00 - 58 minutes - 60.7 MBNow that Mankind has been expelled from Paradise, we witness the original sin of disobedience evolve into a much more serious crime: murder.
Cain and Abel
March 01, 2019 20:00 - 58 minutes - 60.7 MBEPISODE 12 (Guest: Christine G) - Now that Mankind has been expelled from Paradise, we witness the original sin of disobedience evolve into a much more serious crime: murder.
Original Sin
February 22, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBEPISODE 11 (Guest: Christine G) - One of the most controversial doctrines coming out of the Biblical tradition is the notion of "original sin." This is the idea that mankind in its natural, unmodified state is somehow deficient, and requires the guidance of a superior intelligence in order to achieve redemption.
11 - Original Sin
February 22, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBOne of the most controversial doctrines coming out of the Biblical tradition is the notion of "original sin." This is the idea that mankind in its natural, unmodified state is somehow deficient, and requires the guidance of a superior intelligence in order to achieve redemption.
The Garden of Eden
February 15, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 86.8 MBEPISODE 10 (Guest: Christine G) - Studying the Holy Bible is not easy. As soon as you turn the first page, you will be slapped in the face with contradictions. When Moses wrote the Book of Genesis in 1,500 BC, he was describing events which took place as many as twenty-five centuries before he was even born. Where did these stories come from? What sources did Moses rely upon when he wrote these stories down? And why is it so confusing and self-contradictory?
10 - The Garden of Eden
February 15, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 86.8 MBStudying the Holy Bible is not easy. As soon as you turn the first page, you will be slapped in the face with contradictions. When Moses wrote the Book of Genesis in 1,500 BC, he was describing events which took place as many as twenty-five centuries before he was even born. Where did these stories come from? What sources did Moses rely upon when he wrote these stories down? And why is it so confusing and self-contradictory?
9 - Six Days of Creation (part 2)
February 08, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBToday we pick up after the end of the second day, which found God or Elohim lost at sea in the midst of a raging storm. After rescuing himself from drowning by finding light and therefore breath above the surface of the water, Elohim began to define his universe by separating that which is above from that which is below, and recognizing the sky or Heaven as the source of breath and therefore life.
Six Days of Creation (part 2)
February 08, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBEPISODE 9 (Guest: Christine G) - Today we pick up after the end of the second day, which found God or Elohim lost at sea in the midst of a raging storm. After rescuing himself from drowning by finding light and therefore breath above the surface of the water, Elohim began to define his universe by separating that which is above from that which is below, and recognizing the sky or Heaven as the source of breath and therefore life.
8 - Six Days of Creation (part 1)
February 01, 2019 20:00 - 57 minutes - 60.1 MBIn the Book of Genesis, Moses makes the outrageous claim that God created the heavens and the earth in six days. OK, I'll bite. IF there is such a thing as God, and IF God did in fact create Heaven and Earth, why in the world would anyone claim that it took only six days to do? And why on earth would he take the additional step of DATING the creation to 4000 B.C.? Why would anyone paint himself into a corner like that? Aren't you just a little bit #BibleCurious?
Six Days of Creation (part 1)
February 01, 2019 20:00 - 57 minutes - 60.1 MBEPISODE 8 (Guest: Christine G) - In the Book of Genesis, Moses makes the outrageous claim that God created the heavens and the earth in six days. OK, I'll bite. IF there is such a thing as God, and IF God did in fact create Heaven and Earth, why in the world would anyone claim that it took only six days to do? And why on earth would he take the additional step of DATING the creation to 4000 B.C.? Why would anyone paint himself into a corner like that? Aren't you just a little bit #BibleCurious?
Sermon on the Mount (part 3)
January 25, 2019 20:00 - 25 minutes - 22.1 MBEPISODE 7 - In this third and final passage from the Sermon on the Mount which represents the conclusion of this initiatory discourse, Jesus introduces some of the sacred mysteries, using parables, riddles and "dark sayings" containing multilayered meanings to put his disciples on the correct path toward enlightenment.
