The Two Testaments

Revelation 21–22 (The New Heavens and the New Earth) with Dr. Jonathan MooDr. Jonathan Moo (Whitworth University) guides us through Revelation 21–22. We discuss:* The importance of judgment preceding the new heavens and earth (20:10–15)* The continuity and the discontinuity between first earth and the new heavens and earth (21:5)* Why there is no sea in the new heavens and earth (21:1)* John’s repeated identification of things that in the new heavens and new earth are, “no more.”* The first and second death, why some people are excluded from the new heavens and earth, and the contrasting life to which John calls his audience (21:7–8, 27; 22:14–15)* The architecture of the new Jerusalem (22:9–22)* The lamb’s book of life and how one finds their name written in there (21:27)* The river of the water of life, and the tree of life (22:1–2)* The name on the foreheads (22:4)* The repeated emphasis on Jesus coming (22:7, 12, 16–17, 20)* Why not seal up the prophecy? (22:10)* Why should the evil doer still do evil? (22:11)* What it means to neither add to nor subtract from the words of the prophecy? (22:18–19)Works by Dr. Jonathan Moo* "Fourth Ezra and Revelation 21:1-22:5: Paradise City." In Reading Revelation in Context: John's Apocalypse and Second Temple Judaism. Edited by B. C. Blackwell et al. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019* Creation, Nature, and Hope in 4 Ezra. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2011.Dr. Jonathan Moo recommends* Roderick Beaton, The Greeks: A Global History. Basic Books, 2021* Practicing not being on media first thing in the morning, but rather in Scripture and prayer.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Revelation 19:11–20:15 (The Horse and Rider, Lake of Fire, Millennium, and the Great White Throne of Judgment) with Dr. Tom SchreinerDr. Tom Schreiner (Southern Seminary) guides us through Revelation 19:11–20:15. We discuss:* The white horse and its rider, Jesus (19:11)*  The various names given to the rider including “word of God,” “faithful and true,” “King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” and that “he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself” (19:11–16)* The significance of the blood on Jesus’s robe (19:13)* The sword in his mouth (19:21)* The battle between the beast’s armies and the rider’s armies and the great feast (19:17–21)* The beast and the prophet who deceive those who receive the beast’s mark, and who are thrown into the lake of fire (19:20; 20:10)* Options for understanding the millennial reign and the binding of Satan, and Tom’s view of “new creation millennialism” (19:4–6)* Satan and the final battle (19:7–10)* The judgment and the great white throne (19:11–15)* the books that are opened, and the book of life (19:12, 15)* Judgment according to works (19:13)Works by Dr. Tom Schreiner* Revelation. BECNT. Baker Academic, 2023.* New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ. Baker Academic, 2008.Dr. Tom Schreiner recommends* Daniel James Brown, The Boy in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Penguin Random House, 2013* Saul David, Operation Thunderbolt: Flight 139 and the Raid on Entebbe Airport, The Twentieth Century's Greatest Special Forces Mission. Little, Brown, 2015* Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamzov* Leo Tolstoy, Anna KareninaSubscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Malachi with Dr. Julia O'BrienDr. Julia O'Brien (Lancaster Theological Seminary) guides us through the book of Malachi. We discuss:* What do we know about Malachi and the historical context of the book?* Major themes of the book including the corrupt priesthood, Malachi’s tone and frustrated attitude, and the repeated use of family language and metaphors* Issues involved in translating gendered language in the Bible* How disputations structure the book’s development* Malachi’s place in Jewish and Christian canons and how Malachi is related to the Book of the Twelve* How Malachi has been interpreted and its value for today including the importance of religious institutions, and behavior/practice.* Whether Malachi is talking about marriage or using marriage as a metaphor (2:14–15)* How God’s destruction of Edom demonstrates God’s love for Israel (1:2–5)* God’s accusation of the Priests and the importance of the sacrificial system (1:6–2:9)* Issues involved in translating 2:16, which has often been translated as “I hate divorce” and if this passage is about marriage or idolatry?* The messenger whom God is sending (3:1) and the tradition of Eijah’s return (4:5)* God’s invitation to test him by bringing the tithe (3:10)Works by Dr. Julia O'Brien* The Oxford Handbook of the Minor Prophets. Edited by Julia O'Brien. Oxford University Press, 2021.* Micah. Liturgical Press, 2015* Challenging Prophetic Metaphor. Westminster John Knox, 2008* Nahum through Malachi. AOTC. Abingdon, 2004* Nahum. Sheffield Academic, 2001* Priest and Levite in Malachi. Scholars Press, 1990Dr. Julia O'Brien recommends* Joerg Rieger, Theology in the Capitalocene: Ecology, Identity, Class, and Solidarity. Fortress, 2022.* Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction) books and movies such as:* Richard Powers, The Overstory, Norton, 2018* The movie, DuneSubscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Revelation 17:1-19:10 with Dr. Michelle FletcherListen here as Dr. Michelle Fletcher (King's College London) guides us through Revelation 17:1-19:10 we discuss:* The city represented by the woman sitting on the beast, and the accusations against her (17:1–6)* The beast and its seven heads and ten horns (17:3, 7–9)* The cooperative relationship between the woman and the beast, and then the beast and kings turn on the woman  (17:12–18)* The lament and rejoicing over Babylon (18:1–24)* The indictment against Babylon for fornication (17:2; 18:3, 9)* The lamb’s battle and marriage (17:14; 19:6–9)Works by Dr. Michelle Fletcher* "Exodus in Revelation." In Exodus in the New Testament. Edited by S. Ehorn and S. Whittle. T&T Clark, 2022.* "Revelation." In The Reception of Jesus in the First Three Centuries. Edited by J. Schröter et al. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2019.* "Apocalypse Noir: The Book of Revelation and Genre." In T&T Clark Companion to The Bible and Film. Edited by R. Walsh. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2018.* Reading Revelation as Pastiche: Imitating the Past. T&T Clark, 2017.* “Flesh for Frankenwhore: Reading Babylon’s Body in Revelation 17.” In The Body in Biblical, Christian, and Jewish Texts. Ed. Joan E. Taylor. T&T Clark, 2014* “Behold, I’ll Be Back: Terminator, the Book of Revelation and the Power of Sequels.” In Now Showing: Film Theory in Biblical Studies. Ed. Caroline Vander Stichele and Laura Copier. SBL Press, 2016.Dr. Michelle Fletcher recommends* Taking a cross country trip by train.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Haggai and Zechariah with Dr. Marvin SweeneyListen here as Dr. Marvin Sweeney (Claremont School of Theology) guides us through the books of Haggai and Zechariah we discuss:* The historical context of Haggai and Zechariah in the Persian period* The major themes of Haggai and Zechariah.* How Haggai and Zechariah fit in the Book of the Twelve including how they each take up Isaiah 2:4, “He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.”* The significance of Zerubbabel in both Haggai and Zechariah* The reasons for the delay in rebuilding the temple (Hag 1:2–15)* The splendor of the rebuilt temple (Hag 2:1–9) and what it means for wealth from the nations to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem.* The importance of the Temple to be rebuilt given its central role in creation (Hag 2:10–23)* The significance and symbolism of Zechariah’s 8 night visions (1:1–6:8): the horsemen, the horns and the blacksmiths, the man with the measuring line, Joshua and the satan, the lamp stand and olive trees, the flying scroll, the woman and the basket, and the four chariots.* Zechariah’s promises of the future restoration of Zion (Zech 8)* Zechariah’s contrast between a coming king and the corrupt shepherds/leaders of Judah (9:9–17; 10:3; 11:4–17)* Zechariah’s coming day of the LORD (ch 14), and if it is eschatologicalWorks by Dr. Marvin Sweeney* The Twelve Prophets. Liturgical Press, 2000.* Jewish Mysticism from Ancient Times through Today. Eerdmans, 2020.* Isaiah 41–39. Eerdmans, 1996.* Isaiah 40-66. Eerdmans, 2016.* Reading Prophetic Books: Form, Intertextuality, and Reception in Prophetic and Post-Biblical Literature. Mohr Siebeck, 2014.* Reading Ezekiel. Smyth and Helwys, 2013.Dr. Marvin Sweeney recommends* The American Western TV show "1883" (Paramount+)Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Revelation 15–16 (The Seven Bowls) with Dr. Jamie DaviesDr. Jamie Davies (Trinity College) guides us through Revelation 15-16. We discuss:* God’s wrath coming to end (15:1)* The sea of glass mixed with fire (15:2)* Those who conquer sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb (15:3–4)* The temple of the tent of witness in heaven (15:5)* The bowls being poured into the earth and the sea and the resulting “ecological collateral damage,” and the altar crying out (16:1–3)* The people cursing God for his judgments (16:9, 11, 21)* The interlude of Jesus coming like a thief (16:15)* The beast, the prophet, and the dragon from whose mouths comes three frogs who gather the kings of the earth for the final battle of Armageddon (16:10–16)* The final angel pours the bowl that splits Babylon in three parts, and the islands fleeing and the mountains disappearing (16:17–21)Works by Dr. Jamie Davies* Reading Revelation: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Smyth & Helwys, 2023.* The Apocalyptic Paul. Cascade Companions. Cascade, 2022* Paul Among the Apocalypses? An Evaluation of the ‘Apocalyptic Paul’ in the Context of Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature. LNTS 562. T&T Clark, 2016.Jamie Davies recommends* Saint Augustine of Hippo, The Confessions, Books 10 and 11Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Zephaniah with Dr. Heath ThomasDr. Heath Thomas (Oklahoma Baptist University) guides us through the book of Zephaniah. We discuss:* Zephaniah’s context and major themes including the idea that God is sovereign over all the nations* The day of the LORD as a coming event (1:1–18)* God as an agent of violence* The “perhaps” of escaping God’s wrath (2:3)* Israel’s corporate identity and the rescue of the remnant (2:7, 9; 3:12)* God’s judgment as disciplinaryWorks by Dr. Heath Thomas* A Manifesto for Theological Interpretation. Edited with C. Bartholomew. Baker Academic, 2016* Faith Amid the Ruins: The Book of Habakkuk. Lexham Press, 2016* Poetry & Theology in the Book of Lamentations: The Aesthetics of an Open Text. Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013* Holy War in the Bible: Christian Morality and an Old Testament Problem. Edited by Heath Thomas et al. IVP Academic, 2013Dr. Heath Thomas recommends* The works of Umberto Eco* Art and Faith: A Theology of Making written by Makoto FujimuraSubscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Habakkuk with Dr. Heath ThomasDr. Heath Thomas (Oklahoma Baptist University) guides us through the book of Habakkuk. We discuss:* The historical context of Habakkuk* Major themes of: divine judgment and the use of foreign nations to execute God’s judgment; the significance of payer and praise; divine and human faithfulness;* God using a foreign nation to discipline his people (1:6). and Habakkuk’s complaint against God doing this (1:13)* The vision that Habakkuk is to write down (2:2)* The meaning of Habakkuk 2:4: “the just will live by his faith”* The divine theophany in which God touches down to earth and marches through the wilderness to rescue his people (3:1–15)Works by Dr. Heath Thomas* A Manifesto for Theological Interpretation. Edited with C. Bartholomew. Baker Academic, 2016* Faith Amid the Ruins: The Book of Habakkuk. Lexham Press, 2016* Poetry & Theology in the Book of Lamentations: The Aesthetics of an Open Text. Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013* Holy War in the Bible: Christian Morality and an Old Testament Problem. Edited by Heath Thomas et al. IVP Academic, 2013Dr. Heath Thomas recommends* The works of Umberto Eco* Makoto Fujimura, Art and Faith: A Theology of Making, Yale University Press, 2021This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Dr. Olivia Stewart Lester (Loyola University Chicago) guides us through Revelation 12-14. We discuss:* The woman who gives birth and is chased by the dragon (12:1–6, 13–16)* The conflict between the woman’s child and the dragon as a combat myth and how Revelation critiques the Apollo-Python combat myth* The two wings of the great eagle that the woman receives, and her escape to the wilderness (12:14)* The beast who receives its authority from the dragon, the beast’s mortal wound (13:1–8), and how Daniel 7 helps us understand the beast* The prophetic warning and call to endurance in 13:9–10.