Genesis Marks the Spot

What if the Bible talks about things it doesn’t actually affirm? That’s the question John and J. Harvey Walton explore in their referent/affirmation hermeneutic—a method that seeks to distinguish between what Scripture uses culturally and what it teaches theologically. In this content-heavy episode, we dig deep into the Waltons' approach, explore strengths and critiques (especially in relation to...

Venturing deep into the world of biblical interpretation—exploring the methods that shape how we read Scripture, how we understand righteousness, holiness, and obedience, and why John Walton's work continues to spark both admiration and controversy. We’ll survey key interpretive methodologies: literalist, historical-grammatical, canonical, literary-narrative, historical-critical, and the socio-cul...

This episode of Genesis Marks the Spot  centers on an example of biblical theology, reframing how we understand law—not as rigid legislation, but as wisdom anchored in covenant relationship. Drawing from The Lost World of the Torah by John Walton and J. Harvey Walton, Carey challenges modern assumptions about law, obedience, and divine command theory, while weaving in reflections on context, tradi...

This illuminating episode of Genesis Marks the Spot dives deep into the nature of biblical law—just in time for the Fourth of July. What is law, really? Is the Torah a legislative code or a curated teaching tool for ethical formation? Drawing from Michael LeFebvre’s scholarly work Collections, Codes, and Torah , Carey unpacks how law functioned in the ancient world and how it evolved into what man...

Walk through the ancient Near Eastern background of biblical covenants to arrive at the archetypal Sinai covenant.  Picking up where Episode 132 left off, Carey explores the formal elements of Late Bronze Age treaties and how they echo within the biblical text—especially in the Ten Commandments. Through historical, grammatical, and theological analysis, Carey challenges modern assumptions about co...

In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot , Carey takes listeners beyond prooftexts and into the deep structure of biblical meaning by asking: What kind of thing is a covenant? Drawing from ancient Near Eastern treaty forms, the episode explores how covenantal frames shape not only Genesis but also our understanding of baptism, representation, and the sacramental life.    This isn’t a systematics...

What connects wine, wrath, baptism, and the flood? This powerful bridge episode toes out into the deep waters of systematic theology that will lead to biblical theology in order to explore how God's covenantal signs—from the cup to the flood—shape a story of transformation.   The conversation sets up how creation, judgment, and restoration are tied together in symbols like water, wine, and blood,...

What does it mean that Jesus drank the cup—and said he would not drink again until the kingdom came? What is that mysterious cup that Jesus didn't want to drink? In this final episode on alcohol in Scripture and with the help of Mark Scarlata's book, Wine, Soil, and Salvation, Carey draws together themes of covenant, celebration, and sacrifice as she explores the messianic banquet and the wisdom o...

In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot , Carey uncorks the surprising biblical connection between wine and wisdom. What begins as a reflection on the interconnection of John Walton’s New Explorations and a survey of wisdom literature in Mark Scarlata's Wine, Soil, and Salvation blooms into a deeply interwoven meditation on creation order, covenant, and the spiritual maturity that wine represent...

Reviewing John Walton’s newest entry in the Lost World series: New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis . With clarity and candor, Carey explores Walton’s theological evolution—particularly the move from “functional” to “ordered” creation—and discusses the role of biblical theology in understanding Genesis 1–3.   Carey also responds to popular-level criticisms of Walton’s work, emphasizing th...

What does it mean when the Bible speaks of gods being judged? Is wrath just God's angry impulse, or is it the just consequence of misplaced allegiance?   In this episode, Carey dives deep into Deuteronomy 32 , reading it not just as a poetic song, but as a cosmic indictment —against Israel, against the nations, and against their gods. Drawing from biblical imagery, ancient Near Eastern thought, an...

What does it mean to drink the cup of wrath ? And why does Scripture use the language of vineyards, vintage, and wine to describe divine judgment?    In this richly layered episode, Carey walks us through the biblical vineyard—from Genesis to Revelation—where wine is not merely a blessing but a mirror. Here, wrath is not divine temper but a giving-over: the slow fermentation of unrepentant desire,...

