History in the Bible
220 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 569 ratingsA guide to the history presented in the Bible, for people of all faiths and backgrounds, presented by an independent podcaster, and biblical studies buff. I explore the religion of ancient Israel, the beginnings of Christianity, then finally the evolution of the heirs of Abraham to the year 200. I discuss every single book in every Bible (there are more than you think!). Lightly garnished with a dash of drollery, a soupçon of scrutiny, and not one ounce of objectivity. Not one ounce! The main narrative will conclude in January 2024. Bonus episodes will continue indefinitely.
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Episodes
3.11 Earliest Christians III: John’s Community and Revelation
November 14, 2021 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBAlongside the Jerusalem Jesus clubs, the clubs founded by Paul and others, and the Thomasines, scholars believe there was a fourth primitive Christian community: the Johannines. This community produced the gospel of John, the letters attributed to John, and Revelation. They traced their foundation to John the Belove Disciple. I investigate this community, and introduce the fantastical book of Revelation. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspirin...
3.10 Earliest Christians II: Paul Against Peter Against Thomas
October 24, 2021 09:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MBWe believe there were four distinct early Christian communities: the gentile clubs of Paul, the Jewish clubs of Peter and James, the clubs who followed the writings of Thomas, and clubs attached to the disciple John. In this episode I tackle the first three. The letter to the Hebrews is the most vigorous exposition of Paul's views and denigration of his own people, the Jews. But the letter never claims Paul as its author. And its not even a letter. Various books try to harmonise Paul and Pe...
3.9 Earliest Christians I: Deciphering Jesus
October 03, 2021 05:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBThe earliest Christians had three theological problems to tackle. First, what exactly happened at the resurrection of Jesus? Was his physical body brought back to life? Or was he transformed into an immortal spiritual body? Perhaps he never had a mortal body in the first place. Second, how was Jesus related to God? Perhaps he was a good man adopted by God. Eventually Christians came to believe he was no mere man, but an eternal divine being. Third, what happens to people after they die? Jews...
3.8 After the Temple II: The Christians
September 12, 2021 06:00 - 33 minutes - 22.8 MBKeynote ep: I look at the two earliest Christian communities we know about: the Judean clubs run from Jerusalem by James and Peter, and the pagan clubs founded by Paul and others. I also have excursions into why women lost their positions of authority in Paul's clubs, the gospel according to the Hebrews, and how Paul transformed the message of Jesus, into a message about Jesus. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://f...
Bonus 37 The Patriarchs with A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
August 22, 2021 06:00 - 44 minutes - 30.6 MBIn this bonus episode I am joined by Omri and Gil of the rambunctious podcast “A Podcast of Biblical Proportions” for a discussion about the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and a little bit about Joseph. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.
3.7 After the Temple I: The Judeans
August 15, 2021 06:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBKeynote ep: The rabbis now make their appearance: the heroes ben Zakkai and more Gamaliels than you can shake a stick at. Scholars grudgingly hold they are rebranded Pharisees, but they are willing to change their minds. The Romans diverted the old Temple tithe paid by the diaspora into a new tax, the fiscus Judaicus. As the Romans tried to work who was a Jew, and hence liable for the tax, they accidentally created the first formal distinction between Jews and Christians. We also see the w...
Bonus 36 The Twelve Minor Prophets IV: Micah and Nahum
August 01, 2021 06:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBI'm joined by Steve Guerra as we continue our series on the twelve minor Old Testament prophets. Here we tackle Micah and Nahum. Micah is the chirpiest of the prophets, a favorite amongst both Christians and Jews. No one loves the frothing ravings of Nahum.
3.6 The Great Revolt II: A Civil War within a Rebellion
July 11, 2021 06:00 - 32 minutes - 22.1 MBThe Great Revolt of 66 AD/CE began as a protest against Rome's failure to protect the Judeans from their ancient foes. The Judeans proved to be effective fighters, easily dispatching the initial Roman response. The Romans withdrew and regrouped. That gave Judea seven months to prepare for Roman retaliation. During that interlude, Judea instead erupted into a vicious civil war. Judean militias and warlords attacked and betrayed each other. They acted as though the Romans were the least of the...
