Bammerhab: Bible Explainer

Paul was an ambassador for Christ. Now we are ambassadors for Christ, and there are lots and lots of ways to be an ambassador. To dig deeper, I interview writer Philip Ulrich who over his life has been a kid’s author ( The Growly Books ), a missionary to Eastern Europe, the lead singer of a band called 5:20 , a filmmaker and a graphic designer, and in all of those roles he was an ambassador for Ch...

Jesus could have easily healed the holes in his hands. Why did he let them remain? After all, in his resurrection, all of him was healed, and not only healed but he became the prototype human for all of us to follow in his footsteps one day. So why leave a scar? Well, honestly I don’t know. But I wonder if part of the reason Jesus’ hands didn’t heal is the same reason he cried at the tomb of Lazar...

Surprise! We’ve got an extra bonus episode of Summer Bammerhab! ( Summerhab ?) This episode is a wide-ranging interview with pastor, podcaster and church historian Lance Ralston , however we’re still gonna start out focusing on a specific word, this time it is echaritōsen from Ephesians 1:6, and it means “He has made acceptable.” It comes from the root Greek word charis which is among the most dif...

In Jesus’ day Shavuot (Pentecost) was the best-attended of the great traveling feasts because traveling conditions were at their best. That meant that there was never a more international, diverse gathering in Jerusalem than on this day. Jews from nearly every known nation were there. And that’s when the Holy Spirit chose to birth the church, but you probably already knew that! But what you might...

When you understand Jesus’ Old Testament references, you see that he spoke of end times more than anyone else in the Bible. But Jesus not only spoke of end times, he spoke of rapture, and he not only spoke of rapture, he demonstrated it. Ascension Day is May 29th this year; it could just as easily be called Rapture Day. The two concepts are synonymous. Just as Jesus modeled baptism for his church,...

The 3rd commandment says not to swear, right? Nope. To take God’s name in vain is intentional false representation of God to try to manipulate to get your own way. Using the Lord’s name “in vain” is what is often called being a false prophet elsewhere in the Old and New Testaments. Sadly our generation is awash with many false prophets. Who are they? What should you do about it? Great questions! L...

Oligopsychous means fainthearted or, by extension, anxious and weary. So, what does Paul proscribe for anxious, weary souls like me? Paul counsels gentleness. He gently encourages these weary ones and feeds them reassurance. Where does that reassurance come from? Great question! (Also thanks to musician Sam Banfield for sharing a “Song for the Weary” at the close of the episode.) This episode digs...

God’s primal blessing is so shocking that, despite it being in plain language in the very first chapter of the Bible and echoed throughout, many modern theologians recoil at the thought and try to minimize it and reverse it and undo it. But it can’t be undone. So what is this primal blessing? Great question! Let’s explore! (Also thanks again to Desi Ana Sartini for reading her poem, “ Seventh Day...

The root of much of our failure is because of dipsychos. But what is it exactly? What does it look like and how can it end? This epidemic of dipsychos is personal for me. It was a sin that trapped me for over a decade, but what’s worse is it still traps most Christians I know, and they don’t even know its name. As I’ve seen famous pastors and ordinary Christians drift slowly away from Christ, I ke...

In the ancient Temple, the only light streamed down from a great menorah lit by seven branches. And holding that light, are the cups of the great lamp which are fashioned to look like almond flowers. Wait… why almond flowers? Does the Almighty really like almonds? And why did God inaugurate Jeremiah’s call with a vision of almond flowers? Great question! Let’s explore! This episode digs deeper int...

Why does Easter matter? Because Easter is not just a day, but the pivot point of the entire cosmos, where a brand New Earth has begun to be created. What will that look like, you ask? Great question! Let’s explore! This episode digs deeper into Gen Kainen - γῆν καινήν - “New Earth” in Reveleation 21:1. Revelation 21:1 -“ And I saw a new heaven and a NEW EARTH : for the first heaven and the first e...

Every spring for thousands of years, families have gathered around a story measured out in food, measured out by four cups of wine. These cups of wine are centered around four promises from Exodus 6, and each cup has a very different mystery inside it. So, what is the mystery of the cups? Let me explain… This episode digs deeper into Poterion- ποτήριον - “the cup” in Mark 14:23: Mark 14:23 -“ And...

Why did the crowds wave palm branches on Palm Sunday? Were they just grabbing something at hand or is there a much deeper meaning at play here, that stretches back thousands of years into the past and far into the future? Thanks too to Jesse Baker for his poem: “The Twirling Oak.” Today’s Word: Besimhah - בְשִׂמְחָ֣ה - “With Joy, In Glee” Isaiah 55:12 - “ You will go out IN JOY and be led forth in...

