Investigators Guide to the Bible Podcast

Hey there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible for the final episode on the case of Joseph’s Ordeal. Take a deep breath, grab a cookie to go with your coffee, and settle in for the Summation to the Jury. If you have not figured it out yet, I’m Tony. I did the writing and the reading. If something is wrong, I’m the guy who gets the blame. Share, stack, restack and all that stuff. Let’s get started.

Investigative Summary: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury

EXSUM: Nazareth was a culturally conservative town that was neither tiny, nor insignificant. The people of Nazareth were either Essene laity or very closely related to the Essene sect. Inhabitants of the town followed stringent rules for purity, piety, poverty, and abstinence. The people of the town were very pious Jews who shared what they earned or made with the rest of the clan, which made up the town’s roughly fifteen hundred citizens. With their own lesser Sanhedrin council, Nazareth could enforce a stricter moral code than was accepted throughout the rest of ancient Israel. Divorce was almost completely unheard of, except in cases of criminal acts, like adultery. Mary of Nazareth was suspected of adultery and her betrothed husband, Joseph, planned to divorce her. At least, this has been the narrative for many centuries. Today, we put the rumors, innuendo, allegations, and accusations to rest.

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010. Though I frequently mention other Bible translations, this is my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

* Almost every discussion on the translation of a particular word means a trip to BibleHub.com for their amazing Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub, Glassport, PA. Just assume I’m using their site and check it out for yourself. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/, accessed more times than I can count, 2021-2025)

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

A small mea culpa is in order. There are references but I ran into a production deadline before taking a short vacation. As soon as we get back, I’ll edit the refs in. Thanks for understanding.

Hey there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. It is just about put up or shut up time. We’ve talked about sources and analysis. We’ve talked about evidence and how to view it. It is time to start putting all the facts together. Believe it or not, though, there are still a couple topics we have to round out, first. I have not talked about analytic integrity, yet, or the analytic standards I use. Again, believe it or not, this is very relevant. If I am asking you to trust me, you should know why this work should be trustworthy. I’m Tony. All the stuff I said last time is still true so let’s get started!

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010. Though I frequently mention other Bible translations, this is my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

* Almost every discussion on the translation of a particular word means a trip to BibleHub.com for their amazing Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub, Glassport, PA. Just assume I’m using their site and check it out for yourself. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/, accessed more times than I can count, 2021-2025)

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Intelligence Community Directive 203, Technical Directive, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 12 Jun 2023 (https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICD/ICD-203.pdf, accessed 30 Sep 2025)

2. “The Protoevangelium of James the Lesser.” Translated by Alexander Walker. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

3. Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah, Updated Edition. New York: Doubleday, 1993

4. Hesemann, Michael, translated by Michael J. Miller. Mary of Nazareth: History, Archeology, Legends. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, CA 2016 (Original German edition, 2011, Sankt Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, Germany.)

Investigative Timeline: Getting My Clocks in a Row

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. This is it! Get your pens and notepads ready because this is where you get to check my notes to see if I got the timeline right. We know timelines are important, so it’s put up or shut up time. As always, no question or comment is off limits. Tell me where I’m wrong. Like and subscribe for new episodes. Share the episode, restack it, and send it to your friends. Feel free to ask some questions at the end, if you want.

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 Though I frequently mention other Bible translations, this is my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

* Almost every discussion on the translation of a particular word means a trip to BibleHub.com for their amazing Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub, Glassport, PA. Just assume I’m using their site and check it out for yourself. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/, accessed more times than I can count, 2021-2025)

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Eddings, David. The Belgariad: Castle of Wizardry. New York: Del Ray/Ballentine Books. 1984

2. Nunnaly, Dr. Wave. “Modern Midrash: The Myth of Migdal Eder.” The Bible Unplugged website, 2025. (https://wavenunnally.com/modern-midrash-the-myth-of-migdal-eder/, accessed 12 Sep 2025)

3. Lanser, Rick, MDiv. “Pinpointing the Date of Christ’s Birth,” Associates for Biblical Research, 2019. (https://biblearchaeology.org/about/abr-projects/the-daniel-9-24-27-project/4368-pinpointing-the-date-of-christ-s-birth, accessed 2 Mar 2022)

