Bible Study: Parody and Subversion in Matthew's Gospel

Where are the new episodes??? An Explanation and Recommendation

A short note to explain why it's taking so long to get out new episodes, and a recommendation to try the Bartcast at https://www.bcm-net.org/resources/podcasts. Support the show (https://paypal.me/ParodySubversion?locale.x=en_US)

Special Episode: The Politics of Translation; an interview with Dr. James Fehr

What gets lost in translation, and why does it get lost? In this interview, we talk with Dr. James Fehr who is doing work on translating New Testament texts in a way that wrestles with the fact that these texts are from a completely different time and culture and that our modern translations have been translated by people with privilege who don't want to offend those in power. This work is not just academic for Fehr. His love for these texts fuels his passion for justice. His day job, in th...

Episode 42: Rocky Peter and another Temple, Matthew 16:13-20

Jesus and his disciples travel north where a dead king is worshiped. Peter is declared to be the bedrock of the "church". . . or is he?

Episode 41: Resistance Versus Nationalism, Matthew 16:5-12

How do you resist oppression? Is nationalism ever right? Can a group be nationalist while at the same time collaborating with the imperial oppressor? Can a movement draw deep from it's own national heritage but still be transnational? Those are the questions that today's episode wrestles with through this second passage of Matthew 16.

Episode 40: You want a sign? What have I been doing here? Matthew 16:1-4

The Pharisees and Sadducees join forces to challenge Jesus, but Jesus isn't interested in their credential system.

Episode 39: The 2nd Mass Feeding, Matthew 15:29-39

The encounter with the Canaanite Woman in the last episode broke open a whole new frontier for the movement. The movement for a new society can now include all people.

Episode 38: The Canaanite Woman, Matthew 15:21-28

The story gives us a surprise twist. Is Jesus showing his humanity, or is he a really clever teacher?

Episode 37: Jesus' Zeal for the Law and Traditions of Israel; Matthew 15:1-20

When an oppressed people express their desires for liberation, they often do it by demonstrating zeal for their national culture and traditions. But oppressed people are often divided into factions, each accusing the other of not being sufficiently dedicated to the cause, not demonstrating sufficient zeal for the national traditions. That is what we see playing out in the first passage of chapter 15 in Matthew.

Episode 36: 2nd Sea Crossing, Matthew 14:22-36

This second sea crossing recalls both Israel's seminal story of liberation and the boastful thoughts of a Seleucid emperor.

Episode 35: A Tale of Two Banquets, Matthew 14: 1-21

The rich and the powerful party at the expense of the poor, but the common poor can create their own new society of abundance for all!

Special Episode: Jesus Against the Power of Temples and Priests

This is a long episode, but a very important one. In this episode, I make clear something that I have been saying throughout the series, that Jesus, as portrayed in Matthew, is opposed to the power of Temples and Priests (all of them, not just in Israel).  This episode contains longer musical interludes (to break it up and give listeners time to absorb the concepts), all composed by David Martyn.

Episode 34: The Great Scribal Reversal, Matthew 13:44-58

This episode concludes a chapter in which Jesus speaks in riddles, revealing the hidden things, the wonderful secrets of the new society. Again, nothing is as it seems. Jesus attempts a great scribal reversal, making the peasants scribes, and leaving the scribal class on the outside, lacking understanding. This reversal is rejected...but wait...nothing is as it seems.

Special Event, Sunday, January 17, 3:30-4:30 p.m. PST: Indigenous Solidarity

Epiphany indeed shed light on toxic White Supremacy, challenging us to go deeper in our discipleship of decolonization and racial justice. The upcoming Bartimaeus Kinsler Institute 2021 online next month, invites you to the second of two pre-Institute “stepping stone” programs, on Sunday January 17th, 2021 from 3:30-4:30 PST.  In the spirit of the King holiday weekend, Sarah & Jonathan Nahar, Vivien Sansour and Linda Quiquivix will talk about how as activists of color they do Indigenous ...

Episode 33: Parables of the Wheat and Weeds, Mustard Seed, and Leaven, Matthew 13:24-43

The movement for the New Society is sneaky and spreads through the unwashed masses.