* The second beast that marks people’s foreheads with the number 666 (13:11–18)* The 144,000 who have the name of the lamb and of the Father on their foreheads and their masculine-virginal description (14:1–5)* The mysterious song that John hears (14:3)* The three angels who speak and deliver messages of God’s judgment (14:6–12)* Whether the description that “the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever” indicates a never-ending conscious punishment (14:11); and how to understand the depiction of God’s violence (14:10–11)* The Son of Man, the angels, and their sickles for harvest (i.e., judgment; 14:14–20)Works by Dr. Olivia Stewart Lester* "Revealed History as Prophetic Rivalry: John's Apocalypse, the Sibylline Oracles, and the Prophecy of Apollo," Early Christianity 10 (2019): 461–480* Prophetic Rivalry, Gender, and Economics: A Study in Revelation and Sibylline Oracles 4–5. WUNT 2/466. Mohr Siebeck, 2018.Dr. Olivia Stewart Lester recommends* The TV show, The Bear Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Dr. Beth Stovell (Ambrose University) guides us through the book of Nahum. We discuss:* Nahum’s emphasis on God’s anger* The vivid description of a battle scene (Nahum 2)* Nahum’s metaphor of the city of Nineveh as a prostitute (3:4)* What it means that "her infants were dashed to pieces" (Nahum 3:10)* How Nahum is hopefulWorks by Dr. Beth Stovell* The Book of the Twelve, with David Fuller. Cascade, 2022* Theodicy and Hope in the Book of the Twelve. Edited with G. Athas et al. T&T Clark, 2021* Minor Prophets I (Hosea-Micah) and Minor Prophets II (Nahum-Malachi). The Story of God Bible Commentary Series: Old Testament. Zondervan, forthcoming * Mapping Metaphorical Discourse in the Fourth Gospel: John's Eternal King. Brill, 2012Dr. Beth Stovell recommends* The works of Dr. Juliana Claassens, Professor of Old Testament at Stellenbosch University (South Africa)* The Africana Bible: Reading Israel's Scriptures from Africa and the African Diaspora. Fortress Press, 2009Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Obadiah with Dr. Beth StovellDr. Beth Stovell (Ambrose University) guides us through the Book of Obadiah. We discuss:* the historical context of Obadiah* How Obadiah relates to the Book of the Twelve* A major theme of Obadiah: appealing for God’s justice against Edom* Obadiah’s use of “the day of the LORD” and the universal judgment of all the nations and Israel (Obadiah 1:15)Works by Dr. Beth Stovell* The Book of the Twelve, with David Fuller. Cascade, 2022* Theodicy and Hope in the Book of the Twelve. Edited with G. Athas et al. T&T Clark, 2021* Minor Prophets I (Hosea-Micah) and Minor Prophets II (Nahum-Malachi). The Story of God Bible Commentary Series: Old Testament. Zondervan, forthcoming * Mapping Metaphorical Discourse in the Fourth Gospel: John's Eternal King. Brill, 2012Dr. Beth Stovell recommends* The works of Dr. Juliana Claassens, Professor of Old Testament at Stellenbosch University (South Africa)* The Africana Bible: Reading Israel's Scriptures from Africa and the African Diaspora. Fortress Press, 2009Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Dr. Ian Boxall (St. Stephen's House, University of Oxford) guides us through Revelation 8:6–11:19 (The Seven Trumpets). We discuss:* The angels blowing trumpets (8:6)* The significance of the great burning mountain and the star being thrown into the waters (8:8-11).* The striking and darkening of the sun, moon, and stars (8:12)* The eagle that cries woes upon the earth (8:13)* The bottomless pit, the smoke, and the bizarre locusts that come up out of the pit (9:1-6)* The significance of the locusts as hybrid creatures with features of animals, humans, and demons; their ruler, Abaddon, Apolyon (9:7­–11)* The significance of the mighty angel who comes from heaven and who holds a “little scroll open” (10:2)* The voice from heaven that instructs John not to write down what he heard the seven thunders say(v. 4), but instead to eat the scroll in the angel’s hand (vv. 8–10).* The identity of “the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit” (11:7) and “the great city” (v. 8)* The “two witnesses” (11:3)Works by Dr. Ian Boxall* Christ in the Book of Revelation. Paulist Press, 2021 * The Book of Revelation and Its Interpreters. Rowman and Littlefield, 2016* Patmos in the Reception History of the Apocalypse. Oxford University Press, 2013 * Revelation: Vision and Insight: An Introduction of the Apocalypse. SPCK, 2002 * The Revelation of Saint John. Black's New Testament Commentary. Baker Academic, 2009Dr. Boxall recommends* How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul Silvia* The Clockwork Muse: A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations, and Books by Eviatar ZerubavelSubscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Micah with Dr. Mark GignilliatDr. Mark Gignilliat (Beeson Divinity School) guides us through the Book of Micah. We discuss:* Micah’s historical context* Loving God and loving neighbor as the key themes of Micah* The significance of Micah’s position between Jonah and Nahum* The interplay of God’s judgment against Israel and the nations* The significance of Micah 3:12 in the center of the Twelve, and its theme of the death and resurrection of Zion.* Does Micah 4:5 depict a future eschatological vision where Israel worships its God while the other nations worship their gods?* The promise of a ruler who will come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)* The meaning of Micah 6:8, “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.”* The interplay of judgment and restoration in Micah 7, and how Micah 7:18–20 uses Exodus 34, where God reveals himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love . . . yet by no means clearing the guilty.”Works by Mark Gignilliat* Micah, International Theological Commentary, T&T Clark, 2019* Reading Scripture Canonically: Theological Instincts for Old Testament Interpretation. Baker Academic, 2019Dr. Mark Gignilliat recommends* Make your own sausage and salami* Eugene Vodolazkin, Laurus, Oneworld, 2016* Iain McGilchrist, The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, Yale University Press, 2009* Iain McGilchrist, The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions, and the Unmaking of the World, 2 volumes, Perspectiva, 2021Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Revelation 6:1-8:5 with Dr. David deSilvaDr. David deSilva (Ashland Theological Seminary) guides us through Revelation 6:1-8:5. We discuss:* The four bizarre creatures of Revelation 4–5 that appear again in chapter 6.* The significance of the four horses and riders (6:1–8).* The lament of the martyrs in the heavenly temple, their cry for justice, and the rationale for God’s delayed vengeance (6:9­–11).* The 144, 000 from the tribes of Israel (7:4–8) and how they relate to the innumerable number from every tribe and nation (7:9).* The marks on the forehead of the 144,000 (7:3).* The “great ordeal/tribulation” (7:14).Works by David deSilva * Discovering Revelation, Eerdmans: 2021.* A Week in the Life of Ephesus, IVP Academic, 2020.* Unholy Allegiances: Heeding Revelation's Warning, Hendrickson, 2013.* Seeing John's Way: The Rhetoric of Revelation, WJK, 2009. David deSilva recommends* Craig R. Koester, Revelation. Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries. Yale University Press, 2015.Next EpisodeNext up on the Two Testaments, Dr. Mark Gignilliat (Beeson Divinity School) guides us through the Book of Micah, and Dr. Ian Boxall (St. Stephen's College, Cambridge University) guides us through Revelation 8:6–11:19.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Jonah with Rev. Dr. Vanessa LovelaceRev. Dr. Vanessa Lovelace (Lancaster Theological Seminary) guides us through the Book of Jonah. We discuss:* What we can know about Jonah’s historical context* Major themes in Jonah including repentance and forgiveness* God relenting from judging Nineveh in Jonah compared to God judging Nineveh in Nahum* Jonah as the anti-prophet* If Jonah is meant to be taken as a universal or particular message* The fish/whale that swallows Jonah* Different ways to understand Jonah disobeying God’s call to preach to Nineveh* Jonah’s payer as insincere* The repentance in Nineveh that includes the animals* Understanding God turning from judging Nineveh, and Jonah’s response to God’s mercyWorks by Vanessa Lovelace * Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse. Ed. with G. Byron. SBL Press, 2016.* “Jonah.” In Oxford Handbook of the Minor Prophets. Ed. J. O’Brien. Oxford University Press, 2021: 449–460.* Outsider-Within: A Womanist Reading of Hebrew Bible Narratives as the Politics of Belonging, forthcoming 2024.Vanessa Lovelace recommends* Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse. Ed. G. Byron and Vanessa Lovelace. SBL Press, 2016.* Wilda Gafney, Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne. Westminster John Knox, 2017.* Nyasha Junior, An Introduction to Womanist Biblical Interpretation. Westminster John Knox, 2015.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Dr. Juan Hernández Jr. (Bethel University) guides us through Revelation 4-5. We discuss:* The significance of the repeated title, "him who sits on the throne"* The four living creatures around the throne* The twenty-four elders who lay down their crowns and their hymn* Why the scroll cannot be opened* John's presentation of the lamb as having seven horns and seven eyes.* Why the lamb's blood is said to ransom people* John's high christology which parallels the lamb with the one on the throneWorks by * Scribal Habits and Theological Influences in the Apocalypse: The Singular Readings of Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, and Ephraemi, Mohr Siebeck, 2006.Juan Hernández recommends* Juan Hernández Jr. recommends reading "Penguin Classics" which form a canon of the best kinds of literature. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Amos with Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R.Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R. (Wheaton College) guides us through Amos. We discuss:* God as the main theme of Amos* The interplay of ethics, theology, and worship* The meaning of one of the most well-known verses of Amos: “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everlasting stream” (5:24)* The judgment of the nations in Amos 1–2 as a strategy of suspense rather than entrapment* Whether or not Amos uses the notion of natural law to indict the nations* God’s lament over his judgment, and the necessity of judgment for justice* The meaning/translation of “the plumb line” as “tin” (Amos 7:7–8)* How to understand Amos 7:12–15 and if Amos is a prophet* Amos 9 gives hope to Israel by presenting a future in which the people rebuild their lives within the landWorks by Daniel Carroll* "Twenty Years of Amos Research," Currents in Biblical Research 18.1, 2019* Amos—The Prophet and His Oracles: Research on the Book of Amos. Westminster John Knox, 2022* Amos. NICOT. Eerdmans, 2020* The Lord Roars: Recovering the Prophetic Voice for Today. Baker Academic, 2022Daniel Carroll Recommends* David Nirenberg. Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition. Norton, 2013Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Dr. Jeffrey Weima (Calvin Theological Seminary) guides us through Revelation 2-3. We discuss:* The significance of the form of the addresses to the seven churches as sermons rather than letters* Why John writes to these seven churches, and the significance of their arrangement* What it means that the church in Ephesus "abandoned the love you had at first" (2:4)* Who are the Nicolaitans and what did they do and teach? (2:6, 15)* The meaning of the phrase "the synagogue of Satan" (2:9; 3:9) and how to handle this phrase in light of the history of anti-Judaism and anti-semitism* The meaning of the "hidden manna" and the difficulty of making sense of "the white stone" with the name on it (2:17)* The significance of Jezebel (3:17) and the nature of the punishment that she receives: "I am throwing her on a bed" (3:22)* The significance of "the key of David" (3:7)* The significance of the church of Laodicea being likened to lukewarm water (3:15–16)Works by Jeff Weima* The Sermons to the Seven Churches of Revelation: A Commentary & Guide. Baker Academic, 2021* Paul the Ancient Letter Writer: A Introduction to Epistolary Analysis. Baker Academic, 2016* Neglected Endings: The Significance of the Pauline Letter Closings. Sheffield, 1994This Week’s BlurbJeff Weima recommends: * Taking a Biblical Study Tour to Turkey with Jeff Weima.* For more information, visit his website www.jeffreyweima.comNext Episode In our next episode, Dr. Daniel Carroll (Rodas) (Wheaton College) guides us through the book of Amos.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Joel with Dr. Christopher SeitzDr. Christopher Seitz (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) guides us through the Book of Joel. We discuss:* How to read a book (like Joel) that does not situate itself historically and temporally* The significance of the four locusts in Joel–the swarming locust, the hopping locust, the destroying locust, the cutting locust (Joel 1:4)* How Joel’s phrase “the day of the LORD” can refer to two days* The place of the nations in God’s future deliverance and judgment in the book of JoelWorks by Christopher Seitz* Canon and Prophecy: The Rise of a New Model for Interpretation. Mohr Siebeck, 2021* The Character of Christian Scripture: The Significance of a Two Testament Bible. Baker Academic, 2011* ITC (International Theological) Commentary on Joel. T&T Clark, 2016* Prophecy and Hermeneutics: Toward a New Introduction to the Prophets. Baker Academic, 2007This Week’s BlurbChristopher Seitz recommends:* Music from Cory Asbury * The Ignatian Spiritual Method * Works by Elisabeth Elliot Next Episode In our next episode, Jeff Weima (Calvin Theological Seminary) guides us through Revelation 2-3.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will Kynes.Visit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Revelation 1 with Dr. Robyn WhitakerDr. Robyn Whitaker (Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity) guides us through Revelation 1. We discuss:* The rhetorical/persuasive and iconic function of vivid imagery* Whose apocalypse is this, and what does it mean that it is a prophecy? * Which John is responsible for Revelation and why is he in Patmos?* John's descriptions of: God; the seven spirits; and Jesus Christ* The vision of the Son of Man and how it functions as ekphrasis (i.e., vivid visual description)* What it means that Jesus is "the First and the Last" and that he has the keys to death and Hades (1:17–18)Works by Robyn Whitaker* Even the Devil Quotes Scripture: Reading the Bible on Its Own Terms. Eerdmans, 2023.* "Invoking Jezebel, Invoking Terror: Exploring the Sexualization of Conflict in the Biblical Tradition." In Terror in the Bible: Rhetoric, Gender, and Violence. Edited by M. Melanchthon and R. Whitaker. SBL Press, 2021.* Ekphrasis, Vision, and Persuasion in the Book of Revelation. Mohr Siebeck, 2015.This Week’s BlurbRobyn Whitaker recommends:* Vegemite, an Australian spread* Recommends listening to the book of RevelationNext Week Next week, Dr. Christopher R. Seitz (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) guides us through the Book of Joel.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

