![194: The Human Jesus in Hebrews Chapter 2]()
October 14, 2021
The latter part of Hebrew chapter 2 is one of the Bible's most persuasive and extended arguments for Jesus' humanity. The passage cites two quotations from the Old Testament in order to demonstrate that Jesus has human brothers and sisters. It argues that Jesus was likened to human beings in all things, including mortality, ability to be tempted, and possessing a faithful relationship with God. We also discuss translation issues with a passage that led many medieval interpreters to think that Jesus preexisted as the Son of God and eventually took upon himself human nature--a reading that has been completely abandoned by modern scholars.
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September 30, 2021
Although Psalm 8 is cited and alluded to frequently in the New Testament, Biblical Unitarians have only seldom used it in their portrayals of Jesus. This episode looks at Hebrews chapter 2 and its use of Psalm 8 in order to better understand its Christological impact. We discuss the differences between the Hebrew version and the Greek version of Psalm 8, the meaning of the phrase "He made him lower," the importance of God sharing his attributes with a human creature, and the implications of all things being subjected under the human Jesus' feet.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G13L2b06FtmBtCsF2l0wjBuDX4YIS7QYVXZSDyGbxpg/edit?usp=sharing
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September 23, 2021
Hebrews 1:10-12 is one of the most difficult passages for Biblical Unitarians, especially in light of its apparent designation of Jesus as the creator of the heavens and the earth. This episode offers a few suggestions on ways in which the text probably was intended to be understood by the author of Hebrews, focusing specifically on the precise wording of the citation from Psalm 102, the ongoing argument involving Jesus' greatness in comparison with the heavenly angels, Wisdom Christology, and various theological points that are to come up later in the Book of Hebrews.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oLArUII7YSD9PQQqHf35tsjgHw8plZCMgx6Vx7gLJJg/edit?usp=sharing
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![190: Worshipping the Son in Hebrews 1:6]()
September 16, 2021
Hebrews 1:6 presents some interesting interpretive issues for such a lesser-known passage. We discuss the meaning of the "world" where God led Jesus (and whether this was the first time or the second time this has occurred). We also explore the meaning of "firstborn" in the current argument between Jesus' status and that of the heavenly angels. We also look into how the heavenly realm is framed in terms of the inheritance associated with the age to come in the theology of Hebrews. Lastly, we attempt to find the original source of the quotation cited and understand the significance of angels offering worship to Jesus when they formerly worshipped God.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JAFRwS2XoL8zUo2kFpCBtEPh9ToY4ofqwAp3rb_zY4k/edit?usp=sharing
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July 15, 2021
The New Testament authors felt comfortable using Yahweh texts from the Hebrew Bible for the human Jesus. Some scholars have concluded that this data indicates that the NT authors identified Jesus as Yahweh, but this is problematic for many reasons. This episode will introduce the concept of OT Yahweh passages used in the NT for Jesus, looking at some examples as well as some helpful parallels in second temple Judaism. We conclude by using Mark 1:3--which cites Isaiah 40:3 for Jesus--as a test case suggesting that Jesus is the authorized and empowered agent of Yahweh.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s7Mm0AKD9dTkqSGu3wrmmnCkpqIcvNyopGSl_io69eg/edit?usp=sharing
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June 17, 2021
In this episode, we continue exploring how early Christians understood Jesus functioning within sacrificial terminology that was reserved for God alone. The Book of Hebrews has a lot to say about Jesus as a high priest and as one who sacrificially offered himself to the one God. We also look at Paul's theology of the death of Jesus to see how the cross is understood in terms of a sin offering. Lastly, we explore the Lord's Supper--the Eucharist--to better understand how this meal was practiced in terms of remembering and even participating in Jesus' sacrifice to God.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/15GoI-0DWbTZga7bf_Yzd_eHbUlYJViadtGArfI9h5A0/edit?usp=sharing
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June 10, 2021
In this episode, we explore the function of sacrifices in the Ancient Near East, particularly in the ways they were differentiated from acts of worship and bowing down. Since the gods were understood to be the intended object of the offering of sacrifices and burnt offerings, we are able to examine early Christian "sacrificial" language to see whom they regarded as the true object. We note in our survey that God alone is the object of Christian "sacrifice" language, never Jesus Christ, while Jesus is sometimes the agent through whom sacrifices are made to the one God.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CAoPPx0skTINJtqutW2bQ-lf54YnmdlYJUrsftJpZd0/edit?usp=sharing
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May 27, 2021
In this episode, we explore the often overlooked meaning of the phrase Maranatha, which is an Aramaic expression meaning "Our Lord, Come!" We look into the significance of Paul using this phrase without translating it into Greek for his Greek-speaking audience. We also explore the arguably earliest Aramaic targums to see how the noun mar ("Lord") was used to determining whether Maranatha could refer to Jesus as Yahweh. In the end, we conclude that mar is not a way in which the divine name was reproduced in the Aramaic targums, while mar did refer to human masters and superiors.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qRvdWN_nAGCQbGDj54AP8Uza5zz5MWN_hf989rtzNDo/edit?usp=sharing
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![173: Mark’s High Human Christology (Ch. 15)]()
May 20, 2021
In the final episode dealing with Mark's Christology, we look at the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. First, we explore the significance of a concentration of "King of the Jews" references in Mark chapter 15, asking why it is that Mark has waited until Jesus' death to associate this royal title with Jesus. Next, we look at Jesus' citation of Psalm 22 in calling God "My God" and discern a noteworthy literary strategy that draws influence from the original psalm. Lastly, we look at the confession of the Gentile centurion--who calls Jesus the human Son of God--and we explore the significance of this admission for Mark's narrative purposes.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1raIy7qsk1TbZ2_ITVkphseHQ5DtFKsaENKAUQdiRRwI/edit?usp=sharing
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![172: Mark’s High Human Christology (Ch. 14)]()
May 13, 2021
