The Biblical Unitarian Podcast

This episode explores how the concept of the Memra (Aramaic: "word") personified the actions of the transcendent God of Israel in the Jewish Targums. The Memra was not considered a seperate person alongside Yahweh in the minds of the targumists. We also consider the relevance of the Aramaic Memra to interpreting the prologue of the Gospel of John. To view the video version of this episode, go here...

The Acts of Paul & Thecla, written between 160 and 190 AD, was one of the most popular apocryphal acts among Christian readers. This episode examines what the unknown author believed about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. After removing the later scribal additions, the Acts of Paul & Thecla appears to be a unitarian Christian document. To view the video version of this episode, go here: h...

Within the Old and New Testaments, the figure known as the Most High God is portrayed to be only one person. This episode explores his identity, focusing particularly on Jesus' relationship to the Most High God, who appears to be the Father alone. To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/93muK7J3CI4                Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A Systematic Theology o...

This sermon discusses the christological portrayal of Christ Jesus taking the form of the Isaianic Suffering Servant, as it is depicted in Phil 2:5–11. Instead of suggesting that a divine figure descended from heaven to become man, Paul illustrates King Jesus refusing to exploit his messianic privileges, choosing instead to embody the role of the Servant depicted in Isaiah 52–53. Paul expects his...

What did Jesus mean when he said, "I and the Father are one"? This episode explores the often-overlooked nuances of the cardinal number one in Greek — an adjective that takes on very different meanings depending on its grammatical gender. Rather than saying that the Father and the Son are one in person or one in being/essence, the Gospel of John illustrates a shared mission and purpose--a purpose...

2 Peter 1:1 is one of the ambiguous passages that, due to grammar, may collapse God and the Savior Jesus Christ into a single person. This episode discusses this verse, examines the Granville Sharp "Rule," and considers the wider context of 2 Peter, including the clear statements that consistently distinguish God from Jesus. To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/bjJG...

Irenaeus of Lyons was a famous heresy hunter of the late second century AD. This episode examines the theology, christology, and pneumatology of Irenaeus to determine whether he was a Trinitarian. Spoiler alert: he wasn't. To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/0rWyCT6pxdE               Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A Systematic Theology of the Early Church: https:...

This episode discusses how the Son of Man receives worship/service ("pelah"), yet dismantles the assumption that this Aramaic verb applies only to God. We demonstrate that the verb "pelah" is flexible, accommodating objects of worship that include the Most High God as well as worthy human beings. We survey the use of this verb in Daniel, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and in Targum Onkelos.  To view the...

On February 6, 2026, I debated James White in a public, moderated debate titled "Does the Bible Teach the Trinity?" James White demonstrably failed to prove the affirmative of the debate. To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/hMuDp3XPmbU              Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A Systematic Theology of the Early Church: https://amzn.to/47jldOc     Visit Amazon t...

On Friday, February 6, 2026, I defeated James White in a public, moderated debate concerning whether the Bible teaches the Trinity. In this week's episode, I am joined by Dr. Dale Tuggy to review the six reasons why I emerged as the winner of this debate on the Trinity.  To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/OPvIQSi8Oss             Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A...

In traditional Trinitarian language, there are three persons in the one "being/essence" of God (as expressed in the Greek noun "ousia"). However, "ousia" does not mean "essence" or "being" in the New Testament, nor in the Septuagint. This week's episode examines how the meaning of "ousia" evolved over time to justify the post-biblical doctrine of a tri-personal God. To view the video version of th...

In traditional Trinitarian language, the one being of God consists of three persons, as expressed in the Greek noun "hypostasis." However, "hypostasis" does not mean "person" in the New Testament, nor in the Septuagint. This week's episode explores how the meaning of "hypostasis" changed over time in order to justify the post-biblical doctrine of a tri-personal God.  To view the video version of t...