The Book of HoseaDr. Bo Lim (Seattle Pacific University) guides us through the book of Hosea. We discuss:* When, where, by whom Hosea was written* Main themes of Hosea* How Hosea relates to the Book of the Twelve* The significance of Hosea's marriage and children* The difficult metaphor of God's marriage to Israel and if the metaphor sanctions violence.* God's judgment upon Israel as temporary discipline* The father-son image that depicts God's relationship to Israel, and the tricky theological issue of if God's heart changes (11:8)* Hosea as an enduring exhortation to subsequent generationsWorks by Bo Lim* Hosea. Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary. With D. Castelo. Eerdmans, 2015* The 'Way of the LORD' in the Book of Isaiah. T&T Clark, 2010This Week’s BlurbBo Lim recommends:* Korean sunscreen* the spiritually transformative effects of exerciseNext Week Next week, Dr. Robyn Whitaker (Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity) guides us through Revelation 1Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Introduction to the Book of RevelationListen here as Jamie Davies (Trinity College Bristol) introduces us to the book of Revelation. We discuss:* When, where, by whom, to whom Revelation was written* The dominant purpose of Revelation* The importance of Revelation's imagery, and not minimizing its imagery* The meaning of the term "apocalypse" and the significance of reading Revelation in the genre of an apocalypse* The literary structure of Revelation* Revelation's contested inclusion within the canon and the significance of its canonical placement.* Issues that have challenged interpreters throughout history* Revelation's contemporary significance* The issues and approaches to Revelation that preoccupy scholars todayWorks by Jamie Davies* Reading Revelation: A Literary and Theological Commentary, Smyth & Helwys, 2023* The Apocalyptic Paul, Cascade, 2022* Paul Among the Apocalypses? An Evaluation of the ‘Apocalyptic Paul’ in the Context of Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature, LNTS 562, T&T Clark, 2016This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Jamie Davies recommends:* Two movies produced by Christopher Nolan: * "Memento"* "Inception"Next Week Next week, Dr. Bo Lim (Seattle Pacific University) guides us through the book of Hosea.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube.This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Introduction to the Book of the TwelveDr. James Nogalski (Baylor University) introduces us to the Book of the Twelve. We discuss:* The significance of the titles, "The Book of the Twelve" and "Minor Prophets."* The historical context of the development of The Twelve.* The different canonical placements of The Twelve, and the different traditions of ordering the individual books of The Twelve within the collection.* Catchwords that link the individual books within The Twelve.* A speed round where Jim quickly summarizes each book within The Twelve.* Jim's favourite book within The Twelve.* The genre of prophetic literature.* The challenge of relating historical crises to God's judgment.Works by James Nogalski* Literary Precursors to the Book of the Twelve. BZAW 217. De Gruyter, 1993.* Redactional Processes in the Book of the Twelve. BZAW 218. De Gruyter, 1993.* Two Sides of a Coin: Juxtaposing Views on Interpreting the Book of the Twelve/Twelve Prophetic Books. With Ehud Ben Zvi. Gorgias Press, 2009.* The Book of the Twelve: Hosea - Jonah. Smyth and Helwys, 2011.* The Book of the Twelve: Micah - Malachi. Smyth and Helwys, 2011.* Interpreting Prophetic Literature: Historical and Exegetical Tools for Reading the Prophets. Westminster John Knox, 2015.* The Book of the Twelve and Beyond: Collected Essays of James D. Nogalski. SBL Press, 2017.* An Introduction to the Hebrew Prophets. Abingdon Press, 2018.* The Books of Joel, Obadiah, and Jonah. NICOT. Eerdmans, 2023.* The Book of Micah. NICOT. Eerdmans, 2024.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, James Nogalski recommends:* Greg Iles' trilogy: Natchez Burning; Mississippi Blood; The Bone Tree.Next Week Next week, we begin our journey through Revelation as we talk to Dr. Jamie Davies (Trinity College).Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Archaeology and the Gospels with Dr. James StrangeDr. James Strange (Samford University) talks to us about archaeology and the gospels. We discuss:* The Shikhin excavation project in Israel* Oil lamp production in the first century* How archaeologists relate archaeology and the text of the gospels* How an archaeologist may read Matthew 5:14-15, including: * "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid" (v. 14)* "People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket" (v. 15)* The function, structure, and significance of synagoguesEnter the GiveawayThis post contains affiliate links* Galilee in the Late Second Temple and Mishnaic Periods. 2 Volumes. Fortress, 2014/2015.To enter, look out for the giveaway posts on social media. Follow us, like, and share/retweet the giveaway post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Giveaway closes Monday, April 24. USA only.Other Relevant Works* Excavating the Land of Jesus: How Archaeologists Study the People of the Gospels. Eerdmans, 2023 (forthcoming).This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, James Strange recommends:* The older version of the 5 inch Marshalltown trowel* Friends of ASOR Webinars (American Soc