Episode 33: Parables of the Wheat and Weeds, Mustard Seed, and Leaven

The movement for the New Society is sneaky and spreads through the unwashed masses. Support the show (https://paypal.me/ParodySubversion?locale.x=en_US)

Special 3 Kings Day Episode; The Magi Revisited

A little review of episode 4, about the Magi, and a little new information. I recorded this one "free form" (no script), so not as polished, but I hope that you'll enjoy it nonetheless. Support the show (https://paypal.me/ParodySubversion?locale.x=en_US)

Episode 32: Parable of the Sower, Matthew 12:46 - 13:23

Jesus starts talking in riddles to hide the wonderful secrets of the new society from those who would destroy it, but the wise will understand. This episode and the next two regular episodes, numbers 33 and 34, explore the parables discourse of chapter 13 (which begins at the end of chapter 12). Through this discourse, Jesus trains his disciples to be scribe of the New Society.

Special Episode: Interview with Dr. Sebastien Doane; The Genealogy, The Magi, and Pasolini

(Edited version) In this special episode, I interview Dr. Sebastien Doane, Professor of Biblical Studies at Laval University, in Quebec City, and author of Zombies, Unicorns, Cannibals; Strange Tales from the Bible (published by Paulist Press).  We revisit episodes 1 (The Genealogy) and 4 (The Magi) of this podcast series in the light of Dr. Doane's work. Dr Doane reads the Gospel of Matthew through a Carnivalesque lens. (I had to edit this one because the interview was done on Zoom. Dr. ...

How to Support the Podcast and a Song by Murry Hammond

I won't have any regular episodes until the new year, but here are 4 ways to support this podcast and ensure its sustainability and maybe an expansion...plus if you listen to the end, you get another great song by Murry Hammond, whose music you can find at MurryHammond.com.  If you want to support the podcast financially through PayPal, send donations to [email protected]. Thank You!!! Support the show (https://paypal.me/ParodySubversion?locale.x=en_US)

Episode 31: Parable of the Seven Demons, Matthew 12:33-45

Ever wonder what that parable of the 7 demons is about?

Episode 30: Satan's Kingdom Must Come Down, Matthew 12:22-32

Jesus diagnoses the problem of demon possession differently than his upper class opponents. He finds the root cause of the problem not in the demon-possessed individual but in the situation of oppression. Special Music by Murry Hammond whose music can be found here.

Episode 29: Matthew 12:1-21

Jesus defeats the elite wisdom men of the old society in public debate.

Episode 29: Jesus, the Peasant, Defeats the Upper Class Scribes in Debate, Matthew 12:1-21

Jesus defeats the elite wisdom men of the old society in public debate.

Special Edition: Recommended Reading and other Ramblings

Mostly recommendations for recommended reading for those who want to delve deeper into Matthew studies.

Episode 28: Jesus and the Wise and Easy Yoke, Matthew 11:25-30

Jesus is the broker of God's wisdom to the people, a wisdom for a new society that is not oppressive.

Episode 27: Jesus Exposes the Wisdom of the Old Society, Matthew 11:16-24

Ever wonder about that parable about the children playing games in the marketplace? I unpack that one in this episode.

Episode 27: Matthew 11:16-24

Ever wonder about that parable about the children playing games in the marketplace? I unpack that one in this episode.

Addendum to Episode 26

Just a clarifying thought that I had after I published the last episode...

Episode 26: The Power of Interpretation, Matthew 11:1-15

Matthew has been showing how Jesus and his movement fulfill the visions of the prophets. In chapter 11, the fulfillment theme gets stated so forcefully that it becomes evident that Jesus does not merely fulfill the visions of the prophets but reinterprets them. This reinterpretation is part of a larger program of reinterpreting the world in a way that will change it for all who partake in this reinterpretation.

Episode 25: Resisting the Empire and Revealing the Secrets, Matthew 10:24-42

Jesus says that secrets will be revealed. Listen to this episode to learn what those secrets are!

