The Theopolis Podcast

Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts dive into the text of Malachi itself, beginning with the book's distinctive structure — a series of dialogues in which Yahweh voices both his own declarations and Israel's skeptical objections. The team explores how this rhetorical form shapes the entire book, and how Malachi fits into the broader literary sequence of the Book of the Twelve. From there, the conversation moves into Malachi 1:2–5 and the Lord's declaration of love for Jacob over Esau — unpacking the history of Edom as a prototype nation, the nature of God's jealous love and wrath, and the famous "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated" quotation as it appears in Romans 9. The discussion raises sharp questions about predestination, the election of peoples versus individuals, and whether Paul's use of Malachi is best read as a statement about sovereign predestination or as a confirmation that God's prior choice has worked itself out in the long history of two nations. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

James Jordan continues his walk through the Book of Revelation. To listen to this ENTIRE series right now (with class notes!), download the Theopolis App! Use the code "theopolitan" to get your first month for FREE. app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu

Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts kick off a new series on the book of Malachi, beginning with a wide-angle look at the restoration era in which Malachi prophesied. Rather than treating this period as a mere gap between covenants - a so-called "intertestamental" silence - the team argues it represents a distinct and dynamic phase of covenant history, with its own new arrangements for the priesthood, the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and Israel's relationship to the Gentile nations. The conversation ranges from Ezra and Nehemiah's narrative logic to the dating of Malachi, the myth of 400 years of divine silence, and the ways Malachi's concerns anticipate the New Testament world Jesus enters. Timestamps (Aproximate) 0:00 — Welcome and introduction; transitioning from Hebrews to a new series on Malachi 1:00 — Overview of the restoration era; why "intertestamental" is a misleading term 3:00 — Jim Jordan's "Through New Eyes" and the idea that Israel never goes backward in covenant history 4:30 — "Latter days" / "last days" language; the 70 Weeks of Daniel as a framework for this period 5:30 — New features of the restoration era: the elevated role of the high priest 6:30 — A new temple, new geopolitical arrangements, and Israel's changed relationship with Gentile powers 8:30 — The holiness of Jerusalem extended to the city walls; Ezekiel's vision of the sacred territory 10:30 — Continuity with the law of Moses through Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi 12:00 — Ezra's role as teacher of the law; rebuilding the people alongside the house 13:00 — Malachi's focus on hypocrisy and priestly failure rather than open idolatry; anticipating New Testament concerns 15:00 — The sequence in Deuteronomy 30, Jeremiah 31, and Ezekiel 36 — scattering, regathering, new covenant, outpouring of the Spirit 17:00 — A partial outpouring of the Spirit in the restoration era; Zechariah's lampstand vision 18:30 — The spread of Judaism through the diaspora as a stage in Israel's mission to the Gentiles 19:30 — Why did the exiles not bring back idolatry from Babylon and Persia? 21:30 — Exile as the moment the law became an existential lifeline for Jewish identity 23:30 — The legacy of Daniel, Esther, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as a unifying memory 25:00 — The restoration era as both the birth of the new covenant and the "thinning out" of the old 27:30 — Malachi's final word — cherem (curse of utter destruction) — and the doom hanging over the old covenant order 29:00 — The three phases of Ezra-Nehemiah — temple, people, city — as one unified project; the role of Haggai and Zechariah 37:00 — Dating Malachi: most likely during or after Nehemiah's absence from Jerusalem 40:30 — Malachi 3:1 ("I send my messenger") as potentially having a near fulfillment in Nehemiah's return 41:30 — The significance of Malachi's name meaning "my messenger" 42:30 — The chronology of Ezra-Nehemiah and the 70 Weeks; arguing for a compressed (~50-year) timeframe 45:30 — Debunking the "400 years of silence" myth — gaps in the canon are not gaps in God's speech 47:00 — 99% of God's people never witnessed a theophany; scrolls were always the ordinary means 48:30 — Daniel's visions as a prophetic bridge connecting the restoration era to the New Testament 49:30 — The rise of the synagogue and lay scriptural literacy in the diaspora; parallels to the Reformation 50:30 — Malachi 2 and the priests' neglected teaching vocation

James Jordan continues his walk through the Book of Revelation. To listen to this ENTIRE series right now (with class notes!), download the Theopolis App! Use the code "theopolitan" to get your first month for FREE. app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu

In this final episode of our Hebrews series, Peter Leithart, Alastair Roberts, and James Bejon conclude their journey through the epistle by working through the closing exhortations and benediction of Hebrews 13. They explore the Church’s sacrificial life in the new covenant - marked by praise, hospitality, generosity, endurance, and faithful life together under Christ. Along the way, they reflect on the meaning of “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” and the call to go to Jesus “outside the camp.” The conversation also highlights the Eucharistic and liturgical patterns woven through the chapter. The episode concludes with reflections on Hebrews as a whole, including its use of the Psalms, its vision of perseverance in a time of upheaval, and its presentation of Christ as priest, sacrifice, shepherd, and king. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

James Jordan continues his walk through the Book of Revelation. To listen to this ENTIRE series right now (with class notes!), download the Theopolis App! Use the code "theopolitan" to get your first month for FREE. app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu

Peter Leithart, James Bejon and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 13:1-7. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart and James Bejon discuss James' PHD work and scholarship in the realm of biblical names and the biblical text. James Bejon Theopolis Essays https://theopolisinstitute.com/search/?media=essays&author=jbejon James Bejon's Substack https://jamesbejon.substack.com/

James Jordan continues his walk through the Book of Revelation with a look Revelation 10:1-4. To listen to this ENTIRE series right now (with class notes!), download the Theopolis App! Use the code "theopolitan" to get your first month for FREE. app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Jeff Meyers and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 12:22-29. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres