Biblical World

By Chris McKinny, Lynn Cohick, Kyle Keimer, Oliver Hersey, Mary Buck, and Mark JanzenReligion & Spirituality Christianity History

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Typical duration
52 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Biblical World episodes

December 10, 2025 David DeSilva - Archaeology, Jesus, and Paul
Episode: In this episode, Kyle sits down for a chat with David deSilva about his two new volumes, Archaeology and the Ministry of Paul: A Visual Guide and Archaeology and the World of Jesus: A Visual Guide (Baker Academic, 2025). The two chat about the importance of material culture for understanding the New Testament, discerning between good church traditions and "other" church traditions, and whether or not it is important to get one's historical details right as a part of one's theology. Kyle also recounts his unique baptism experience, and David gushes about the Via Dolorosa.
Guest: David DeSilva is is Trustees’ Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary, and an ordained elder in the Global Methodist Church. He is the author of over 35 books, including Day of Atonement: A Novel of the Maccabean Revolt (Kregel, 2015), The Jewish Teachers of Jesus, James, and Jude: What Earliest Christianity Learned from the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha (Oxford, 2012), An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation (InterVarsity, 2004), Introducing the Apocrypha (Baker Academic, 2002), Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture (InterVarsity, 2000), A Week in the Life of Ephesus (IVP Academic, 2020), and the two books in this interview here, Archaeology and the Ministry of Paul: A Visual Guide and Archaeology and the World of Jesus: A Visual Guide (Baker Academic, 2025). He was involved in several major Bible translation projects, serving as the Apocrypha Editor for the Common English Bible and working on the revision of the Apocrypha for the English Standard Version. (Adapted from the ATS website).

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52 min
November 18, 2025 Mary Buck - The Achaemenid Period
Episode: Mary Buck continues her study of the Second Temple period by focusing on the Persian Period, and especially, the Achaemenid Empire. Learn about this incredibly powerful yet lesser-known period of history, and figures like Cyrus, Darius, and others who shaped biblical history.
Host: Learn about Mary Buck HERE.
Image Attribution: Map, By Cattette - CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113179532; Cyrus the Great's Tomb - By Bernd81 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63225153
Previous Episodes. This is our third installment in our Second Temple series hosted by Mary Buck. Listen to previous episodes on the Assyrian Period and the Babylonian Period.
Give: Visit our Donate Page if you want to help Biblical World and OnScript continue by becoming a regular donor.

