The Naked Bible Podcast

Diving into the differences between prophecy and apocalyptic genres in the Bible, highlighting the misconception of prophecy as predicting the end times. Exploring themes of repentance and destruction, symbolism, intermediaries, and unique characteristics of supernatural agents and symbolic language. Providing guidelines for interpreting prophecies and apocalyptic literature, emphasizing the importance of understanding genres and historical contexts.

This episode of the Naked Bible podcast features Dr. Heiser's interview with his friend Dr. Sam Lamerson about the use of the comedic genre in the New Testament. Dr. Lamerson is Professor of New Testament at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He has a specific research interest in the comedic genre in ancient Greek literature. The book referenced by Dr. Sam Lamerson in his interview with Mike was Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale, by Frederick Buechner.

In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in light of its various types of literature – its literary genres. We looked at parables and offered some guidelines for interpreting them. In this episode, we’re going to briefly look at another familiar type of biblical literature that is at times badly misunderstood: the proverb.

In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in light of its various types of literature – its literary genres. We looked at an example related to the New Testament – how the literary features of Greco-Roman phantom tales and “post-mortem appearances” of the dead inform our reading of NT resurrection accounts. In this episode, we’re going to focus on a type of literature that appears in both testaments, but which is most familiar in the New Testament:  the parable.

In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in light of its various types of literature – its literary genres. We’re going to continue that effort in this episode and shift gears into the New Testament. I want to look today at two familiar episodes in the life of Jesus: the incident where he walks on the water and his disciples think they are seeing a ghost, and his appearances to the disciples after his resurrection. It may sound surprising, but the ancient world of which the NT was part actually had many stories about ghosts and what scholars call “post-mortem appearances” of the dead. New Testament scholars have investigated how the New Testament writers both utilized and subverted these genres in their attempts to communicate what it was they experienced and believed about Jesus. Jason Robert Combs, “A Ghost on the Water? Understanding an Absurdity in Mark 6:49–50,” JBL 127:2 (2008): 345-358 Deborah Thompson Prince, “The ‘Ghost’ of Jesus: Luke 24 in Light of Ancient Narratives of Post-Mortem Apparitions,” JSNT 29:3 (2007): 287-301

In the last podcast episode we continued our series on studying the Bible in a way that amounts to more than reading by taking a look at the legal genre in Old Testament books. Today we’re focusing on another genre – military annals. I think the best way of illustrating how this genre can matter for interpretation is to begin with a problem that it solves, one that biblical scholars have grappled with for centuries. More specifically, I’m speaking of the problem of the unrealistically large numbers in the exodus and wilderness journey of Israel. In this episode of the Naked Bible podcast, I’ll illustrate this problem from the biblical material, mention a commonly proposed solution, and then introduce you to what I think is a better solution—one that derives from the type of literature we’re dealing with in the exodus, wilderness, and conquest narratives. David L. Fouts, “A Defense of the Hyperbolic Interpretation of Large Numbers in the Old Testament,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 40 (1997): 377-387

In the last episode of our series on studying the Bible, we transitioned to an important area of study: learning to read the Bible in terms of the various types of literature found in its pages. Our first example concerned reading narrative, where I recommended reading biblical stories like fiction — like you would read a novel. In this episode we focus on the legal genre of the Bible using a controversial example from Exodus 21.

Learn how to read the Bible like fiction and not a textbook - uncover hidden agendas and plans within the narrative. Dive into the parallels between biblical stories and Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Explore character dynamics in biblical narratives and analyze them through a literary lens for deeper meanings.

Discover essential reference works and books for understanding the Second Temple period and its influence on New Testament interpretation. Explore scholarly resources like dictionaries, study bibles, and monographs that delve into the Jewish context of the New Testament. Learn about the Dead Sea Scrolls, Greco-Roman influences, and key figures like Jesus and James in the context of Second Temple theology.

Dive into the fascinating world of the ancient Near East as the discussion highlights essential texts that unlock the cultural and religious practices of biblical times. Learn why understanding these civilizations is crucial for interpreting the Old Testament. The emphasis is on key resources that illuminate societal structures and legal systems of the era. Recommended readings bring to life the complexities of the context in which biblical writers operated, paving the way for a deeper appreciation of biblical narratives.