In this mid-series episode of Genesis Marks the Spot , Carey takes a step between the Cup of Joy and the Cup of Wrath—into the vineyard itself. With the help of Mark Scarlata’s Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament , we explore how the land, the vine, and the embodied experience of cultivation shape biblical theology.    From Genesis to Leviticus, from midrash to metaphor...

In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot , we trace the theme of wine as joy in Scripture—what it means to share in divine abundance, and how the vine tells a story of provision, blessing, and worship. This is the first of (at least) a trilogy exploring the biblical theology of wine: from joy to judgment to covenant. With stops in Genesis, Psalms, Judges, Proverbs, and Deuteronomy—and a splash of...

In this compelling follow-up to our discussion on Noah and the relief of the cursed ground, we examine the puzzling aftermath: Noah’s drunkenness. Was it a relapse into chaos—or something else entirely?    Come walk through the deep theological and symbolic threads tied to wine in Scripture. Drawing on frame semantics, ancient rituals, and cultural insights, we explore how Noah’s actions in Genesi...

Did the Flood reverse the curse of the ground? Carey builds a compelling case for a concept that’s often overlooked—or outright dismissed: that the Flood narrative in Genesis 6–9 isn't just about judgment, but also about restoration —specifically the cleansing of the cursed ground from Genesis 3.    Carey weaves together frame semantics, Hebrew wordplay, literary design (including an overlooked ch...

In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot , we finally dive into a long-anticipated topic: frame semantics —a cognitive linguistic tool that could revolutionize how we approach biblical texts. From exploring how the word "rest" is more than just a Sabbath nap, to rethinking the identity of the Satan in Job and why the Sons of God are unique, this episode is a thoughtful journey into how meaning is...

You know his name. You know the flood. You might even think you know why Noah was given that name in the first place. But what if I told you… there's some strange artifcacts with ‘rest’ in Genesis 5:29? What if the comfort Lamech longed for wasn’t exactly what Noah delivered?  Or maybe it was more than he was looking for... Today, we’re digging into the meaning of Noah’s name, the toil of the worl...

As You Wish… Or Maybe Not? Rethinking Genesis 3:16. Genesis 3:16 has been a theological battleground for centuries—was Eve cursed ? Does this verse establish male rule? And why did the ESV change its translation again ? In this episode, we dive deep into the Hebrew text, ancient interpretations, and modern theological debates surrounding this passage. We’ll explore: Rabbinic and early Christian vi...

A conversation with Spencer Owen about reading the Bible from the OT to the NT and from the NT to the OT.  Do we need Jesus in order to read the Old Testament?        **Website:  www.genesismarksthespot.com   My Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Instagram:  https://ww...

Isn't it a bit weird that Christians are called slaves?  Isn't slavery a bad thing?      **Website:  www.genesismarksthespot.com   My Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/genesismarksthespot/   Music credit: "Marble Machine" by Winte...

Genesis 1:28 - Is human rule meant only for animals and not for other humans?  What is biblical government?  Tying in some modern social psychology with Jonathan Haidt's moral foundation theory, I offer an encouragement to political engagement in a self-giving way rather than engaging in one-up-manship.      **Website:  www.genesismarksthespot.com   My Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMark...

What if we've all got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance?  How are guilt and justice portrayed in the Bible, especially in relation to God's character?  What does shame have to do with (legal) guilt?  How do these concepts develop?  And...why does Genesis 1-11 seem so Mesopotamian??          **Website:  www.genesismarksthespot.com   My Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot   Genes...

What's up with shame in Genesis 2 but not 3, and why were Adam and Eve naked in the garden?  What were the garments of skin (and what's with these garments of glory)?       **Website:  www.genesismarksthespot.com   My Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Instagram:  http...

Ruminations of a recent lecture and Jordan B. Peterson's new book, We Who Wrestle with God.  Tyranny, slavery, sovereignty, calling, and conscience--oh, and the best way to cook a steak.          **Website:  www.genesismarksthespot.com   My Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot   Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot   Genesis Marks the S...