Bonus 35 In conversation with A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
July 04, 2021 09:32 - 50 minutes - 34.6 MBIn this bonus episode I am joined by Omri Harel and Gil Kidron of the rambunctious podcast “A Podcast of Biblical Proportions” for a rambling discussion about things biblical.
3.5 The Great Revolt I: Lighting the Fuse
June 20, 2021 06:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBKeynote ep: The backstory and background of the first of the three Judean revolts, the Great Revolt of 66 AD/CE. This revolt destroyed the Temple, extinguished the ancient religion of the Tanakh/Old Testament, and relegated the Jerusalem Jesus club, the foundational church of Christianity, to the margins. Both Christianity, and Judaism had to re-invent themselves. I introduce the dramatis personae of the revolt, also available on my website www.historyinthebible.com, if you can't keep track....
3.4 Before the Great Revolt II: The Apocalyptic Christians
May 30, 2021 06:00 - 30 minutes - 21.4 MBIn this show I discuss the state of the Christians on the verge of the Great Revolt in 66 CE/AD. The Seleucid empire created a new way of conceptualising time. This provided the Jews with the intellectual tool to create a new body of literature, the apocalypse. The apocalypses solve a vexing theological problem. Why are the Jews suffering under the Seleucids, when the Jews have done everything that the old prophets told them to do? The apocalypses explain that the Jews are pawns in a cosmic ...
Bonus 34 The Twelve Minor Prophets III: Jonah and Obadiah
May 23, 2021 06:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBIn this bonus episode, Steve Guerra and I continue our series on the twelve minor Old Testament prophets. Here we tackle Obadiah and Jonah. Obadiah is the least read book in the Bible, for very good reason. Everyone thinks that Jonah is a story about a fish. That is the least part of the story
3.3 Before the Great Revolt I: The Judeans
May 09, 2021 06:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBKeynote ep: The Jews living in the Roman empire had many privileges that allowed them to practice their religion in peace and security. They were even allowed to avoid their patriotic duties of service to the state. The Romans favoured the province of Judea under the House of Herod, appointing it the peacekeeper and Roman proxy in the region. Why then did they revolt? I also introduce the synagogues. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-te...
Bonus 33 The Twelve Minor Prophets II: Amos and Hosea
May 02, 2021 11:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBIn this bonus episode, Steve Guerra and I continue our series on the twelve minor Old Testament prophets. Here we tackle Amos and Hosea. Amos is the perfect pocket prophet. Amos gives you everything you want in a prophet, in a easily digestible form. On the other hand, his near contemporary Hosea is barking mad. Hear all about them in this episode.
3.2 The Rococo World of the Second Temple
April 18, 2021 06:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBKeynote ep: On the cusp of the Great Revolt in 66, the little province of Judea had spent centuries under Hellenistic influence. Under this influence, Jewish thinkers produced a luxuriant literature in modes and genres unknown to the Tanakh/Old Testament. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.
Bonus 32: Into Exile With Bernie from the Fan of History podcast
April 11, 2021 06:00 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MBBernie Maopolski from the Fan of History podcast and I have fun discussing how the Judeans ended up in exile in the Babylonian empire.
3.1 The Heirs of Abraham
March 28, 2021 05:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MBKeynote ep: An overview of the whole season. I introduce the ancient literary sources we have, and the modern archaeological discoveries that transformed our understanding of the period. Re-recorded to provide much better audio quality. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.
Bonus 31: Retelling the Bible: A conversation with the Rev. W. Scott McAndless
March 21, 2021 05:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBIn this bonus, I have a jaunty conversation with the Rev. W. Scott McAndless, author of the Retelling the Bible podcast. Scott has a ripping show for you, which I heartily recommend. We talk about how his show sprang from a book he wrote, and venture into various Biblical topics.
