Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. We’ll take one more pass at the Prophets and lay out why we should pay any attention to them, at all. If you like prophets, this should be a hoot! If you don’t like prophets, come on! It’ll still be a hoot!

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.

1. Armstrong Institute Staff. “Can We Trust the Book Of Daniel?” Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology, 30 Oct 2019. (https://armstronginstitute.org/955-can-we-trust-the-book-of-daniel, accessed 30 Apr 2025)

That’s it! The rest of the references are just me and Jesus! Wow!

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. We’re back in prophecy world where we’ll ask the age-old question, “Lord, why won’t you just tell us what You want us to know?” What’s the worst that could happen? We promise we won’t be sitting in Nazareth, waiting with our golden calves, for the Messiah to show up. You can trust us, Lord! Wow, we’re only on the intro and it’s already getting spicy in here! What happens next? Find out in “Jesus and OPSEC!”

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

* Yes, of course, I know the Churchill quote I used in the pod was talking about Russia in his quote and that it has no bearing on this topic! I borrowed the notation, not the connotation.

Another * 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.

1. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Temple of Jerusalem". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Mar 2012. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Temple-of-Jerusalem, accessed 24 Jul 2022)

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

3. 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.)

4. Rudd, Steve. Bible Maps, Chronology, Archaeology Graphics: The Essential Collection. Independently published, July 24, 2019 (Also at: https://www.bible.ca/maps/bible-maps-master-index-borders-twelve-12-tribes-israel-promised-land-joshua13-22-conquest-1400BC.htm, accessed 24 Apr 2025)

Last time, I promised a trip in the Wayback Machine because, obviously, only going back two thousand years might be getting passee. If we’re going to understand what happened in ancient Israel, though, we have to go back to even more ancient Israel and check out the prophets. The hunt for evidence begins now!

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

*Unless otherwise noted, most Bible quotes 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.

1. Sorry, I don’t have a Nostradamus reference. Worse, I’m not planning to get one, either.

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

Ehrman, Professor Bart, “The Greatest Controversies of Early Christian History,” Audio Course,

The Great Courses, Chantilly, VA

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

4. Mishnah, Online Version from Sefaria, seach for Pesahim and Sanhedrin. (https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Mishnah, accessed frequently between 2021 and 2024.)

5. Shaus A, Gerber Y, Faigenbaum-Golovin S, Sober B, Piasetzky E, Finkelstein I (2020) “Forensic document examination and algorithmic handwriting analysis of Judahite biblical period inscriptions reveal significant literacy level.” PLoS ONE 15(9): e0237962. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237962 (Accessed 19 Jun 2023)

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

7. Humphreys, Colin J. “The Star of Bethlehem – a Comet in 5 BC – and the Date of the Birth of Christ.” Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 32:389, 1991

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. We need to slow down a bit in this episode and develop a witness list. Who should we question when any witnesses related to this case would be, um...dead? Did any of the people who interacted with the Holy Family leave a testimony behind? Where might we find them?

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

*Most Bible quotes 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.

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

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

3. Filas, Francis L., S.J. Joseph: The Man Closest to Jesus. Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1962

4. 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)

Historicity of Jesus References:

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

Pitre, Brant. The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ. New York: Image, 2016

Windle, Bryan. “Top Ten Historical References to Jesus Outside of the Bible.” Bible Archaeology Report, 18 Nov 2022. (https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2022/11/18/top-ten-historical-references-to-jesus-outside-of-the-bible/, accessed 8 Apr 2025)

What is an Investigative Plan and how do you put one together? More importantly, how does it pertain to Biblical research? Join us this episode to take some time to build a convincing case, along with some wildly entertaining stories that may or may not have anything to do with the subject.

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

1. 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.

2. 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)

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

4. The Greek and a literal English translation of Matthew, Chapter 1, verses 18 and 19 on BibleHub.com (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/1-19.htm, accessed 7 Jan 2022):

5. All 63(!) translations of Matthew 1:19 that I compared, courtesy of the Bible Gateway website (https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%201:19), accessed 7 Jan 2022.)

6. “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.

