The Naked Bible Podcast

With Dr. Matthew Halsted 1 Samuel 29 tells the story of David's rejection by the Philistines. David had been living in exile with the Philistines after being anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel. The Philistines were preparing for battle against Israel, and David had been invited to join them in the fight. However, some of the Philistine leaders were suspicious of David and feared that he might betray them. They convinced Achish, the king of Gath, to send David and his men back home.

With Dr. Ronn Johnson Saul is afraid of the Philistines and seeks guidance from God, but God does not answer him. Saul then disguises himself and goes to a medium in Endor to ask her to bring up the spirit of Samuel. The medium is able to summon Samuel, who tells Saul that God has rejected him as king and that he and his sons will die in battle the next day. Saul is greatly troubled by this news and returns to his camp.

With Dr. Denise Flanders David flees to the land of the Philistines in fear of Saul. He lies to the Philistine king, Achish, and tells him that he is no longer a loyal Israelite. Achish believes David and gives him a place to live in Ziklag. David and his men live in Ziklag for a year and four months, during which time they raid the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. Achish is pleased with David's service and believes that he can trust him. However, David is only pretending to be loyal to the Philistines. He is actually planning to return to Israel and claim the throne.

With Dr. Ronn Johnson David spares Saul's life twice, showing his mercy and compassion. Saul is starting to realize that David is a threat to his throne, and he is afraid that David will eventually kill him and take over as king. The prophet Samuel anoints David as king, even though Saul is still the reigning king. This further angers Saul and makes him even more determined to kill David.

With Dr. Matthew Halsted David and his men are in the wilderness of Maon when they hear that Nabal, a wealthy landowner, is shearing his sheep. David sends his men to ask Nabal for food and drink, as is customary when a guest visits. Nabal is a proud and arrogant man, and he refuses to give David anything. He insults David and his men, calling them "worthless rabble." Abigail, Nabal's wise and resourceful wife, learns of her husband's behavior and takes matters into her own hands. She gathers a large amount of food and drink and sets out to meet David. Abigail arrives at David's camp and falls on her face before him. She apologizes for her husband's behavior and begs David not to take revenge. David is impressed by Abigail's wisdom and humility, and he agrees to spare Nabal's life. The next day, Nabal learns of what has happened. He is so ashamed that he has a stroke and dies ten days later. David marries Abigail and she becomes a wise and supportive wife to him.

With Dr. Tim Mackie Saul was hunting David in the wilderness of Engedi when he and his men went into a cave to relieve themselves. David and his men were hiding in the back of the cave, and David's men urged him to kill Saul while he had the chance. But David refused, saying that he would not harm the Lord's anointed. Instead, he cut off a corner of Saul's robe and followed him out of the cave. When Saul saw that David had been there, he was ashamed and said that David was more righteous than he was. Saul promised David that he would not harm him or his descendants. This chapter demonstrates David's mercy and his commitment to the Lord.

With Dr. Ronn Johnson David was informed that the Philistines were attacking the city of Keilah. He asked God if he should go to Keilah and help the people, and God told him to go. David's men were afraid to go to Keilah, but David assured them that God would be with them. David and his men went to Keilah and defeated the Philistines. Saul heard that David was in Keilah, and he set out to capture him. David learned that Saul was coming, and he and his men fled Keilah. David and his men hid in the wilderness, and Saul searched for them. Saul eventually gave up the search and returned to his home in Gibeah. Dr. Johnson also consults with ChatGPT to get its take on theology.

With Dr. Justin Bass David flees from Saul to the cave of Adullam, where he is joined by his brothers and other relatives. He also gathers a group of men who are discontented with Saul's rule. Saul learns of David's whereabouts and orders the death of Ahimelech the priest and all the other priests at Nob. David then goes to Mizpah in Moab and asks the king to allow his parents to stay with him. Saul continues to pursue David, but David is able to escape and elude capture. Saul's paranoia and jealousy continue to grow, and he becomes increasingly ruthless in his pursuit of David. David, on the other hand, continues to show his loyalty to God and his willingness to trust in Him. Even though he is being hunted by the king, David remains confident that God will protect him.

With Dr. Ronn Johnson David fled from Saul, who was seeking to kill him. He went to the city of Nob, where he lied to the priest Ahimelech, saying that he was on a mission from Saul. Ahimelech gave David food and the sword of Goliath. David then went to Gath, where he pretended to be insane in order to avoid being recognized by King Achish. David's deception of Ahimelech was a sin, but his feigned insanity saved his life.