In the final days before Jesus' death on the cross, Mark's narrative continues to unpack what it means to be the Son of God. In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked passage where Jesus is anointed with a costly perfume, which arguably furthers Mark's agenda of redefining the meaning of Son of God to include notions of one who dies for the people. Next, we look closely at Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane to better understand the relationship between the Son and the one called "Abba." Lastly, we break down the details in the trial of Jesus, make sense of the connection between the temple and the Son of God, and explain why the charge of blasphemy had nothing to do with a claim to divinity.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/12NgPS8CarYcgopNA2ZXuFx9BuepRduX2rg5j0WABxrg/edit?usp=sharing
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May 6, 2021
In this episode, we will devote all our attention to Mark 13:32, where Jesus claims his ignorance regarding the exact dating of the Son of Man's coming. Only the Father knows this crucial date. We examine the implications of this admission by Jesus for Mark's Christology and consider if high views of Jesus fit with the conclusions of this verse. We also survey early Christian interpreters of Mark 13:32 to note the various ways they regarded the passage. Lastly, we conclude by observing a unanimous consensus among modern critical scholars on the plain meaning of Mark 13:32.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RSjo9qrYP0n4asbMTQsGAsGub8i9pwynXpH2Vzw0Xc0/edit?usp=sharing
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April 22, 2021
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem entails noteworthy stories regarding his authority and relationship to God. In this episode, we first examine the parodying nature of the triumphal entry and focus on the Christological understanding of the crowds witnessing the event. Second, we look closely at Jesus' actions within the temple and his words towards the new temple community consisting of the disciples. Finally, we explore the nature of the questions from the temple leadership towards Jesus regarding the nature of his authority and from whom he received it.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rlb5p55rcSzylNkwGRDWNZMM2xRAfNIfRsyRZ_CtX5Y/edit?usp=sharing
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April 15, 2021
This episode focuses entirely on the initial dialogue between the rich young ruler and Jesus, where Jesus plainly deflects the good compliment and claims instead that no one is good but God alone. While this basic statement made by Jesus clearly suggests that he is not the good God, this has not stopped an army of internet apologists from trying to find ways to get the text to say that Jesus really is the good God. We also look at what modern critical scholars on the Gospel of Mark have to say about this passage and we take note of what appears to be a consensus interpretation among them.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kvxKSxPU9OimHLf9c2VhE09GyLuDy6AOFvD5-gDaxg4/edit?usp=sharing
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![167: Mark’s High Human Christology (Chapter 9)]()
April 8, 2021
This episode looks at the portrayals of Jesus within Mark chapter 9. We first explore the account of the Transfiguration to see if we should conclude that Jesus is either divine or a prophet like Moses. We then turn to look at predictions of the suffering Son of Man and ask what this means and where the Old Testament speaks of the suffering of the Son of Man. Lastly, we explore what Mark possibly had in mind when he said that Jesus has been sent by God, asking if this "sending" language implies preexistence. We test out all of the high christological interpretations of these passages and come to the conclusion that Jesus is the highly authorized human agent of God.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/17Q9fKnZGBPuNHhBwhVprf_H57hLdidJ-VFogtVw45tk/edit?usp=sharing
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![166: Mark’s High Human Christology (Chapters 7-8)]()
April 1, 2021
Mark is able to tell us about his high Christology by using healing stories of Jesus. We first look at the exorcism of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman, who offers worship to Jesus and calls him "Lord." We then look at the first of two two-stage healing stories to see how Mark frames miracles by involving multiple steps. Just as the first stage of healing was not enough to fully restore sight to the blind man, the first confession by Peter is not enough to fully understand Mark's Christology. We lastly note that Peter, like the blind man, was in need of healing with his faulty understanding of Jesus' messianic role. After all is said and done, we marvel that Mark has repeatedly portrayed Jesus as a highly authorized human agent of the true God.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yL2kBCob3huNB_99odFTWJr39WA7PR26roTh2koOMbA/edit?usp=sharing
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February 4, 2021
At the return of Jesus to consummate the kingdom of God, a hymn breaks out within the narrative of the Book of Revelation. This episode looks at the contents of this call-and-response hymn, asking about how it would serve as praise within the context of suffering and how those praised in the hymn would have been understood within early Christian monotheism. We also note the contents of the worship hymn that celebrate the events of the second coming, which include the judgment of God, the rewarding of the righteous, and the destruction of the wicked.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Dx6uPOmzAN_lQKEk80PJeGTb6yHGEoMGgheo9843Hw/edit?usp=sharing
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January 14, 2021
The Book of Revelation offers seven hymns that tell us much about the worship practices of the early church. This episode looks at Revelation's first hymn, located in chapter 4. The object is the one seated upon the throne, who is repeatedly expressed with singular pronouns and verbs. We also look at how the ideal readers of Revelation are invited to participate in this hymn through active worship practices, by singing about God's unique role as the Creator, and even acknowledging creation's preexistence within God's foreknowledge.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kez50rgZhGr1AocPWj8i50u7I0W23mp0FFunP2fAQSk/edit?usp=sharing
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December 24, 2020
Biblical scholars and commentaries on the Book of Revelation often portray the three antagonists--the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet--loosely as the "unholy Trinity." The implication is that the unholy Trinity must be the evil counterpart to the "Holy Trinity." This episode explores these concepts and examines whether "trinity" is an appropriate term for the three antagonists. We also look at the parallels between the unholy triad and the holy triad to see if the doctrine of the Trinity is actually presented in the Book of Revelation.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OLF9kNiWfQRaqvZMjeDfujFR8mYNxvBktNjnnTMFg88/edit?usp=sharing
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