Search the Scriptures Live

Why ask for the "coming" of God's kingdom? Is that a wish for the Second Coming or a call for us to make the kingdom present? Can God's will not be done but opposed? Join our continued discussion of the Lord's Prayer.

As we continue our study of the Lord's Prayer, we ask why we have a petition that God's name be kept holy? What does that mean? Does God need us to bless him? Why does the Bible speak about the "name" of God?

After addressing God as "Father," why do we describe his "location"? What is the purpose of saying that God is in "heaven"? Can there be any real purpose in that? Join us as we join the Fathers and continue to study their spiritual explanations of the Lord's Prayer.

The most famous prayer, the only one recited by all Christians and used continually since the first century, is the Lord's Prayer as found in the Gospel of Matthew. For this episode, we will begin to explore the deeper meaning behind the phrases of this prayer.

As the Sermon on the Mount continues, Christ turns to prayer. What does he mean when he says not to make "vain repetitions" or to go into a "closet" to pray? Does this mean we need not go to Church? If the Father already knows what we need, why do we pray at all?

Join us tonight as we celebrate 15 years of Search the Scriptures Live and Dr. Jeannie. Special guests will be with us. Please call in @ 1-855-237-2346 to congratulate Dr. Jeannie.

The final words of the Lord in Matthew 5 are the command to "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." How can we possibly be "perfect"? We have been challenged with many seemingly impossible ideals so far in the Sermon on the Mount. How do the Fathers explain this?

The 10 Commandments are not the highest moral code for Christians. The Lord fulfilled the Law and inaugurated a new and higher standard. Join us as we continue our analysis of the Sermon on the Mount.

Fr. Evan Armatas joins us for a special show to discuss his book, Reclaiming the Great Commission. The command of Christ to "make disciples of all nations" is often neglected by Orthodox Christians but it is essential to the gospel, the very purpose of the Church.

We no longer observe the Jewish laws, so what did Christ mean when he said during the Sermon on the Mount that he did not come to abolish the Law? What about the Ten Commandments? Are those rules the moral standards for Christians? Join us as we continue to study Matthew 5.

As we continue our study of the Beatitudes, one of the most famous passages in the Bible, we hear "blessed are those who mourn," and "blessed are the meek." These and other Beatitudes seem illogical and impossible. Did Christ intend them literally? The Fathers will explain.

The greatest sermon ever preached, certainly the most famous, is the Sermon on the Mount. The wisdom of Jesus is astonishing, especially compared to the mentality of first-century Judaism. With Chrysostom as our guide, we will begin delving into the Beatitudes.

As we continue our discussion of the Temptation of Christ in Matthew chapter 4, we will look at what the Fathers of the Church tell us about Christ's temptation and why Christians should not only endure temptations but even welcome them.

Why was Christ tempted after baptism? What does his temptation teach us about our baptism, the devil and spiritual warfare? Fr. Costas will be joining us!

A Deeper Look at the Baptism of Christ: Important theology is revealed and heresies are refuted by this event. The Father's voice shows fulfillment of the most perplexing Old Testament events. Other mysteries are also revealed about the Holy Spirit and our own baptisms.

The Baptism of Christ raises so many questions. First, why is this feast called Epiphany and Theophany? Why is this event considered a "big deal" in Orthodoxy when it is barely even mentioned by other Christians? Since baptism is for the forgiveness of sin, and John's baptism was for repentance, why was Christ baptized at all? Join us for the first Search the Scriptures of 2023 as we discuss these...

"Brood of Vipers!" St. John the Forerunner addressed the Jewish leaders with those harsh words when they came to the Jordan River to see him. Jesus would condemn them in the same way. But why did their presence call for such a sharp rebuke? More about St. John, the corrupt leadership in Jerusalem and Jewish attitudes in the first century.

John the Forerunner led an amazing and unusual life, described as an "angelic life," growing up in the wilderness of Judea. Yet rumors about influence by a strict Jewish sect have become popular today. Was John an Essene? Why did he baptize? Did John's baptism actually forgive sins? Join us as we continue our discussion of this important figure in Christian history, the Forerunner and Baptist of t...

john the Lord's Forerunner and Baptist is one of the most important saints of Christian history. We can see his prominence in every Orthodox Church by his position next to Christ on the iconostasis. He occupies a leading role at the beginning of all four gospels. Why was his ministry and presence so important? What made John so great that the Lord said that no man ever born was greater than John?...

The Massacre of the Innocents and Flight to Egypt. For Christians, Herod the Great's most notorious act was the murder of innocent babies in his effort to kill the Christ child but Mary, Joseph and Jesus had fled to Egypt. Today some Bible scholars question whether these events even occurred. Can we trust the historicity of the Bible? What facts and traditions support Matthew's account?

King of the Jews? Herod the Great was not even Jewish! And yet, Herod had been proclaimed King in Judea by the Romans. Lacking legitimacy, he established his kingdom by brutality and terror. That insecurity never leaves him and he becomes greatly disturbed when a few foreign visitors ask him a simple question, "Where is he who is born King of the Jews?" We will delve into the person and personalit...

Herod, the Magi, a Star... Are the descriptions of Herod, the Magi, and the Star of Bethlehem historically accurate, symbolic or legendary? Matthew emphasizes the royal and divine nature of Christ, and central to the story is a king who felt threatened by the one who was "born King of the Jews." Why would Herod the Great feel threatened by a little baby? Why was he called "the Great" anyhow? Join...

Pagan myths and the virgin birth. Is it true that pagans had stories about virgin births? Is it possible that the gospel stories were inspired by these mythologies? What about other elements in the Infancy Narratives, such as the Star and Herod's attempts to kill the newly born Christ? Are those historically based or simply imagery to convey messages and meaning about the birth of Jesus Christ?

Palace or manger? Royalty or poverty? The Birth of Christ in Matthew 1. As we continue our study of Matthew 1, we begin by responding to the criticisms of Jews and pagans about the genealogy of Christ in Matthew and Luke with answers from the Fathers of the Church. But why is the birth of Christ told differently by Matthew and Luke? What significant lessons do each teach us about the Incarnation o...

Meticulous Matthew, the first evangelist has been called. What do we actually know about Matthew from early Church tradition? The first gospel is not written by someone we might expect, someone prominent among the disciples, such as St. Peter. Instead, the first gospel was written by a former tax collector. And yet, he gave us a gospel that is magnificent in its spiritual insight and astonishing i...