With Dr. Michael Brown David, fearing for his life after Saul has tried to kill him twice, goes to Jonathan, Saul's son, to ask for help. Jonathan promises to help David and to warn him if Saul plans to harm him. Jonathan and David make a covenant of friendship and loyalty. David then leaves and goes into hiding. In this episode, Dr. Brown gives us some semitic insights on a hebrew word that could be translated differently and takes on how the cultural wars misinterpret passages like in 1 Samuel 20.

We talk to Greg Lyle and Drenna Heiser from Dr. Heiser's non-profit, Miqlat. Greg and Drenna give us updates on future projects of Miqlat and Drenna tells us the story of how brave Mike was when they first met. To support Miqlat please goto Miqlat.org.

With Dr. Justin Bass Saul became increasingly jealous of David and tried to kill him. Jonathan, Saul's son, tried to protect David and warned him of Saul's plans. David fled from Saul and went into hiding. Michal, Saul's daughter, helped David escape by letting him down from a window. Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him and kill him, but Michal tricked the messengers by putting a fake image in David's bed. David escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah.

With Dr. Justin Bass After David defeated Goliath, Saul became jealous of David's popularity and success. Jonathan, Saul's son, became close friends with David. Saul gave his daughter Merab in marriage to David, but then gave her to another man. Michal, Saul's other daughter, fell in love with David and they were married.

With Dr. Justin Bass The Philistines and Israelites were at war. Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior, challenged the Israelites to send a champion to fight him. David, a young shepherd boy, volunteered to fight Goliath. David defeated Goliath with a sling and a stone, and the Israelites were victorious. This passage teaches us that God can use anyone, no matter how young or insignificant they may seem, to accomplish His purposes.

With Dr. Tim Mackie In 1 Samuel 16, the Lord tells Samuel that he has rejected Saul as king of Israel. Samuel is sent to Jesse's home in Bethlehem to anoint a new king. Jesse presents his seven oldest sons to Samuel, but the Lord does not choose any of them. Jesse sends for his youngest son, David, who is tending sheep. The Lord tells Samuel to anoint David as king, and the Spirit of the Lord comes upon David from that day on. This passage teaches us that God does not choose leaders based on their outward appearance or their human accomplishments. Instead, He chooses those who are humble, obedient, and willing to be used by Him.

With Dr. Justin Bass God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including all of their livestock. Saul obeys the command to destroy the Amalekites, but he spares the king and the best of the livestock. When Samuel confronts Saul about his disobedience, Saul tries to justify his actions. Samuel rebukes Saul for his disobedience, and declares that God has rejected him as king.

Listeners of The Naked Bible Podcast take time to remember Dr. Michael Heiser. To support the podcast please go to nakedbiblepodcast.com.

Listeners of The Naked Bible Podcast take time to remember Dr. Michael Heiser. To support the podcast please go to nakedbiblepodcast.com.

Listeners of The Naked Bible Podcast take time to remember Dr. Michael Heiser. To support the podcast please go to nakedbiblepodcast.com.

In 1 Samuel 13-14 Saul throws away the Lord’s dynastic blessing by usurping priestly duties (that is, performing an unlawful sacrifice). Saul’s leadership become more erratic as God’s rejection of Saul has begun, this time putting the life of his own son, Jonathan, in jeopardy.

1 Samuel 12 is ostensibly Samuel’s farewell address as he yields power to Saul, Israel’s first king. The content of his address in the chapter is both more subtle and confrontational, though, to have it be a simply farewell. The text makes it clear that God will evaluate the new king (and every king) on the basis of their covenant loyalty, and that will in turn be made clear as to how the king takes heed to Samuel’s advice on being loyal to Yahweh. In the end, the chapter has a sense of foreboding as the monarchy is launched. God promises to remain faithful to Israel and its king but also warns the people through Samuel that straying off into idolatry will again yield divine abandonment.

1 Samuel 11 explores the inauguration of Saul’s reign as king of Israel. In the previous chapter, the prophet Samuel had given Saul several signs that his anointing was genuine and from the Lord. That validation ended with Samuel’s directive that Saul accompany him to Gilgal to renew the covenant. Saul failed to do this. In this chapter of 1 Samuel, we discover what Saul did instead of going to Gilgal. In one respect, the chapter records Saul’s lone real success as king with a victory over the Ammonites. But in another respect, it again sets the tone for Saul’s unfitness to be king. On a wider, more surprising note, this chapter also seems to reveal a connection back to the serpent of Genesis 3 as part of a motif that Israel’s kings were expected to be fulfillments of the promise of the seed of the woman overcoming the serpent.

