It is a book cobbled together long ago over the course of many centuries by regular, flawed human beings, and yet its contents are considered sacrosanct by billions of people. But even those who consider it an infallible guide cannot agree on its meaning! And for believer and nonbeliever alike, many passages are difficult to understand, with maddeningly obscure references. (Who, or what, are the Nephilim anyway?) Surely, there must be someone who can help us come to terms with this weighty, daunting tome!
Enter Dr. Robert M. Price; biblical scholar, atheist, and former Baptist pastor. In The Human Bible, Price will deconstruct and demystify this foundational book, all from a rational, secular, and non-ideological perspective—and all with a good dose of humor. For fans of history, religious studies, or literature—or of charismatic professorial types—The Human Bible is a trove of entertainment and enlightenment.
In this, the penultimate Human Bible show, hosted by the Center for Inquiry, Dr. Price examines whether or not the Book of Revelation was based on real visions and were there two Gerasene Demoniacs or only one, vis. Mark 5:2 and Luke 8:27 versus Matthew 8:28? What exactly does the word "lord" mean? Does it imply happy submissiveness to the all-powerful, or is it just rubbing my modern independent spirit the wrong way? Finally, does 1 Timothy 2:11-15 say that women are to be saved via having babies?
This episode of The Human Bible is brought to you by Harry's shaving kits. Use promo code HUMAN for $5 off your first purchase.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to interpret the book of Revelation, in episode 34 of The Human Bible with Dr. Robert M. Price. Then, did Peter personally air his dirty laundry through the Gospel of Mark, as apologists claim? Listeners ask about Genesis 9:13's rainbow on the gun rack of God's pickup truck, while the good Doctor himself asks is Francis the Talking Mule in the Old Testament? Another questioner returns us to ponder what the central meaning of Revelation might be. Stay subscribed to the Human Bible for more podcasts to come.
This episode of The Human Bible is brought to you by Harry's shaving kits. Please visit harrys.com and use promo code HUMAN for $5 off your first purchase.
Check your prophetic scorecard and track how many years Adam's got left, while pondering whether fashion statements are in the Bible. Get up to speed on 1st century Judaism's idea of blasphemy and stumble with apologists over the question of universal salvation. Join Dr. Price as he disposes of listener questions on missing trees in the garden of Eden, Adam's first wife, and much more!
This episode of The Human Bible is brought to you by Harry's shaving kits. Please visit harrys.com and use promo code HUMAN for $5 off your first purchase.
The Human Bible episode 32 begins by elaborating on "realized eschatology," continued from episode 31, and it only gets better. Join Dr. Robert M. Price as he sticks up for the Bible's insistence on four-legged bugs. Find out the answer to the question did Paul ascend to a heavenly Jerusalem, or was he just describing a road trip? Who got to keep Moses' body, Michael or ... SATAN? Who owns the "logos" concept of John 1, Judaism or Hellenism? Finally, is Paul predicting the end of days during the lifetime of his letters' addressees?
Thanks to Audible for sponsoring this week’s episode of The Human Bible. Download a free audiobook today at http://audiblepodcast.com/human.
Ever wonder why some stories appear in two or three gospels, but in very different forms? Why the changes in wording, and what significance do these changes have?
Robert Price explains how through “redaction criticism” we can explain some of these differences and understand their significance. For example, the author of the gospel of Luke redacted or edited the source material he used, some of it also found in Mark. Luke shaped the source material so his gospel narrative would make the points he thought important. Among the key differences between Mark and Luke is that while the former suggests the Second Coming is imminent, Luke, probably writing later, counsels Christians not to be impatient. The timing of Jesus’ return is unknown and … well, it could be a while. In the meantime, Christians should recognize that references by Mark or others to the Kingdom of God being at hand mean that Christians have undergone an internal transformation, not that JC is on the next bus from paradise.
Redaction criticism is a powerful tool for understanding the theological goals of the various gospel writers.
This episode also has your favorite segments: Listener Questions, Apologetics, the Prophetic Scorecard, and Is That in the Bible? We learn that the relations between Eve and the Serpent in the Garden of Eden may be more complicated than we thought, and we consider the possibility that even contemporaries of the New Testament authors may have thought the whole Jesus thing was just a bunch of cobbled together myths.
Redact your calendar to make room for his informative and entertaining episode!
Thanks to Audible for sponsoring this week’s episode of The Human Bible. Download a free audiobook today.
We start the episode getting up to speed on a basic idea: Does the New Testament say that Jesus is God?
Next: a look at some of the classic examples of excuse-making in the Bible, also known as the convenient-but-confusing “Doctrine of Progressive Revelation.”
Have you ever stopped to think about where Christians think Satan came from? The answer isn’t as simple as you’d think. (This is the Bible, after all…)
Lastly, does the Bible support the idea that Jesus wants a personal relationship with us as our savior? Spoiler alert: No.
First off, we get up to speed with the Book of Job. Exactly what are we supposed to learn from this story? When bad things happen to good people, are they just being tested? Or are they being punished? Or is it just about suffering as a great learning opportunity?
And while we’re at it, what does all this say about who determines our destiny? Mixed messages result from multiple authors with multiple agendas.
Next, Bob tackles some fantastic audience questions:
· The Book of Mormon has a character named Korihor who is pretty much an atheist. Is this normal—are there any atheists in the Bible—or is this a reflection of the modern times in which the Book of Mormon was written, when freethinkers and humanists were more outspoken and clearly influencing people like Joseph Smith?
· So, zombies in the Book of Matthew?
Finally, did Jesus go to Hell?
What exactly is the idea behind "love your enemy as yourself"? Bob shows us it's more complicated than you might think: It might be that you're supposed to love your enemy because you're hoping God will be the one to dole out punishment to the wicked (far more severely than you could). Or maybe loving your enemy will, as Bob says, "make your enemy feel like a jerk," thereby psychologically heaping fiery coals on his head.
Also, is it really St. Peter's job to decide who does and does not get into Heaven? And what's the deal with Revelation: isn't the Roman Empire supposed to rise again? We'll get to the bottom of it all with The Human Bible.
The Human Bible returns for ten more episodes, kicking things off with a question that, if answered, could have literally cosmic implications: Did Ezekiel encounter alien spaceships? It's a more compelling question than you think.
Also, Bob wonders if "did the historical Jesus actually exist?" is the wrong question, but rather, "which one?" The pacifist? The cynic sage? The violent revolutionary? The apocalyptic prophet?
All this in much more in the latest edition of The Human Bible!
This week we finally answer the big question on everyone's mind: Was Jesus a shape-shifter, YES OR NO?
Also, what exactly is a concubine, in biblical terms?
We answer some great listener questions:
And finally, answering yet another burning question, we explain, according to the Bible, which insects you can eat, and which you must not.