Bonus 30. The Twelve Minor Prophets I: Introducing the Twelve
January 03, 2021 01:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBIn this bonus episode I am joined by Steve Guerra of the podcast History of the Papacy. We introduce our latest mini-series, the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. We will cover Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Bonus XX The Twelve Minor Prophets I: Introducing the Twelve
January 03, 2021 01:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBIn this bonus episode I am joined by Steve Guerra of the podcast History of the Papacy. We introduce our latest mini-series, the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. We will cover Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
2.61 Ten-Minute Update About Season Three
December 09, 2020 10:24 - 13 minutes - 8.98 MBA brief update about season three, launching in the second quarter of 2021.
Bonus 29: Deuteronomy Fun Time With Bernie from the Fan of History podcast
November 01, 2020 08:22 - 1 hour - 46.6 MBThis is a bonus episode for season two. Bernie Maopolski from the Fan of History podcast and I have fun with the book of Deuteronomy. And jellyfish.
Bonus 28: The Book of Joshua
September 20, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutes - 33.1 MBIn this co-production with Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast, we tackle the morally difficult book of Joshua
Bonus 27: With Bernie from the Fan of History podcast
August 30, 2020 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBThis is a bonus episode for season two. Bernie Maopolski from the Fan of History podcast and I talk history podcasting and the archaeology of ancient Israel.
2.60 An Epilogue and a Prologue: Season Two Finale
August 09, 2020 06:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBI finish season two and invite you to season three, which will launch early in 2021. The third season will explore the tumultuous history of the two children of Second Temple Judaism: the rabbinic movement, and Christianity. Both were sent spinning into the void after the cataclysm of the destruction of the Temple and the annihilation of the age-old religious and political structures of the Jewish state.
2.59 The Fates of the Apostles
July 19, 2020 06:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBOf all the apostles, the New Testament only describes the fate of James the Just. For all the others, we have only stories written decades or even centuries after the deaths. I also discuss the letters 1st Peter, James, and Jude.
2.58 Paul's Fate and Final Letters
June 28, 2020 06:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBThe final chapters of Acts are a rollicking adventure where Paul endures storms and shipwreck on his way to trial in Rome. Paul spends two years in Rome, insulting the local Jews to their faces. So abruptly ends the Book of Acts. In his letter to the Phillipians, Paul changes his mind about the afterlife. According to the 2nd letter to Timothy, Paul spends his last days embittered and abandoned. The Acts of Paul fabricates an account of Paul's life after Italy.
2.57 Paul's Arrest and Trial
June 07, 2020 06:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBAfter decades preaching to the gentiles in Asia Minor and Greece, Paul returns to Jerusalem for a final time. James the Just humiliates Paul by demanding Paul demonstrate his adherence to the Jewish law. The story is unlikely. James suddenly vanishes from the narrative when the Romans save Paul from a Jewish lynching. They place Paul into protective custody. Paul surprises the Romans when he declares his Roman citizenship. In a confusing series of trials, Paul is dragged before the Jewish co...
2.56 Paul's Third Mission: To the Corinthians and Romans
May 17, 2020 06:00 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MBIn 1st Corinthians, Paul struggles to impose his authority on his foundation. He denounces other preachers. He attacks the Corinthians for tolerating sexual immorality, and for favouring the rich members.He has to explain the resurrection. 2nd Corinthians is believed to be a composite of at least two other letters. In the first part of the letter, Paul buries the hatchet, and makes nice with the previously rebellious Corinthians. In the second part, Paul turns into Mr Hyde, and lashes into t...
2.55 Paul's Third Mission: To the Galatians
April 26, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 17.4 MBPaul has been on the road for 20 years. In his third and final mission, Paul travels from his base in Antioch in Syria through his earlier foundations in Turkey and Greece. He re-unites with Priscilla and Aquila. He spends a few years in the great city of Ephesus in Asia Minor. We meet Apollos, who is spreading the word of John the Baptist. As usual, Paul is violently ejected from Ephesus. This time, the pagans are to blame. Paul tells all and sundry that he has the monopoly on religious tri...
Bonus 25: The Mysterious Q Source
April 19, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 43.1 MBThe three synoptic gospels are markedly different from John. It is clear that both Matthew and Luke used Mark. But Matthew and Luke have much material in common. Most scholars think they have a common source, the mysterious "Q". Others think one evangelist copied the other. Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast and I tackle the issue.