Matthew 28 (Resurrection and the Great Commission) with Dr. Terry DonaldsonDr. Terry Donaldson (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) talks to us about Matthew 28. We discuss:* The Great Commission scene as Matthew's narrative conclusion* How Matthew's ending compares with Mark's ending* Matthew's apologetic concern in the presentation of Jesus' resurrection* Whether to translate the Greek term "Ioudaiois" (in 28:15) as "Judeans" or "Jews"* The significance of mountains in Matthew, and Zion traditions* Whether Jesus instructs his disciples to disciple "all the nations" or "all the Gentiles" (28:19)* What the triadic formula (“the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”) and the promise of Jesus' ongoing presence (vv. 19–20) suggests about Matthew's christologyEnter the GiveawayThis post contains affiliate links* Gentile Christian Identity from Cornelius to Constantine: The Nations, the Parting of the Ways, and Roman Imperial Ideology. Eerdmans, 2020.To enter, look out for the giveaway posts on social media. Follow us, like, and share/retweet the giveaway post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Giveaway closes Sunday, April 16. USA only.Other Relevant Works* Jesus on the Mountain: A Study in Matthean Theology. T Jewish Publication Society, 1961.* Jules Isaac, Jesus and Israel. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Terry Donaldson recommends:* John Kloppenborg, Christ's Associations: Connecting and Belonging in the Ancient City. Yale University Press, 2019.Next Week Next week, we have a bonus—and final—episode of the season. Dr. James Strange (Samford University) talks to us about archaeology and the gospels.Click here to meet our guides through <a targe

