The Biblical Unitarian Podcast

In this episode, we explore how portrayals of the personified word and personified wisdom of God influenced the opening line of John's Gospel, "The Word was with God" (John 1:1). We note several Jewish texts—all predating the Gospel of John—where poets depicted God alongside his word/wisdom without suggesting that these personified attributes were conscious divine persons. Buy Wisdom Christology i...

This episode explores the origins of the Logos from what is depicted in John chapter 1, namely, the "word" that was present in the beginning with God." We look into the Hebrew counterpart of Logos within the Old Testament, surveying its range of lexical meaning. This episode gives special attention to the passages in the Old Testament where the "word" is personified as an agent of God's creation a...

As we conclude our study on the "Son of Man" sayings in the Gospel of John, we note an insistence that Jesus is a representative figure for human beings who are drawn to him. We also observe particular stress upon the fact that Jesus died fully and completely, indicating his mortality. Moreover, we discuss the hour of the Son of Man's glorification and note how this helps frame the important relat...

In John chapter 9, the blind man is healed and confesses Jesus as the Son of Man. In doing so, we learn that the Son of Man is a fully-fledged human being, functioning as God's agent. Those who do not regard Jesus as the true agent of God in the passage are judged as blind and still in their sins. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC    Buy The Son of Go...

In John 8:28, the Son of Man claims, "I am he." This has led to a variety of interpretations. This episode looks at three modern scholarly views of what this phrase means for our current passage and the Gospel of John as a whole.   Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC    Buy The Son of God: Three Views of the Identity of Jesus: https://a.co/d/65WTnrC   S...

This episode focuses on John 6:62, where the Son of Man speaks of the scandal of ascending to where he was previously. How can we take seriously the identity of the Son of Man as the human agent of God while also giving fair weight to the insistence that he is to ascend to where he was before? This episode provides a balanced interpretation worth considering. My latest book, Wisdom Christology in...

In John chapter six, the narrative presents Jesus as the Son of Man who is the bread of life. In doing so, Jesus is portrayed as a human being in the strongest possible terms. However, the Son of Man's flesh is also depicted as coming down out of heaven, arguably as a reference to Logos Christology and Wisdom Christology. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMF...

As we continue to explore the Fourth Gospel's depiction of Jesus as the Son of Man, we observe that this human being is to be the object of a believer's faith. We also note that the Son of Man is authorized to exercise divine prerogatives, specifically, to give eternal life and to execute judgment. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC    Buy The Son of G...

The Gospel of John has many "Son of Man" sayings that are not located in the previous three Gospels. In this episode, we explore the Son of Man who acts as the ladder between the open heavens and those on earth. We also explore how this authorized human being functions as an exclusive revealer of the things of heaven while remaining an actual human being. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of Jo...

In this episode, we explore the Gospel of Luke and its understanding of Jesus' favorite self-reference, the Son of Man. We discuss passages where Jesus is the human representative of the suffering people of God, both past and present, and depictions of the Son of Man as personified wisdom's embodiment and as the mortal one who died and rose. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback)...

As we continue our study through the Gospel of Matthew to better understand the Christological significance of Jesus' favorite self-reference, "the Son of Man," we encounter passages where the Son of Man possesses authority over the angels, the right to rule as a king, and the role of judge. We also observe that Jesus calls other human beings his "brothers," which further indicates that the Son of...

The Gospel of Matthew has additional sayings about the Son of Man that are absent from the Gospel of Mark. In this episode, we begin to explore these sayings in Matthew, where the Son of Man is a rejected figure, a figure who "comes," one who speaks in terms of Lady Wisdom, and who is greater than Jonah and Solomon. Matthew illustrates his Christology in terms of Jesus as a high-ranking human Mess...

In the final "Son of Man" story within the Gospel of Mark, Jesus stands before the High Priest in a trial regarding Jesus' temple actions and claims to be the Messiah. The messianic secret is finally revealed to Israel's leadership, but Jesus' claim to being the human Son of Man possessing authority from God results in being sentenced to death. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperba...

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says that the demise of the Son of Man is predicted in Scripture. However, there are no passages within the Hebrew Bible that talk about the suffering and death of a "son of man" figure. This episode explores the possibility that Daniel chapter 7 was the passage Jesus had in mind, a conclusion with important implications for the Christology of the title "Son of Man" in...

In Mark chapter 13, Jesus gives the Olivet Discourse, which tells of a coming tribulation that will face the people of God. What most readers miss is that Mark portrays the events surrounding the betrayal, suffering, and death of the Son of Man with much of the same language used in Mark 13. This episode explores the relevance of the Son of Man representing the suffering people of God and how this...

The Gospel of Mark portrays the Son of Man returning with God's glory to act as judge. What are we to make of the Son of Man who performs God's role of judge and bears God's glory? Do these descriptions make Jesus divine, or are they indicators that God has empowered Jesus as an exceptional human agent of the true God? This episode explores these points within the depiction of the Son of Man in Ma...

The vocation of "Christ" in Mark's Gospel is unpacked as the Son of Man who will be rejected and killed. This episode explores how this expansion of the role belonging to Israel's Messiah, precisely as an authorized human being, contributes to Mark's Christology and discipleship. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC    Buy The Son of God: Three Views of...

In the conflict story of Jesus' authority on the Sabbath, the title "Son of Man" is again referenced in Mark's Gospel. This episode explores what Jesus means by this title and how it makes the most sense as a reference to a special human agent of the true God who bears considerable authority. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC    Buy The Son of God: Th...

Mark's Gospel depicts the very first occurrence of Jesus claiming to be the Son of Man in a conflict story regarding whether Jesus can forgive sins, a feat typically reserved for God alone. This episode explores how Jesus is portrayed as the authorized Son of Man as a window into the high human christology of Mark. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC   ...

It seems clear that Jesus Christ drew heavily on the depiction of the "one like a son of man" in Daniel 7:13. What are we to make of this enigmatic figure? This episode seeks to understand what can be reasonably known about Daniel's "son of man" and speculate on what significance Jesus might have drawn from its imagery. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9...

Jesus used the phrase "Son of Man" of himself more frequently than any other title. What was it about this phrase that was so important to Jesus? This episode seeks to explore the origins of the phrase by looking at its appearances within the Hebrew Bible. We conclude that a "son of man" casually indicates a mortal human being. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co...

Is the reference to baptism "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" in Matt 28:19 authentic Scripture? Many argue today that this verse has been tampered with and is now corrupt. This episode seeks to ascertain the details surrounding Matt 28:19 and its original meaning (how the author intended it to be understood). Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d...

Although the Book of Revelation is ignored and regarded as confusing by many Christians, some have insisted that it portrays the risen Jesus as one of the heavenly angels. In fact, a few published books by PhD-holding scholars have contributed to this argument. This episode examines their arguments to see if the Book of Revelation, like the rest of the New Testament, depicts Jesus as the human Mes...

What sort of picture of Jesus do we get from examining the arguments of Hebrews and 1 Peter? Is the risen Jesus, in any sense, a heavenly angel? Or is Jesus the highly exalted human Messiah, seated at Yahweh's right hand? The writers of Hebrews and 1 Peter both point to the latter conclusion. Buy Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (paperback): https://a.co/d/iMFP9VC    Buy The Son of God: Th...

This episode will look at some objections to suggesting that Paul regarded the risen Jesus as a human being. Two passages within the letters of Paul are often pointed to in order to argue that Paul actually did think of the risen Jesus as a nonhuman heavenly angel, even an archangel. This episode examines Gal. 4:14 and 1 Thes. 4:16 to determine what they teach regarding the risen Jesus' identity....