Mike Delgado

In this week’s podcast, we learn from Dr. Jeannine Brown about her latest commentary on Philippians, which is part of the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series by InterVarsity Press. Her thoughtful commentary provides key insights into the background, content, and structure of Paul’s letter to the Philippian believers.

You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen to the full podcast episode here.

In this episode, Dr. Brown talks with us about:

• Process for writing an academic commentary on Philippians
• How to choose commentaries and Bible study tools
• On choosing themes to study in Philippians
• Key themes in Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians
• How Paul reframe’s his prison situation (from suffering to joy)
• Paul’s gratitude for the Philippians
• Paul’s poetry in The Christ’s Hymn (Philippians 2:6-11)
• Who is Paul?
• Paul’s Loss and Gain (Philippians 3:4-11)
• Righteousness by faithfulness of Christ vs. faith in Christ
• The importance of studying scripture that you’ve already studied

Dr. Jeannine K. Brown is Professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in San Diego, California, USA. Her books include Scripture as Communication, The Gospels as Stories and Biblical commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew. She is also the co-editor of the second edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

In this week’s podcast, we learn from Dr. Jeffery M. Leonard about his book “Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story,” which was written to help Christians understand the creation stories in our Hebrew Bible, while also appreciating what science tells us about our world. He talks with us about the struggle that many Christians face when trying to love their Bible and science – and ways to understand the various creation stories in our Hebrew Bible. 

You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen or download the full podcast episode here.

In this episode, Dr. Leonard talks with us about:

• Understanding the mindset of ancient Hebrews writing about creation
• The Christian dilemma of loving the Bible & science
• Different creation narratives and allusions in the Hebrew Bible 
• The cosmic battle between God and leviathan in Psalm & Job
• How to talk to kids about allusions and parables in the Bible 
• How ancient Hebrew people thought how our world was structured
• Why Biblical authors thought the moon was a light  and that stars would fall from the sky
• The church’s response to Copernicus that the earth isn’t the center of the universe
• How a misunderstanding of Sola Scriptura tripped up Luther, Melanchthon & Calvin
• Understanding that the Bible is a product of human authors and divine
• The Poetry & Allusions in Biblical Creation Accounts 
• Creation Story in Genesis vs Babylonian Creation Account in Enuma Elish
• “Let there be Light” 
• Why Genesis Doesn’t Include the Cosmic Battle Between God & Leviathan 
• Advice for discouraged Christians when science and scripture clash
• What the Genesis creation story teaches us (and how it relates to Revelation)

Jeffery M. Leonard is Associate Professor of Religion at Samford University in Birmingham, AL, where he specializes in Hebrew, Hebrew Bible, and the ancient Near East. He received his MDiv from Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, and his PhD from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.

We’re grateful to learn from Dr. Bart Ehrman about his helpful new book entitled “Journeys to Heaven and Hell: Tours of the Afterlife in the Early Christian Tradition,” which is published by Yale University Press.  It’s a fascinating look into the ancient literature that describes descents into hell and ascents into heaven.

Dr. Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his M.Div and Ph.D. degrees at Princeton Seminary and started his teaching career at Rutgers University. He has written or edited over thirty books, six of which were New York Times best sellers. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages. You can learn more about his academic work and subscribe to his blog here: EhrmanBlog.org.

In this podcast, Dr. Ehrman talks with us about:

• Guided tours of heaven and hell in the ancient world
• Apocalypse of Peter
• How to read ancient literature (and understand context)
• What Jesus meant when discussing Gehenna
• Importance of reading academic scholarship on the Bible
• Ancient Hebrew ideas about death and annihilation
• Early Christian thinking on Jesus and his descent into hell
• Harrowing of Hell
• The Gospel of Nicodemus
• The Apocalypse of Paul, The Acts of Thomas, The Gospel of Nicodemus
• Origin of Purgatory
• Abraham’s Bosom: Rich Man & Lazarus
• Ancient thinking of where heaven and hell were located
• How to be critical readers of the Bible
• Academic study tools for Biblical interpretation

You can listen or download the podcast conversation here:

You can also subscribe or download this podcast episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. .

Are you curious about ways to improve your study and love of the Old Testament?

Today, we’re honored to learn from Dr. John Golingay about his love of the Old Testament, ways to handle difficult passages, and how these beautiful books speak to us today.

In this podcast, Dr. Goldingay shares his thoughtful approach to studying scripture, ways he prepares to write academic commentaries on the Bible, and how he handles difficult scriptures.

He encourages us to study our Bible with both an analytical and spiritual mind – and to come to the Bible humbly with our questions. He also shares tremendous wisdom on how to deal with passages in the Old Testament that perhaps don’t make sense to us, and how to better explore (and question) those difficult texts. He also talks about some controversial stories in the Book of Joshua, and how different theologians like Origen and Calvin understood them.

His love and humble approach to exploring scripture is inspiring and encouraging.