Dr. Rebekah Eklund (Loyola University Maryland) talks to us about Matthew 26–27. We discuss:* Matthew's use of the Passover festival* Jesus' prayer of lament at Gethsemane* Peter's denials of Jesus and his restoration* why Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man* Judas' betrayal of Jesus* Matthew's use of the theme of blood* the meaning of "his blood be upon us and on our children" (27:25)* Matthew's use of Psalm 22 when Jesus prays, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"* the eschatological signs that occur at the death of JesusRelevant Works by Rebekah EklundThis post contains affiliate links* Jesus Wept: The Significance of Jesus’ Laments in the NT. T&T Clark, 2015. * The Beatitudes through the Ages. Eerdmans, 2021.* "Matthew, the Cross, and the Cruciform Life," in Cruciform Scripture: Cross, Participation, and Mission. Eerdmans, 2021.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Rebekah Eklund:* Dale C. Allison, Jr. The Resurrection of Jesus: Apologetics, Polemics, History. T&T Clark, 2021.* Amy Peeler. Women and the Gender of God. Eerdmans, 2021.* Andor (TV Series)Next Week Next week, we finish our journey through Matthew as we talk to Dr. Terence Donaldson (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) about Matthew 28 (the Resurrection).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-

Dr. Daniel Block (Wheaton College) talks to us about Deuteronomy 31–34. We discuss:* these chapters as a death narratives* their rhetorical purpose* why Moses is barred from the land* the Song of Moses* how to translate 32:8 (gods/sons of Israel/angels)* Moses's final blessings on the tribes of IsraelBooks by Daniel BlockThis post contains affiliate links* The Triumph of Grace: Literary and Theological Studies in Deuteronomic Themes. Cascade, 2017.* Lexham Context Commentary: Volume 1: The Pentateuch. Lexham, 2021. [This book is available only as an ebook on the Logos platform]* Covenant: The Foundation of God’s Grand Plan of Redemption. Baker Academic, 2021.* Deuteronomy. NIV Application Commentary. Zondervan, 2012.* The Gospel According to Moses: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Book of Deuteronomy. Cascade, 2012.* How I Love Your Torah O LORD! Studies in the Book of Deuteronomy. Cascade, 2012.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Daniel Block Recommends:* Amy Jill Levine, Light of the World: A Beginner's Guide to Advent. Abingdon, 2019.Next Week Next week, Dr. Rebekah Eklund (Loyola University Marymount) talks to us about Matthew 26–27 (Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, <a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7sG9h4WCn4GgP6gbqHAz7w?si=1Wh0bxQySJ23UnKT5a8z5g&d

Matthew 24–25 (God's Judgment; the Coming of the Son of Man) with Dr. Anders RunessonListen here as Dr. Anders Runesson (University of Oslo) talks to us about Matthew 24–25. We discuss:* God's wrath and judgment* the significance of the destruction of the temple* the relationship between the destruction of the temple and the death of Jesus* signs of the coming of the Son of Man* the meaning of "the abomination of desolation"* the parable of the talents* the judgment of the sheep and the goats* the meaning of "eternal fire" and "eternal punishment" and the purpose of Matthew's judgment imageryEnter the GiveawayThis post contains affiliate links* Divine Wrath and Salvation. Fortress, 2016* Matthew within Judaism: Israel and the Nations in the First Gospel, ed. with Daniel Gurtner. Society of Biblical Literature, 2020. To enter, look out for the giveaway posts on social media. Follow us and like and share/retweet the giveaway post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Giveaway closes Sunday, March 26 at 11:59 pm. USA only.Other Works Mentioned* John S. Kloppenborg, "The Representation of Violence in Synoptic Parables." Pages 323–51 in Mark and Matthew I: Comparative Readings: Understanding the Earliest Gospels in Their First Century Settings. Ed. Eve-Marie Becker and Anders Runesson. WUNT 271. Mohr Siebeck, 2011.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Anders Runesson Recommends:* Journal of the Jesus Movement in its Jewish Setting (a free and open access academic journal)* A Comparative Handbook to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke: Comparisons with Pseudepigrapha, the Qumran Scrolls, and Rabbinic Literature. Brill, 2021.<str

