Buried Bible Podcast

Were there flood stories before the Bible? Mesopotamian scholar, Dr. Mark Chavalas dives into one of the most famous stories in history — the Flood. But before Noah’s ark ever set sail, ancient Mesopotamian civilizations were already writing about deluges sent by the gods. How does that work? Dr. Chavalas introduces the earliest flood traditions from Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian sources — fr...

What did the Old Testament really teach about demons and spirits? Were they fallen angels, ghosts, or something else entirely? In this final episode of our “Demons” series, Dr. Mark Chavalas explores what the Old Testament actually says—and doesn’t say—about demons. He traces the mysterious world of supernatural beings in the Old Testament—where wild desert creatures, shadowy spirits, and divine m...

What did the ancient world really believe about demons? Before the Bible ever mentioned unclean spirits, the people of Mesopotamia lived in a world filled with spirit beings, magic, and fear of the unseen. In this episode, Dr. Mark Chavalas looks into the ancient Mesopotamian worldview of demons and spirit beings—the cultural backdrop behind how the Bible’s authors and readers understood the unsee...

We continue asking the questions: What is a Demon? How did the people in the ancient Jews and non-biblical writers view demons? Dr. Chavalas explains that, as with many theological topics, the Bible itself never gives a direct definition. Instead, later Jewish and intertestamental writings tried to fill in the gaps. The conversation moves through several ancient sources that shaped how both Jews a...

What does the New Testament really teach about demons? In Part 2 of our exploration of demons in the bible, we zoom out from the story in Mark 5 to examine the bigger picture of demonology throughout the New Testament. From exorcisms in Mark’s Gospel to the nuances of “demons” versus “unclean spirits.” This episode unpacks how the biblical writers understood the spiritual realm. Along the way, Dr....

We’re starting our new series on demons in the bible by diving into one of the wildest stories in the New Testament — Jesus casting out Legion and sending the demons into a herd of pigs in Mark 5. You’ve probably heard the story before, but what’s actually going on here? Why did the demons beg not to be tormented, and why choose swine? 🔥 In This Episode: ➡️ Why Mark, Matthew, and Luke differ in t...

What really happened at the Tower of Babel? Was it just about confusing languages—or something much deeper? This episode of the Buried Bible Podcast wraps up the Tower of Babel series by exploring how Jewish and Christian traditions reinterpreted the story across centuries. Dr. Mark Chavalas discusses sources like Josephus, Jubilees, rabbinical commentary, and even connections to Acts 2, showing h...

What does the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11 really mean? Was it simply about scattered languages — or was the biblical writer actually responding to Babylonian myths? In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Dr. Mark Chavalas dives deep into the Babel story, examining it through the lens of the ancient Near East. He shows how the account in Genesis is not just a history of languages, but...

Was the Tower of Babel really about different languages—or something much deeper? Genesis 11 describes humanity as having “one language,” but the Hebrew actually says “one lip.” Could this phrase mean more than speech—perhaps unity, arrogance, and rebellion? Dr. Mark Chavalas unpacks the ancient Mesopotamian context, showing how the biblical text may have been written as a theological response to...

Who exactly was Nimrod from the Bible? In this episode, Dr. Mark Chavalas kicks off our new Tower of Babel Series by uncovering the mysterious figure of Nimrod in Genesis 10–11. Was he just a legendary hunter? A Mesopotamian king like Sargon? Or a rebellious archetype against God? 🔥 In This Episode: ➡️ Why Genesis 10 interrupts the genealogy to highlight Nimrod ➡️ What his name actually means (“L...

If tattoos in the ancient world were mostly marks of slavery, what does that mean for Christians today? In this follow-up episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Keagan Walz and Dr. Mark Chavalas tackle the big question: how do we apply Old Testament laws—like Leviticus 19:28—to our modern lives? From ancient Near Eastern branding practices to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, we explore how cultural...

Are tattoos really forbidden in the Bible? Or have we misunderstood Leviticus 19:28 all along? Tattoos have become a hot-button issue in modern Christian circles, often used as a litmus test for holiness. But does Leviticus 19:28 actually prohibit body art—or is it condemning something far different? Dr. Mark Chavalas takes you on a scholarly journey into the ONE VERSE in the entire Bible that men...

Abraham's covenant in Genesis 15, the smoking firepot, and the flaming torch—what do they really mean? Who walked between the pieces? Was it God or is there something more going on...Dr. Mark Chavalas, breaks down the strange covenant ritual with Abraham — focusing on the smoking firepot and flaming torch — to uncover what ancient Mesopotamian texts reveal that most modern readers miss. The sm...

