ProveText

What do you do when you’re “productive”… but not actually moving forward? In this episode of Sabbatical Insider, Dr. Fredrick J. Long shares the reality of hitting a research lull—that frustrating space between activity and real progress. From academic work and live teaching to fishing trips, broken equipment, farm life, and chasing sheep, this episode captures the messy middle of sabbatical life....

Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb and Dr. Fred Long continue their slow walk through 1 Corinthians, examining 1 Corinthians 1:5–6 in the Greek text. Paul says the Corinthians were “enriched in every way… in all speech and knowledge.” But what does that actually mean? In this episode they explore: • The significance of Paul’s repetition of “all” (παν) • Why logos and gnosis become key themes in the letter...

What does it actually mean that God “rested” in Genesis 1? Most people assume it means stopping, relaxing, or taking a break. But in the ancient world, “rest” didn’t mean inactivity—it meant enthronement. In this episode, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb explores how Genesis 1 presents God not as exhausted, but as taking His place as King over creation. That changes everything. 👉 Creation is not just ma...

Academic sabbatical sounds like a season of rest… but the reality is something else. In this episode of Sabbatical Insider, Dr. Fredrick J. Long shares what this week actually looked like—paper proposals, long-term planning, overflowing emails, and the unexpected stress that comes with it all. From feeling “frazzled” to finding a reset out on the river during white bass fishing season, this is a r...

In this episode of the ProveText Podcast, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb is joined by Dr. Lance Hawley and Dr. Garrett Best to discuss their edited volume: Teaching God’s Sons and Daughters: Essays in Honor of Allen Black. This festschrift celebrates the life, scholarship, and influence of Allen Black, a beloved teacher whose work in Luke–Acts and whose passion for the church shaped generations of stud...

“I’m only human.” It’s a phrase we use often—but have we ever stopped to ask what we mean by it? In this episode, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb revisits Genesis 1 to explore how Scripture defines humanity—not by sin, but by vocation, identity, and purpose. If Jesus is truly human and without sin, what does that reveal about what it means to be human? 👉 This conversation invites us to rethink a deeply...

In this episode, Dr. Long reflects on returning to Kentucky after time in Arizona, adjusting back to rhythm, and rediscovering the value of hard skills—from cutting trees and building fences to baking bread, fishing, and living more intentionally. What can you actually do with your hands? What skills have we lost in modern life? And how might reclaiming them reshape the way we live? Along the way,...

In this episode of Corinth Conversations, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb and Dr. Fredrick J. Long continue their slow walk through 1 Corinthians, focusing on 1 Corinthians 1:3–4. What seems like a simple greeting—“grace and peace”—is actually packed with meaning. Paul blends Jewish and Greek greetings, emphasizes the lordship of Jesus, and roots everything in the grace of God given through Christ. In t...

Most modern readers approach Genesis 1 as if it’s answering scientific questions: How long were the days? How old is the earth? But in the ancient world, creation stories weren’t written to settle science debates — they were written to explain power. In this episode, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb explores Genesis 1 in its ancient Near Eastern context, comparing it to Babylon’s Enuma Elish and showing...

Professor Fred Long reflects on the final weeks of his sabbatical in Mesa, Arizona. After more than 30 years in academia, sabbatical provides a rare chance to slow down, work on meaningful projects, and spend time with family. In this episode, Fred shares highlights from the past 10–11 weeks: finishing major writing projects, helping publish several books, developing new courses, launching the 1 C...

In this episode of the ProveText Podcast, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb sits down with Christian author, speaker, and podcaster Melinda Patrick to talk about one of the most difficult journeys a parent can face: loving an LGBTQ-identified child without compromising biblical truth. Melinda shares her deeply personal story—what it felt like when her child first opened up, the grief and fear that followe...

In this episode of the ProveText Podcast, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb responds to a viral video claiming that people who leave the church haven’t lost their faith — they’ve simply left behind hate, hypocrisy, and harmful institutions. Is that true? As both a pastor and a biblical scholar, Dr. Halcomb offers a careful, pastoral, and analytical response. He examines several logical fallacies in the ar...

In this episode of Sabbatical Insider, Dr. Fred Long shares the real ups and downs of sabbatical life—unexpected busy work, ongoing academic responsibilities, and even surprising reflections sparked by playing online games. From accreditation reports and recommendation letters to editing scholarly publications and calculating royalties for GlossaHouse, sabbatical often includes far more behind-the...