Deuteronomy 27–30 (Covenant Ritual) with Dr. Melissa RamosListen here as Dr. Melissa Ramos (Portland Seminary) talks to us about Deuteronomy 27–30. We discuss:* the relationship with ancient Near Eastern rituals* the stones as witnesses to the covenant* the tribes' roles in the ritual* the ethical vision of the blessings and curses* the distinctive nature of Deuteronomy's inclusion of blessings* Deuteronomy's view of human ability to keep the law in relationship to Paul's in Romans* whether Deuteronomy is fairly characterized as "retribution theology"Enter the GiveawayThis post contains affiliate links* Ritual in Deuteronomy: The Performance of Doom. Routledge, 2021.To enter, look out for the giveaway posts on social media. Follow us and like and share/retweet the giveaway post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Giveaway closes Sunday, March 19 at 11:59 pm. USA only.Other Relevant Work by Melissa Ramos* Laura Quick and Melissa Ramos (eds.). New Perspectives on Ritual in the Biblical World. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2022.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Melissa Ramos Recommends:* bacon saltNext Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Anders Runesson (University of Oslo) about Matthew 24–25 (God's Wrath and the Coming of the Son of Man)Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

It’s spring break here at Samford University, so we’re re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from our archives. Providing a fittingly profound conclusion to our journey through Job last season, Carol A. Newsom (Candler School of Theology) talked to us about Job’s response and the epilogue in Job 42. We discussed a number of things including: * how to understand Job’s enigmatic response to God* why the translation of 42:6 in your English Bible is likely wrong* God’s surprising approval of Job’s speech* how the epilogue fits (or doesn’t) with the rest of the book* why readers find it disturbing, Job’s re-embrace of life* the significance of Job’s daughtersRelevant Work by Carol NewsomThis post contains affiliate linksCarol Newsom is the author of numerous influential works, including two particularly relevant to our discussion:* “The Book of Job.” Pages 317–637 in 1 & 2 Maccabees, Introduction to Hebrew Poetry, Job, Psalms. New Interpreters Bible 4. Abingdon, 1996. * The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations. Oxford University Press, 2003.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Carol Newsom recommends:* Chödrön, Pema. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. Shambhala, 2016. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Matthew 20:29–23:39 with Dr. Amy-Jill LevineDr. Amy-Jill Levine (Hartford International University for Religion and Peace) talks to us about Matthew 20:29–39. We discuss:* Jesus' entry into Jerusalem* the trilogy of parables* the Pharisees* suggestions for teaching Matthew 23 with sensitivityBooks by Dr. Amy-Jill LevineThis post contains affiliate links* The Pharisees, ed. with Joseph Sievers. Eerdmans, 2021. * The Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner’s Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven. Abingdon, 2020.* The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently, with Marc Zvi Brettler. HarperCollins, 2020. * Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi. Abingdon, 2018.* Jewish Annotated New Testament, ed. with Marc Zvi Brettler. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2017. * The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus. HarperCollins, 2006. * A Feminist Companion to Matthew, ed. with Marianne Blickenstaff. Sheffield Academic, 2001.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Amy-Jill Levine Recommends:* spending time with family, knitting, and ballroom dancing.Next Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Melissa Ramos (Portland Seminary) about Deuteronomy 27–30 (Covenant Renewal).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, <a target="_blank" href="https://op

Dr. Jeff Leonard (Samford University) talks to us about Deuteronomy 16:18–18:22. We discuss:* The roles of judges and their enforcement of covenant justice* The law for kings and its connection to Israel's later history* The priests, their relationship to judges* The description of prophecy, the tests for true prophets, and the end of prophecyRelevant Work by Jeff LeonardThis post contains affiliate links* Seekers in the Hands of an Elusive God. Hendrickson, forthcoming.Other Works Mentioned in this Episode* Jeff Leonard, Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story. Hendrickson, 2020.* Jeffery Stackert, A Prophet Like Moses: Prophecy, Law, and Israelite Religion. Oxford University Press, 2014.* Nili Wazana, “The Law of the King (Deut 17:14-20) in the Light of Empire and Destruction", pages 169-194 in P. Dubovský, D. Markl, J.-P. Sonnet (eds.), The Fall of Jerusalem and the Rise of the Torah. Mohr Siebeck 2016.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Jeff Leonard recommends:* East of Eden by John SteinbeckNext Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Amy-Jill Levine (Vanderbilt University; Hartford International University for Religion and Peace) about Matthew 20:29–23:39 (Jesus' entry into Jerusalem; Parables; the Pharisees).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, <a target="_blank

Dr. Nathan Eubank (University of Notre Dame) talks to us about Matthew 18:1–20:28. (We apologize for the technical issues we encountered in this episode which affected the sound.) In this episode, we discuss:* what children teach us about the kingdom of heaven* guardian angels* the parable of the lost sheep* marriage and divorce* the rich young man* the significance of the economic and ransom languageRelevant Work by Nathan Eubank* Wages of Cross-Bearing and Debt of Sin: The Economy of Heaven in Matthew’s Gospel. De Grtuyter, 2013.* “Prison, Penance, or Purgatory: The Interpretation of Matthew 5.25-26 and Parallels,” New Testament Studies 64 (2018): 162-77.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Nathan Eubank Recommends:* The New Year's Day 10 mile hangover run which is best done without a hangover.Next Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Jeff Leonard (Samford University) about Deuteronomy 16:18–18:22 (Leadership)Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube. T

Dr. Michael Rhodes (Carey Baptist College) talks to us about Deuteronomy 14:1–16:17. We discuss:* The logic of the food laws* The tithe laws and justice* The practicality and meaning of the remission of debts every seven years* The significance of the three yearly festivalsRelevant Work by Michael RhodesThis post contains affiliate links* Formative Feasting: Practices and Virtue Ethics in Deuteronomy's Tithe Meal and the Corinthian Lord's Supper. Peter Lang, 2022.Other Works Mentioned in this Episode* “Why Don’t We Sing Justice Songs in Worship?” Christianity Today. 30 Sep 2021.* Mark Glanville, Adopting the Stranger as Kindred in Deuteronomy. SBL Press, 2018.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Michael Rhodes Recommends:* Reading the works of Susanna Clarke* Reading Scripture with people of different cultural, ethnic, and geographical backgroundsNext Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Nathan Eubank (University of Notre Dame) about Matthew 18:1–20:28.Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, <a target="_blank" href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5e014912-60a4-40c2-a2d2-4c45382656d4/the-two-testaments?ref=dm_sh_yUET3Y9Xum

Dr. Patrick Schreiner (Midwestern Seminary) talks to us about Matthew 14:13–17:27. We discuss:* Jesus feeding the crowds* Jesus walks on water* The Canaanite woman's faith* Peter's confession* Jesus' transfigurationRelevant Works by Patrick Schreiner* Matthew, Disciple, and Scribe: The First Gospel and its Portrait of Jesus. Baker Academic, 2019.* The Body of Jesus: A Spatial Analysis of the Kingdom in Matthew. T&T Clark, 2016.* The Visual Word: An Illustrated Guide to the New Testament Books. Moody, 2021.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Patrick Schreiner Recommends:* Reading or listening to The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew PetersonNext Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Michael Rhodes (Carey Baptist College) about Deuteronomy 14:1–16:17 (Food and Festivals)Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube. This is a public episode. If

Join us as Dr. Sandra Richter (Westmont College) talks to us about Deuteronomy 11, 22, 24, 26. We discuss:* The prominence of land in Deuteronomy* Environmental laws* Laws on adultery and rape* The economy of DeuteronomyWorks by Sandra RichterThis post contains affiliate links* Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says about the Environment and Why it Matters, IVP Academic, 2020.* The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament, IVP Academic, 2008.* "Rape in Israel’s World … and Ours: A Study Of Deuteronomy 22:23–29." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 64 (2021): 59–76.* "Environmental Law: Wisdom from the Ancients." Bulletin of Biblical Research 24 (2014): 307–29* "Environmental Law in Deuteronomy: One Lens on a Biblical Theology of Creation Care." Bulletin of Biblical Research 20 (2010): 355–76.This Week’s BlurbIn this episode, Sandra Richter Recommends:* Watching anything by Sir David AttenboroughNext Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Patrick Schreiner (Midwestern Seminary) about Matthew 14:13–17:27. Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, <a tar

