The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast Jesus on Trial: Investigating 5 Difficult Verses in the Gospels
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May 13, 2026 A cold-case style investigation tackles five of Jesus' most puzzling sayings. The conversation applies historical, literary, and linguistic tools to test difficult Gospel passages. Topics include priority in discipleship, metaphorical language about spiritual feeding, the nature of an unforgivable sin, teachings on divorce, and the call to prioritize kingdom work.
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Detective Background Shapes How Wallace Reads Scripture
- Wallace recounts his cold-case practice of trusting witnesses who later make puzzling statements and resolving them through context and corroboration.
- He uses this detective experience as the model for resolving difficult Gospel verses recorded by dead witnesses.
Use Cold Case Tools To Read Difficult Sayings
- Examining difficult Gospel sayings requires the same tools as testing eyewitnesses.
- J. Warner Wallace applies context, corroboration, linguistic patterns, and source character to resolve puzzling passages.
Hate In Luke 14 Means Love Less Not Loathe
- Luke 14:26 uses a Hebrew idiom where 'hate' can mean 'love less' to force a priority decision.
- Wallace shows the verse fits a context of calling out self-interested listeners at a Sabbath banquet, not literal family hatred.
