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I was challenged about a past episode over whether I’d properly done my homework in my research of binding and loosing.

This was in regard to episode 52, simply called Prayers of Binding and Loosing.

In that episode from last fall, my conclusion was that Matthew 16:19 was about spiritual warfare, and I covered this in the midst of a series of episodes on spiritual warfare. I spoke about binding demons, loosing people and setting them free, things like that.

Someone listened to that episode and challenged me on my interpretation, saying I hadn’t given a fair hearing to another way that those verses are often taken, which is about church discipline.

In fact, Jesus speaks of prayers of binding and loosing in only two places: there in Matthew 16, and Matthew 18, where it says:

In verse 18

18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

And undoubtedly, that verse is in a church discipline context.

I did not cover that in last fall’s episode, and I have to admit, it was a pretty big oversight. Maybe not as big as saying that Jesus wasn’t really crucified with literal nails, so at least I didn’t have the biggest blunder of this week, but if I’m perfectly honest, Matthew 18 deserves to be covered in the binding and loosing conversation.

So did I get it wrong? Is binding and loosing actually about church discipline? And if it’s not, why is it talked about right here in a church discipline passage?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

And if you listen all the way to the end today, I have a huge announcement about something I’ve been working on behind the scenes for the past few months.

Turn to Matthew 18, and let’s get weird.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - My View in Review

4:30 - The Church Discipline View

10:20 - A Case Study in Corinth

15:00 - Holy Ground in the Church

21:00 - A Major Announcement of What’s Coming

23:45 - Repentance is the Goal

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Night of the Living Dead. World War Z. Resident Evil. The Walking Dead. And… Matthew chapter 27.

What do all of these have in common? They all contain zombies.

Now, if you don’t believe me that the Bible has some zombies in it, then explain this verse to me. Matthew 27 is about the crucifixion. Now, don’t worry, I’m not about to claim that Jesus was a zombie when He rose from the dead.

Jesus had a resurrection body. He was a special situation.

But something else happened when Jesus died on the cross; something you’ve probably read several times before but just never looked at too deeply:

Matthew 27:52-53

52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

What was that again? When Jesus died on the cross, several other random people walked out of their graves and…and then they’re never heard from again?

We’ll read this in-context in just a moment, but the context doesn’t help a whole lot. This is very random, raises some big questions, and is interested in answering none of them. It just moves right along in the passage and never mentions these zombies again.

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Matthew 27, and let’s get weird.

0:00 - Introduction

1:40 - Setting the Scene

5:00 - The Details

10:15 - Asking the Experts

21:45 - The Gospel through Zombies

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

Back in January, I received this interesting question from a listener:

“So how is Jesus Jewish but Jewish people do not believe he is the messiah?? This is something I’ve been trying to wrap my head around… Nyssa from Houston Texas”

That’s a good question. Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. He had all of these prophecies about Himself throughout the OT, which He then fulfilled. He worked all kinds of miracles. He even died and rose again, and some of them still didn’t get it. So, that’s kind of weird, right?

Well I think it’s weird. And I’d like to explore why it worked out that way in the Bible.

Turn with me to John 6 and let’s get weird.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Why Jesus Was Rejected? (Nyssa)

11:35 - Was Balaam’s Oracle Messianic? (Greg)

15:00 - Why Was Elihu not Pardoned? (Beau)

16:55 - The Dominion of Man (Walter)

20:40 - Be a Weird Christian

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

When Balaam was asked to curse Israel, God gave a pretty clear NOPE

If you don’t remember the story, King Balak of the Moabites comes to Balaam and says, “I want you to climb up on this mountain above the camp of the Israelites and curse them for me so that they aren’t a threat to my people.” And he offers Balaam a lot of money to do this.

And Balaam prays about it repeatedly and begs God for permission to do this. And like I said, God shot it down. At least at first.

When He actually allowed Balaam to go up on that mountain, it was with the stipulation that he could only say what God allowed him to say.

Now, what was the big deal with Balaam going up on this mountain? If some guy wants to climb up on a big hill and yell his head off saying mean things about you, what’s the harm in that? I mean, we might kind of scoff at him and say, “what an idiot,” but we probably aren’t that worried about it. Cory Booker got up and yelled his head off for 25 hours straight. Didn’t have any effect on my life and probably not anybody else’s either. As the old saying goes, sticks and stones could break my bones, but words can never hurt me. So why should we care about Balaam doing the same thing?

Well obviously, Balak thinks it would be pretty significant; he’s willing to shell out a lot of money only to have Balaam curse the Israelites.

And God clearly didn’t treat Balaam’s attempted curse on the people of Israel as empty words or hokey superstition.

Was there something deeper going on behind Balaam’s actions?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Numbers 23, and let’s get weird.

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Failed Curses

10:30 - A Successful Curse

19:00 - The Doctrine of Balaam

22:25 - Next Time & Mailbag

24:45 - Corrupting the Tabernacle

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

In case you haven’t noticed as you’re reading your Bible, Jesus could be a bit of a trouble-maker. He was constantly riling up the Pharisees and ultra-religious Jews, He was making the Roman authorities uncomfortable, He was known to flip tables and push buttons and run off His own followers. And He’s been known to step on my toes a few times as well.

