The Boundless Bible BONUS: David Shapiro: Not Quick Qs
Big questions deserve straight answers—and a generous dose of wonder. We open the inbox and walk through listener questions about how the Bible took shape, whether the text changed over time, how God’s sovereignty meets real human choice, why the crucifixion lands exactly on Passover, and what archaeology adds to the story. Along the way, we keep returning to a word that refuses to fit inside English: chesed—God’s loyal, covenant love that doesn’t quit.
We start with canon and cut through the “secret council” myth. The Old Testament was already recognized within Judaism and affirmed by Jesus; the New Testament writings spread quickly, with early manuscripts like P52 and second-century collections showing how communities embraced these texts close to the events themselves. From there, we tackle reliability through the scribal world and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Qumran’s caves handed us ancient Isaiah and a trove of Hebrew texts that match what we read today with striking accuracy, turning a common objection into an anchor for confidence.
Then we pivot to the heart-work: sovereignty and free will. Love that matters can’t be coerced, and Scripture shows a God who reigns while people choose—nowhere more clearly than at the cross. Passover’s timing is no coincidence either; Jesus steps into the Exodus pattern as the spotless Lamb, reframing rescue with bread, cup, and blood that covers more than doorposts. We also talk language—Hebrew’s action and Greek’s reflection—as two lenses that sharpen both head and heart. Before we land, we explore the enduring mystery of the Ark of the Covenant and why its absence may signal a deeper presence: the Spirit within us. We close with chesed, the refrain that steadies a wavering soul: His faithful love endures forever.
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