Reparadigmed Podcast

“When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus’ answer to these questions has been a hotbed of debate. Is Jesus speaking about events that occurred in Rome’s sacking Jerusalem, or further beyond to another day of judgment? How can Jesus be certain that “this generation” won’t pass away until these things have happened, and say that no one knows the hour or the day that it will occur, not even the son? Nick and Matt discuss some ways people have tried to make sense of his answer. Although the specifics of his "coming" are tricky, the most important truths about the Son of Man are made crystal clear in the New Testament: he’s already been vindicated as the true ruler of the world. To recognize this reality and to live in light of it is all that is left to do.

Resources: Reflections on the ‘Son of Man’: Implications for a Christian Transformational Worldview by Randal Bush, Church History by Eusebius of Caesaria (c. 263 – c. 339 CE), The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus (c. 37 – c. 100 CE),  The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God by N.T. Wright.

Interlude Music: Breaths by AGST

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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In this episode, we dive into the meaning of the apocalyptic “Son of Man,” why Jesus used it as a title in the Gospel accounts, and what it means for a human–any human–to be exalted to the throne of God as a representative ruler of the world. Drawing from biblical sources like Daniel, 1 Enoch, and the Gospels, we explore the origins of the term and consider the implications of Jesus of Nazareth taking this title for himself.

Resources: Enoch and Son of Man I by Julia Blum, The Jewish Gospels; The Story of the Jewish Christ by Daniel Boyarin, Reflections on the ‘Son of Man’: Implications for a Christian Transformational Worldview by Randal Bush, The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature by John J. Collins, The Son of Man in Mark’s Gospel by Simon Gathercole, Prophesy Remains a Mystery Until it is Fulfilled and Is Jesus the “NAME” of God? by Michael Heiser, What does “Son of Man” Mean by Dan McClellan, Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple by Scott McKnight, The Enochic Son of Man and the Apocalyptic Background of the Son of Man Sayings in John’s Gospel by Benjamin E. Reynolds, Two Powers in Heaven: Early Rabbinic Reports About Christianity and Gnosticism by Alan Segal, The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, Video on the Son of Man and Daniel in the Lion’s Den Narrative by N.T. Wright.

Interlude Music: Mocha by bomul, Slow Motion by Elliptik

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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KJV, ESV, NASB, NIV, NET, AMP, CSB, NLT, LEB, GNB, RSV, and on and on and on… How do you decide which English Bible translation to use? Translated from the Masoretic text or Dead Sea Scrolls? Textus Receptus or Critical Text? Formal or dynamic equivalence? Who pisseth against the wall? There are a lot of questions that have to be answered by Bible translators, and their decisions can have a serious impact on Bible reading. There’s no shortage of ideas about how to pick a translation, and they’re not all helpful. Matt and Nick discuss the limitations of translations, what they can do well, and some tools that help readers go beyond the limitations of reading in English.

Resources Referenced: The Hebrew Bible by Robert Alter, Sreetlights Audio Bible by Streetlights

Interlude Music: Try Try Try by Airae

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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The ancient Hebrews were to hit the economic reset button every fifty years, restoring the people and the land they had accumulated back to the original tribal allotments God had proscribed.  The Jubilee functioned as a time-designated practice in the Hebrew Bible for liberation, restoration, and the redistribution of wealth. In this episode, Matt and Nick explore the concept of Jubilee and its profound connection to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. We delve into how Jesus embraced and expanded this concept, viewing Himself as the ultimate cosmic liberator. Through His teachings, Jesus redefined the idea of freedom and renewal, emphasizing a life marked by generosity, love, and communal well-being. We examine how Jesus’ call to His followers to embody these values reflects the spirit of Jubilee in a new, transformative light. The Jubilee ideal can have culture-shaping, world-changing significance when embodied by the community of Jesus, that is, if we dare not to leave it as a relic of bygone Bible days.

Interlude Music: Heavenly Bound by Aluvio

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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Can a genealogy list present a gold challenge to the powers that be? Matt and Nick discuss the violent and wild history of intertestamental Israel under priests who gained tremendous wealth and power. They consider the varying messianic hopes in Judaism and why the arrival of the Son of David was hoped for by some and feared by others. It turns out that a genealogy list really can be exciting, even if reading through the names is still boring.

Suggested Resource: Bridging the Testaments by George Athas

Interlude Music: Boost by Dream Cave

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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Do the biblical promises God made to ancient Israel apply to the modern nation state that goes by the same name? Was its formation in 1948 a fulfillment of prophecy? Believing so, many evangelicals have fervently supported the state of Israel, sometimes in ways that aren’t consistent with the ethics of Jesus. In this episode Nick and Matt take a look at the idea of Israel according to the Bible, trying to splice out what the word actually means, and offering some clarifying reflections on the relationship between the modern state Israel, the Israel of God’s promises, and the Jesus community.

Interlude Music: Domentum by Of Water, Dreamed of This by Dream Cave

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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The Bible has some extraordinary things to say about Christian community and the body of Christ. What we think about church should have a major impact on the way we think and live.  We take a look at the language behind English translations of church, connections to the Old Testament that get lost in translation, and the politically loaded history of its translation. Lastly, we consider the question, “Is church a good translation?”

Resources Referenced:  Septuagint Word Search by Reparadigmed Podcast, The Myth of a Christian Nation & The Myth of a Christian Religion by Greg Boyd

Interlude Music: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-Barnes

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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Jehovah, LORD, Yahweh – what is God’s name and does it matter? Nick and Matt chat about God’s name, whether or not we should use it, and how it got lost (continues to get lost) in translation(s). What about Jesus’ name? The GOAT (greatest of all time) from Galilee certainly was never called “GEEZUS” (Jesus) in his life, so are we wrong for using the English name to refer to him? Wouldn’t it matter to pronounce it correctly if, as every other contemporary worship song reminds us, there is “power in the name of Jesus?”

Interlude Music: Open by Edgar Hopp

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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Sacrifice is a weird practice. If we want to know what’s going on, we must understand the practice within its own setting. Matt leads us down the rabbit hole of sacrificial atonement theology in the Hebrew Bible. Matt and Nick discuss why YHWH told the ancient Hebrews to send their stinky goat to the devil, how animal blood was considered an effective detergent to clean sacred space, and how all these strange ideas influence the way we understand Jesus and his mission.

Suggested Resources: Leviticus Scroll (Podcast Series), Sacrifice and Atonement (Video), Animal Sacrifice? Really? (Article) by BibleProject; Leviticus (Podcast Series), What or WHO is AZAZEL? (Video), What were the Sacrifices REALLY About? (Video), by Dr. Michael Heiser on YouTube and The Naked Bible Podcast.

Interlude Music: Tomentum by Of Water

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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The military is an efficient allegiance-forming machine. What does that mean for a Christian in military service? U.S. Air Force veteran Joey Fasulo joins the  Reparadigmed Podcast to talk about his experience finding Jesus while in the US Air Force, how the military uses Christianity for its purposes, and what trying to live by the ethic of Jesus looks like while serving as an airman.  He shares his desire for Christians to think more critically about national identity before jumping wholesale into a military vocation. He draws out the very real tension between living as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom and caring about one's country, as these two powers demand support by means of radically different ethics.

Resources Referenced: End of the Spear by Steve Saint, “Letters from War” by Mark Schultz, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” by Toby Keith, “Letters from Home” by John Michael Montgomery.

Theme Song: Believe by Posthumorous

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