The Bible (Unmuted)

Dr. Scot McKnight, a New Testament professor and biblical scholar, shares insights from his book, Revelation for the Rest of Us. He dives into divine judgment, encouraging listeners to rethink traditional views of wrath and grace through a Christ-centered lens. McKnight underscores the need for understanding Revelation’s ancient context, revealing its relevance to modern political and social issues like systemic injustice. He also contrasts Paul and John’s strategies in navigating faith and politics, advocating for a courageous engagement with today’s challenges.

In this episode, Matthew continues his discussion on Revelation. In the previous episode, Matthew talked about one mistake people make when they read Revelation -- namely, not knowing that Revelation is a letter to seven first-century churches (it's not a book in the modern sense of the word). In this episode, Matthew talks about two other common mistakes people make. He draws awareness to the fact that Revelation is an apocalypse, which is a genre of ancient writing that includes the use of symbols to convey important truths. He also corrects mistaken ideas about prophecy. Since Revelation describes itself as a prophecy, does this mean Revelation is all about predicting future events? Is biblical prophecy primarily about prediction? Check out this episode to find out! If you like this podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter. You can register by visiting: https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and share it with others! www.matthewhalsted.com

In this episode, Matthew talks about one of the most common mistakes people make when they read Revelation. Many people have been taught that Revelation is a play-by-play of future, eschatological events. A lot of people assume that this last book of the New Testament lays out a blueprint for the end times. Is this true? In this episode, Matthew tackles these and other questions. He helps readers see the importance of becoming familiar with Revelation's historical context. He offers an example from Revelation 17 on how knowing historical/cultural context can shed much-needed light on an otherwise enigmatic passage.  +++ If you like this podcast, please consider subscribing and sharing with others. www.matthewhalsted.com

In this episode, Matthew offers some quick thoughts on Psalms. How can reading the psalms teach us to pray? What can we learn from them about faith and doubt? Is it ever okay to share our doubts with God, even if they're about him? What about the imprecatory psalms -- should we pray them, too? What do they reveal about humanity, and what can they teach us about God? +++ If you like this podcast, please consider subscribing and sharing with others. www.matthewhalsted.com

In this episode, Matthew talks about reading the Bible faithfully. What things should we keep in mind when we read Scripture? Does a person need to know the original context? If so, how does the original context relate to the interpreter's modern context? Can we read Scripture without bringing our presuppositions to it? Does applying Scripture to our unique situation play a role in our understanding of Scripture? In many ways, this episode only scratches the surface when it addresses these (and other) questions. But it provides listeners a launching point for thinking about how to read Scripture rightly, carefully, and faithfully.  +++ If you like this podcast, please consider subscribing and sharing with others. www.matthewhalsted.com

In an age dominated by secularism and philosophical naturalism, the idea that people have supernatural experiences is often considered to be a relic of a bygone era. And yet, credible people still report such experiences. That's the subject of this episode, which features an interview with Dale C. Allison about his recent book, Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age. In his book, Allison documents and discusses a range of religious experiences that people have reported -- including his own (which he shares in this interview). For students of the Bible, this topic is an important one to consider. The Bible is, after all, full of religious experiences. Allison's work on this subject will no doubt help modern people come to terms with a forgotten fact: There's more to reality than just physical reality.  About Dale C. Allison: Dale C. Allison, Jr. is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned his MA and PhD from Duke University. His academic research and publications include the historical Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew, Second Temple Judaism, and the history of the interpretation and application of biblical texts. Read more here: https://www.ptsem.edu/people/dale-c-allison-jr Amazon page for Encountering Mystery: https://www.amazon.com/Encountering-Mystery-Religious-Experience-Secular/dp/0802881882 +++ If you like this podcast, please consider subscribing and sharing with others.  www.matthewhalsted.com

In this episode, Matthew introducesThe Bible Unmuted. What can you expect from the podcast in the days ahead? What's the format going to be like? In addition to answering these questions, Matthew also explains why he named the show "The Bible Unmuted." Here's a hint: the name is all about hermeneutics! If you like this podcast, consider subscribing and sharing with your friends.