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Easter: What's the Story with Barabbas?
The enigmatic figure of Barabbas appears in all four gospels as a "bandit" or "insurrectionist" who is released from prison by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus. In this special Easter episode, Helen and Dave explore the (many) theories about
The Bible Says What?! with Dan McClellan
What does the Bible really say about controversial topics like slavery, abortion, homosexuality, Satan and the Apocalypse? Everybody has their take, but few have the ability to interrogate the texts and their ancient origins with as much in
Ancient Synagogues and the New Testament
Before it was called Christianity, the "Jesus movement" was born in 1st-century synagogues. In today's episode, Anders Runneson (http://www.andersrunesson.com/) joins Helen and Dave to talk about the important role of ancient synagogues of
Introducing Wisdom Literature, a Biblical Oddball
The books of the Hebrew Bible known as "wisdom literature" — Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes — are a strange fit for the biblical canon. They're ahistorical (not interested in Israel's history) and areligious (not interested in God, covenant
Animal Studies Gets Biblical
What can Bible stories about animals tells us about power dynamics in the ancient world? A lot, it turns out! Suzanna Millar (https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-suzanna-millar) joins us to talk about the fascinating new field of Anim
The Sabbath—Its Ancient Origins and Evolution
The Jewish sabbath (Shabbat), observed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, is one of the oldest continuously observed holidays in existence. At first glance, the sabbath seems pretty straightforward; it's a "day of rest" that God comma
How the Gospels Were Actually Written
This is a Biblical Time Machine first—a historical reenactment of how the gospel writers wrote (and rewrote) the books of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Our guest James Barker made his own scrolls, wax tablets and ancient writing implements
Kosher—The History of Forbidden Foods
Why were certain foods "forbidden" in the Hebrew Bible? And how did the pig attain ultra-non-kosher status among ancient Jews? Guest Jordan Rosenblum (https://religiousstudies.wisc.edu/staff/jordan-rosenblum/) joins Helen and Dave as they t
Move Over, Josephus—Here Comes Philo!
Josephus will always be our pal, but it's time to meet another super-important ancient Jewish writer: Philo of Alexandria. Living in the vibrant intellectual hub of 1st-century Alexandria, Philo applied Greco-Roman philosophical ideas to th
The Madness of King Nebuchadnezzar
To the authors of the Hebrew Bible, King Nebuchadnezzar was a grade-A jerk. In the 6th century BCE, he and his army sacked Jerusalem, destroyed the First Temple and carried the Judahites into exile in Babylon. All of that stuff actually hap
What Was Travel Like in Biblical Times?
Did Roman roads have rest stops? How bad were the snacks on a sea voyage across the Mediterranean? Did Paul get frequent sailor miles? On today's episode, we answer all of your questions about travel in the ancient world. Our guest (live fr
A Historian's Take on Josephus and 'The Jewish War'
Today's guest, historian Steve Mason (https://research.rug.nl/en/persons/steve-mason), has called Josephus's The Jewish War "perhaps the most influential non-biblical text of Western history." And he's got a point! Read alongside the Bible,
Real Time Travel with Ancient Papyri
Of course Helen and Dave have a fully functioning, very real Time Machine. But if you can't wait your turn (the line is ridiculously long), check out "documentary papyri." These scraps of ancient writing — letters, legal documents, shopping
"Unto Us a Child is Born" Was Isaiah Talking About Jesus?
The prophet Isaiah lived in the 8th century BCE, yet his writings are quoted throughout the New Testament and especially around Christmas. Who was the historical Isaiah? And who (or what) was he writing about when he prophesied the birth of
Ancient Censuses — Does Luke's Christmas Story Make Sense?
