The BEMA Podcast

Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Josh Bossé reflect on the tension of human evil and the problem of desire.

Brent Billings, Josh Bossé, and Qohelet herself look deeply at the roots of evil. “Let My Words Be Few” by Rebecca St. James — YouTube

Brent Billings and Josh Bossé watch Qohelet cast her gaze on injustice and oppression.

Brent Billings, Josh Bossé, and Reed Dent consider the appointed time for everything. BEMA 382: Psalms — Small, Not Insignificant First Reformed (2018 film) — JustWatch

Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Josh Bossé follow Qohelet into many parties to see if we can find any meaning in joy.

Brent Billings, Josh Bossé, and Elle Grover Fricks launch an exploration of one of the least understood books of Tanakh (Ecclesiastes). BEMA 320: The Forgotten Women — Sages and Wise Women The Wind Rises (2013 film) — JustWatch

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Ashlee Eiland, author of Say Good, and someone who seeks to join in God’s redemptive work on Earth. Ashlee is the head of school at Living Stones Academy, and formerly served as co-lead pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in western Michigan. Ashlee and her family live in Grand Rapids. Say Good by Ashlee Eiland Thought of the Day: Say Good — Marty S...

Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks, and Josh Bossé truly cap off this series by taking a second gander at the Lord’s Prayer. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp BEMA 286: John — The Test of Bread Why Is Shavuot Celebrated — Aleph Beta

Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks, and Josh Bossé close out this series by taking a gander at the Lord’s Prayer. BEMA 97: Done in Secret BEMA 332: Andrew DeCort — Flourishing on the Edge of Faith Textus Receptus — Wikipedia Codex Sinaiticus — Wikipedia Codex Vaticanus — Wikipedia Alexandrian Text-Type — Wikipedia Byzantine Text-Type — Wikipedia “Ancient Amulets with...

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks step into their prayer closets and shut the door on the babbling pagans. BEMA 97: Done in Secret Lares — Wikipedia Bornless Ritual — Wikipedia

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks take a spin with Jesus’s concept of rewards or wages. Wealth, Poverty, and Charity in Jewish Antiquity by Gregg E. Gardner BEMA 97: Done in Secret De Re Publica, De Legibus by Cicero — Internet Archive Pietas — Wikipedia Virtus — Wikipedia Politics by Aristotle — Internet Archive Politics (Aristotle) — Wikipedia Euergetism — Wikip...

Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Elle Grover Fricks take a crack at what it means to be children of God. “What’s Wrong with Winsomeness?” by Russell Moore — Christianity Today The Greatest Prayer by John Dominic Crossan BEMA 80: Silent Years — Pharisees BEMA 102: Son of Man Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Richard James Dr. Anna C. Miller — Xavie...

Brent Billings and Reed Dent team up with Elle Grover Fricks to excavate some ancient ideas about enemies. BEMA 96: But I Say Unto You Jesus and Nonviolence by Walter Wink The Peaceable Kingdom by Stanley Hauerwas Rise and Kill First by Ronen Bergman 1QS 1 (Community Rule) with Matthew 5:43 — Intertextual Bible BEMA 358: Sabbath Practice — Prayer Greek Priest Recreates Excitement of Resurrect...

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Karen Stiller, author of Holiness Here and the author and editor of many other books, magazines, essays, and more. Holiness Here by Karen Stiller Review of Holiness Here — Marty Solomon, Goodreads Review of Holiness Here — Brent Billings, Goodreads Meadow Lake Progress — Wikipedia Books by Frederick Buechner Books by Anne Lamott The...

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks investigate Jesus’s teaching on oaths. “Greek Oath-Rituals” by Irene Berti — OpenEdition Books “The Greek Oath in the Roman World” by Serena Connolly — Oxford Academic “Loosing Vows and Oaths in the Roman Empire and Beyond: Authority and Interpretation” by Moshe Blidstein — De Gruyter “The Kinyradai of Paphos” by John Curtis Franklin — The Cente...

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings join Elle Grover Fricks to contextualize Jesus’s teaching on divorce in its Jewish and Roman landscape.

Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks, and Josh Bossé take a closer look at Jesus’s teachings on desire. BEMA 273: John — Pericope of an Honor Contest

Brent Billings joins Elle Grover Fricks to reconsider the topic of reconciliation through a Talmudic lens, featuring Reed Dent. BEMA 36: The Redemption Cycle “Dining in Heaven” by Robin M. Jensen — Biblical Archaeology Society Library

Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Elle Grover Fricks consider Jesus’s teaching on anger through a Talmudic lens. Matthew 5:22 (Interlinear) — Bible Hub A Rabbi Talks with Jesus by Jacob Neusner

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks search out what life can be found in two short verses from the Sermon on the Mount. Halakha — Wikipedia BEMA 95: Abolish or Fulfill Book of Tobit — Wikipedia

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings join Elle Grover Fricks to lay the groundwork for another series of Talmudic conversations in Matthew. “Dei Verbum” — Pope Paul VI, November 18, 1965 Magisterium — Wikipedia A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus , Volume I, by John P. Meier Early Jewish Messianism in the New Testament — “Introduction” by Serge Ruzer Judah ha-Nasi — Wikipedi...

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Brant Hansen, author, nationally syndicated radio host, and advocate for healing children through CURE International. CURE International Tenth Avenue North — Wikipedia Unoffendable by Brant Hansen Linchpin by Seth Godin Life Is Hard, God Is Good, Let's Dance by Brant Hansen Kingdom, Grace, Judgment by Robert Farrar Capon Brant Hanse...

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings conclude an examination of Hosea, finding out what actually gets the last word. Featuring a special appearance by Elle Grover Fricks. 1994 Minister’s Manual (HarperCollins, 1993). Series by Roger Lovette (Preaching from Hosea: A Gospel for Broken Things). Edited by James W. Cox Tradition for Crisis by Walter Brueggemann Amos/Hosea by James M. Ward Hosea: A Commenta...

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings approach the penultimate chapter of Hosea’s prophecy, hearing him issue a final challenge to take stock of our idolatrous condition. 1994 Minister’s Manual (HarperCollins, 1993). Series by Roger Lovette (Preaching from Hosea: A Gospel for Broken Things). Edited by James W. Cox

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings watch the prophet parallel the experience of God’s people with the history of their Patriarch Jacob. “Back to the Future” by Brad Gray (14 minutes) — Walking the Text “Back to the Future” by Brad Gray (55 minutes) — Central Holland Church, YouTube 1994 Minister’s Manual (HarperCollins, 1993). Series by Roger Lovette (Preaching from Hosea: A Gospel for Broken T...