In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel ask Samuel to choose a king to rule them, a king that would be like the kings of other nations (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel opposes the idea, interpreting the request as a rejection of his own leadership. God has an equally negative view of the request, but informs Samuel that the people have actually rejected Himself, not the prophet, in making the request. Nevertheless, God tells Samuel to anoint Saul in response (1 Sam 9, 10). In the previous episode of the podcast, we talked about how Scripture outside 1 Samuel 8-10 articulates a positive view of kingship, even marrying it to the messianic vision. In this episode we discuss how this perspective dovetails with the selection of Saul. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel ask Samuel to choose a king for them who would be like the kings of other nations (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel opposes the idea, giving rise to a larger interpretive question: Was Israel wrong in wanting a king? In this episode of the podcast, we explore the wider context of the “king making” section of 1 Samuel 8-10. Specifically, what do the Torah and other passages, specially those prior to 1 Samuel in the biblical storyline, say about kingship? Was the idea looked upon positively or negatively? OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

1 Samuel 7 is about Samuel’s emergence as the nation of Israel’s spiritual and military leader (i.e., a judge). The contrast with the house of Eli is again palpable. The main focus of this emergence is a revival in Israel and the subsequent conflict with the Philistine where, after a long absence, God fights for Israel certifying Samuel’s status. This episode comments on these items along with focusing on “the Baals and Ashtaroth” Israel must forsake. Some discussion is also given to the term Asherah (plural: Asherim). OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

Counterfeit Kingdom with Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett Back in 2017 (Episode 179) apologetics researcher Holly Pivec was our guest to talk about the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement that claims new revelation from God and new apostolic authority that is binding on followers of Jesus everywhere. In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Holly and her co-author, Dr. R. Douglas Geivett, via a discussion of their latest book on the NAR, Counterfeit Kingdom: The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets, and New Age Practices in the Church. Currently on sale!! Please click the book's link.

1 Samuel 5-6 continues the biblical saga of the loss of the ark of the covenant to the Philistines. Specifically, the chapters detail the fallout upon the Philistines as Yahweh chooses to punish them for taking the ark. The episode includes an interesting scene of cosmic geography and spiritual warfare (1 Sam 5:1-5). Most of the content, however, details Yahweh’s judgment of the Philistines, a judgment that involves the Philistines offering a “guilt offering” to Yahweh. This offering included objects or emblems that were designed to cajole Yahweh into relenting, and so the objects in some way telegraph what the punishments included. English translations have these objects as golden mice and golden “tumors” or “hemorrhoids” (Hebrew term: ʿophalim). This episode follows recent archaeological research that demonstrate there is a better way to understand the nature of the ʿophalim, one that makes this episode for adults only. Article referenced: Aren Maier, “Did Captured Ark Afflict Philistines with E.D.?” BAR 34:3 (2008)

1 Samuel 4 details the loss of the ark of the covenant to the Philistines and the end of Eli’s priestly lineage. In so doing it is the fulfillment of God’s word to Samuel, the young prophet. In this episode of the podcast we talk about the loss of the ark and the nature of the ark itself, along with several other details of the passage that are less obvious to readers. 

1 Samuel 3 marks the call of Samuel to be a prophet. As such it furthers the demise of the house of Eli, a demise that will reach its climax in Chapter 4. In this episode of the podcast we take a look at some of the features of 1 Samuel 3, particularly in regard to its theophany, Samuel’s status as the “prophet like unto Moses,” and an interesting text-critical issue.

This episode of the podcast continues in 1 Samuel 2 through the end of the chapter. In 1 Sam 2:12-36 we are introduced specifically to how Samuel contrasts with the wicked sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. The chapter raises questions about the nature of Samuel’s ministry, as well as the matter of the unidentified “man of God” that appears to prophesy against Eli.

The story of Hannah’s barrenness and faithful prayer to Yahweh for a child is well known to Bible readers. Yet there is much more to the story and her prayer than meets the eye. In this episode of the podcast we look at how this portion of 1 Samuel connects to the wider Old Testament, especially the patriarchs and David. We also devote some focus to issues and topics that arise in the text. Was Samuel a Nazirite? What is the significance of Elkanah’s genealogy? How is Hannah’s prayer a strike against the gods of Canaan?

Beyond the stories of Hannah and David’s battle with Goliath, the book of 1 Samuel tends not to be well known. This episode of the podcast kicks off a series covering the book. 1 Samuel is a theological history of the beginnings of Israel’s monarchy. There are not only many intriguing episodes in its pages, but it also teaches valuable lessons about accepting God’s sovereign rule and turning from half-hearted devotion. God is king in 1 Samuel and its content brings home that lesson.

