The Hidden Orchard Podcast

Hidden in the Book of Genesis is a hint about the creation of humankind and our purpose on Earth. But you need to look at the Hebrew, as you won't find it in the English, Greek, or Latin.   For more information and visuals: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/a-hidden-message-in-genesis-2-the-formation-of-humankind  

Many modern Bible readers approach the opening text of Genesis with a bias towards a Young Earth or Old Earth. Which side is right? Leveraging the work of Dr. Gerald Schroeder, we find a novel, yet science-based, approach to understanding the age of the universe.   For more info: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/old-earth-young-earth-or-both

Jewish tradition recognizes three categories of people in the world, the Tzadik, the Rasha, and the Beinoni. From various sources, we unpack what it means to be an inbetweener and how we get the wrong idea about spiritual growth.     For Citations, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/three-types-of-people-the-tzadik-the-rasha-and-the-inbetweener/  

A close reading of the Book of Job provides an overlooked connection between the nations, judgment, the Noahide laws, and the fall holidays of the Bible.   Learn More: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-nations-on-trial-rosh-hashanah-and-the-divine-council  

Paul's famous "submit to governing authorities" may not have been about Rome. Reading Romans 13 in its synagogue setting reveals a different take on who the "rulers" were and what Paul may have meant.   https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/rereading-romans-13-did-paul-say-to-obey-the-government/

Truly understanding the Bible means closing knowledge gaps most readers don't know exist. Going deeper isn't about acquiring more information; it's more like a complete change of operating system. Four shifts in thinking will help one begin the journey from Athens to Jerusalem.   For more information, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/athens-to-jerusalem-four-shifts-for-learning-the-bible/  ...

What if the world beneath us is not empty? Jewish tradition describes seven inhabited earths, a portal in Hebron, and the inner Earth palace where Messiah waits.   For more info, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-seven-earths-inner-earth-in-torah-midrash-and-zohar/  

She’ol, Hades & Gehenna: Mapping the Biblical Underworld. What is She'ol? Korach's descent into the earth opens a study of the Jewish concept of the underworld, its gates, chambers, and appearances of this tradition in the New Testament. https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/sheol-hades-gehenna-mapping-the-biblical-underworld/  

Learn how the Cursing of the Fig Tree, though taught as a pillar of Replacement Theology, might actually be a Midrash on two well-known prophetic passages. Subscribe for more like this.

Was Rabbinic Judaism a corruption of Biblical faith, or the reason Judaism survived? Explore the Pharisees, the destruction of the Temple, and the historical roots of Rabbinic tradition, and why many have gotten this wrong. For more on this topic, visit our Second Temple Judaism Category: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/tag/second-temple-judaism/  

The outcome of the Jerusalem Council wasn't simply a welcome letter to the Gentiles; it was a framework for ongoing growth. And without the venue, the synagogue, the letter's guidance falls apart. For notes and more information, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/moses-is-preached-in-every-city-the-missing-key-to-the-jerusalem-decree/  

A strange encounter between a Rabbi and the daughter of the Roman emperor opens the door to a deeper mystery about humility, the soul, hidden wisdom, and the meaning behind Jesus’s teaching about “new wine.”   For more, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-mystery-of-wine-wisdom-emptying-our-vessel/  

One of the most direct critiques of Replacement Theology came from Jesus himself. And while commentators have spent centuries softening his words, Jesus's statement, "Salvation is from the Jews," makes a strong endorsement for the Oral Torah. For more, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/proofs-of-oral-torah-salvation-is-from-the-jews/

Thomas's refusal to believe in the resurrection without seeing Jesus's wounds is typically read as a failure of faith. But against the backdrop of rabbinic tradition, the Gospel of John affirms details of the Pharisaic tradition of the Resurrection of the Dead.   Visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/was-thomas-a-doubter-the-pharisees-tradition-and-the-resurrection/  

As life draws to a close, the boundary between worlds begins to thin, and loved ones who have passed may come to guide the soul home. Ancient accounts from the Rabbinic literature seem to reflect modern end-of-life research, affirming the belief that no soul makes the journey alone. For more information, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/  

The story of Esther is about the hidden hand of Hashem. But hidden doesn't mean absent. Drawing on Esther Rabbah and other Midrashim, we explore how Divine providence operates through angels, accidents, and unseen nudges.   Visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/angels-behind-the-scenes-hidden-miracles-in-esther/  

Drawing on the Mussar trait of Perishut (Abstinence), we explore the discipline of abstaining even from the permitted as a path to clarity, freedom, and holiness.   For more information, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/perishus-absintacence/  

Though traditionally perceived as a break from Jewish tradition, Jesus’s arguments with certain Pharisees were well within Rabbinic legal norms. This article explores the Jewish legal and practical frameworks behind Gospel debates and how misunderstandings have shaped centuries of Christian reading.  

After the collective prophecy faded, Jewish tradition still spoke of a heavenly voice, the Bat Kol, calling out to us from above. From the Talmud to the Apostolic writings, learn how this tradition still speaks to us today.   For more, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/a-voice-from-heaven-the-bat-kol-in-rabbinic-and-new-testament-traditions/  

Peter’s vision in Acts 10 is often interpreted as evidence of the nullification of the Torah’s dietary laws. Yet a closer reading reveals a different story. Further, this episode reads like a Midrash on Gentile inclusion, shaped by Biblical imagery and a distinctly Rabbinic style of storytelling.   For more information and sources, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/peters-vision-is-acts-10-a...

Long before Chasidic Judaism, the Bible and the sages spoke of the chasid, one who serves the Creator with love, humility, and holy intention. In this episode, we begin an exploration of this concept and examine how it may have shaped the spiritual worldview of Jesus.   For more information and citations, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-way-of-the-chasid-rediscovering-the-ancient-path/...

What if one of the most influential thinkers in church history turned out to be a case of mistaken identity? We'll look at how an anonymous Neoplatonic writer slipped into the stream of Apostolic tradition and shaped the Church's understanding of heaven, hell, angels, and salvation.   For more information, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-accidental-apostle-the-story-of-psuedo-dionysius...

One of the most common and troubling concepts associated with the Bible has to be the idea of "eternal punishment." But when we dig through the layers of Greek-to-Hebrew translations, we find a different picture of the afterlife. For more information on this topic, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/eternal-punishment/  

Did Jesus celebrate Chanukkah? When we look closely at the elements in John, chapter 10, familiar themes from the prophets emerge, giving us a clue to the messianic tradition behind this winter holiday.   To subscribe, or learn more - visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-good-shepherd-and-the-chanukkah-connection/  

Did Jesus reject Jewish dietary laws, declaring all foods clean? In this episode, we unpack the discussion in Mark 7 to challenge the popular tradition that Jesus abolished Torah-given commandments, showing instead how ‘traditions vs. commandments’ reflects a misreading of first-century Judaism.   Learn more: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/traditions-and-commandments/