In this episode of The Corinth Conversations, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb and Dr. Fredrick J. Long walk word by word through 1 Corinthians 1:2.What does Paul mean by “the church of God in Corinth”? Why emphasize that they are sanctified and called holy? And what did it mean to confess that Jesus is Lord in a Roman imperial city? This single verse is loaded — ecclesiology, identity, unity, and a clai...

In this Bible Scholar Reacts episode, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb responds to a viral video claiming that Paul never commands husbands to lead their wives and that the Greek word kephale (“head”) only means “source,” not authority. Is that linguistically accurate? Dr. Halcomb affirms what’s right in the argument — but also explains where the Greek is being stretched beyond what the evidence can supp...

In this episode of Sabbatical Insider, Dr. Fredrick J. Long reflects on editing a devotional on freedom, holding a bootleg copy of The Last Silver Snail, and wrestling with research on Philippians 2 and 1 Thessalonians 4. Are “heavenly, earthly, and under the earth” beings really people—or gods? Is Paul describing a cosmic battle at Christ’s return? And what does ancient rhetoric have to do with “...

In this episode of the ProveText Podcast, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb sits down with Dr. Robert Plummer (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Daily Dose of Greek) for an honest, lighthearted, behind-the-scenes conversation about studying and teaching Greek. This isn’t a technical lecture. It’s two Greek professors pulling back the curtain. We talk about: • What we believed about Greek early on — a...

The ancient world assumed that good was limited—honor, wealth, land, blessing. If someone gained, someone else must have lost. That assumption shaped how people heard Jesus. In this episode of Cultural Keys, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb explores the ancient “limited good” mindset and shows how it helps explain: - Why generosity felt unfair - Why Jesus’ parables provoked anger - Why fear—not economics...

Dr. Fredrick J. Long shares an honest update from sabbatical life — including “nil” writing progress, the pressure of productivity, and the challenge of balancing kingdom work with measurable output. In this episode, he reflects on writing a devotional on freedom (and why 400 words wasn’t enough), ongoing GlossaHouse publishing projects, committee work, financial responsibilities, and meaningful c...

Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb and Dr. Fredrick J. Long are back together after a long break — and they’re jumping into a brand-new, conversation-style, verse-by-verse series through 1 Corinthians. In this kickoff episode, they set the stage: - Why Corinth is such a “messy” but crucial church to study - The social pressure-cooker of status, patronage, slavery, honor/shame, and empire - Paul’s contested...

When we hear the word gift, we usually think “no strings attached.” But that’s not how the ancient world worked — especially in the New Testament. In this episode of Cultural Keys, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb explores reciprocity: how gifts, meals, and hospitality created obligation, loyalty, and relationship in the biblical world. Why was table fellowship so controversial? Why did Jesus eating with...

In this episode of Sabbatical Insider, Dr. Fredrick J. Long reflects on a difficult week marked by stress, controversy, chronic pain, and the emotional toll of public discourse — even while on sabbatical. He shares the completion of his fantasy novel The Last Silver Snail, discusses the unexpected realities of faculty life (yes, syllabi are still due), explores the growth of Gamma Rho Kappa Greek...

In this ProveText Podcast conversation, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb sits down with Old Testament scholar Dr. David Firth (Trinity College Bristol) to discuss foreigners, immigrants, and belonging in the Old Testament—especially across Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Dr. Firth challenges the common assumption that the Old Testament is broadly hostile toward foreigners and argues that the biblical...

Modern readers often confuse biblical collectivism with modern political ideologies—but the ancient world wasn’t ideological, it was relational. In this episode of Cultural Keys, Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb explains how identity, obedience, blessing, and even sin were understood communally in the biblical world—and why Scripture constantly speaks in terms of family, people, and belonging, not isolat...

In this episode of Sabbatical Insider, Dr. Fredrick J. Long shares a behind-the-scenes look at what sabbatical really looks like—beyond rest, into creativity, reflection, and meaningful work. The episode begins with highlights from a fishing trip through Arizona and Lake Havasu, capturing moments of recreation, beauty, and unexpected success on the water. From there, Dr. Long walks viewers through...