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Jude. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Jude. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

The Afterlife with Dr. Justin Bass In this episode of the podcast we continue our conversation with Dr. Justin Bass about the various terms we encounter in the Bible that describe the destination of the dead. If you’ve ever wondered about Gehenna, the Lake of Fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s Bosom, you’ll enjoy today’s episode. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

The Afterlife with Dr. Justin Bass It’s expected that the Bible would have a good bit to say about the afterlife. But perhaps surprising are the number of different terms it uses to describe the destination of the dead, and the way afterlife ideas develop from the Old Testament to the New Testament. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Justin Bass introduces us to some of the terminology. What exactly are Sheol, Hades, the Abyss, and Tartarus? Listen in to find out. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

In this last installment of the book of Jude (vv. 17-25), we take a look at several points of Jude’s theology, namely his Christology and fear of apostasy on the part of his audience. Jude continues to hammer away at the fact that the false teachers about which he has warned his audience were predicted—and are predictable in their ungodly conduct and desire to sow discord among believers. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

In Jude 14-16, the author continues the theme of the judgment of his opponents, the false teachers. In this instance, Jude cites the book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9) specifically to make his case. In this episode, we discuss the implications of Jude’s citation of 1 Enoch and the Old Testament sources from which the verse in 1 Enoch derive. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

In Jude 11-13, the author continues his portrayal of, and warning against, false teachers using three archetypal Old Testament episodes of rebellion and sin. In these verses, Jude compares the false teachers and their content to the rebellion of Cain (Gen 4), the betrayal of Balaam (Num 22-25), and the rebellion of Korah (Num 16). What is it about these three Old Testament episodes that led Jude to use them to describe the false teachers he opposed? Was Jude tapping into Intertestamental Jewish tradition to do so? Find out in this episode. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

One of the oddest verses in the short epistle of Jude is Jude 9, which describes some sort of struggle between Michael the archangel and the Devil (Satan). Many commentators see an allusion to Zechariah 3, but in this episode we take a different perspective about the meaning of this verse. Rather than Zechariah 3, certain features of Old Testament cosmic geography are a better backdrop to this odd passage. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

In the book that bears his name Jude has compared the false teachers he opposes to the heavenly villains of Genesis 6:1-4 (see Part 3). In this episode, Jude continues this literary and theological strategy by comparing the false teachers to the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah. While we associate those two Old Testament cities with a particular sin of the flesh, Jude has something more dramatic in mind. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

In Jude 6 the author introduces his readers to a group of angels that sinned against God. They failed to “stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling.” As a result, these angels are “kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” The verse is both clear and yet raises many questions. In this episode we take a look at the angelic sin of Jude 6 and its textual relationship to both 2 Peter 2:4 and the book of 1 Enoch. Doing so produces clarity for understanding to what Old Testament event Jude alludes and why he injects it into his condemnation of false teachers. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

This episode focuses on Jude 4-5. In Jude 4 the false teachers who are Jude’s opponents are said to have long ago “been designated for condemnation.” What does this phrase mean? In Jude 5 the author shocks his readers by informing them that it was Jesus who saved the Israelites from Egypt. Not surprisingly, that verse is controversial. Join us as we unravel Jude’s comment and show how it relates to the Old Testament’s theology of a Godhead, the ancient “two powers in heaven” doctrine. OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

The letter of Jude is one of the shortest books in the Bible. Its content, however, is dense, offering a variety of fascinating topics for study. In this episode of the podcast we embark on a series book study of the epistle of Jude. Join us for Part 1! OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL Article referenced: WHERE WAS TARSHISH?

Over the past two years Dr. Heiser has been asked a number of times to respond to the book Demons and Spirits in Biblical Theology: Reading the Biblical Text in its Cultural and Literary Context, by John H. Walton and J. Harvey Walton (2019). The book runs quite contrary to Dr. Heiser’s own work. In this episode Dr. Heiser responds to the book’s content and how he fears it might be used by opponents of the faith.

Hollywood Heroes with Frank Turek Millions of people around the world are captivated by fantasy and superhero films. What explains their popularity? According to our guest, apologist Frank Turek, it’s because we long for “another world” that we were really made for, and we are enchanted by someone who will bring us there—someone who will fight evil and transport us safely to a world where there is no pain, suffering, or struggle.  In this episode of the podcast we meet Frank Turek and get introduced to both his ministry (CrossExamined.org) and his latest book, co-authored with his son Zach, entitled Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God. Join us for some worthwhile apologetics discussion! Coupon code Heiser52722 is good for 20% off Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. The World Turned Upside Down - Mike's book will be $5 (free shipping) through the end of June. The coupon code is STRANGER5 or the discount is applied automatically if you click the link. The book and video bundle will be $10 (no discount code needed). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

The Queen of Heaven with Dr. Peter Goeman The “queen of heaven” is an enigmatic deity figure that appears in Scripture in a handful of verses (Jer 7:18; 44:17-19, 25). Who was the queen of heaven to whom the people of Judah were offering idolatrous sacrifice? What can be known of her? Can she be identified with a named ancient Near Eastern goddess? This episode of the podcast entertains these and other questions with our guest, Dr. Peter Goeman.