Episode on Matthew 12:1–14:12 with Dr. Jordan Ryan is Live Join us as Dr. Jordan Ryan (Wheaton College) talks to us about Matthew 12:1–14:12. We discuss a number of things including: Jesus's disputes with the Pharisees over the Sabbath; synagogues in the first century; evil spirits and healing; parables of the kingdom; and John the Baptist.Relevant Works by Dr. Jordan RyanThis post contains affiliate links* The Role of the Synagogue in the Aims of Jesus. Fortress, 2017.* “The Sermon on the Mount as Synagogue Teaching,” in Matthew within Judaism. Ed. Anders Runesson and Daniel Gurtner. Society of Biblical Literature, 2020.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Jordan Ryan recommends reading:* Reynaldo Ileto. Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in the Philippines, 1840-1910. Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1979.Next Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Sandra Richter (Westmont College) about Deuteronomy 11, 22, 24, 26 (Land, Economy, and Sexual Violence).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, <a target="_blank" href="

Episode on Deuteronomy 7, 19, 21–22 (Violence) with Dr. Matthew Lynch is Live Join us as Dr. Matthew Lynch (Regent College) talks to us about Deuteronomy 7, 9, 21–22 (violence). We discuss a number of things including: what is understood as "violence," the command to destroy the Canaanites, its potential reinterpretation in the Bible, cities of refuge, false witnesses, rules for war, unsolved mysteries in Israel, and how we understand these passages today, including how to respond to those who would apply them to the Ukraine War.Relevant Books by Matthew LynchThis post contains affiliate links* Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study. Cambridge University Press, 2020.* Flood and Fury: Engaging Old Testament Violence. IVP Academic, 2023.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Matthew Lynch recommends the following TV series:* The Green Planet, BBC Earth.Next Week Next week, Dr. Jordan Ryan (Wheaton College) discusses Matthew 12:1–14:12 with us.Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on <a targ

Episode on Matthew 8–11 with Dr. Jeannine Brown is LiveJoin us as Dr. Jeannine Brown (Bethel Seminary) talks to us about Matthew 8–11. We discuss a number of things including: narrative and thematic threads throughout these chapters; how Jesus fulfills Isaiah's Servant Songs; the relationship between healing and exorcism in Matthew; Jesus sending out the twelve; the meaning of the coming of "the Son of Man"; John the Baptist's curious response of ignorance towards Jesus; how divine revelation is contingent on one's response to Jesus and how judgment fits this motif; Jesus as wisdom.Books by Jeannine Brown* The Gospels as Stories. Baker, 2020.* The Gospel of Matthew (Two Horizons NT Commentary), with Kyle Roberts. Eerdmans, 2018.* Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 2nd edition, ed. with Joel Green and Nicholas Perrin. IVP Academic, 2014.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Jeannine Brown recommends:* Luke Timothy Johnson, Living Jesus: Learning the Heart of the Gospel. HarperOne, 2000.Next Week Next week, we talk to Dr. Matthew Lynch (Regent College) about violence in Deuteronomy 7, 19, 21–22.Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, <a target="_blank" href="https://vurbl.

Episode on "Wrestling with Job" with Drs. Bill Kynes and Will Kynes is Live Join us for this bonus episode as father-son co-authors Dr. Bill Kynes (Senior Fellow for Pastoral Theology, C.S. Lewis Institute) and Dr. Will Kynes (Samford University) join us to discuss their book Wrestling with Job: Defiant Faith in the Face of Suffering (IVP Academic). We discuss a number of things including: what makes Job so challenging, how it encourages us to wrestle with God, the friends' failure to comfort Job as opposed to God's success in the divine speeches, how the proper translation of Job's response indicates that he has received that comfort, and Job's connections with Jesus. Listen here.Other Relevant Resources from Bill and Will Kynes * Will Kynes, An Obituary for “Wisdom Literature”: The Birth, Death, and Intertextual Reintegration of a Biblical Corpus. Oxford University Press, 2019.* Will Kynes, My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping: Job’s Dialogue with the Psalms. De Gruyter, 2012.* Will Kynes, ed., The Oxford Handbook of Wisdom and the Bible. Oxford University Press, 2021.* Katharine Dell and Will Kynes, eds. Reading Job Intertextually. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013.After the Holiday BreakWhen we return in the New Year, we discuss Matthew 8–11 with Dr. Jeannine Brown (Bethel University).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-two-testaments-89185811/?keyid%5B0%5D=The%20Tw

Episode on Deuteronomy 6 and 10 (Love) is Live Join us as Dr. Jon Levenson (Harvard Divinity School) talks to us about Deuteronomy 6 and 10. We discuss a number of things including: the content, translation, and importance of the Shema in Deuteronomy 6; the relationship between obedience, ritual, and love; the elaboration on and expansion of love in Deuteronomy 10; the relationship between the love and fear of God; and the detriments of a critical approach to biblical scholarship that excludes the love of its subject matter.Relevant Works by Jon LevensonThis post contains affiliate links* Jon Levenson, The Love of God: Divine Gift, Human Gratitude, and Mutual Faithfulness in Judaism. Princeton University Press, 2016.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Jon recommends reading these books by Erik Larson:* The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America. Vintage Books, 2003.* Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. Crown Publishers, 2015.Other Works Mentioned* William Moran, "The Ancient Near Eastern Background of the Love of God in Deuteronomy," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 25 (1963), 77–87.* Rita Felski, The Limits of Critique. University of Chicago Press, 2015.Next Week Before we break for the holidays, tune in next week for a bonus episode as Rony sits down with father-son co-authors Bill Kynes and Will Kynes to discuss their book, Wrestling with Job: Defiant Faith in the Face of Suffering (IVP Academic, 2022).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments

Episode on Matthew 5-7 (Sermon on the Mount) with Dr. Jonathan Pennington is Live Join us as Dr. Jonathan Pennington (Southern Seminary) talks to us about Matthew 5-7 (The Sermon on the Mount). We discuss a number of things including: the structure of the Sermon on the Mount; the beatitudes and if there is a better way to translate the Greek term makarios; Jesus's interpretation of the law; the theme of wholeness; the Lord's prayer; Jesus' attitude to riches; the place of works, and the ethical demands of the Sermon.Books by Jonathan Pennington * Reading the Gospels Wisely. Baker Academic, 2012.* Reading the New Testament as Christian Scripture, with Constantine Campbell. Baker Academic, 2020.* Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew. Baker Academic, 2009.* Jesus the Great Philosopher. Brazos, 2020.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Jonathan Pennington recommends reading these authors:* George Saunders * Ted ChiangNext Week Dr. Jon Levenson (Harvard Divinity School) discusses the love of God (Deuteronomy 6, 10) with us.Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, <a targ

Episode on Deuteronomy 5 (The Ten Commandments) is Live Join us as Dr. Carmen Joy Imes (Biola University) talks to us about Deuteronomy 5 (The Ten Commandments). We discuss a number of things including: what to call the Ten Commandments (Decalogue?), how they are numbered in various religious traditions, the nature of the “two tablets” and whether they deal with vertical and horizontal commands, their contribution to the treaty between God and his people, misconceptions about each commandment, and whether Deuteronomy follows their structure.Relevant Works and Resources by Carmen ImesThis post contains affiliate links* Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters. IVP Academic, 2019. * Bearing YHWH’s Name at Sinai: A Reexamination of the Name Command of the Decalogue. Eisenbrauns, 2018. * Torah Tuesday, hosted by Carmen Imes on YouTubeThis Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Carmen recommends:* Music by Andrew Peterson * The WingFeather Saga by Andrew PetersonNext WeekOur series on Matthew resumes next week. Dr. Jonathan Pennington discusses the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com

