No Experts Allowed

No Experts Allowed returns with a new episode on July 17th. Until then, Seth and Jonathan are practicing self-care, traveling, and reading. They each selected their favorite episodes of the first year to highlight: Jesus' "parable" of the Sheep and the Goats is not a parable at all. It does not start with the formulaic phrase, "The kingdom of God is like." Instead, it acts as a roadmap to finding...

No Experts Allowed returns with a new episode on July 17th. Until then, Seth and Jonathan are practicing self-care, traveling, and reading. They each selected their favorite episodes of the first year to highlight: Rejoicing during a pandemic, even one that appears to be slowing, creates difficulties. The Philippians -and Paul himself- are in difficult circumstances too. Paul is in prison. Yet, he...

No Experts Allowed returns with a new episode on July 17th. Until then, Seth and Jonathan are practicing self-care, traveling, and reading. They each selected their favorite episodes of the first year to highlight: In their first episode, Jonathan and Seth discussed the beatitudes as a calling. They hope to reframe these well-known verses and overcome their on-air jitters. This episode is timeless...

As is Mark's custom, a lot happens in this short section: Jesus goes home but is too busy to eat (Mk. 3:20), scribes accuse Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul (3:22), Jesus warns about an unforgivable sin (3:29), and Jesus redefines his family (3:35). Jonathan and Seth touch briefly on each topic and engage in-depth the new family that Jesus-followers have and experience in communion.

The Common English Bible (CEB) translates Paul's idea of "liv[ing] according to the flesh" as "liv[ing] on the basis of selfishness" (Rom. 8:12). This small shift prevents people from thinking about the flesh and the spirit as opposites; it also clarifies that Paul is against living for oneself, but wants the Romans to be oriented outward to others. Jonathan and Seth discuss this outward orientati...

Pentecost is God’s “yes” to diversity. Visitors to Jerusalem from all different backgrounds hear about God’s deeds of power in their mother tongue. Like Jonathan and Seth, they ask, “What does this mean?” This episode discusses diversity in the Church at large and how that is reflected in local congregations.

The rarely used Athanasian Creed (of which little is known for certain, but that Athanasius did not write it) is a long, elaborate declaration about the Trinity and the oneness of God. When Jesus prays for his disciples, he mentions this oneness repeatedly: that he is one with God and that God's people should be one too. Jonathan and Seth discuss the many connections this oneness facilitates in th...

Praise punctuates the psalms. In Hebrew, the name of the book of Psalms, Tehillim, means "praises." Psalm 98 is a paradigmatic praise psalm. People are singing, playing instruments, and shouting for joy - even creation joins. Jonathan and Seth discuss its imagery, how people worship differently, and the communal nature of praise.

"God is love," writes John. The difficulty with this statement is that people give, receive, and experience love differently. Jonathan and Seth examine the context of this well-known phrase to better understand God's idea of love. They make a list of what this passage says about love because it is so rich. They end, of course, by praying to the one whose love overflows for all creation.

Imagining Jesus as the good shepherd has become popular everywhere sheep can be found. This good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; that commitment is lacking in the hired hand, who flees at the first sign of danger (John 10:11-12). Jonathan and Seth read from a special translation, speculate on the identity of the hired hand, and consider how God's people are also called to be shepherds. 

Psalm 4 reads like a litany, with various petitions strung together to form a loose poem. There appears to be little structure and, as is the case with all Hebrew poetry, no ending rhyme. Fortunately, Jonathan and Seth also welcome their friend and professor, Dr. Brian Smith, to help them make sense of this mess. In the process, they discuss the God who is always present in the midst of humanity's...

The early Jesus followers pooled their resources. Some have argued this is a model for the Church today too. The portrayal in Acts, however, is less than perfect; not everyone wants to take part. Jonathan and Seth talk about what possessions they hold dear - perhaps too dear - and how Jesus' resurrection challenges us to give away more than we're comfortable with.

The original ending of Mark is abrupt. Mary, Mary, and Salome arrive at an open tomb, a young man wearing white tells them of Jesus' resurrection, and they leave petrified. Jonathan and Seth discuss the hope and fear evidenced in the women's experience and how those feelings may have been present for Mark's audience. They also talk about how hope and fear feel appropriate for today's context.

In the spirit of a Tenebrae Service (Latin for "shadows"), Jonathan and Seth read through John's story of Jesus' trial. In this Holy Week episode, they pause only briefly to talk about what struck them and invite their listeners to do the same. Otherwise, they let the story of the convicted criminal Christ speak for itself.

Before his crucifixion, Jesus washes the disciples' feet and gives them a new commandment to "Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other." In this Holy Week episode, Jonathan and Seth talk briefly about their (in)experience with foot washing and the simplicity of Jesus' final command.

Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is only "triumphal" compared to the usual poor Palestinian's arrival. It pales in comparison to Caesar's parades, pomp, and his accompanying posse. Jesus' disciples even have to borrow a colt for him to ride. Jonathan and Seth discuss this story as a critique of the Roman Empire and wonder how empires manifest today to control people's lives.

In exile, Jeremiah declares that God will make a new covenant and will embed God's teachings inside God's people. The teachings are no longer written on stone tablets or papyri but move wherever people do. Jonathan and Seth discuss how this eliminates barriers between clergy and laity and also affirms human dignity.

When the Israelites complain about their conditions wandering in the wilderness, God sends venous snakes among them. To combat these nuisances, Moses constructs a pole with a snake at the end that heals anyone who looks at it after they've been bitten. Later, in Kings, Hezekiah destroys this piece of artwork that people are making sacrifices to. Jonathan and Seth discuss how items may be helpful a...

Jesus clears the temple court when he finds it looking more like a market than a sanctuary. This passage is infamous for the "whip of cords" Jesus fashions, which some Christians have cited to justify violence. Jonathan and Seth discuss Jesus' use of the whip and how the temple market exploited people living at the subsistence level. They also wonder how contemporary religious communities create s...

When Jesus predicts his coming suffering and death, Peter rebukes him. In response, Jesus quips, "get behind me, Satan!" After this re-Mark-able interaction, Jesus talks about following him and the need to lose one's life to find it. Jonathan and Seth discuss what that might mean today and how this text can be misapplied to people already on the brink of losing their lives and livelihoods.

Psalms evidence and form theology. The Israelites sang what they believed and, in turn, believed what they sang. The same is true for psalms and hymnody today. So it is no wonder that images of following God's path are popular. Jonathan and Seth, however, discuss whether there is only one path to follow and how one can decide when to change course.

Jesus' transfiguration confuses Peter, James, and John. Peter even blurts out that they should immediately build memorials. The story has been equally as confusing to later interpreters. Jonathan and Seth discuss it in light of Jesus' baptism and ask many questions, some of which they answer.

Isaiah proclaims to the exiles in Babylon that no one compares to God. God does not grow weary, while even "young men stumble and fall" (40:30). Seth and Jonathan wonder how this was received. Isaiah's words could be painful for people living under a foreign empire, but the tireless God can also empower people to be tireless in their perseverance.

Paul summarizes his résumé for the Galatians. His words, however, irk Seth and Jonathan, who read this section as Paul bragging about himself and his accomplishments. They discuss whether arrogance is humanity’s chief sin and what it looks like to see ourselves as God sees us.

Jesus calls his disciples and tells them they will be “fishers of men.” The term “evangelizing,” however, often has negative connotations, but Jonathan and Seth hope to reframe, rethink, and reimagine evangelism. We mention Leonard Sweet’s book Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who’s Already There, which is available from an independent bookseller here .