4. Finegan, Jack. Handbook of Biblical Chronology, Revised Edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, 1998

5. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. With Jesus in Jerusalem: His First and Last Days in Judea. Rosh Pina, Israel: Corazin Publishing, 1996

6. Jensen, Morten Horning. “Climate, Droughts, Wars, and Famines in Galilee as a Background for Understanding the Historical Jesus.” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 131, no. 2, 2012, pp. 307–24. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/23488227. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. When we left our intrepid couple, Mary and Joseph, they were deciding if they should move to Bethlehem. Let’s look at some more concrete reasons why a move to Bethlehem, rather than just a trip, makes more sense. One more time, let’s see if I can turn what you know about the Infancy Narrative on its head. Let’s talk about the logistics of the Nativity; what makes sense and what does not. As always, no question is off limits. Like and subscribe for new episodes. Share the episode, restack it, and send it to your friends. Feel free to ask some questions at the end, if you want.

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

* Almost every discussion on the translation of a particular word means a trip to BibleHub.com for their amazing Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub, Glassport, PA. Just assume I’m using their site and check it out for yourself. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/, accessed more times than I can count, 2021-2025)

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. With Jesus in Jerusalem: His First and Last Days in Judea. Rosh Pina, Israel: Corazin Publishing, 1996

2. Schauss, Hayyim. “Ancient Jewish Marriage.” Ancient/Medieval Jewish History. My Jewish Learning website, myjewishlearning.com, Copyright 2002-2022. (https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ancient-jewish-marriage/, accessed 27 Jan 2022)

3. Gaechter, Paul S.J. “The Chronology from Mary’s Betrothal to the Birth of Christ.” Theological Studies, 2(3), 347–368, 1941

4. Gaechter, Paul S.J. “The Chronology From Mary’s Betrothal to the Birth of Christ.” Theological Studies, 2(2), 145-170, 1941

5. “The Protoevangelium of James the Lesser.” Translated by Alexander Walker. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

6. Bailey, Dr. Kenneth. “The Manger and the Inn,” Associates for Biblical Research, 8 Nov 2008. (https://biblearchaeology.org/research/chronological-categories/new-testament-era/2803-the-manger-and-the-inn, accessed 16 Sep 2025)

7. Pitre, Brant. The Hidden King: The Jewish Roots of St. Joseph. New York: Image, 2016

8. Philo, translated by F.H. Colson and G.H. Whitaker. Loeb Classical Library: Philo Volume I. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1929.

9. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. Paths of the Messiah: Messianic Sites in Galilee and Jerusalem. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010

10. Filz, Gretchen. “The Story of St. Francis of Assisi and the First Nativity Scene, as told by St. Bonaventure,” The Catholic Company Magazine, 20 Dec 2016 (https://www.catholiccompany.com/magazine/story-francis-assisi-first-navity-scene-5955?rsltid=AfmBOopxP7r3qMIHzJk8QuBHsr8fdkPZUYZA61FtiWqe6EIjaVLrQ0q0, accessed 15 Dec 2021)

11. Hesemann, Michael, translated by Michael J. Miller. Mary of Nazareth: History, Archeology, Legends. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, CA 2016 (Original German edition, 2011, Sankt Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, Germany.)

12. Ratzinger, Joseph, Pope Benedict XVI. Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives. New York: Crown Publishing, 2012

13. Wise, Michael; Abegg, Martin Jr.; and Cook, Edward. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996

14. Crawford, Sidnie White, "Not According to Rule: Women, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran" (2003). Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department. Paper 65. (http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/classicsfacpub/65, accessed 28 Sep 2022)

15. Safrai, Schmuel. “No Room in the Inn?” Jerusalem Perspective, Volume 4, Number 6. Jerusalem: Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, 1991

16. Lanser, Rick, MDiv. “Pinpointing the Date of Christ's Birth,” Associates for Biblical Research, 2019. (https://biblearchaeology.org/about/abr-projects/the-daniel-9-24-27-project/4368-pinpointing-the-date-of-christ-s-birth, accessed 2 Mar 2022)

17. Bergsma, John. Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls. New York: Image Penguin Random House, 2019

18. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Mishnah, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.) This episode references Mishnah Keritot and Shekalim.