Episode on Matthew 3-4 is Live Join us as Dr. Wayne Baxter (Heritage College and Seminary) talks to us about Matthew 3-4. We discuss a number of things including: the wilderness motif; John's baptism of Jesus; Jesus's wilderness tests; and Jesus's ministry in Galilee. Listen here.Relevant Works by Wayne BaxterThis post contains affiliate links* Divine Shepherd Christology in the Gospel of Matthew. Fortress, 2022.* Israel's Only Shepherd: Matthew's Shepherd Motif and His Social Setting. T&T Clark, 2012.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Wayne Baxter recommends making a duct tape wallet. Other Works Mentioned in this Episode* Leroy A. Huizenga, The New Isaac: Tradition and Intertextuality in the Gospel of Matthew. Brill, 2009.* W. D. Davies and Dale Allison, Matthew: A Shorter Commentary. T&T Clark, 2004.Next WeekOur series on Deuteronomy resumes next week. Dr. Carmen Imes discusses Deuteronomy 5 and 13.Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-two-testaments-89185811/?keyid%5B0%5D=The%20Two%20Testaments&pname=podcast_profile&sc

Join us as Dr. Paul House (Beeson Divinity School) talks to us about Deuteronomy 1-4. We discuss a number of things including: Deuteronomy as narrative theology, its relationship to Numbers, its character as a travel narrative, Moses's exclusion from the Promised Land, Israel's disobedience, and whether Deuteronomy advocates monotheism. Listen here.Enter the GiveawayThis post contains affiliate linksThis week we are giving a way a copy of this book by Dr. Paul House (thanks to IVP Academic):* Old Testament Theology. IVP Academic, 1998.To enter this giveaway, look out for the giveaway posts on social media. Follow us and like and share/retweet the giveaway post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Giveaway closes Sunday, November 4 at 11:59 pm. USA only.Relevant Books and Articles by Paul House* Old Testament Theology. IVP Academic, 1998.* "Examining the Narratives of Old Testament Narrative: An Exploration in Biblical Theology,” Westminster Theological Journal 67 (2005): 229–45.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Paul House recommends reading these authors:* Dietrich Bonhoeffer* Wendell Berry* Benedict XVI [Joesph Ratzinger].Other Books and Essays Mentioned* Nathan MacDonald, Deuteronomy and the Meaning of 'Monotheism'. Mohr Siebeck, 2003; 2nd edition, 2012.Next Week Our series on the gospel of Matthew resumes next week. Dr. Wayne Baxter discusses Matthew 3-4.Click here to meet our guides through Deuteronomy and Matthew. Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will KynesVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts

Matthew 1-2 with Dr. Richard Hays is Live Join us as Dr. Richard Hays (Duke Divinity School) guides us through Matthew 1–2. We discuss Matthew’s genealogy, Jesus' escape from Herod, and how Matthew uses Israel's Scriptures in these chapters. Listen here.Meet the expert guides who are leading us through the gospel of Matthew by clicking here. Relevant Books by Richard HaysThis post contains affiliate linksThis week we are giving a way a copy of these books by Richard Hays (thanks to Baylor University Press, Eerdmans, and Harper Collins):* Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Baylor University Press, 2016.* Reading Backwards. Baylor University Press, 2014.* Reading with the Grain of Scripture. Eerdmans, 2020.* The Moral Vision of the New Testament. HarperCollins, 1996.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Richard recommends:* "The Beatles: Get Back" by Richard Jackson.* The Bible and Baptism by Isaac Morales OP.* The Parthenon by George Hobson.Other Books Mentioned in this Episode* Leroy A. Huizenga, The New Isaac: Tradition and Intertextuality in the Gospel of Matthew. Brill, 2009.Next Week Next week, Dr. Paul House guides us through Deuteronomy 1–4.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will Kynes.Visit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podca

Join us as Dr. Brent Strawn (Duke Divinity School) orients us to the book of Deuteronomy. We discuss: how Deuteronomy can help us save the Old Testament; its historical context, including its formation, audience, ancient parallels, and purpose; its literary expression, including its title, genre, structure, and major themes; and its reception, including its canonical placement and later interpretation. Listen here.Meet the expert guides who will led us through Deuteronomy by clicking here. Relevant Books by Brent Strawn* The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law. Oxford University Press, 2015.* The Old Testament Is Dying: A Diagnosis and Recommended Treatment. Baker Academic, 2017.This Week’s BlurbsIn this episode, Brent (and Will) recommend:* Baudelaire Exfoliating Soap* The Daily Office* In Parallel PodcastOther Books and Articles Mentioned in This Episode* Brent Strawn, "Tolkien’s Orcs Meet the Bible’s Canaanites: The Dynamics of Reading Well… or Not ," in The Incomparable GodReadings in Biblical Theology (edited by Collin Cornell and M. Justin Walker). Eerdmans, 2023.* Brent Strawn, Lies My Preacher Told Me: An Honest Look at the Old Testament. Westminster John Knox, 2021.* Brent Strawn, Honest to God Preaching: Talking Sin, Suffering, and Violence. Fortress, 2021.* Gordon McConville, Deuteronomy. IVP Academic, 2002.Subscribe and don't miss an episodeThe Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will Kynes.Visit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, <a target="_bl

Join us as Dr. Dale Allison Jr. (Princeton Theological Seminary) orients us to the Gospel of Matthew. We discuss: Matthew's historical setting; the book's literary structure and major theological themes; major interpretive issues that the church has grappled with throughout the centuries; and what we would be missing if we did not have the gospel of Matthew.Subscribe and don't miss an episode.The Two Testaments takes you on a guided journey through Scripture with leading experts on the Bible, hosted by Rony Kozman and Will Kynes.Visit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, access all episodes, and meet our guides through Scripture. Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode. Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. You can also watch us on Youtube. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Join us as we talk to Dr. Jason Staples about Romans 9:20–23. We discuss a number of things including: the image of God as a potter, the temperamental nature of clay, the potter-clay metaphor in Jeremiah, and how this image asserts God's justice. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com

Thanks for ListeningThank you for joining us on Season 1 of The Two Testaments. Ten scholars guided us through the book of Job, and eleven scholars led us through Paul’s letter to the Romans. We hope you have enjoyed—and benefitted from—this guided journey through Scripture.As we develop and produce Season 2, we would love to hear from you.Win a $100 Gift CardPlease complete this survey for your chance to win a $100 gift card for Bookshop.org. Your feedback will help us improve the podcast as we develop Season 2 of The Two Testaments. Coming this Fall: Season 2 of The Two TestamentsThis fall (2022) we will release Season 2 of The Two Testaments. We will take you on a guided journey through Deuteronomy and the Gospel of Matthew. In the coming months, we will introduce you to the experts who will guide us through these books. Stay tuned!Wishing you all the best for the summer, Rony and WillVisit our website at thetwotestaments.com, where you can subscribe, listen to all the episodes, and meet our guides through Job and Romans.Sign up now so you don’t miss an episode. Find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Vurbl, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.You can also watch us on Youtube. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetwotestaments.substack.com