Two Texts
John Andrews and David Harvey
A Podcast about the Bible Every two weeks, from two different countries, the two hosts of the Two Texts podcast pick two biblical texts to talk about. Each episode we pick one text to talk about, which invariably leads to us talking about two texts and often many more.Dr John Andrews and Dr David Harvey share a mutual fascination with the Bible. Simple yet complex; ancient yet relevant; challenging yet comforting. But one thing that fascinates them consistently is that, like a kaleidoscope, no matter how many times they look at it there is something new, fresh and exciting to talk about.This podcast is designed for you regardless of how much or how little you've read the Bible. Grab a hot beverage, a notepad (or app), and a Bible, sit back, listen, enjoy, and learn to also become fascinated (or grow your fascination) with this exciting, compelling and mysterious book. John and David are two friends who love teaching the Bible and have both been privileged enough to be able to spend their careers doing this - in colleges, universities, churches, homes and coffee shops. The two of them have spent extended periods of time as teaching staff and leadership in seminary and church contexts. John has regularly taught at David's church, and there was even a point where John was David's boss! Nowadays David is a Priest and Pastor in Calgary, Canada, and John teaches and consults for churches in the UK and around the world. They're both married with children (John 3, David 1) and in John's case even grandchildren. In their down time you'll find them cooking, reading, running or watching football (but the one thing they don't agree on is which team to support). If you want to get in touch with either of them about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 10, 2021 • 59min
The Widow Persisted | Parables 15
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David enjoy the phenomenal parable of the persistent widow. There's layers of meaning wrapped up in this short dis-course from Jesus - about prayer, but also justice, and value, and pride.Click Here to read the text from Luke 18:1-8Click Here to read CS Lewis' Footnote to All PrayersEpisode 15 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 15If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 9, 2021 • 1h 3min
The Party Really is Free | Parables 14
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David discuss the Parable of the King's Son's Wedding. In Matthew 22 Jesus throws out a version of the parable we looked at in episode 13 with some substantial revisions that help us understand grace, welcome and what it means to be against exclusion.Click Here to read the text from Matthew 22:1-14Click Here for Miroslav Volf's Exclusion and Embrace where he discusses Jesus' ministry "against exclusion". This book isn't an easy read, but a google of the reviews online will give you an idea of what Volf's pursuing.Episode 11 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 11If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 8, 2021 • 55min
Welcome to the Party | Parables 13
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David discuss the Parable of the Great Banquet. Life calls us to play a game of "get to the top of the table" and Jesus explores the idea in this story that maybe there's a different way to live.Click Here to read the text from Luke 14:15-24Click Here to get yourself a copy of John's book Face to Face. You can also get it from through your country's Amazon site physically or digitally.Episode 13 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 13If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 7, 2021 • 53min
Grace Makes You Worth It | Parables 12
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David get excited about an outrageous parable of Grace. We're so convinced that things we do make us more loveable to God, yet God loves us despite all our efforts. If you need convincing, you're going to love the parable of the vineyard workers.Click Here to read the text from Matthew 20:1-16Click Here to see some of Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgment which we know we mention in every episode!Click Here for David Zahl's fantastic book Seculosity. It is really worth a read if there's any part of your life in which you think you're not "enough".Click Here and please get yourself a copy of this little book Paul and the Subversive Power of Grace by John Barclay. It will help you understand this huge biblical theme in just a few short pages.Episode 12 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 12If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 4, 2021 • 54min
An Unacceptable Parable | Parables 11
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David discuss how Jesus tells a somewhat controversial story. The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector is often told as an instruction to stay humble, but what if Luke wanted to make sure that we saw something more fundamental that Jesus was hinting at?Click Here to read the text from Luke 18:9-14Click Here to read the text from Romans 3:21-28Click Here to see some of Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgment which David really wants you to read.Click Here if you're interested in the book that informed some of David's comments about "world upside-down" and "temple to house". The Social World of Luke-Acts is an academic level exploration of some of the contextual realities in this gospel.Click Here for Miroslav Volf's Exclusion and Embrace where he discusses Jesus' ministry "against exclusion". This book isn't an easy read, but a google of the reviews online will give you an idea of what Volf's pursuing.Click Here for the T.S. Elliot poem that concluded the episodeEpisode 11 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 11If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 3, 2021 • 36min
Outrageous Forgiveness | Parables 10
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David take a second look at Matthew's version of the parable of the Lost Sheep. Jesus's conversations on forgiveness in Matthew 18 have been used throughout church history to shape church behaviour and ideas about "excommunication". But have we understood Jesus correctly? What if he meant something much more outrageous?Click Here to read the text from Matthew 18: 12-35Click Here to preview Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgment which is helpful in understanding Matthew 18Episode 10 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 10If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 2, 2021 • 48min
Small is the New Big | Parables 9
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David look at Matthew's version of the parable of the Lost Sheep. Jesus takes a parable we know and drops it into a new context about the greatest and the least. What if the economics of the kingdom of God don't think best, bigger and great aren't as important as we think?Click Here to read the text from Matthew 18: 1-14Click Here to see a book that David likes on the subject of "honour and shame" in Matthew's Gospel by J. NeyreyEpisode 9 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 9If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
Jun 1, 2021 • 1h 7min
Lost Son x2 | Parables 8
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David look at the parable of the lost son in Luke 15. But is it a parable about only one lost son, or two? And how might understanding a Jewish tradition called Keżażah help us appreciate this parable in a whole new way? And why does David want to know how many hamburgers are made from one cow? Click Here to read the text from Luke 15:11-32 Click Here to learn more about Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes that John and David mention in this episode Click Here to read about Keżażah Click Here to learn more about the book John bought for his Dad - Bailey's The Cross and the Prodigal Click Here to see a book on grace that David recommended by John Barclay Episode 8 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 8 If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend? Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021 Support the show
May 31, 2021 • 1h 8min
Lost and Found | Parables 7
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David discuss a meal and the first two parables in Luke 15 about lost things. These are parables that ordinarily get left for the children, but if we slow down and pay attention they may have something to say to the rest of us.Click Here to read the text from Luke 15:1-10Click Here to learn more about Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes that John and David mention in this episodeEpisode 7 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 7If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
May 28, 2021 • 1h 14min
Samaritan | Parables 6
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)In which John and David discuss the parable known as the Good Samaritan. This parable is quite well known, or perhaps it's one of those parables where we think we know it better than we actually do.Click Here to read the text from Luke 10:25-37Click Here to learn more about Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes that John and David mention in this episodeEpisode 6 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 6If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021Support the show