In the preceding episodes, we’ve seen how Paul reconfigures Old Testament faith, faithfulness, Torah keeping, and Israel’s election in light of the work of Jesus and his own encounter with the risen Christ. In this final episode of our series on Paul’s use of the Old Testament in Romans, we look at how Paul’s reconfiguring of these doctrinal elements factors into Romans 12-16, the epistle’s section on practical Christian living. Paul’s theological outlook does indeed influence how he articulates what life in the believing Jew-Gentile community of Jesus followers should look like.

In the preceding episodes, we’ve seen how Paul reconfigures Old Testament faith, faithfulness, and Torah keeping in light of  the work of Jesus and his own encounter with the risen Christ. In this episode we look at how Paul recontextualized Israel’s election in light of Christ as the risen messiah. Specifically, we’ll look at Paul’s use of Hosea in Romans 9, and how Paul sees Hosea’s words describing God’s election of Israel as including Gentiles, thus reconfiguring the concept of election.

In the preceding episode, we saw how Israel’s elective vocation was reconfigured by Paul to focus on the work of Christ and the resurrection. The focus was Romans 1-3 and how Paul understands faith/faithfulness and Torah keeping. In this episode the template of the faithfulness of Jesus, the faith of the individual believer, and the matter of works (specifically circumcision) are articulated by Paul using the story of Abraham in Romans 4. Again, Paul contextualizes the Old Testament in light of the work of Jesus and his own encounter with the risen Christ.

To this point in our series on Paul’s use of the Old Testament we’ve focused on Paul’s “storied reading” of the Old Testament—specifically, how the Old Testament profile of messiah emerges. In the last episode we talked about how Malachi sets up Romans in terms of Israel’s covenant failure and the expectation of a divine messiah. In this episode we look at how the theme of Israel’s elective vocation is reconfigured by Paul to focus on the work of Christ and the resurrection. In Romans 1-3, this will take the form of how Paul understands faith/faithfulness and Torah keeping.

The book of Malachi closes our English Old Testament. Because of its position and status as one of the “minor prophets,” this book is one of the more neglected in the Bible. What possible relevance could it have for the messianic profile discussed in preceding episodes of this series? How does it relate to Paul? Surprisingly, Malachi is the perfect set up for what Paul does with the Old Testament in his writings. Listen to find out how!

Like the previous episode, this discussion with Dr. Matt Halstead takes us to Daniel 9, a passage that uses mashiach (“anointed one”) twice, as well as the verb mashach (“to anoint”). The passage has historical fulfilment roots in the second century B.C., but also is referenced later by Jesus as something awaiting fulfillment.  In this episode we consider what Daniel 9’s contribution to the messianic profile we’ve been building in this series.

In the previous episodes with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. To this point, we’ve explored reading the Bible as story, understanding prophecy as “act, then re-enactment,” and a series of motifs that provide us with elements of a messianic resume (Davidic dynasty language, sonship, the seed/offspring, “branch” language, and servanthood themes from Isaiah). In this episode we turn to Daniel 7 to introduce another resume element—the “son of man” language intimately associated with ruling the nations in the divine council scene of that chapter.

In the previous episodes with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. In the previous episode with Dr. Halsted, we took a look at the merging of “messiah language” (various story elements and motifs) with “David language” (motifs about his dynasty and catch phrases like “branch” and “servant”). This episode continues that discussion with specific concentration on the Servant of Isaiah.

In the previous episodes with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. What was needed, we concluded, was a “storied approach” to the Old Testament. We begin that journey in episode 413. In this episode, we take a look at the merging of “messiah language” (various story elements and motifs) with “David language” (motifs about his dynasty and catch phrases like “branch” and “servant”).

In the previous episode with Dr. Matt Halsted, we discussed how trying to articulate the Old Testament’s messiah merely by appeal to passages that contain that word (Hebrew, mashiach) was fundamentally misguided. What was needed, we concluded, was a “storied approach” to the Old Testament. We begin that journey in this episode, considering not only why it is important to approach the Old Testament as a story (as opposed to a textbook or reference work), but how doing so reveals important motifs along the way. These story elements provide a framework for understanding the Old Testament salvation plan of God through a human being, one who was also the son of God, who only later would be called “messiah” in a handful of passages. The motifs, it turns out, are far more important than that single term.

