Tag: Religion

Two Powers in Heaven

Todd and Tyler talk about the Two Powers in Heaven thesis, the idea that in Second Temple Judaism and earlier there was understood to be a secondary divine figure alongside the primary God, YHWH. We discuss the Angel of the Lord, the Word of the Lord, and the Son of Man. We go into texts from the Hebrew Bible as well as extra-Biblical texts like the Book of Enoch, Targums, and Talmudic texts. We talk about similarities between the divine beings in Israel and in Canaanite religion. One interesting implication of all this is that many features of Christianity sometimes thought to be innovations, with possible Greek influence or even corruption, were rather native to the milieu of Second Temple Judaism. These include an understanding of God as more than one person, the Messiah as a divine figure, the Logos or Word of the Lord, and the Son of Man.

The Book of Revelation, Part 2

Todd and Tyler return to the Book of Revelation, this time moving into the visions in chapters 4 and 5. The throne, the 24 elders, the 4 living creatures, the scroll with 7 seals, the Lion of Judah who is also a Lamb, and the new song. We also begin to look at the opening of the seals in chapter 6 but mostly leave the 4 horsemen waiting in the wings until next time.

The Book of Revelation, Part 1

Todd and Tyler talk about the Book of Revelation. Or is it Revelations? Revelationses perhaps? We talk about the genre of apocalyptic literature and the vivid imagery taken from Exodus, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The apocalyptic and supernatural worldview. The letters of John to the Seven churches. And the value of the book for spiritual insight as an “unveiling” of Christ’s mission and identity. In this first part we get through chapters 1-3. Later chapters will be taken up in future episodes.