7. Filas, Francis L., S.J. Joseph: The Man Closest to Jesus. Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1962

8. Fletcher, Elizabeth. “Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin – Bible Woman” Women in the Bible website, 2006. (http://womeninthebible.net/women-bible-old-new-testaments/elizabeth/, accessed 1 Mar 2022)

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. So far, there are seven reasons why Saint Joseph might have wanted to divorce Mary. The suspense is building. Are there other theories? Can I convince you that two thousand years of super smart people missed something critical?

I am genuinely interested in your opinion even though today’s episode is called “You’re All Wrong!” Let’s find out!

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. In today’s episode, we finally get to start tearing into Joseph’s Ordeal. Mary and Joseph had the perfect life planned until.....something changed. What went wrong, up in sunny, scenic Nazareth? Join us to find out.

Today’s episode of the Investigators Guide to the Bible is called “The Lay of the Land.” Let’s dig into some of the backstory for The Greatest Story Ever Told. Why do Matthew and Luke give completely different family trees for Jesus? Is it possible that Joseph was 200 years old? Join us to find out!

Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible. Today’s episode is called “Prelude to Ordeal.” Ooh, suspenseful! So let me ask you: what do Scriptural analysis, spy stories, a Pixar movie and the zombie apocalypse have in common? I managed to jam them all into this week’s episode! We’re having some fun now! I’m Tony. I’m the author and, since I remember most of what I wrote, I’m the narrator, too. I’m efficient like that. Check us out!

Hey, there. Welcome to the Investigators Guide to the Bible, the blogpod for people who read the Bible and say...What?...what does THAT mean? I am super excited to get started and share something with you today. As I was prepping for this week’s blogpod, I reread the first chapters of Matthew and Luke. But this time, I saw something different. We’ll talk about that and so much more. I even managed to find an appropriate Princess Bride reference. Stick around! Like and subscribe for new episodes.

Notes and References to make it look like I’m earning my pay:

1. Any Bible you use will be fine for all of the Biblical references. The one I used most for this episode is New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010

2. Again, use your Bible for the Gospel passages or, for this example, you can go back to Episode #6, Horizonal Statements, where it is laid out for you.

3. Safrai, Chana. “Jesus’ Jewish Parents”, Jerusalem Perspective, Number 40. Jerusalem: Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, 1993

4. Mishna Tosefta Challah 2.9 (https://www.sefaria.org/Tosefta_Challah_(Lieberman).2.9?lang=bi, accessed most recently on 27 Feb 2025)

5. Mishna Kiddushin 29a (https://www.sefaria.org/Kiddushin.29a.8?lang=bi, accessed most recently on 27 Feb 2025)

Safrai, Schmuel. “The Role of Women in the Temple”, Jerusalem Perspective, Volume 2, Number 9. Jerusalem: Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, 1989

6. Mishnah Keritot 1:7, 2:4 (https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Keritot.2.1?lang=bi and https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Keritot.2.4?lang=bi, accessed most recently on 27 Feb 2025)

7. 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.)

8. “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.

9. The Jewish Encyclopedia. JewishEncyclopedia.com, The Kopelman Foundation, 2002-2021 (https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12984-sacrifice, accessed 6 Sep 2022)

10. Josephus, Flavius. The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem. Translated by William Whiston, PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK. Release Date: 10 Jan 2009 [EBook #2850], Updated: 3 Aug 2013

11. Pliny the Elder (Caius Plinius Secundis), translated by Dr. Philemon Holland. Natural History. London: George Barclay for the Wernerian Club, 1847-1848

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

13. 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)

14. Pliny the Elder (Caius Plinius Secundis), translated by Dr. Philemon Holland. Natural History. London: George Barclay for the Wernerian Club, 1847-1848

15. Broshi, Magen. “Matrimony and Poverty: Jesus and the Essenes.” Revue de Qumrân, vol. 19, no. 4 (76), 2000, pp. 629–34. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/24662972. Accessed 8 Sep 2022

Broshi, Magen. “Qumran and the Essenes: Purity and Pollution, Six Categories.” Revue de Qumrân, Vol. 22, No. 3 (87), June 2006: pp. 463-474

16. 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

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

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

19. ConformingtoJesus.com Map of Jerusalem (https://www.conformingtojesus.com/images/webpages/jerusalem_in_jesus_time_map_1.jpg)