Jesus also had this tendency to outsmart the smart people. And smart people really don’t like that. That’s what they tell me, anyway.

And on one of those many occasions where the Jews literally wanted to stone Jesus, He had just said that He was equal with God. They accused Him of blasphemy for this, and He gave a very interesting reply to their accusation- one that the Jews of Jesus’ day would have comprehended, but something I think most of us Christians misunderstand.

John 10:33-34

33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?

Now that’s a strange thing to say. It sounds like Jesus is saying, “what’s the big deal with calling myself a god? Doesn’t scripture say all of us are gods?”

And then that begs another question: when did Scripture say that all of us are gods?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to John 10, and let’s get weird.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:05 - The John 10 Context

10:40 - The Psalm 82 Context

12:45 - Putting it All Together

16:50 - Next Time

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

You’ve been in those boring staff meetings before, right? The excruciatingly long staff meetings. Staff meetings that make you want to go read some Leviticus, just to live a little. Yes, we’re all familiar with a staff meeting.

Did you know that Heaven has staff meetings? In fact, Heaven’s staff meetings are where the affairs of earth are dictated. They involve various spiritual beings who are assigned authority over various territories. And they all get together and hash out their plans.

And unlike your workplace’s staff meetings, I’m sure the ones in heaven aren’t boring at all.

Now, perhaps you’re hearing all this and you’re thinking: I think if God had staff meetings, He would have told us something about it in the Bible.

And if that’s you, you’re in the right place. Because guess what: this is all through the Bible. So if you listen through to the end, I’m going to demonstrate three outlandish things, and you’re probably going to be skeptical that I can really do this, but give me a chance here. In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to prove:

1. That God has staff meetings to determine the affairs of man
2. That both good and evil spiritual beings are invited to attend and contribute at these meetings
3. That this is mentioned in various places of scripture

Pretty wild, right? But if you’re willing to listen until the end, I’ll back it all up with Bible.

And we’ll start with I Kings 22. Turn there in your bible, and let’s get weird.

0:00 - Introduction

3:25 - Ahab and Micaiah - the Earthly Drama

11:55 - God and His Council - the Heavenly Drama

19:00 - Next Time, Newsletter and Closing Thoughts on God’s Sovereignty

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Christianity is a monotheistic religion. In fact, if you go to Wikipedia’s page on Christianity, the very first line says, “Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion.” If you google it, Google will tell you that “Christianity is the largest monotheistic religion in the world.”

So obviously, if we know anything about Christianity, we have to know it’s monotheistic.

Mono is a prefix that means “one.” Theistic refers to deity. Christianity has one deity: God.

This differentiates us from the polytheists such as the Hindus or Greeks and Romans or Norse mythology or any of the pagan religions out there. They believe in multiple gods; we only believe in one.

Christianity is monotheistic, this I know; for Wikipedia tells me so.

But what does the Bible say?

Well, you’ll hear verses that speak of the God of the Universe as the One True God.

Isaiah 45:5

I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.

Sounds simple, right? But then you read verses like

Psalm 82:1

God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
He judges among the gods.

Who are these gods it speaks of here?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Psalm 82, and let’s get weird.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

1:30 - Psalm 82

6:30 - Introducing the Divine Council

11:00 - Multiple gods in Scripture

15:15 - Next Time, Newsletter and Closing Thoughts on the Trinity

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Are you ever reading through your bible and then you come across a word that your mama used to tell you not to say?

That might happen especially if you’re reading the King James Version. It has quite a few verses that can have you doing a double-take. But every version of the Bible has some shockingly crude or maybe even vulgar statements that don’t sound like they should be coming out of the Holy Scriptures.

So I hate to put a content restriction on today’s episode and I’m not going to say any curse words, but you might not want little ears to hear some of the things we’re going to study in Isaiah or Ezekiel today. But let me just say: I’m assuming Ezekiel’s grandma wasn’t in the audience when he used some of his sexual metaphors.

And Paul himself in the New Testament said a few things that may have gotten the bar of soap put in his mouth. If you don’t believe me, there’s a sweet little verse in Philippians 3 where Paul is talking about how nothing we we do can measure up to the work of Christ when it comes to our salvation.

In Philippians 3:8, he says

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

OK. That’s a nice pleasant verse to hammer home the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice…in the English.

But in the Greek, the word “rubbish” right there is a little stronger. It’s the Greek word “Skubala,” which doesn’t mean rubbish, but actually means poop. And not just any poop. One of the strongest words in the Greek language for poop.

We have some strong words for poop in our language, too. Words I won’t say here on this podcast- especially because my grandma might be listening.

But Philippians did say it. Am I listening to Howard Stern here, or am I reading the Apostle Paul?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Ezekiel 6, and let’s get weird.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:15 - Ezekiel’s Dirty Jokes

11:00 - Our Righteous is as WHAT?!

17:00 - Shock Jock Paul

23:40 - Next Time & Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!