19. van der Hoeven, A.A.M. Jesus and Moses – Mary Magdalene. April 26, 2009 (http://www.jesusking.info/Jesus_and_Moses.pdf, accessed 10 Apr 2023)

20. Nunnaly, Dr. Wave. “Modern Midrash: The Myth of Migdal Eder.” The Bible Unplugged website, 2025. (https://wavenunnally.com/modern-midrash-the-myth-of-migdal-eder/, accessed 12 Sep 2025)

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. It’s hard to believe we are getting to the end, but we’re not done yet! Today, we are going to talk about all of the things Luke left out of his Gospel. I know he had to jam everything into a small space but, my goodness, months passed between two verses in his testimony! Let’s fill in some of the details, shall we? Like and subscribe for new episodes. Share the episode, restack it, and send it to your friends. Feel free to ask some questions at the end, if you want.

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Finegan, Jack. Handbook of Biblical Chronology, Revised Edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, 1998

2. Hesemann, Michael, translated by Michael J. Miller. Mary of Nazareth: History, Archeology, Legends. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, CA 2016 (Original German edition, 2011, Sankt Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, Germany.)

3. Lanser, Rick, MDiv. “Pinpointing the Date of Christ's Birth,” Associates for Biblical Research, 2019. (https://biblearchaeology.org/about/abr-projects/the-daniel-9-24-27-project/4368-pinpointing-the-date-of-christ-s-birth, accessed 2 Mar 2022)

4. Pope St. John Paul II. Apostolic Exhortation: Guardian of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Custos). Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1989

5. Grull, Tibor. “Considerations on Oaths of Loyalty under Augustus in Josephus.” Peace and War in Josephus, Edited by Viktor Kókai-Nagy and Ádám Vér (Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Studies, 52.) Berlin-Boston: De Gruyter, 2023, 41-52.

6. Bernardine of Siena, Saint. Sermon on St. Joseph, translated by Eric May. Paterson, NJ: St. Anthony Guild, 1947

7. van der Hoeven, A.A.M. With Child of the Holy Spirit – Joseph willing to give her in marriage to his heir. March 23, 2009 (http://www.jesusking.info/With%20Child%20of%20the%20Holy%20Spirit%2023-03-2009%204.pdf, accessed 8 Nov 2022)

8. Gaechter, Paul S.J. “The Chronology From Mary’s Betrothal to the Birth of Christ.” Theological Studies, 2(2), 145-170, 1941

9. Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah, Updated Edition. New York: Doubleday, 1993

10. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Mishnah, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.) For this reference, look for Mishna Ketubot.

11. McHugh, John. The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament. New York: Doubleday, 1975

12. “The Protoevangelium of James the Lesser.” Translated by Alexander Walker. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

13. Jensen, Morten Horning. “Climate, Droughts, Wars, and Famines in Galilee as a Background for Understanding the Historical Jesus.” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 131, no. 2, 2012, pp. 307–24. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/23488227. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

14. Ratzinger, Joseph, Pope Benedict XVI. Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives. New York: Crown Publishing, 2012

15. Almost every discussion on the translation of a particular word means a trip to BibleHub.com for their amazing Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub, Glassport, PA. Just assume I’m using their site and check it out for yourself. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/, accessed more times than I can count, 2021-2025)

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. Today, we’ll talk about two events that set the stage for everything else that happens in the New Testament. It kind of feels like we should understand what really happened, right? Let’s do that. I'm Tony. I'm the author and I promise not to sing while I narrate the episode for you. Like and subscribe for new episodes. Share the episode, restack it, and send it to your friends. If you charge them to listen, though, I get a cut, okay? Shazam, It’s Go Time!

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Kohn, Rabbi Daniel. “What Are Pilgrimage Festivals?” My Jewish Learning. myjewishlearning.com, Copyright 2002-2022. (https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pilgrimage-festivals/, accessed 25 Aug 2025)

2. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Mishnah, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.)

3. Bulbeck, Robert, S.J. “The Doubt of St. Joseph.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, vol. 10, no. 3, 1948, pp. 296–309. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43720043. Accessed 13 Sep. 2022.