What kind of God makes a covenant like this? And why does Abraham cut animals in half and wait in the dark for a smoking firepot? In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Keagan Walz and Dr. Mark Chavalas explore one of the most mysterious and misunderstood scenes in Scripture: the animal-splitting covenant ritual of Genesis 15. Abraham is promised land and descendants, but then God asks him t...

Before Israel became a nation, before God made the covenant.....who was Abraham? In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, we return to Genesis to set the stage for one of the strangest covenant rituals in the Bible — Genesis 15:17. But before we dive into the mystery of the smoking firepot and flaming torch, we take a step back to explore the backstory of Abraham himself & Abraham's ca...

Did the Anunnaki Come from Planet Nibiru? Or Is It All a Misreading of Ancient Texts? Welcome to another episode of the Buried Bible Podcast! We’re diving deep into one of the most sensationalized ideas in ancient alien theory: the claim that the Anunnaki are alien beings from a mysterious Planet called Nibiru. But is there any actual evidence for this in the ancient texts—or have modern theorists...

Are the Anunnaki ancient gods, space aliens, or something else entirely? Why are so many Christians talking about them—and what does any of this have to do with the Bible? Dr. Mark Chavalas tackles one of the most controversial—and misunderstood—topics on the internet. We peel back the layers of internet conspiracy, pop theology, and pseudo-scholarship to ask: Who were the Anunnaki? Were they gods...

What do the Nephilim have to do with your faith? Are they just ancient footnotes—or a window into a much bigger spiritual reality? What ultimately is the role of giants in the biblical narrative? Welcome to the wrap-up episode on our Nephilim series! In this final episode of our Nephilim series, Keagan Walz and Dr. Mark Chavalas reflect on everything we’ve uncovered: Genesis 6, the “sons of God,”...

Who Were the Apkallu—and What Do They Have to Do with the Bible? In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Dr. Mark Chavalas explores mysterious figures from ancient Mesopotamian texts known as the Apkallu—seven pre-flood sages often depicted with fish heads—who emerge from the sea to bestow knowledge on humanity. Sound familiar? These ancient beings may hold the key to understanding the biblic...

Why Did the Church Stop Talking About Giants? What happened to the Nephilim? Why did early Jewish and Christian writers seem so sure about their existence—only for later theologians to abandon the idea altogether? In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Dr. Mark Chavalas dives deeper into Genesis 6 by tracing the story of the Nephilim through ancient Jewish texts like Jubilees, The Testament...

What if the Bible isn’t the only ancient source that mentions the Nephilim? What if there was an ancient book that claimed to tell you exactly what Genesis 6 left out? A book that names the angels, exposes their crimes, and traces the origin of demons to the Nephilim? Today, we’re diving into the mysterious and controversial Book of Enoch. In this episode Dr. Mark Chavalas dive deep into biblical...

Who — or what — were the Nephilim in Genesis 6? Were they fallen angels? Human-angel hybrids? Ancient giants? In this episode of our new Nephilim series, Dr. Mark Chavalas dives deep into one of the most controversial and mysterious passages in the Bible. From Genesis 6 to 1 Enoch, Jude, and 2 Peter, we explore the ancient context, Jewish tradition, and even Mesopotamian legends to uncover who the...

Episode 13 : Genesis 3:20-24 - What really happened when Adam and Eve were banished from Eden? Who (or what) were the cherubim guarding the Tree of Life? And what does this ancient imagery tell us about divine presence, death, and eternity? In this final episode of our Genesis 1–3 series, Dr. Mark Chavalas unpacks Genesis 3:20–24 and explores Ancient Near Eastern parallels, the symbolism of the ea...

Genesis 3:1-19 | Were Adam & Eve cursed? Why did they hide from God? What all happened during the fall of all mankind? In this episode of The Buried Bible Podcast, scholar Dr. Mark Chavalas takes you beneath the surface of Genesis 3 to uncover the ancient meaning of the Fall. From the serpent's deception to Adam and Eve's shame, we explore the cultural, poetic, and theological layers o...

Is Genesis 3 really about a talking snake? Or is something deeper hiding behind the ancient word serpent? In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Keagan Walz (the layman) and Dr. Mark Chavalas (the scholar) explore one of the most misunderstood and theologically loaded characters in Scripture: the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Is it just a snake? A symbol of evil? A divine being in disguise?...