1 hr 1 min
October 28, 2025 Amy and Chris - Epic of Gilgamesh (Part 11)
Episode: We’re back with Tablet X of the Epic of Gilgamesh! Enjoy this next installment with Amy and Chris as Gilgamesh goes in search of Utnapishtim! Click to listen back to PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8, PART 9, and PART 10.
Hosts: Chris McKinny and Amy Balogh
Image Attribution: Item CBS7771 at Penn Museum - https://www.penn.museum/collections/object_images.php?irn=245958#image1
1 hr 6 min
September 30, 2025 Chris and Kyle – Biblical Archaeology Rising (Part 2)
Episode: In part II of our intro to Biblical Archaeology, Kyle and Chris explore the contributions of W. F. Albright (who knew over 20 languages) and G. E. Wright, Kathleen Kenyon and others, and the emergence of New Archaeology, regional approaches, and other new methods. They also consider questions of faith and history, theology and archaeology, and text and the past. They discuss how archaeology is ill-suited to "slay the dragon of theological liberalism," but also how it contributes to faith. How can we grapple well with the intersection of these fields that often seem so far apart?
Hosts: Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer
Give: Visit our Donate Page if you want to help Biblical World and OnScript continue by becoming a regular donor.
Image Attribution: Beit Shemesh, By David Bena - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=126071700
1 hr 1 min
September 02, 2025 Chris and Kyle - Biblical Archaeology Rising (Part 1)
Episode: In this two-part series, Kyle and Chris delve deeply into the history of "biblical" archaeology. What is this field? How did we get to where we are today? Who are some of the characters that shaped the field along the way? If you've ever pondered these (or related) questions, then this mini-series is for you.
Hosts: Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer
Give: Visit our Donate Page if you want to help Biblical World and OnScript continue by becoming a regular donor.
Image Attribution: By NASA, earthobservatory, http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/modis_near_east_lrg.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=176941
54 min
August 25, 2025Mary Buck - The Babylonian Period
Episode: In this second of our “Second Temple Series,” Mary Buck discusses the Neo-Babylonian period. Of particular interest is the impact of the Babylonian Empire on the Kingdom of Judah.
Babylonian Period. This short-lived "flash-in-the-pan" empire has an outsized impact on history. Learn how and why in this episode!
Key BCE dates discussed:
627 - Nabopolassar (rebels against Assyria)
612 - Nineveh falls, capital moves to Haran
606 - Nebuchadnezzar II (famous from Daniel, etc.). Egyptians and Assyrians unite against Babylon. Battle of Carchemish - Nebuchadnezzar II defeats the Assyrian-Egyptian coalition.
605 - Nebuchadnezzar II pursues Egyptian army back to the brook of Egypt. (but don't take territory there)
599-597 - Jehoiakim rebels against Babylon (dies in 597), then Jehoiakin exiled to Babylon. Finally, Zedekiah appointed as vassal king.
588 - Judah relies on Egypt to resist Babylon
587/6 - Nebuchadnezzar II returns to Jerusalem a final time, laying siege to the city. Jerusalem falls, partial deportation.
586-573 - 13yr. siege of Tyre.
549 - Cyrus the Great comes to power in Elam
538 - Fall of Babylon (without battle?)
Other references:
Al-Yahudu tablets - over 100 cuneiform tablets about the lives of Judean exiles, in the Bible Lands Museum (Israel)
Ration texts related to Jehoiakin and his five sons
Host: Mary Buck is hosting this series!! Listen to the Assyrian episode HERE.
Image Attribution: By Robert Koldewey (10 September 1855 – 4 February 1925) - Die Tempel von Babylon und Borsippa : nach den Ausgrabungen durch die Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft, 1911, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87505819
Give: Visit our Donate Page if you want to help Biblical World and OnScript continue by becoming a regular donor.
44 min
July 09, 2025 Amy and Chris - Epic of Gilgamesh (Part 10)
Episode: We're back with Tablet IX of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh must face reality. From the grief over Enkidu to a search for his (Noah-like) ancestor Utnapishtim on Mt. Mashu, Gilgamesh will learn about his mortality. Meet scorpion beings and enjoy this next installment with Amy and Chris! Click to listen back to PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8 and PART 9.
Hosts: Chris McKinny and Amy Balogh
Image Source: https://religion.fandom.com/wiki/Scorpion_man
1 hr 6 min
June 30, 2025 Amy and Chris - Epic of Gilgamesh (Part 9)

Episode: We’re back now with Tablet VIII of the Epic of Gilgamesh, and our grief knows no bounds. Tune in and hear Amy and Chris discuss the depths of Gilgamesh's pain, grief, and loss. They also discuss how Gilgamesh memorializes his friend, and what might have happened in the missing part of the tablet. Click to listen back to PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, and PART 8.
Hosts: Chris McKinny and Amy Balogh
Image Attribution: Cylinder Seal from the British Museum. See https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1899-0418-9
53 min
June 22, 2025 Amy and Chris - Epic of Gilgamesh (Part 8)
Episode: We’re back, with Tablet VII of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an emotional high point in the epic. Chris and Amy take us into the friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the aftermath of Humbaba's death, and the curse-filled waiting for Enkidu's fate to unfold. Tune in and enjoy! Click to listen back to PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, and PART 7.
Hosts: Chris McKinny and Amy Balogh
Image Attribution:By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90610606
Give: Visit our Donate Page if you want to help Biblical World and OnScript continue by becoming a regular donor.
1 hr 12 min
June 03, 2025 Kyle Keimer - Misunderstanding Sacrifice (part 2)
Episode: Kyle Keimer joins to add insights from archaeology to an earlier OnScript episode called Misunderstanding Sacrifice (listen HERE). Dru and Matt L talk about the incomplete pictures gained from archaeology AND the Bible, and how to grapple with both. This episode is cross-listed with the OnScript podcast.
Guest/Co-Host: Kyle Keimer is know to listeners of our Biblical World podcast, and follow THIS link to get to know him more.
Give: Visit our Donate Page if you would like to support the work of OnScript and Biblical World.
Image Attribution: By illustrators of the 1890 Holman Bible - http://thebiblerevival.com/clipart/1890holmanbible/bw/altarofincensealtarofburnt-offeringlaver.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9424389
1 hr 1 min