Ponder Anew Podcast

"Have you been saved?"  Christians use the word "save" all the time.  But what do we really mean by this?  Does Jesus' salvation mean entrance into heaven?  Or at least mostly mean that? 

To reflect on σωζω - " I save", we focus on a conversation in which Jesus and disciples reflect on the rich man who walked away from Jesus (Mark 10:23-27).  Of course, we end up all over Scripture, but we can start there.  Actually, we start with 90's teen sit-coms...let's get pondering!

This week is a two for one special -- two words, both translated into English as "divorce."

In the middle of Mark's Gospel, Jesus goes on a long road trip with his disciples.  This week (Mark 10:2-9) we hear Jesus offer some striking words on divorce, which is, was and will be a complex topic, both culturally and personally.

Nothing to do with Hell, the demonic and the forces of evil is ever easy.  Including translating words that have to do with "hell"!  We look at γεεννα, a word that can be translated, well, as hell, but also a lot of other things too!  (Mark 9:42-48 is where this word is found, among other places in Scripture)

This might be the easiest word of all to translate this fall.  It means "child".  But what "child" meant than and what "child" means today are very different things.

Note:  I intended this to be a mini-podcast.  But then the word got interesting.

For fall 2024, we will do a shorter podcast, focusing on one Greek word per week.  This word will come from the week's Gospel reading (in the Revised Common Lectionary).

This week we start off with Χριστός, a word found in Peter's confession of faith (found in Mark, Matthew and Luke!)

Is freedom a good thing?

We wrap up the book of Judges with a story that seems a punishing indictment of freedom, especially freedom that has descended into lawlessness (Judges 20-21)/

First, we look at how the book of Judges frames the final stories.  It is clear that the book of Judges is making an argument about human freedom, government and God.

Second, we reflect on how the underlying tension between order and freedom plays itself out in our modern politics.  (Or:  how the major political forces in our country relate to the main thesis of the book of Judges.)

Is freedom a good thing?

We wrap up the book of Judges with a story that seems a punishing indictment of freedom, especially freedom that has descended into lawlessness (Judges 20-21)/

First, we look at how the book of Judges frames the final stories.  It is clear that the book of Judges is making an argument about human freedom, government and God.

Second, we reflect on how the underlying tension between order and freedom plays itself out in our modern politics.  (Or:  how the major political forces in our country relate to the main thesis of the book of Judges.)

One of my childhood heroes -- Samson!  (middle chapters of Judges)

Alas, the story doesn't read well for me as an adult.  A reflection on the malformed character of Samson and what me might do to avoid this happening to us.

One of my childhood heroes -- Samson!  (middle chapters of Judges)

Alas, the story doesn't read well for me as an adult.  A reflection on the malformed character of Samson and what me might do to avoid this happening to us.

How do you measure the spiritual health of a nation?  Of a person?  As we look at Judges 6, we see how the book's writers subtly argue that spiritual malaise leads to political collapse leads to economic downturn leads to environmental destruction.  Do we still think this way 3,000 years later?  Likely more so than we think.