Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, explains how historians reconstruct what Jesus likely taught. He discusses sources used, rules for weighing conflicting sayings, and the core message of an imminent kingdom and urgent repentance. He also explores Jesus' radical ethics of love and care for strangers and how those teachings shaped Western practices.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, explains how ancient languages shaped meanings of love. He contrasts Greek and Jewish concepts, explores agapao versus phileo, and shows how Jesus reframed love as concrete action toward outsiders, enemies, and the needy. The conversation highlights translation puzzles and the shift from emotion to self-giving behavior.

Bart Ehrman, six-time NYT bestselling scholar of the New Testament, discusses his book Love Thy Stranger. He traces how Jesus reshaped moral concern for strangers. He links ancient views on wealth, love, and altruism to the rise of hospitals and systematic charity. He also explores limits where family- and prestige-driven giving persisted.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, explains how ancient ethical systems compare to the moral teachings of Jesus. He explores Greek and Hellenistic philosophies, contrasts Jewish and Greco-Roman moral concerns, and highlights Jesus' focus on service, rejection of worldly power, and afterlife-oriented ethics. Multiple short, engaging discussions illuminate how ancient contexts shaped moral thought.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, discusses his research and new book Love Thy Stranger. He explores ancient ethics, Jesus’ Hebrew prophetic roots, and how apocalypse thinking intensified moral urgency. He traces the shift from neighborly love to care for strangers and early Christian institutions like hospitals and orphanages.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, explains why Luke systematically removed atonement language from Mark. He contrasts Mark’s ransom and sacrificial wording with Luke’s service- and repentance-focused rewrites. Short takes cover contested Last Supper lines, how Luke reframes the crucifixion, and the theological consequences of shifting from sacrifice to forgiveness.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, offers a brisk tour of texts and traditions about Peter and Paul. He traces early references, late legendary Acts tales, and Roman patterns of execution. The conversation probes why martyr stories arose and how they shaped Christian memory.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, explains the mysterious Q source. He outlines why scholars proposed Q and how one might recognize a Q fragment. He discusses why Q may have vanished, rejects Secret Mark as Q, and compares the Q theory with alternatives. He weighs chances of finding physical evidence and why some texts stopped being copied.

Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, examines how Luke’s text may have been reshaped over time. He explores whether Luke originally began at Jesus’ baptism, contested readings like ‘begotten’ versus ‘beloved,’ and why scribes added humanizing or sacrificial language. The conversation highlights manuscript evidence, textual-criticism methods, and how changes shift Jesus’ portrayal.

Join Bart Ehrman, a renowned New Testament scholar and bestselling author, as he delves into whether Christians should keep kosher. He explores the historical context of Jewish law and its evolution. Ehrman dissects Matthew’s interpretation of law, emphasizing love of God and neighbor as central. He argues that Gentiles can enter the faith without strict adherence to rituals. The discussion highlights important themes of inclusivity and moral responsibility, illustrating how Matthew's teachings resonate beyond ethnicity.