7 - Sermon on the Mount (part 3)
January 25, 2019 20:00 - 25 minutes - 22.1 MBIn this third and final passage from the Sermon on the Mount which represents the conclusion of this initiatory discourse, Jesus introduces some of the sacred mysteries, using parables, riddles and "dark sayings" containing multilayered meanings to put his disciples on the correct path toward enlightenment.
Sermon on the Mount (part 2)
January 18, 2019 20:00 - 24 minutes - 21.3 MBEPISODE 6 - In this next segment of the Sermon on the Mount, taken from the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus gives commandments for worship. By following these simple instructions, anyone can establish and maintain a working relationship with the Father. As you listen to the following passage, notice the utter simplicity of Jesus' doctrine.
6 - Sermon on the Mount (part 2)
January 18, 2019 20:00 - 24 minutes - 21.3 MBIn this next segment of the Sermon on the Mount, taken from the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus gives commandments for worship. By following these simple instructions, anyone can establish and maintain a working relationship with the Father. As you listen to the following passage, notice the utter simplicity of Jesus' doctrine.
Sermon on the Mount (part 1)
January 11, 2019 20:45 - 27 minutes - 24.3 MBEPISODE 5 - Today I want to begin discussion of the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel According to Matthew. This sermon is the central thesis of Jesus' teaching, and it was reading this sermon over twenty years ago which marked the beginning of my relationship with this great teacher.
5 - Sermon on the Mount (part 1)
January 11, 2019 20:45 - 27 minutes - 24.3 MBToday I want to begin discussion of the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel According to Matthew. This sermon is the central thesis of Jesus' teaching, and it was reading this sermon over twenty years ago which marked the beginning of my relationship with this great teacher.
Why So Curious? (part 3)
January 06, 2019 20:45 - 28 minutes - 23.8 MBEPISODE 4 - This is the third and final segment of my conversation with Tom F. We talk about the Bible from a personal angle, using it as a roadmap for personal redemption. If I'm not a Christian, are these teachings for me? We talk about belief and unbelief; damnation and salvation; sin and human nature; sexual taboo; mystery; and, how do we bring the teachings of the Bible up to date with modern times?
4 - Why So Curious? (part 3)
January 06, 2019 20:45 - 28 minutes - 23.8 MBThis is the third and final segment of my conversation with Tom F. We talk about the Bible from a personal angle, using it as a roadmap for personal redemption. If I'm not a Christian, are these teachings for me? We talk about belief and unbelief; damnation and salvation; sin and human nature; sexual taboo; mystery; and, how do we bring the teachings of the Bible up to date with modern times?
Why So Curious? (part 2)
January 06, 2019 20:44 - 26 minutes - 21.5 MBEPISODE 3 - This is the second part of my conversation with Tom F. In this segment we talk theology. We discuss the six days of creation, what is God's agenda regarding humanity, Heaven and Earth, Judgement, Hell and the afterlife.
3 - Why So Curious? (part 2)
January 06, 2019 20:44 - 26 minutes - 21.5 MBThis is the second part of my conversation with Tom F. In this segment we talk theology. We discuss the six days of creation, what is God's agenda regarding humanity, Heaven and Earth, Judgement, Hell and the afterlife.
2 - Why So Curious? (part 1)
January 06, 2019 20:43 - 29 minutes - 24.5 MBThis is part one of an interview with my friend Tom F, who wanted to have a conversation with me about why I decided to take on this project. In this segment, we cover a number of topics, including my own motivations for doing this project, how can a person with a rational, scientific mindset take the Bible seriously, where did these stories come from, and who is God? So without any further preamble, let's dive right in.
Why So Curious? (part 1)
January 06, 2019 20:43 - 29 minutes - 24.5 MBEPISODE 2 - This is part one of an interview with my friend Tom F, who wanted to have a conversation with me about why I decided to take on this project. In this segment, we cover a number of topics, including my own motivations for doing this project, how can a person with a rational, scientific mindset take the Bible seriously, where did these stories come from, and who is God? So without any further preamble, let's dive right in.