This week's episode explores the state of Jesus' post-resurrection body. Jesus and the NT authors taught that the resurrection body remains human, indicating that Jesus is an immortalized member of the human race today. We examine the evidence for Jesus' enduring humanity while also engaging with scriptural objections that are sometimes raised.   To view the video version of this episode, go here:...

Several conservative Christians have argued or suggested that Jesus was the fourth figure who rescued the three Jewish boys from the furnace of fire in Daniel chapter 3. This episode explores the passage, identifying the unnamed figure as a heavenly angel that is described as "a son of the gods" (but not the messianic Son of God).    To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://yout...

1 Timothy 3:16 is a well-known example of a scribal change that transformed a reference to Jesus into a reference to God. We explore this text and discuss how later scribes changed the passage, resulting in a much higher Christology than the author originally intended.   To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/OaZmZR9Pm_8         Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A Syst...

Acts 2:22-23 offers an undiluted christology that best represents the beliefs of the New Testament authors. Peter proclaims that Christ was a real human being, whom God empowered to perform miraculous works. The passage also illustrates Jesus as preexisting in God's foreknowledge and predetermined plan, rather than consciously existing in heaven before his birth.    To view the video version of th...

John 20:17 is a straightforward passage in which the resurrected Jesus explicitly identifies that he has a God. Jesus was a unitarian, so he believed and taught his followers that his God was only one person, the Father alone. This episode examines John 20:17, demonstrating that it is incompatible with the doctrine of the Trinity.   To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu...

A 3rd-century Christian hymn was discovered among the Oxyrhynchus papyri, and the hymn contains worship offered to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This episode explores the Greek hymn, examines how it illustrates the one God, and demonstrates why it is not evidence for belief in the Trinity during the late 200s. Instead, the hymn appears to best fit a modalistic understanding of God.   To view t...

Gabriel's announcement to Mary contains several simple christological truths. This week's episode unpacks the exchange between the angel and Jesus' mother, examining the promised titles of Jesus, his role as the climax of the Davidic Covenant, Jesus' relationship with the Most High, and how the Holy Spirit brings Jesus into existence in Mary's womb. The Gospel of Luke produces a christology of a f...

Athenagoras of Athens was a second-century Christian convert who wrote a famous apology in which he defends his understanding of God against claims of atheism. This week's episode explores what he believed about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The resulting conclusion is that Athenagoras was a Logos theologian with a unitarian understanding of God.   To view the video version of this episode, go...

This episode unpacks Jesus' place in Matthew's genealogy and birth narrative and, in the process, draws attention to how Jesus was brought into existence in Mary's womb. The begetting of Jesus, in other words, rules out any manner of conscious preexistence.   To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/7LsU_rZJZz8   Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A Systematic Theology of...

3rd Corinthians is a second-century Christian document that was written in Paul's name. The work offers a glimpse into the unknown author's thoughts on the creator God, Jesus' birth, and the Holy Spirit, while also detailing the doctrines the author deemed heretical. The resulting portrayal is an overlooked example of biblical unitarianism in the second century.   To view the video version of this...

This episode examines and discusses all of the christologically relevant textual changes in the new edition of the Greek New Testament (UBS6).     To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/GjfFB7IIp9A   Visit Amazon to buy your copy of A Systematic Theology of the Early Church: https://amzn.to/47jldOc    Visit Amazon to buy your copy of Wisdom Christology in the Gospel o...

This episode previews all of the chapters concerning Theology, Christology, and Pneumatology in my latest book, A Systematic Theology of the Early Church. The book is now available on Amazon.   To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/ZCXgPDmAeO0   Purchase A Systematic Theology of the Early Church:   https://amzn.to/47jldOc    Visit Amazon to buy your copy of my book,...

This episode will serve as an audiobook of sorts as I read Chapter 2 from my new book, A Systematic Theology of the Early Church. This chapter is titled, "The Only True God." The book is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats.    To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/RqmWpeQudYo   Purchase A Systematic Theology of the Early Church: https://am...