This week we finish up Genesis 35. Rachel gives birth to Jacob’s 12th and final son, Benjamin, but tragically dies in during childbirth. What is important going forward about the birth of Benjamin? Why does Jacob change his name? What does this have to do with Reuben’s betrayal of Jacob?

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

---

Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

This week Esau finally confronts Jacob. All of these years, all of that bad blood, all of this time to stew in anger, bitterness, and resentment. What will happen in this long-awaited showdown between the two brothers?

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

This week we see Jacob making his trip to the Promised Land, but there is one problem… He has to get past Esau first. He sends a delegation to Esau and then wrestles with a man until daybreak. Who is this man? Why does Jacob think it is YHWH? Why does this interaction leave Jacob with a limp? What does this mean symbolically? All that and more this week!

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

Happy New Year! On this special 50th episode of Story Symbol Spirit, we finish up the dramatic saga with Laban. Laban catches up to Jacob and his family and has hopes of taking back what he considers his. How does the courtroom scene go for Laban? For Jacob? What is Rachel doing with the stolen idols? How will the story with Laban end?

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

On this week’s special Christmas Day episode, we discuss the timing of the historical birth of Jesus. December 25 has more to do with the historical church calendar of feasts than actual historical day of Jesus’ birth, but there are historical clues that can be pieced together to come to a very educated estimate. Alexander Patterson walks us through several extra-biblical texts that can shed light on this question as well as a knowable astrological event that can narrow down the potential date even further. So, when was Jesus actually born? Let’s see where the evidence points!

[Psst. It's me, Alexander, speaking to you from inside the show notes. Here's a few places to dive deeper:

https://www.rcyoung.org/articles/Herod.pdf - a thorough treatise on Herod which covers stuff I didn't even know about when recording! 'Never rest on my laurels', indeed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVR0jXxJDn0 - the "bold theory" I mentioned.

https://bethlehemstar.com/about/ - occasionally oversimplified but rarely incorrect, this provides a few extra details on the Star that I couldn't get to.

Symbolically juxtapose Elijah, John the Baptist, the Cup of Elijah (cf. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/117141/jewish/The-Silent-Cup.htm) and the time of conception of John the Baptist for a swell surprise.

In any case, Merry Christmas, and I hope you enjoy the first annual Christmas Spectacular Starring the Planettes!]

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.

This week we see Jacob’s final decision to leave Laban. After a tumultuous 20 year relationship, Jacob and his wives decide to flee to Canaan, the land promised by God. Yet another foreshadowing of the exodus, Jacob and his family are on their way home.

Hosted by John McCambridge and Jackie Mitchell.

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Story / Symbol / Spirit is a podcast about how to make sense of Scripture. The Bible is a beautiful gift from God with the power to help us know God and better understand our lives, identity, meaning, and purpose. But for many people, reading the Bible is difficult. The ancient and confusing nature of the stories within the Bible are often prohibitive to our engagement and learning. How can we make sense of the Scriptures?

We believe that Story / Symbol / Spirit is a helpful framework to begin this journey.