4. van der Hoeven, A.A.M. With Child of the Holy Spirit – Joseph willing to give her in marriage to his heir. March 23, 2009 (http://www.jesusking.info/With%20Child%20of%20the%20Holy%20Spirit%2023-03-2009%204.pdf, accessed 8 Nov 2022)

5. Berger, Rabbi Shalom, Editor. “Yevamot 41a-b: The Waiting Period.” Essay, based on the Koren Talmud Bavli, Noé Edition, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. The Aleph Society, 14 Nov 2014. (https://steinsaltz.org/daf/yevamot41/, accessed 17 Mar 2025)

6. Hesemann, Michael, translated by Michael J. Miller. Mary of Nazareth: History, Archeology, Legends. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, CA 2016 (Original German edition, 2011, Sankt Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, Germany.)

7. Greenberg, Sara. “Seven-Day Spa.” Lilith Magazine, Spring 2008. Lilith Publications, Inc, NY. (https://lilith.org/articles/seven-day-spa/, accessed 25 Aug 2025)

8. Wise, Michael; Abegg, Martin Jr.; and Cook, Edward. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996

9. Crawford, Sidnie White, "Not According to Rule: Women, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran" (2003). Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department. Paper 65. (http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/classicsfacpub/65, accessed 28 Sep 2022)

10. Almost every discussion on the translation of a particular word means a trip to BibleHub.com for their amazing Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub, Glassport, PA. Just assume I’m using their site and check it out for yourself. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/, accessed more times than I can count, 2021-2025)

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. The prosecution is about to rest and the defense is starting to take the stage! It really is time we get to know Joseph of Nazareth. This guy has been getting a bad rap for two thousand years. If you are one of the ones who thought Joseph was going to divorce Mary, you owe the guy an apology! Not even I’m that heartless and I’m an intelligence agent! A lot of this will sound familiar as we pull together the threads we’ve discussed and add more to the story. So, let’s do this!

Introducing Joseph of Nazareth

When someone mentions Joseph of Nazareth, does a picture form in your mind? Take a second and look at the man in that picture. Is he young or old? Is he frail or healthy? Masculine or scrawny? Would it surprise you to learn that your image of Saint Joseph was deliberately curated? What makes me crazy is that the image of Joseph was curated to protect something that didn’t need protecting. Joseph was prematurely aged and given a first wife and family, almost entirely to protect the concept of Mary as a perpetual virgin.

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

If you read something and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Meinardus, Otto F.A. The Holy Family in Egypt. Cairo, Egypt: The American University in Cairo Press, 1986

2. Eusebius of Caesarea. Church History, Book 3. Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1890.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

3. Philo, translated by F.H. Colson and G.H. Whitaker. Loeb Classical Library: Philo Volume I. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1929.

4. Pitre, Brant. The Hidden King: The Jewish Roots of St. Joseph. New York: Image, 2016

5. Rondet, Henri S.J. Saint Joseph, translated and edited by Donald Atwater. New York: P.J. Kennedy & Sons, 1956

6. Hesemann, Michael, translated by Michael J. Miller. Mary of Nazareth: History, Archeology, Legends. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, CA 2016 (Original German edition, 2011, Sankt Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, Germany.)

7. Baumgarten, Joseph. The Qumran-Essene Restraints on Marriage. The Center for Online Judaic Studies, undated. (http://cojs.org/the_qumran-essene_restraints_on_marriage-_joseph_baumgarten/, accessed 6 Jun and 8 Sep 2022)

8. The Jewish Encyclopedia. “Marriage Laws.” JewishEncyclopedia.com, The Kopelman Foundation, 2002-2021. (https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10435-marriage-laws, accessed 6 Jun 2022)

9. “The Protoevangelium of James the Lesser.” Translated by Alexander Walker. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

10. Wise, Michael; Abegg, Martin Jr.; and Cook, Edward. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996

11. Crawford, Sidnie White, "Not According to Rule: Women, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran" (2003). Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department. Paper 65. (http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/classicsfacpub/65, accessed 28 Sep 2022)

12. The Jewish Encyclopedia. “Betrothal.” JewishEncyclopedia.com, The Kopelman Foundation, 2002-2021. (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3229-betrothal, accessed 6 Jun and 6 Sep 2022)

13. Bulbeck, Robert, S.J. “The Doubt of St. Joseph.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, vol. 10, no. 3, 1948, pp. 296–309. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43720043. Accessed 13 Sep. 2022.

14. Josephus, Flavius. The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK. Release Date: 10 Jan 2009 [EBook #2850], Updated: 3 Aug 2013 (available at https://archive.org/details/CompleteWorksOfJosephusTranslatedByWilliamWhiston1737)

15. Baij, Maria Cecilia, OSB. The Life of Saint Joseph. Asbury, NJ: The 101 Foundation, 1996

16. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. With Jesus Through Galilee According to the Fifth Gospel. Rosh Pina, Israel: Corazin Publishing, 1992

17. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.)