Check out this quote from his book on exploring the Old Testament:

“I want to see things through the eyes of Genesis or Isaiah or Lamentations. My Christian faith will sometimes enable me to perceive things in the Old Testament that I might otherwise miss. . . . but I want the Old Testament to correct my Christian assumptions when they need correction. When I can work out what these books would mean for the Israelites for whom they were written, there’s a good chance that I can find my way to what it might mean for me.”

Dr. John Goldingay studied theology at Oxford, earned his PhD from the University of Nottingham; Doctor of Divinity, and a Doctor of Divinity from the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth. He is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. He was previously principal and professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at St. John’s Theological College in Nottingham, England. He has written countless commentaries on the Old Testament, and now focused on writing a commentary on the book of Joshua. To learn more on ways to explore and study the Old Testament, check out An Introduction to the Old Testament: Exploring Texts, Approaches & Issues by IVP Academic.

Read More…

Are you curious on the different ways Christians, Jews and Muslims understand the Book of Jonah in our Hebrew Bible?

Today, we’re honored to learn from Dr. Amy Erickson about her insightful and detailed commentary on the book of Jonah — and ways to better appreciate this story through academic and various theological lenses.

In this podcast on Jonah, Dr. Amy Erickson talks about Christian and Jewish understandings of Jonah, why Jonah has been viewed as both the villain and a type of Christ, she talks about why Jonah has a theological problem with God, she discusses Islamic interpretations of Jonah’s prophecy that Nineveh would be overthrown, and gives fascinating insights on how to understand  the odd ending of the story. The episode ends with her personal takeaways on Jonah and advice on how to study this complex and fascinating story.

Dr. Amy Erickson is associate professor of Hebrew Bible and the director of the Masters of Theological Studies program at the Iliff School of Theology. Learn more about her new commentary on Jonah at Eerdmans Publishing.

Read More…

Are you curious on how to better understand the Catholic epistles and ways the early church read them?

In Letters for the Church, Dr. Darian R. Lockett provides us with rich insights into early church theology and practice through a deep study into the seven letters of James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude.

He provides fascinating insights into the background and context of each letter, and ways to see how these scriptural writings are thematically connected.

Each chapter outlines the author, audience, and genre of one of the epistles, traces its flow of thought, and explores shared themes with the other Catholic Epistles.

In this podcast, Dr. Darian Lockett discusses his conviction to write a book focused on the Catholic epistles. He shares different scholarly interpretations, thematic connections, and how to study these letters critically and devotionally. He also gives advice for those of us who struggle with difficult scriptures and ways to deal with scholarly debates on New Testament passages.

Darian R. Lockett (PhD, St. Andrews) is professor of New Testament at Biola University. His many publications include Letters from the Pillar Apostles, Understanding Biblical Theology, and An Introduction to the Catholic Epistles.

I pray this conversation encourages us to better students of scripture.

You can subscribe or download this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe to the video series on YouTube.

Read More…

How do you handle those spiritual seasons when God doesn’t feel present in your life?

Those moments when you feel alone — and possibly even uncared for by God.

The problem of God’s absence (or hiddenness) has been a struggle for many of us, especially during times of crisis, pain and trauma.

These are times that can shake our faith and can move us into seasons of doubt and faithlessness.

During these difficult periods, the Biblical passages dealing with lament, protest and anger toward God are often the only scriptures that relate to us.

Think about the laments and protests of Job, Jeremiah, the Psalmists, or even Jesus (when he cried out to God for feeling forsaken). In many ways, we are never alone with our frustrations when God seems hidden from us.

Interestingly, there are two books in the Biblical cannon that don’t have any explicit reference to God: Song of Songs and Esther.

God’s peculiar absence in these Hebrew scriptures can be unsettling.

Read More…

We’re grateful for the opportunity to learn from Michael Card about his latest book “The Nazarene: Forty Devotions on the Lyrical Life of Jesus” published by IVP in the latest podcsat.

It’s a helpful map to discover the richness of the four gospels in both song and lyrical form. It’s also a creative bridge to connect our hearts and mind to the fascinating story of Jesus.

Michael has written countless songs about the life of Christ and written extensively on each gospel over the last 35 years. He carefully weaves together critical analysis and devotional interpretations to powerfully communicate the scriptures.

You can subscribe or download this show on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe to the video series on YouTube.

Here’s an overview of our conversation:

EP17: Meditating on the Gospels: Lyrical Reflections on the Life of Jesus

Michael Card talks with us about simmering on scripture and ways to thoughtfully analyze and understand the gospel accounts of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. He talks about why he has been focused on studying the gospels and how he has used music and his theological writings to connect others to the life of Jesus. He describes how each gospel writer differs in the way they write about Jesus. He also shares how the parables and gospel accounts encourage us to use our imaginations to connect our hearts and minds to scripture. Michael also provides us with actionable advice on how we can become better readers of the Gospels as well as his favorite Bible study tools.

Read More…