Many Bible students would be shocked by the fact that many scholars, including a number in evangelical ranks, believe the New Testament portrayal of Jesus as Messiah is basically foreign, or goes creatively beyond, what the Old Testament says about Messiah (Hebrew: mashiach). In this episode, Dr. Heiser and Dr. Matt Halsted chat about the problem of building a messianic profile on just the word mashiach. Though problematic, this strategy is at the heart of the notion that the Old Testament messiah-talk does not align with the New Testament Jesus.

Many Bible students are unaware of the controversy surrounding how Paul (and other New Testament writers) cite the Old Testament. This is not only a question of taking the time to notice how Paul’s citations alter Old Testament verses, but also because of how we are conditioned to think about hermeneutics, the science and art of biblical interpretation. In this episode, the first of a series on the subject with guest scholar Dr. Matt Halsted, we survey why the issue is important and the sorts of controversies to which it leads.

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Jesus and the Old Testament with Chad Bird Naked Bible Podcast listeners are familiar with concepts like Hebrew word studies and the centrality of Christ in the biblical storyline. Two recent tools for the layperson in both these areas have recently emerged to help Bible students begin working in both areas for personal Bible study. Both have been produced by our guest on today’s episode, Chad Bird, who podcasts and teaches regularly on biblical studies, particularly the Old Testament. Join us as we discuss Chad’s two books, Unveiling Mercy: 365 Daily Devotions Based on Insights from Old Testament Hebrew and The Christ Key: Unlocking the Centrality of Christ in the Old Testament. (use code NAKEDBIBLE25 or click link and it's auto-applied to all 1517. products)

Exodus Old and New with L. Michael Morales Listeners to the podcast are no strangers to the book of Exodus. Our series on that book of the Torah took almost a year. In this episode of the podcast we welcome Old Testament scholar Dr. L. Michael Morales to the podcast to revisit the exodus event in biblical-theological history. Rather than looking at the exodus in granular detail, this time we’re taking a wide-angle perspective, toward how the content of that Old Testament book informs the way the work of Jesus is described in the new testament as a new exodus—a new deliverance from spiritual bondage—complete with a new and better Moses. Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption (IVP Academic, 2020) use code NBPOD21 for 40% off online and through customer service, with free U.S. shipping (offer expires 2/8/22).

The podcast brings the year to a close with a special guest and resource for listeners, and with a look to the future of the podcast. Join us as we chat with Johnna McKinnon about Live In Context, a small group content resource that focuses on the supernatural worldview of the Bible Dr. Heiser writes about in many of this books. In addition, find out what’s next on the podcast in 2022. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE NOW: Who Is Like You, among the Gods?: A Prayer Digest Based on the Original Biblical Languages John's Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation: Notes from the Naked Bible Podcast

Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

HAPPY 400TH!! Dr. Heiser answers your questions about Revelation. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW HERE ON PATREON OR HERE ON PAYPAL

Miracles Today with Dr. Craig Keener Do the sorts of miracles we read about in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles happen today? Is there any reliable source material for documenting such miracles? Why does it seem miracles happen less in the modern world than earlier eras? Does the culture have something to do with it? Or are miracles today an unreasonable expectation? In this episode of the podcast we talk with the scholar who has devoted more time and attention to miracles than any other in this or the past century, Dr. Craig Keener. More specifically, the focus of our discussion is Dr. Keener’s new book, Miracles Today: The Supernatural Work of God in the Modern World (Baker Academic, 2021). (click link to save 30%) Note: all the profit from the sales of Dr. Keener’s book go to missionary entities.

Beginner Guides to New Testament Studies with Dr. Nijay Gupta For those who love to study Scripture, it is easy to discern rather quickly that to really move into in-depth Bible study takes serious tools and some mentoring. How does one go about choosing the best tools for Bible study? What are the most significant debates among scholars who spend their whole lives studying Scripture? Why do those debates exist? What are the interpretive sides and rationales adopted by scholars? In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Dr. Nijay Gupta to gain some understanding on the New Testament side of biblical studies. Specifically, Dr. Gupta has produced important resources for evaluating New Testament commentaries and for getting up to speed on the controversies that rage in the study of the New Testament.  Books under discussion: Gupta, Nijay K. The New Testament Commentary Guide: A Brief Handbook for Students and Pastors. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020. (click the link for a discount on both digital and print or enter NTGUPTA manually at checkout. Expires November 30th, 2021) Gupta, Nijay K. A Beginner’s Guide to New Testament Studies: Understanding Key Debates. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2020. (click link to save 30%)

Revelation 21-22 is John’s climactic vision of the new Jerusalem and new earth. In Part 1 we looked at how Israelites thought about the concept of “temple” and how that concept led John to conflate the expectation of a new temple and see fulfillment of that expectation in a city (the new Jerusalem) and restoration of the cosmos in a new Eden. In this episode we walk through Rev 21-22 with an eye toward discerning specific Old Testament contexts behind the content of a range of items in these chapters.

