In this episode we look at the relationship between the kingdom of God and prayer. The Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2-4), the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) and Jesus' exhortation to prayer (Luke 21:34-36) are discussed in light of Jewish apocalyptic expectations. Rather than the common tendency to realize or spiritualize themes in these passages, Jesus exhorts his disciples to sobriety and to live in anticipation of the coming kingdom and redemption through prayer.

In this episode, we discuss the kingdom and expectations concerning the coming of the messiah and the eschatological banquet developed in the prophets, second temple literature, and the New Testament. The messianic banquet was forefront in the minds of Jesus and the apostles, particularly at the Last Supper. Rather than realizing or redefining these expectations, Jesus affirms the first century Jewish hope of "eating and drinking" at the messianic table (Luke 22:30) in the age to come.

In this episode we discuss some of the ideas of "hell" that were common in the first century Jewish world. Modern problems of worldview and translation often present the idea of hell as a metaphysical reality instead of the overtly eschatological reality that is actually being emphasized by Jesus. "Gehenna", a Greek word used in the New Testament often translated as "hell", is best understood in context to second temple Jewish literature and apocalyptic expectations.

In this episode we frame Matthew 5-7 within the framework of first century Jewish apocalypticism. Rather than introducing a universalized, spiritual definition of the kingdom of God, Jesus is functioning as a prophetic renewalist, calling Israel to repentance and wholehearted repentance. Hypocrisy and pretense will ultimately be exposed on the day of judgment. The hearer ought to live authentically and accordingly.

In this episode, we discuss Jesus' words in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. The Beatitudes are often understood as abstract attributes that Jesus is exhorting his hearers to emulate. However, viewed in light of the apocalyptic tradition, the Beatitudes are understood as a discipleship mechanism to encourage perseverance unto the inheritance of the kingdom of God and eternal life.

In this episode we place the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) into the covenantal/apocalyptic setting in which Mary spoke it. The song significantly parallels that of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and echoes the themes that were expressed related to the covenant and God's final vindication of His people. Likewise, Mary understands the birth of Jesus in context to the Davidic covenant, the day of judgment, and other major first century Jewish apocalyptic themes. We hope that this episode transforms and enriches your experience of Christmas and that it can truly become a source of encouragement as you eagerly wait for the blessed hope. Make Christmas Great Again!

In this episode we spend some time working through many of the parables of Jesus, which have a long history of (mis)interpretation. The parables are often mobilized as evidence for realized eschatology in the teachings of Jesus. However, when taken within the context of first century Jewish apocalyptic expectations the meaning and purpose of the parables become strikingly clear. Rather than redefining the kingdom of God, the parables are aimed primarily at Jesus' unrepentant audience to awaken sobriety and the fear of God related to the coming judgment.

In this episode we work through some of the main passages in the Gospels referencing the kingdom of God that are commonly used to support realized eschatology. Passages that describe the kingdom being "at hand", the kingdom "coming upon you", or the kingdom being "within you" are most easily understood within a Jewish apocalyptic framework. Rather than Jesus and John the Baptist redefining or reimagining the common expectation of Jews in the first century, they simply affirm the words of the prophets about a future eschatological day of judgment and messianic kingdom.

In this episode we briefly survey the history of interpretation concerning "the kingdom of God" in the New Testament. In particular, the last century has seen a surge of studies grappling with the first-century context of this controversial phrase. Various theological camps wrestle with the idea of the kingdom in different and often conflicting ways. In the end, Jewish apocalypticism makes the most sense of the vast majority of its occurrences in the New Testament.

In this episode we present an introduction to the "kingdom of God" as understood by a first-century Jew: the Davidic, messianic kingdom as presented by common Jewish expectation at the time. Beginning with 2 Samuel 7 and the prophets then moving through the Targums and other Second Temple literature, we present a brief survey of the kingdom of God and the Jewish apocalyptic themes that accompanied the expectation of that kingdom.