Two Texts

In which John and David get excited about an outrageous parable of Grace. We're so convinced that things we do make us more loveable to God, yet God loves us despite all our efforts. If you need convincing, you're going to love the parable of the vineyard workers.

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 20:1-16
• Click Here to see some of Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgment  which we know we mention in every episode!
• Click Here for David Zahl's fantastic book Seculosity. It is really worth a read if there's any part of your life in which you think you're not "enough".
• Click Here and please get yourself a copy of this little book Paul and the Subversive Power of Grace by John Barclay. It will help you understand this huge biblical theme in just a few short pages.

Episode 12 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 12

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 how Jesus tells a somewhat controversial story. The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector is often told as an instruction to stay humble, but what if Luke wanted to make sure that we saw something more fundamental that Jesus was hinting at?

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 18:9-14
• Click Here to read the text from Romans 3:21-28
• Click Here to see some of Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgment  which David really wants you to read.
• Click Here if you're interested in the book that informed some of David's comments about "world upside-down" and "temple to house". The Social World of Luke-Acts is an academic level exploration of some of the contextual realities in this gospel.
• 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.
• Click Here for the T.S. Elliot poem that concluded the episode

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. 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 take a second look at Matthew's version of the parable of the Lost Sheep. Jesus's conversations on forgiveness in Matthew 18 have been used throughout church history to shape church behaviour and ideas about "excommunication". But have we understood Jesus correctly? What if he meant something much more outrageous?

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 18: 12-35
• Click Here to preview Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgment  which is helpful in understanding Matthew 18

Episode 10 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 10

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. 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 look at Matthew's version of the parable of the Lost Sheep. Jesus takes a parable we know and drops it into a new context about the greatest and the least. What if the economics of the kingdom of God don't think best, bigger and great aren't as important as we think?

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 18: 1-14
• Click Here to see a book that David likes on the subject of "honour and shame" in Matthew's Gospel by J. Neyrey

Episode 9 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 9

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. 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 look at the parable of the lost son in Luke 15. But is it a parable about only one lost son, or two? And how might understanding a Jewish tradition called Keżażah help us appreciate this parable in a whole new way? And why does David want to know how many hamburgers are made from one cow? 

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 15:11-32 
• Click Here to learn more about Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes that John and David mention in this episode 
• Click Here to read about Keżażah 
• Click Here to learn more about the book John bought for his Dad - Bailey's The Cross and the Prodigal  
• Click Here to see a book on grace that David recommended by John Barclay 

Episode 8 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 8

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. 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 a meal and the first two parables in Luke 15 about lost things. These are parables that ordinarily get left for the children, but if we slow down and pay attention they may have something to say to the rest of us.

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 15:1-10
• Click Here to learn more about Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes that John and David mention in this episode

Episode 7 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 7

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. 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 known as the Good Samaritan. This parable is quite well known, or perhaps it's one of those parables where we think we know it better than we actually do.

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 10:25-37
• Click Here to learn more about Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes that John and David mention in this episode

Episode 6 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus Series 6

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. 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 consider the parable of the farmer who plants some seed.
Mark 4:21-34 talks about how the farmer's seed grows in a way that the farmer doesn't entirely understand and it happens without his input. How is this similar to the Kingdom of God? 

• Click Here to read the text from Mark 4:21-34 
• David wants you to know that the quote he cited around 51 minutes wasn't Chadwick or Gibbon, but T.R. Glover: “The day was to come when men would call their dogs Nero and their sons Paul." 

Episode 5 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus 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. 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)

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In which David and John continue their conversation about the "flash" parables in Matthew 13. This podcast is split over two parts. This, the second, episode focuses on the parables of the treasure in the field and the merchant's pearl. The preceding episode (#3) considers the parable of the yeast

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 13:44-46
• Click Here to learn about and read some more "Flash Fiction" 
• Click Here to learn more about "The Chosen" films and app

Episode 4 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus 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, Instagram and Twitter. 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)

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In which David and John discuss the short, "flash", parables of hidden things in Matthew 13. This podcast is split over two parts. This, the first, episode focuses on the parable of the yeast. Before the next episode (#4) considers the parables of the treasure in the field and the merchant's pearl. 

• Click Here to read the text from Matthew 13:33 
• Click Here to learn about and read some more "Flash Fiction"  

Episode 3 of the Two Texts Podcast | Parables of Jesus 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, Instagram and Twitter. 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