In this episode we chat with Dr. Tim Mackie and Jon Collins about their amazingly successful and eminently useful ministry, The Bible Project. We learn a bit about their backgrounds, individually and as friends, how the Bible Project was born, and plans for the future.

Exodus 2:1-10 is the familiar story of the birth of Moses in Egypt. Lurking behind the familiar story is a point of controversy and misunderstanding:  its presumed relationship to ancient stories of the “abandoned child,” most specifically the legend of Sargon the Great’s birth. This episode asks the question of whether the biblical writer stole the Sargon story for Exodus 2:1-10, and how a potential relationship between the two might be processed well.

This is the second of two episodes on Exodus 1. This episode focuses entirely on how the name “Raamses” in Exod 1:11 can potentially be accommodated by either the early (1446 BC) or late (1250 BC) date of the exodus from Egypt. We explore how the name is used in Egyptian texts, why it’s spelling makes a difference, and why its presence in Exod 1:11 does not require the late date of the exodus. We also spend some time talking about the film Patterns of Evidence and its use of the work of David Rohl.

Exodus 1 is short in terms of verse count, but there are a surprising number of items in the text that need some comment—so many that we need two episodes!  In this episode we look at the language describing Israel’s condition under bondage in Egypt long after the time of Joseph. We talk about the reasons the biblical author links his description with Genesis 11:1-9, the Babel story; why the description of the bondage is justifiable historical; how the earlier story of Joseph in Egypt could be congruent with Exod 1:11, and how what pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, has been regularly misunderstood.

This episode launches our new book study series on the book of Exodus! As we do with every book study, this initial episode overviews the sorts of things to expect as we progress through Exodus: difficulties, controversies, and other points of interest relevant to understanding the book in its own context. Specifically, Dr. Heiser talks about how we should think about Old Testament history, historicity, metanarrative, “mythic history,” and historiography.

In this episode we interview “Theo,” an American living in Nepal who teaches students full time. Theo has been a long-time listener to the podcast. Theo found the divine council context put forth in Dr. Heiser’s books to be paradigm changing, and now uses that content to teach his students in Nepal. Unfortunately, there are serious obstacles, as the Nepali government has become more antagonistic to Christianity in recent years.

What is the Day of the Lord? Most Bible students would associate it with a time of judgment. The reality, however, is that judgment is only one aspect. The Day of the Lord concept concerns things like the reclaiming of the nations, the general resurrection, and the “fullness of the Gentiles.” And since Jesus is Lord in the New Testament, the Old Testament of the Day of the Lord is married to the return of Jesus. This episode discusses all these facets of the Day of the Lord and how the full concept should prompt us to think well about end times.

Craig Allert is a scholar specializing in Patristic Fathers, those early Christian thinkers who lived and wrote just after the end of the apostolic age to (roughly 451 AD). On today’s episode we talk with Craig about his work in analyzing how the early church fathers understood and interpreted Genesis One. We talk about the ways they approached Genesis One and how modern researchers use and abuse what the fathers said about Genesis in debating divergent views of creationism. Book: Craig Allert, Early Christian Readings of Genesis One: Patristic Exegesis and Literal Interpretation

Rick Brannan plays a lead role in the production of ancient language resources for Logos Bible Software. He has also published several books on apocryphal gospels, the apostolic fathers, and the Pastoral Epistles. In this episode our focus is Pauline authorship studies relative to the Pastoral Epistles and analyzing the vocabulary of those epistles. Since Rick’s most recent work is on 2 Timothy, we discuss some interesting findings about whether 2 Timothy is really Paul’s “last will and testament” and Paul’s inclusion of angels in charge language (commands) in these epistles. Rick Brannan Amazon page  Rick Brannan, Lexical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy  Rick Brannan, Lexical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles: Second Timothy  Rick Brannan, Greek Apocryphal Gospels, Fragments, and Agrapha: A New Translation Rick Brannan, Anticipating His Arrival: A Family Guide through Advent  Rick Brannan, The Apostolic Fathers: A New Translation

