Two Texts

In which John and David discuss a man tormented by evil in a place called Gerasenes. A dark and slightly scary story of a man with an "unclean spirit", or perhaps a legion of unclean spirits. How can Jesus turn around a story like this? And if he can, what does that imply for all of us?

• Click Here to read the text from Mark 5:1-20. 

Episode Outline

• 1:04 Mark 5 
• 9:13 Jesus v Legion 
• 18:07 The evil forces are malevolent 
• 27:24 Did the demons worship? 
• 40:19 The authority in a name 
• 48:24 The economic impact of the story 
• 56:13 The adverse reaction to a miracle 
• 1:02:01 What happened in Decapolis doesn't stay in Decapolis

The next episode of Two Texts will be on Thursday July 22. 

Episode 22 of the Two Texts Podcast | Meaning of Miracles Series 5

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David talk about Jesus (and Peter) walking on water. The miracle of Jesus walking on water is often appreciated as an event, but what does it teach us? Does it give us insight in to who Jesus is, and also how he helped his disciples grow?

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 14:22-36. 

Episode Outline

• 1:05 - Matthew 14
• 6:40 - Water Mythology
• 13:38 - Exodus Resonances
• 19:24 - Take Heart “I Am”
• 29:14 - The Importance of Hearing
• 35:04 - Peter the Rock
• 46:27 - Hearing or Seeing
• 50:33 - Little Faith
• 55:48 - The Relatable Peter
• 1:00:46 - Fear and Humiliation are Bad Teachers

The next episode of Two Texts will be on Tuesday July 20. 

Episode 21 of the Two Texts Podcast | Meaning of Miracles Series 4

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagramand Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David talk about the feeding of the 5000. What is this miracle about? Is it about food? Or the Messiah? Or is it about hunger - physical and spiritual? And how does the context of what happened around this story help us understand it?

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 14:13-21. 
• Click Here to learn about Skye Jethani's What if Jesus was Serious? 
• Click Here to read Walter Brueggemann discuss the 'Myth of Scarcity'.

Episode Outline

• 2:40 - Matthew 14
• 10:56 - The Greek Word for Compassion
• 22:21 - Bread in the Desert
• 32:09 - The "Death" of John the Baptist
• 41:48 - Contrasts and Parallels
• 53:23 - Two Feasts
• 59:49 - The Myth of Scarcity

The next episode of Two Texts will be on Thursday July 8. 

Episode 20 of the Two Texts Podcast | Meaning of Miracles Series 3

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagramand Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David talk about a miracle with more to it than meets the eye. Jesus encounters a man who is blind in Mark chapter 8, but the miracle seems to have a deeper meaning . A meaning that is important for anyone who might follow Jesus. 

• Click Here to read the text from Mark 8:22-38. 
• Click Here to learn about Richard Hays' book The Moral Vision of the New Testament that David mentioned in this episode. 

Episode Outline

• 1:13 Mark 8:22 - The man who was blind 
• 8:08 The story is bigger 
• 10:58 Eyes, eyeballs, and eye sockets 
• 20:18 Miracles on the margins 
• 23:14 Making sense of the messiah 
• 32:14 Stringing all the stories together 
• 38:34 It's ok to make mistakes around Jesus 
• 41:36 The journey 

The next episode of Two Texts will be in two weeks time. 

Episode 19 of the Two Texts Podcast | Meaning of Miracles Series 2

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David begin a new series talking about the miracles of Jesus. While many of us are aware that Jesus did miracles, we wonder whether stop to think about the meaning behind them. Do the miracles of Jesus teach us anything? Is there depth beyond the surface level. In this second season of Two Texts we want to talk about exactly that.

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 4:14-21

Episode Outline

• 4:59 Luke 4
• 10:00 Finding your place in the text
• 13:01 What was Nazareth like?
• 16:36 The scripture is fulfilled
• 22:03 When Jesus quotes scripture
• 32:31 Every miracle of Jesus becomes a message
• 43:44 A kingdom message
• 48:02 People are not a problem

Don't miss the second text for this week available from Thursday June 24. 

Episode 18 of the Two Texts Podcast | Meaning of Miracles Series 1

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which David and John look back at the parables launch season.  A short episode where we chat about season one and then give you brief peak into what we're discussing in Season 2 when it launches on June 22

Episode 17 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 17

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David close the parables season with a conversation about the parables of the Talents or Coins (depending on which version you read). It's a parable that's well known, but often seems to be interpreted in such a way that it appears to say things that don't really seem to be what Jesus meant. 

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 25:14–30 
• Click Here to read the text from Luke 19:11–27 

This is the last  of our launch season of daily episodes of Two Texts. 
Don't miss John and David's reflection on this series available June 15th. They'll also be talking about about the new season of Two Texts launching June 22nd. 

Episode 16 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 16

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David enjoy the phenomenal parable of the persistent widow. There's layers of meaning wrapped up in this short dis-course from Jesus - about prayer, but also justice, and value, and pride.

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 18:1-8
• Click Here to read CS Lewis' Footnote to All Prayers

Episode 15 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 15

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David discuss the Parable of the King's Son's Wedding. In Matthew 22 Jesus throws out a version of the parable we looked at in episode 13 with some substantial revisions that help us understand grace, welcome and what it means to be against exclusion.

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 22:1-14
• Click Here for Miroslav Volf's Exclusion and Embrace where he discusses Jesus' ministry "against exclusion". This book isn't an easy read, but a google of the reviews online will give you an idea of what Volf's pursuing.

Episode 11 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 11

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

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In which John and David discuss the Parable of the Great Banquet. Life calls us to play a game of "get to the top of the table" and Jesus explores the idea in this story that maybe there's a different way to live.

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 14:15-24
• Click Here to get yourself a copy of John's book Face to Face. You can also get it from through your country's Amazon site physically or digitally.

Episode 13 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 13

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on [email protected] or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply)

Support the show