After-dinner Mint for 2.54: A Pagan visits Paul's Club in Thessalonica
April 05, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBThis is an addendum to episode 2.54, Paul's Second Mission: To The Greeks. It is a repeat of part of an earlier episode. I imagine a curious pagan's reaction to hearing Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians.
2.54 Paul's Second Mission: To The Greeks
April 05, 2020 05:00 - 33 minutes - 22.8 MBPaul’s 2nd mission is much more extensive than his first. He starts from his base in Antioch. Before he even begins, Paul has a face-off with Peter in Antioch, and Paul’s first backer and friend Barnabas. Paul acquires Timothy as a companion. He then gallivants across the province of Asia. Paul takes ship to Thrace in Europe, where he establishes a church at Philippi. After an unfortunate misunderstanding with the local authorities, he treks down through Macedonia, where he establishes a chu...
2.53 Paul's Lost and First Missions
March 15, 2020 05:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBPaul's letters say that he spent 17 years in Arabia Nabatea, in Damascus, and in what is now southern Turkey. In all those long years, he met the disciples precisely once, and then only Peter and James the brother of Jesus. I call this Paul's lost mission. The Book Acts ignores it. The chronology of Acts is impossible to reconcile with Paul's letters.
2.52 The Many Puzzles of Paul's Epistles
February 23, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBPaul's letters are puzzles. Why do we have so few? Paul loved to write. We should have 90 or more letters, not the scant dozen we have. And why don't we have letters from Paul's contemporary missionaries? How do we reconcile the vast differences between the three Pauls shown in his letters?
2.51 We Need To Talk About Paul
February 02, 2020 05:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBKeynote ep: Paul is the major protagonist in the Book of Acts. His letters comprise almost half the books in the New Testament. After Jesus, Paul dominates the New Testament. His letters are the earliest Christian documents we possess. But that is only thanks to the accidents of history. The overwhelming personality of Paul tramples that of the disciples into the dust. Not even Peter and James, brother of Jesus, can withstand the force of nature that is Paul. Paul is the first to launch a sy...
2.50 The First Jesus Club II: Tribulations
January 12, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 19.3 MBThe first chapters of Acts describe the perfect community of the Jerusalem Jesus club. Events take a dark turn after the first five chapters. The club is beset by tribulations. The disciples decide to appoint a set of deacons, middle-managers. That turns out not so well for the deacon Stephen. Stephen is accused of blasphemy, and delivers the longest speech in the book. He is the first to die for his faith after Jesus. Wemeet Simon Magus. Peter converts Cornelius, a pagan Roman. In his last ...
2.49 The First Jesus Club I: Perfect Community
December 22, 2019 09:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBI introduce the book of Acts. The book tries to harmonise the deeds of the two great apostles: the pro-Jewish Peter and the pro-gentile Paul. Paul's letters say that Acts is telling porkies. The first third of the book is centred on the Jerusalem Jesus club. The book of Acts describes the disciples' earliest Jesus club as a golden age, a hippie commune, but a commune with a dark side. The disciples are arrested, but keep escaping from prison. The authorities eventually give up, letting them ...
2.48 Do You Think You’re What They Say You Are?
December 01, 2019 05:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBWhat solid statements can we make about the life of Jesus? Who did Jesus think he was? We can never know, but we can make some guesses. Certainly, he thought he was like an Old Testament prophet. He believed that God's kingly rule was about to intervene. Jesus believed that his mission was to prepare the Jews for God’s imminent intervention in the world. Did Jesus intend to found a new religion? I doubt it.
2.47 The Resurrection
November 10, 2019 05:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBNone of the gospels recount the resurrection. They tell of the discovery of the empty by Mary Magdalene and some other women, and then move to Jesus post-resurrection appearances. The resurrection happens off stage. The Gospel of Peter is the only document that describes the actual moment of resurrection. The gospels present differing accounts of Jesus' appearances after his death. Did he appear in spirit, like an angel, or as real fleshly human? How many people did he appear to, and when...