18. Ngo, Robin. “Jewish Purification: Stone Vessel Workshop Discovered in Galilee.” Bible History Daily. Biblical Archaeology Society, Washington DC, 20 Aug 2024 (https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/jewish-purification-stone-vessel-workshop-galilee/#:~:text=A%20chalkstone%20fragment%20discovered%20at,Israel's%20Stone%20Age%E2%80%9D%20in%20BAR:, accessed 19 Aug 2025)

19. Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah, Updated Edition. New York: Doubleday, 1993

20. Quran Talk Blog (No Author Noted). “Which Messiah Was Jesus? Ben David, Ben Joseph, or Ben Aaron?” 5 Nov 2024. (https://qurantalkblog.com/2024/11/05/jesus-messiah-ben-david-or-ben-aaron/, accessed 28 Jul 2025)

21. Pope Leo XIII. Papal Encyclical: Quamquam Pluries, On Devotion To St. Joseph, 15 August 1889 (https://osjusa.org/st-joseph/magisterium/quamquam-pluries/)

22. Pope St. John Paul II. Apostolic Exhortation: Guardian of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Custos). Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1989

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. I feel like I’ve been building up to these next three episodes forever! So, let’s stop wasting time. There is probably no more controversial subject in Christianity than Mary, the mother of Jesus. Orthodox and Catholics are crazy about her; most Protestants think she was not that special; and Muslims, oddly, have significant respect for Mary, dedicating two chapters of the Koran to her. Kind of feels like we should get to know her, doesn’t it? Since she is the victim or the culprit in this case, we need to start compiling a personality profile of her.

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Chrysostom, St. John. “Homily 21 on the Gospel of John.” Translated by Charles Marriott. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/240121.htm, accessed 11 Aug 2025)

2. Fiensy, David A. “Wedding Bells in Galilee?” Biblical Archaeology Review, vol. 48, no. 4, pp 62-64. Washington: Biblical Archaeological Society, 2022

3. “The Protoevangelium of James the Lesser.” Translated by Alexander Walker. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

4. Hesemann, Michael, translated by Michael J. Miller. Mary of Nazareth: History, Archeology, Legends. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, CA 2016 (Original German edition, 2011, Sankt Ulrich Verlag, Augsburg, Germany.)

5. Tertullian. “On the Flesh of Christ,” Translated by Peter Holmes. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1885.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

6. Didache Bible, Ignatius Bible Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018

7. Horner, Timothy J. "Jewish Aspects of the Protoevangelium of James." Journal of Early Christian Studies, vol. 12 no. 3, 2004, p. 313-335. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/earl.2004.0041

8. Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah, Updated Edition. New York: Doubleday, 1993

9. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.)

10. Gaechter, Paul S.J. “The Chronology From Mary’s Betrothal to the Birth of Christ.” Theological Studies, 2(2), 145-170, 1941

11. The Jewish Encyclopedia. “Betrothal.” JewishEncyclopedia.com, The Kopelman Foundation, 2002-2021. (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3229-betrothal, accessed 6 Jun and 6 Sep 2022)

12. Calkins, Arthur B., Fr. “The Justice of Joseph Revisited.” Homiletic & Pastoral Review, June 1988

13. Laurentin, Rene, translated by Michael J. Wrenn & associates. The Truth of Christmas Beyond the Myths: The Gospels of the Infancy of Christ. Petersham, MA: St. Bede’s Publications, 1986

14. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Kiddushin.1.1?lang=bi, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.)

15. Josephus, Flavius. The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK. Release Date: 10 Jan 2009 [EBook #2850], Updated: 3 Aug 2013 (available at https://archive.org/details/CompleteWorksOfJosephusTranslatedByWilliamWhiston1737)

16. Baumgarten, Joseph. The Qumran-Essene Restraints on Marriage. The Center for Online Judaic Studies, undated. (http://cojs.org/the_qumran-essene_restraints_on_marriage-_joseph_baumgarten/, accessed 6 Jun and 8 Sep 2022)

17. van der Hoeven, A.A.M. With Child of the Holy Spirit – Joseph willing to give her in marriage to his heir. March 23, 2009 (http://www.jesusking.info/With%20Child%20of%20the%20Holy%20Spirit%2023-03-2009%204.pdf, accessed 8 Nov 2022)

18. Philo, translated by F.H. Colson and G.H. Whitaker. Loeb Classical Library: Philo Volume I. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1929.