The word elohim frequently speaks of a single deity, most notably the God of Israel, in the Hebrew Bible. Exceptions include Psalm 82:1, 6, where plural elohim refers to the members of God’s heavenly host (his council or assembly; cp. Psa 89:5-7). Dr. Heiser has devoted a great deal of attention to how such passages and such thinking should not be defined by modern readers as polytheism or henotheism. Though he has written extensively in published scholarly journals on the topic and in his best-selling book, The Unseen Realm, some opponents of the straightforward reading of Psalm 82 and other passages insist that the elohim of that psalm are people—specifically, Israelite judges. This episode of the podcast examines the proof-texts of such an idea and shows their deficiencies. Material in this episode is drawn from Dr. Heiser’s article, “Should אלהים (ʾelōhîm) with Plural Predication be Translated “Gods”? BT Vol. 61, No. 3: 123-136. This article is not accessible online, but can be accessed only via a theological or university library or by subscribing to Dr. Heiser’s newsletter. Papers read at conferences and other articles that address divine plurality in Psalm 82 and elsewhere are freely available at Dr. Heiser’s divine council website. For how this episode and its content relates to Jesus’ use of Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34, see Episode 109: John 10: Gods or Men?

Dr. Heiser and special guest answer questions from a live audience. Thank you to everyone who came and joined us in Denver, Colorado.

In our second set of SBL interviews we talk to Dr. David DeSilva about his revised New Testament Introduction, Dr. Mike Grisanti about his books and ministry as a tour guide to Israel for Masters Seminary, Dr. David Goh about his pastoral ministry and his thoughts on The Unseen Realm,  Dr. Rick Hess about his co-edited volume (with Bill Arnold) and his other books on Joshua and the conquest, and doctoral student Hans Moscicke about his work on Eusebius as it relates to the Deuteronomy 32 worldview. Book links: David deSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation 2nd Edition Michael Grisanti, The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament Michael Grisanti, Giving the sense: Understanding and Using Old Testament Historical Texts Richard Hess, Ancient Israel’s History (edited with Bill Arnold) Richard Hess, Joshua (Tyndale OT Commentary) Richard Hess, The Old Testament: A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction Hans Moscicke, Eusebius’s “Fall Narrative” in Demonstratio Evangelica 4.6–10: Demonic Removal of Angelic National Boundaries (Deut 32:8–9; Isa 10:13–14) and the Watchers Tradition, in Journal of Early Christian Studies 26 (2018): 1–24

In our first of two installments of interviews at the annual meeting of the SBL (Society of Biblical Literature) we talk to Dr. Bill Arnold about a new book on the History of Israel that he co-edited (with Rick Hess), Dr. Dan Wallace about his work at CSNTM (The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts), Dr. John Hilber about his work in biblical backgrounds, and David Burnett about his experience as a doctoral student at Marquette University. Book links: Ancient Israel’s History (edited by Bill Arnold and Rick Hess) Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts (edited by John Hilber, Jonathan Greer, John Walton)

In this episode we sit down first with Dr. Carl Sanders and Dr. Ronn Johnson to talk about rejected ETS papers (!) and the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament; next we chat with Dr. Karl Kutz and Dr. Rebekah Josberger, authors of an important new first-year Hebrew grammar.

In this episode we chat with Doug van Dorn, a pastor in the Denver area who authored the Lexham Press handbook on Mike’s book, The Unseen Realm; Dr. Gary Yates, OT professor at liberty University, who uses Unseen Realm in one of his courses; Jesse Myers, about the publishing philosophy of Lexham Press, and Dr. Sam Lamerson, President and Professor of NT at Knox Theological Seminary.

This episode features conversations with Dr. David Capes of Wheaton, Dr. Gerry Breshears of Western Seminary, and Dr. Mark Futato of Reformed Theological Seminary. We talk about a new book for the non-specialist on earl high Christology / Jewish binitarianism; uses of, and responses to, Mike’s book, The Unseen Realm; Hebrew, and a forthcoming book on Hebrew accents and their exegetical importance. link to David Capes’ book https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Christ-Scriptures-Studies-Theology/dp/080109786X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542515553&sr=8-1&keywords=david+capes+divine

In this set of interviews we talk to Dr. Peter Gurry of the Evangelical Textual Criticism blog; Henry Smith of ABR (Associates for Biblical Research); Dr. Mark Ward of Lexham Press/Faithlife/Logos, and Mike’s original pastor after he came to the Lord, Dr. Dave Burggraff. Subjects range from new books of interest to our audience, archaeology, textual criticism, and reminiscences of Mike’s beginning in his spiritual journey and biblical studies.