God tells us he’s the potter; we’re the clay. He’s the architect; we’re the living stones. But what exactly is God shaping you for? Or another way of putting that, what is your calling? Also… What if you can’t finish our calling before you die, what then? “ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones , are being built...

Didn’t Moses have a calling to save the people of Israel? Then why did he fail so badly the first time around? And what is “your calling” anyway? “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “ This is the way ; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21-NIV) Isaiah 30:21 - כא ואזניך תשמענה דבר מאחריך לאמר זה הדרך לכו בו כי תאמינו וכי תשמאילו A different version of...

Did you know Herod Antipas’s brother was a leader in the early church? Yes, one of the most evil kings in the bible, had a brother who was an elder in one of the most vibrant and influential early churches of Acts. He even helped start out the Apostle Paul, but what might have happened to make him switch allegiances? This episode answers that while defining the name “ Manaen ” (Μαναήν) in Acts 13:...

There’s a reason Jesus needed a rock tomb, freshly cut. Do you know what it is? The greek for tomb means memorial, but memorial of what? This episode defines the word “ Mnemati ” (μνήματι meaning: ‘tomb’) in Luke 23:53. “ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ” (Luke 23:53-NIV) Luke 23:53 - καὶ καθελὼν ἐνετύλ...

After the transfiguration, when Jesus came down from the mountain, why was he so angry with his disciples? Why did he call them faithless? There’s a direct paralell between Jesus’ Transfiguration and Moses on Sinai. Can you see it? But why did Jesus’ response to faithlessness differ from Moses’? This episode defines the word “ apistos ” (ἄπιστος meaning: ‘faithless’) in Matthew 17:17. “ And Jesus...

We’re often stuck between two competing narratives. So how do we choose which one to trust? When Jesus’ disciples were in a boat in a fierce storm, they had a command from Jesus to cross the lake. But they also had to cope with a huge storm throwing them around. The storm was more urgent, and seemed more powerful in the moment. So they forgot how immensely powerful Jesus' words actually are… This...

The seven biblical Jewish festivals were always meant to be prophetic. But what do they mean? And why should all Christians everywhere especially celebrate Sukkot? This episode defines “ Hag HaSukkot ” ( חַ֧ג הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת meaning: ‘The Festival of Booths’) in Leviticus 23:33-34. “ The Lord said to Moses,   “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tab...

Did King David have a dysfunctional Dad? Was he the prototypical Cinderella? This episode defines the phrase “ Miggeza Yisay ” ( מגזע ישי meaning: ‘The Stump of Jesse’) in Isaiah 11:1. “ A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse ;    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. ” (Isaiah 11:1-NIV) Isaiah 11:1 - ויצא חטר מגזע ישי ונצר משרשיו יפרה Links: Bammerhab Substack: bammerhab.substack.com SDG...

It is said that Zion, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, is the site where Abraham offered up Isaac. But Abraham gave that site a different name altogether, and perhaps it was a prophetic name. And it is also one of the titles of God - Jehovah Jireh or Yahweh Yireh. This episode digs deeper into the name “ Yahweh Yireh ” ( יְהוָ֣ה יִרְאֶ֑ה meaning: ‘The LORD will provide’) in Genesis 22:14. “So Abraha...

Why does the writer of Hebrews (I believe it’s Paul by the way) commend Abraham so highly for attempting to sacrifice Isaac? I’ve seen a plentitude of confusion about this story, and many odd takes ranging from Abraham’s mental illness to child abuse. But all these opinions are all missing this one key word “wenasubah” which the writer of Hebrews does not miss. Abraham was certain they were both c...

There is something that is often lost when we discuss what Judas did. Yes, betrayal was part of it, but Judas’ main sin wasn’t betrayal. All the disciples left Jesus alone to die. If Jesus didn’t freely forgive betrayal then none of them and none of us would have a chance. Yes, Judas did steal. But Jesus also freely forgave a thief on the cross. In John, Jesus explicitly cites Judas’ sin that need...

What grieves God’s heart? Well, apparently, as you run the numbers, Noah’s ark was built with a lot of extra room. Until the doors closed, anyone and everyone was encouraged to board but ultimately only Noah and his family did. It’s a very interesting idea because 2 Peter 2:5 explicitly calls Noah “a preacher of righteousness” and what’s the point of preaching unless there was extra room on the ar...