19. Reed, Jonathan L. “Instability in Jesus’ Galilee: A Demographic Perspective.” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 129, no. 2, 2010, pp. 343–65. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/27821023. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

20. Wise, Michael; Abegg, Martin Jr.; and Cook, Edward. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996

21. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. Paths of the Messiah: Messianic Sites in Galilee and Jerusalem. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010

22. McHugh, John. The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament. New York: Doubleday, 1975

23. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. With Jesus Through Galilee According to the Fifth Gospel. Rosh Pina, Israel: Corazin Publishing, 1992

24. The Prophecies and Revelations of Saint Bridget (Birgitta) of Sweden, available at https://www.saintsbooks.net/books/St.%20Bridget%20(Birgitta)%20of%20Sweden%20-%20Prophecies%20and%20Revelations.html, accessed 28 Apr 2022

25. Bernardine of Siena, Saint. Sermon on St. Joseph, translated by Eric May. Paterson, NJ: St. Anthony Guild, 1947

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. We ended last time in the hills of Galilee so let’s move west of there to a little town called Nazareth! I have to be honest. When I started this investigation, I never realized how far I would stray from Nazareth, just to bring us right back there. I hope to shatter a few myths about the hometown of Jesus. We’ll talk about prophecy, history, and I’ll give you the inside poop on, well, poop. What more could you ask for? Like and subscribe for new episodes. Share the episode with everyone you know. First one to bring in a hundred subscribers gets a cookie! Ready? “O Little Town of…Nazareth?”

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. With Jesus Through Galilee According to the Fifth Gospel. Rosh Pina, Israel: Corazin Publishing, 1992

2. Jensen, Morten Horning. “The Political History in Galilee from the First Century BCE to the End of the Second Century CE,” Galilee in the Late Second Temple and Mishnaic Periods, Volume 1, Editors: David A. Fiensy, James Riley Strange. Montenegro: Fortress Press, 2014

3. Alexandre, Yardenna. “The Settlement History of Nazareth in the Iron Age and Early Roman Period.” ‘Atiquot, Volume 98, pages 25-92. Jerusalem: Ayalon Printing, 2020

4. Crossen, John Dominic and Reed, Jonathan L. Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001

5. Pixner, Bargil, O.S.B. Paths of the Messiah: Messianic Sites in Galilee and Jerusalem. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010

6. Eusebius of Caesarea. Church History, Book 1. Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1890.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

7. Charlesworth, James H., and Mordekhai Aviʿam. "Reconstructing First-Century Galilee: Reflections on Ten Major Problems." Jesus Research: New Methodologies and Perceptions: 103-137. United Kingdom: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014

8. Africanus, Julius. “The Epistle to Aristides.” Translator unknown. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 6. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

9. Keys, David. “New archaeological evidence from Nazareth reveals religious and political environment in era of Jesus.” The Independent, 17 Apr 2020 (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/jesus-home-town-nazareth-archaeological-discovery-research-a9470716.html, accessed 13 Oct 2022)

10. Leibner, Uzi. Settlement and History in Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Galilee. Tubingen, GE: Mohr Siebeck, 2012

11. BiblePlaces.com (No author noted). “Sepphoris.” BiblePlaces website. BiblePlaces, undated. (https://www.bibleplaces.com/sepphoris/, accessed 7 Aug 2025)

12. Jensen, Morten Horning. “The Galilean Cradle of Jesus and His Followers,” Chosen to Follow: Jewish Believers Through History and Today, edited by Jakob Wilms Nielsen and Knut Helge Hoyland, Caspari Center, 2012.