Episide 25: Resisting the Empire and Revealing the Secrets, Matthew 10:24-42

Jesus says that secrets will be revealed. Listen to this episode to learn what those secrets are! Support the show (https://paypal.me/ParodySubversion?locale.x=en_US)

Episode 24: Jesus Prepares his Disciples for the Empire's Brutality

What does Jesus mean when he says that his disciples will not finish their mission of going through the towns of Israel "before the Son of Man comes"? Listen to this episode to find out. Support the show (https://paypal.me/ParodySubversion?locale.x=en_US)

Episode 24: Jesus Prepares his Disciples for the Empire's Brutality, Matthew 10:16-23

What does Jesus mean when he says that his disciples will not finish their mission of going through the towns of Israel "before the Son of Man comes"? Listen to this episode to find out.

Episode 23: The Reconquest of Israel, Matthew 9:35-10:15

Jesus sends out an army of healers to retake Israel from those who have stolen it.

Episode 22: Two Daughters and the Blind and Mute Men, Matthew 9:18-34

After having gathered in the lost - the tax/toll collectors and "sinners" - he suddenly gets called to a high status household, but on the way heals a marginalized woman suffering from menstrual bleeding. Chapters 8 and 9 have Jesus entering the worlds and lives of people who are very separate from each other: a leper, gentiles, women and men, social outcasts, low and high status people; in all of these situations, he brings healing, both social and physical. And finally he heals two blind m...

Episode 21: Fasting versus Feasting, Matthew 9:14-17

Jesus has to explain why now is the time to party with the sinners.

Episode 20: The Calling of Matthew; Matthew 9:9-13

The campaign of healing takes the form of a meal with "sinners."

Episode 19: Jesus Heals and Forgives a Paralytic, Matthew 9:1-8

Who has the authority to forgive sins? Only God? Who has the authority to speak for God then? The ruling classes in antiquity used systems of temples, priests, and sacrifice to control the people. Jesus demonstrates to the people that they don't need any of that to have good standing before God and each other.

Episode 18: The Crossing; Jesus Battles the Empire, Matthew 8:18-27

Jesus crosses to "the other side" and encounters the demons of empire.

Episode 17: An Honor Healing, Matthew 8:14-17

The third detailed healing: Jesus crosses the gender divide and continues his campaign of healing.

Episode 16: The Centurion, Matthew 8:5-13

In this episode, I make a mistake in the recording. See if you can catch it...you don't have to be a Bible Scholar, you just need to be paying attention.  I only caught it after it was all done; there is no way to fix it, and I don't have the time or energy to go back and correct it, so let's make it a game. If you find it, let me know on the Facebook page.

Episode 15: Jesus Pronounces a Leper Clean, Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus usurps the power and authority of the priests.

Episode 14: Solidarity Among the People, Matthew 7

Episode 13: The Lord's Revolutionary Prayer, Matthew 6:9-15

Jesus provides a prayer for his movement rooted in peasant realities of hunger, debt, and the threat of legal prosecution as well as the ancient story of the Exodus liberation.

Episode 12: The Peasant Economy of Mutual Aid versus The Empire's Economy of Patronage, Matthew 6:1-4, 16-34

Jesus lifts up the mutual aid economy of the peasants and tears down the patronage system of the empire.

Episode 12: The Peasant Economy of Mutual Aid versus The Empire's Economy of Patrongage

Jesus lifts up the mutual aid economy of the peasants and tears down the patronage system of the empire.

Episode 12: The Peasant Economy of Mutual Aid versus The Empire's Economy of Patrongage, Matthew 6:1-4, 16-34

Jesus lifts up the mutual aid economy of the peasants and tears down the patronage system of the empire.

Episode 11: Oaths and Nonviolent Resistance, Matthew 5:33-48

What's the big deal about taking Oaths? Also, women in Nigeria in 2002 used a tactic that Matthew's Jesus prescribes.

Episode 10: Reconciliation and Curtailing Male Sexual Abuse of Women Matthew 5:17-32

Jesus attempts to build a strong movement, urging solidarity between peasants and curtailing male sexual abuse of and power over women.

Episode 10: Reconciliation and "Me Too," Matthew 5:17-32

Jesus attempts to build a strong movement, urging solidarity between peasants and curtailing male sexual abuse of and power over women.