In the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary travel to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus has ordered a census of the entire Roman Empire. But does Jesus's birth story in Luke align with what we know about censuses in the ancient w
Hanukkah: All About Menorahs and Ancient Oil Lamps
Hanukkah celebrates a miraculous event, when the eternal light of the temple burned for 8 days without being extinguished. In this special holiday episode, scholar Gregg Gardner (https://amne.ubc.ca/profile/gregg-gardner/) tells Helen and D
Boy Jesus: Taking the Nativity Stories Seriously
Most biblical scholars — including us! — are quick to dismiss the Nativity stories in Matthew and Luke as later theological additions. But what if there are important cultural and even historical memories handed down through these well-worn
Before Heaven and Hell: Afterlife in the Bible
Every good churchgoer knows that after we die the faithful will be welcomed into a heavenly paradise and the baddies will be consigned to eternal damnation. But don't go looking for any of that stuff in the Bible! As our guest James Tabor (
Who Tried to Erase Mary Magdalene?
Mary Magdalene is one of the most intriguing figures in the New Testament. She clearly held a special place in Jesus's heart and in his ministry, but that popularity also made her controversial. In today's episode, scholar Elizabeth Schrade
Historical Jesus—What More Can We Know?
Scholars have been searching for the Historical Jesus for centuries, but have they been looking in the wrong places? Chris Keith and James Crossley think it's high time to reimagine and reinvigorate the "quest" for the Historical Jesus, ope
Biblical Archeology: The Untold History of Ancient Judah
You're in for a treat. Israeli archeologist Oded Lipschits (https://english.tau.ac.il/profile/lipschit) knows more than anyone about the archeology of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. In this episode, Dave and Helen travel back to the 8th cent
The Biblical Guide to Marriage, Adultery & Divorce
Marriage is between one man and one woman. Adultery is bad. (Prostitution is worse.) And divorce should be avoided at all costs. The Bible is perfectly clear on these and other moral topics, right? Ha! As our guest Jennifer Knust explains,
Ancient Jewish Magic
Just in time for Halloween, we're talking magic, incantation bowls and a pinch of necromancy with Gideon Bohak (https://english.tau.ac.il/profile/gbohak), author of Ancient Jewish Magic: A History (https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Jewish-Magi
Cult of Dead Kin: Honoring the Dead in Ancient Israel
Across the Ancient Near East, it was common to offer food and sacrifices to appease dead ancestors and "hangry" ghosts, but the Hebrew Bible is largely silent on interactions between the living and the dead. Our guest Kerry Sonia (https://w
What is "Ancient Media Culture"?
In the 1st century, very few people "read" the Hebrew scriptures. Instead, they were "heard" — read aloud (or performed) in the synagogue and other spaces. In this episode, Catrin Williams joins Helen and Dave to discuss "ancient media cult
The Best and Worst Jesus Films
From the "Last Temptation" to "Life of Brian," so many filmmakers have tried their hand at portraying the greatest story ever told, with mixed results. Matthew Page — author of 100 Bible Films (https://www.amazon.com/100-Bible-Films-Screen-
What's Up with the 3 Endings of Mark?
The 3 endings of the Gospel of Mark present a real "choose your own adventure." Scholars think that the original text ended at Mark 16:8 with Mary Magdalene and the other women running in terror from the empty tomb on Easter morning. So why
Beyond the Documentary Hypothesis
It's time to re-think the Documentary Hypothesis — the prevailing theory about the authorship of the Torah. Guest Angela Erisman (https://angelaroskoperisman.com/the-wilderness-narratives-in-the-hebrew-bible-religion-politics-and-biblical-i
The Weird and Wonderful "Gospel of Mary"
Written in the 2nd Century CE, the non-canonical "Gospel of Mary" gives us a taste of the wild diversity of Early Christianity. Religious historian Sarah Parkhouse (https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/sarah.parkhouse) joins Helen a
The Ancient History of Jerusalem
People have lived in Jerusalem for 5,000 years. Archeologist Jodi Magness (https://jodimagness.org/) hops in the Time Machine to give Helen and Dave a tour of Jerusalem's long and fascinating history. Buy Jodi's book — it's fantastic! Jerus
