The Third Hour Podcast

First of the apocryphal books is Tobit, a comedic tale of gifted goats, concealed angels, and happy conclusions. Today on the Third Hour Podcast, we discuss its significance.

The Books of Obadiah and Malachi complete our tour of the Twelve Minor Prophets and the Hebrew Bible. But wait! There's more!

What do the books of Joel and Jonah have in common? Spurious provenance! But what's more unexpected is the way they present contrasting approaches to the peoples who live around Judea. Join us on the Third Hour Podcast to learn more!

The second half of the Book of Daniel concerns apocalyptic images — although those images refer to an apocalypse that never arrived, and which was never intended to communicate anything about the modern world. Today on the Third Hour, we discuss the not-so-hidden history of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a big jerk whose reign directly led to the theological invention of a bad place after death.

The first six chapters of the Book of Daniel recount a handful of folktales. Today on the Third Hour Podcast, we examine these tales in detail, touching on not only their historical inaccuracies, but also their profound moral meanings to those in the diaspora.

The Book of Esther takes us into the realm of historical fiction, riffing on ancient figures and sparking a drinking festival. Join the Third Hour Podcast as we discuss its background, departures from reality, and why it's a worthwhile text.

Today we investigate the books of Haggai and Zechariah, which illuminate another perspective on the beginning of the Second Temple Period, and in some cases contrast with the narratives found in Ezra and Nehemiah.

The Book of Nehemiah portrays yet another step in the reconstruction of post-Exile Jerusalem. Today on the Third Hour Podcast, we discuss some of the ways Nehemiah's priorities differ from Ezra's, the composition of the religious classes, and the politics behind the rebuilding of the city walls.

At long last, the Babylonian Exile is over! Thanks to the edicts of Cyrus the Great, the Jewish people have been released, allowing the reconstruction of Jerusalem as a client state of Persia. However, the state of affairs is far from perfect, leaving the inhabitants of the Province-Across-the-River uncertain about their families' future.

The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, doesn't have a good reputation in Mormonism. Today on the Third Hour Podcast, we discuss the reasons behind the poem's ignominy, as well as the beauty of its prose and some of the ways it has been interpreted throughout history.