David Pawson - ’Unlocking the Bible’ Podcast

Exploring the early church dynamics and key teachings in Acts, including the importance of learning from history. Highlighting the revolutionary missionary methods of Vicar Roland Allen and his impact on missionary thinking. Revealing the central figure in the book of Acts - the Holy Spirit and God, challenging traditional views. Exploring the essential elements of the early church - Kingdom of God, the name of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The podcast delves into the human and divine elements of the Bible, focusing on the book of Acts written by Dr. Luke. It highlights Luke's meticulous writing style, journey with Apostle Paul, and the spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. The discussion includes Luke's background as a Gentile writer, his possible role in defending Paul in Rome, and the significance of small events in the Gospel spread.

Exploring the dual nature of Jesus in John's gospel, emphasizing his full divinity and humanity. John presents 7 witnesses to Jesus' divinity, miracles, and unique words. Jesus, as 'The Logos,' existed from the beginning, revealing the reason for everything. Believers will experience eternal life, freedom, truth, and escape from God's wrath. The podcast challenges historical misconceptions and explores the profound concept of Logos in understanding existence.

Exploring the unique perspective of the Gospel of John, focusing on Jesus' real personality. John's intimate relationship with Jesus highlighted, emphasizing his 'inside' view of Christ. Discussed are the importance of continuous faith in Jesus for blessings, dispelling false myths about his identity and miracles.

Part 64 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson says that while Luke’s gospel is the best loved because of some of its stories, it is the least well known. He is the only Gentile writer in the Bible and was a doctor. Because of his medical background he provides unique details. David compares Luke’s parables. He wrote for one man, Theophilus, possibly to gain freedom for the Apostle Paul who was at that time released and able to continue his missionary journey. While Luke used material from Mark, he also did a lot of original research. Unique to Luke - #1 The birth stories, all from Mary’s angle. #2 A story of Jesus’ boyhood. #3 Details about Jesus’ baptism in water and Holy Spirit. #4 The ‘Sermon on the Mount’ apparently preached at a different time in a different way. #5 A woe for every blessing given. #6 Various parables. #7 Incidents involving individuals. The groups he had an interest in were Samaritans; Gentiles like himself; outcasts; women; the poor; and ‘sinners’. There’s also a definite supernatural aspect to Luke – angels, the Holy Spirit. Luke is the gospel for everybody presenting Jesus as the Saviour of the world.

Part 63 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson says that the gospels are essentially news bulletins, better read aloud. Mark was the first gospel written and he is primarily telling us what Jesus did. The 4 gospels together give us a 4-dimensional portrait of Jesus because they had different readers in mind. Mark and Luke wrote for unbelievers. Though Mark was never a leader in the early church he was an assistant and/or interpreter to no fewer than 4 men at various times. His gospel recorded Peter’s preaching and is a book of action. There are more miracles than parables recorded here. There is nothing of Jesus’ birth or boyhood. It is thought that Matthew and Luke used Mark’s framework and expanded on it from their knowledge for their gospel records. The first 9 chapters deal with the first 2-and-a-half years of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee in northern Israel, then he concentrated on his 12 disciples for 6 months (chapter 10) then the last week of Jesus’ life on earth took chapters 11 to 16. David shows what altered the course of Jesus’ ministry. There is a remarkable emphasis on both the human and the divine aspects of Jesus’ death.

Part 62 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  Two of the 4 gospels were written for sinners (Mark & Luke) and two for Christians. Matthew is a manual of discipleship, the best book of the New Testament to take a new convert through. “You disciple someone by teaching them how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.” The expectations of Jew and Christian regarding the Messiah and the Kingdom differ. We are living in the overlap of the “present evil age” and the establishment of the Kingdom on earth. David says that all 5 sermons of Jesus recorded in Matthew are important, and are all about how to be subjects of the kingdom. The Kingdom needs not only the good Sovereign but also good subjects. The 5 sermons: #1The Sermon on the Mount – the lifestyle of the Kingdom. #2The Mission of the Kingdom: we have a mission to bring others into the kingdom by demonstrating and then declaring the Kingdom. #3What to Expect: Don’t be disappointed that not every seed sown yields a harvest. #4The Community of the Kingdom: Church discipline is included. #5The Future of the Kingdom: 4 clear signs of Jesus’ second coming given. God is both King and Father. Faith, Righteousness and Judgment are themes of Matthew. We must never forget what Jesus has done for us.

Part 61 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David begins by speaking about how God meant us to read the Bible. He says that somebody has damaged our Bibles by adding chapter and verse numbers and we have become ‘text people’. The gospels are not strictly biographies as more than one-third of the text describes the death of Jesus. David says that they are more like extended news bulletins. The writers had witnessed events and they reported on them. Why are there 4 gospels? David compares them. He looks at this book from two angles: who was Matthew hoping to reach and what was his intention. Matthew presents Jesus as the king of the Jews, particularly recording what Jesus said. Jesus was popular in the north of Israel but unpopular in the south where he was eventually killed. Matthew uses Mark as his framework but adds much more, beginning with the conception and birth of Jesus. He has 5 sermons included, collected under 5 themes, interspersed with Jesus’ deeds which illustrated his sermons. Matthew aimed toward Jewish readers, referring often to how Jesus’ life fulfilled Old Testament scriptures, but it is for gentiles as well. David believes this gospel brings Jew and Christian together.

Part 60 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  In studying Malachi, David Pawson points out 3 aspects of God we need to understand: He is the Creator from whom we come, the King under whom we live & the Judge to whom we go. David says the loving Father side in the New Testament supplements this, but doesn’t substitute for this. Malachi challenges the priests. Faulty sacrifices were being made; sermons were given for popularity rather than the truths of God; they were man-pleasers instead of God-fearers. David sees a lack of the necessary fear of God in the Church today because he is treated with familiarity but not with reverence. The people were marrying outside the people of God which God had forbidden, as he has today. Divorce was rife, and Malachi told them that God hates divorce. David says, judgment will come, but it doesn’t come by next Friday because of God’s patience. “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” David says there is a dynamic relationship between God and his people; he is responding to them constantly. There is an important word on tithing as well. At the end of the book: Get back to the Maker’s instructions; and the forecast of the coming of one like the great prophet Elijah to prepare the way for the Lord.

Part 59 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson begins the study on Malachi by discussing Replacement Theology which sees blessings promised to Israel (but not the curses) as now transferred to the Church. David says, ‘this seems to me a bad case of prejudice’. Malachi was a prophet to the returned exiles in Israel. Rebuilding had taken place, but times were hard. The people were blaming God and, though they didn’t return to idolatry, were becoming complacent, their religion a formality. The priests were not passionate either. David Pawson says the more you put into your faith, the more you get out of it. Goodness disappears when God disappears. The book of Malachi is all in prose indicating that God had become drained of feelings for his people – though the Covenant with them was not broken. David says that when God spoke in poetry, it was to convey his feelings. When a nation gives God up, he gives them up. Malachi is unique in 5 features: a high proportion is the direct Word of God; it is anonymous as Malachi was not his name; sharp exchanges between prophet and people; prose not poetry; it was God’s last Word for 400 years. David explains ‘love’ and ‘hate’ in the Bible.