Bonus 24 The Whacky Book of Daniel
November 03, 2019 05:00 - 59 minutes - 41.1 MBThis is a bonus episode for season two. Steve Guerra and I tackle the the book of Daniel. We all know the book's stories of Daniel: the lion's den, the fiery furnace, and the writing on the wall. We discover a book of two parts, one of which claims to be a reliable history of Babylonian times. Spoiler: It's not. The second half is the only apocalypse in the Old Testament.
2.46 The Death of Jesus
October 20, 2019 05:00 - 25 minutes - 17.5 MBJesus' death is the supreme sacrifice. The Son of God takes upon himself the sins of the world to redeem all of mankind. From the disparate gospel accounts of Jesus' death, what can we actually say is dependable evidence? The gospels give us two surprise cameo appearances: Simon of Cyrene, and Joseph of Arimathea.
2.45 Jesus on Trial
September 29, 2019 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBAfter the Last Supper, Jesus and his mates take a post-prandial stroll in the dark to the Mount of Olives, a 30 minute walk due east of the Temple. Jesus had delivered an apocaplytic sermon at the mount the day before. According to the gospel of John, Jesus serenely accepts his fate, and refuses to ask his Father to save him. The synoptic gospels challenge that. In those gospels, Jesus lashes out at his disciples. As the company return from the Mount through the Garden of Gethsamene, Jesus a...
2.44 The Last Supper
September 08, 2019 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20 MBAfter Jesus has resurrected Lazarus, he briefly flies to Ephraim, outside of Judea, for fear of the Jews. He quickly regains his confidence, and returns to Bethany, and the home of Lazarus. From there he moves to Jerusalem to participate in the annual Passover. In Jerusalem, he and his disciples partake in a final meal. Judas betrays Jesus. The gospel of John disagrees with the synoptics as to the dating of the Last Supper: the day of Passover, or the day before? John uses the supper to intr...
2.43 Palm Sunday
August 18, 2019 05:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBThe Passion story story begins with Jesus in Bethany, a suburb of Jerusalem. Jesus is staying with his best buddies Martha, Mary, and the risen Lazarus. Jesus arranges with his students to organise a grand parade for his entry into the capital. That goes swimmingly. Ebullient from his grand reception, Jesus marches into the Temple, determined to destroy its commercial activities. Jesus then delivers a little apocalypse at the Mount of Olives.
Bonus 23 The Trinity: Part 2
August 04, 2019 05:00 - 46 minutes - 31.7 MBThe notion of the Trinity is one of -- if not the -- most difficult concepts in Christian theology. Steve Guerra and I plough through centuries of Jewish and Christian thought to try to make sense of it. Part two of two.
2.42 The Road To Jerusalem
July 27, 2019 17:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBAs so often, the synoptic gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke tell a different story of the third and final act of Jesus' life compared to the gospel of John. In the gospel of John, Jesus spends six months in Judea before his death, and is attacked by the authorities because he raised Lazarus from the dead. John has Jesus deliver a series of confusing speeches about his relationship with God. Against John, the synoptic gospels assert that Jesus spent a few weeks traveling to Judea, and only a ...
Bonus 22: All things Biblical at the IntelligentSpeech conference in NYC
July 07, 2019 06:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBThis is a bonus episode for season two. My long-time collaborator, Steve Guerra, attended the IntelligentSpeech podcasting conference in New York in June 2019. I appeared with Steve thanks to the magic that is Skype. We talk all things Biblical. I hope you enjoy this bonus show. The conference was organised by Roifield Brown, producer of numerous podcasts: How Jamaica Conquered the World, and The Things That Made England, amongst others. Roifield was the man who introduced me to history podc...
2.41 Jesus' Disciples II: The Other Guys
June 23, 2019 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBAfter the Big Three disciples come the forgettable bit-players, the Nondescript Nine: Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew (also known as Nathaniel), Matthew, Thomas Didymus, James son of Alphaeus, Judas (also known as Thaddaeus), Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot.
Bonus 21 The Trinity: Part 1
June 09, 2019 06:00 - 57 minutes - 39.3 MBThe notion of the Trinity is one of -- if not the -- most difficult concepts in Christian theology. Steve Guerra and I plough through centuries of Jewish and Christian thought to try to make sense of it. Part one of two.