The Bible (Unmuted)

The city of Pergamum had a long history with the Imperial Cult. How might knowing about that relationship help modern readers understand Rev. 2:12-17 -- particularly with respect to how John writes that "Satan's throne" resides in Pergamum? Are there other things in Pergamum to which this could refer? There's also the mention of the Old Testament character Balaam, which may shed light upon the enigmatic Nicolaitans. How do we make sense of this group? And finally, there is the mysterious "hidden manna" reference in v. 17. What is John talking about and what role does it play in encouraging the church at Pergamum to be faithful in their chaotic world? +++ Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link here) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Matt takes listeners through the first and second messages to the seven churches -- to Ephesus and Smyrna, respectively. How do we understand the critique given to the Ephesian church? What is meant, for example, by their having "abandoned the love [they] had at first"? Moreover, who were the Nicolaitans, and what challenge did they present to these believers? When the church at Smyrna was told they would encounter difficulties for "ten days," how should we interpret that? +++ Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

John’s opening vision of “the Son of Man” is full of Old Testament allusions, and readers need to gain familiarity with these OT texts in order to understand the depth of meaning John seeks to convey. It invites us to ask, “What did John’s vision—and the symbols inherent to it—intend to communicate? Why was it important for the seven churches to learn about this vision?” Moreover, some prophecy teachers think John’s “seven churches” represent seven eras of church history. How plausible is this view? Is there warrant for this idea? +++ Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

Revelation is an ancient text that garners a lot of speculation in today's modern world. Sadly, it's been read in such a way that has spread a lot of fear --not to mention confusion about what Christianity actually teaches about eschatology. In this episode, Matt kicks off a new series on this fascinating text, showing how it was originally intended to spread encouragement and clarity for the church, not despair and confusion. A range of questions are explored, such as: What (or who!) is Revelation revealing? What kind of "book" is it? How did it's author intend it to be read? Listen to find out! + + + Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Matt talks with Andrew Judd, whose research brings together hermeneutics, genre theory, and biblical studies. Andrew gives listeners a tour of some of the more troubling/difficult passages of Scripture and brings to bear upon them them the insights of his research, specifically as it has to do with genre theory and the hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer -- both of which can help modern interpreters think critically and carefully about interpreting the Bible. Andrew's website: www.andyjudd.com Check out Andrew's books: www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CPLZNJKF + + + Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

Matt chats with Dr. Nancy Dawson about her new book, All the Genealogies of the Bible: Visual Charts and Exegetical Commentary⁠. Why are genealogies important? How do they contribute to discovering Scripture's narrative? How do genealogies give us insights into the way early Jewish and Christian people viewed the past in relation to their present? Listen to find out! Order Dr Dawson's book: https://a.co/d/62Ysg27 + + + Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠

Matt chats with Ronn Johnson and Mike Chu, who both host The Divine Council Worldview Podcast. The conversation covers a range of topics, from what is a divine council worldview and the fall of spiritual beings to translation issues and the practical benefits of DCW. Subscribe to The Divine Council Worldview Podcast on all major podcast platforms, including: Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4UdkIcEWNTw9EoniNWSa4e... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../the-divine.../id1732773760 Audible: https://www.audible.com/.../The-Divine-Council.../B0CW783R23 Website: ⁠https://sites.libsyn.com/513968/⁠ AWKNG School of Theology: ⁠https://awkngschooloftheology.com/⁠ Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠

How can the Lord's Prayer help us anticipate the eschaton? In this episode, Matt takes listeners from Eden to Easter, showing how the bodily resurrection of Jesus can inspire us to work for the Kingdom here and now as we await our own resurrection. *This is based on an article posted to Matt's website, which you can read here: "Thy Kingdom Come" + + + Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

Matt takes listeners through Psalm 45 LXX (46 MT). This Psalm is well-known ("Be still, and know that I am God"; NRSV, v. 10), but many people might not be aware of its eschatological context -- the first clue of which can be found in the LXX superscription ("For the end"). What, for instance, does this Psalm have to do with the temple visions of Ezekiel and Revelation? And how does all this connect to the Creation story of Genesis 1? Listen to find out! + + + Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

Matt takes a deep dive into Psalm 22 LXX (23 MT). Lots of questions are explored. For example, what is meant by "soul" in v. 3? And what does it have to do with the body? Moreover, what sort of image is evoked in v. 5, where God sets a table "opposite those who afflict" the psalmist? Furthermore, how might Christians understand this "table" in light of what Paul says about the Eucharist in 1 Corinthians? + + + Check out Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://a.co/d/7fuglXx⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