13. Dark, Ken. “The Archaeology of Nazareth in the Early First Century.” The Bible and Interpretation, July 2020. (https://bibleinterp.arizona.edu/articles/archaeology-nazareth-early-first-century, accessed 13 Oct 2022)

14. Philo, edited by Fred. C. Conybeare. About the Contemplative Life. New York: Oxford Clarendon Press, 1895

15. Schiffman, Lawrence H. “Philo, Every Good Man is Free XII, 75-87: Description of the Essenes,” Texts and Traditions, Ktav, Hoboken 1998, p.282-284 (The Center for Online Judaic Studies, undated, http://cojs.org/philo-_every_good_man_is_free_xii-_75-87-_description_of_the_essenes/, accessed 9 Dec 2022)

16. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.17b?lang=bi, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.)

17. Jensen, Morten Horning. “Herod Antipas in Galilee: Friend or Foe of the Historical Jesus?” Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus, 5.1, p. 7-32, 2007.

18. Aslan, Reza. Zealot: The Life and Times Of Jesus of Nazareth. NY: Random House, 2013

19. Safrai, Schmuel. “Jesus and the Hasidim.” Jerusalem Perspective, Numbers 42,43 and 44. Tel-Aviv: Sabinsky Press, 1994

Josephus, Flavius. The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK. Release Date: 10 Jan 2009 [EBook #2850], Updated: 3 Aug 2013 (available at https://archive.org/details/CompleteWorksOfJosephusTranslatedByWilliamWhiston1737)

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. We will stay on the topic of the Essenes one more time to explain what was going on with these guys around the rest of first century Israel. It could get a little weird! We’ll challenge a long-held belief or two and I’ll do my level best to eviscerate a renowned source on the Essenes. Sounds like fun, right? Like and subscribe for new episodes. Share the episode with everyone you know. Pass it around the campfire, if you want. Why keep all this fun to yourself?

Resources and References so I can pretend I’m really smart:

* Most Bible quotes I used come from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010 This is just my working Bible for most of these episodes. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references.

If you read something that is not a direct quote and think the brilliant thought might be mine, it is safer to assume I messed up the citation. Give credit to the super smart people below.

1. Quran Talk Blog (No Author Noted). “Which Messiah Was Jesus? Ben David, Ben Joseph, or Ben Aaron?” 5 Nov 2024. (https://qurantalkblog.com/2024/11/05/jesus-messiah-ben-david-or-ben-aaron/, accessed 28 Jul 2025)

2. Wise, Michael; Abegg, Martin Jr.; and Cook, Edward. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996

3. Ben-Daniel, John. “The Cave-Dwellers of Mt. Arbel.” Cave-Dwellers of Mt. Arbel, 2021. (Available at https://www.newtorah.org/pdf/The%20Cave-dwellers%20of%20Mt%20Arbel.pdf, accessed most recently on 31 Jul 2025)

4. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.1.6?lang=bi, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2025.)

5. Ben-Daniel, John and Gloria. Saint John and the Book of Revelation: From Essenes to End-Times. Jerusalem: Franciscan, 2019

6. Philo, edited by Fred. C. Conybeare. About the Contemplative Life. New York: Oxford Clarendon Press, 1895

7. The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls: The War Scroll, from The Israel Museum, copyright 1995-2025. http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/war, accessed 30 Jul 2025)

8. Josephus, Flavius. The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK. Release Date: 10 Jan 2009 [EBook #2850], Updated: 3 Aug 2013 (available at https://archive.org/details/CompleteWorksOfJosephusTranslatedByWilliamWhiston1737)

9. Nati, James. “The Community Rule or Rules for the Communities? Contextualizing the Qumran Serakhim.” Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls: John Collins at Seventy, Volume 2. Edited by Joel Baden, Hindy Najman, and Eibert Tigchelaar. Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2017

10. Baumgarten, Joseph. The Qumran-Essene Restraints on Marriage. The Center for Online Judaic Studies, undated. (http://cojs.org/the_qumran-essene_restraints_on_marriage-_joseph_baumgarten/, accessed 6 Jun and 8 Sep 2022)

11. Kohler, Kaufman. “Essenes.” The Jewish Encyclopedia. JewishEncyclopedia.com, The Kopelman Foundation, 2002-2021 (https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5867-essenes, accessed most recently on 28 May 2025)

12. Schiffman, Lawrence H. "Community Without Temple: The Qumran Community's Withdrawal from the Jerusalem Temple." Qumran and Jerusalem, 2010, pp. 81-97

13. Map: “Jerusalem at the Time of Jesus.” Conforming To Jesus website (https://www.conformingtojesus.com/charts-maps/en/jerusalem_in_jesus_time_map.htm)