Truth Be Told

Good Guys and Bad Guys

I've noticed a tendency, in most Bible studiers, to categorize characters into "good guys" and "bad guys."

While the authors of the Bible DO use storytelling techniques to communicate historical truths, we do need to be careful of overgeneralizations of characters into good and bad categories.

When we aren't, there are a few pitfalls we can stumble into:

1. We don't study deeply into moments when "good characters" do less than good things.

2. We refuse to admit that the actions of "good characters" are actually bad and end up justifying evil.

3. We might not notice when stereotypically "bad" characters do good things.

4. We feel cognitive dissonance when we're told that certain characters are "good" but we read about them doing awful things, thus, disenfranchising the biblical text.

5. We feel the need to "play teams" with biblical characters, forgetting that the Bible is more concerned about GOD'S goodness and our discerning of it through people stepping in and out of alignment with His will and way, than it is about individual character's generalized goodness.

Instead, we need to be okay with the fact that Biblical characters are people. As flawed, if not (at times) more so, as you and me.

This will help us process complex individuals better, ensure we're looking through a human lens at.... humans, and keep our mind's focused on discerning good and evil through God's eyes rather than the categories we set up based on our feelings about certain characters.

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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Elijah Didn't Go To Heaven - The Chariot of Fire Reexamined

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Many Christians believe Elijah was taken directly to heaven in a chariot of fire—but does the Bible actually say that?

In this video, we examine Jesus’ own words that “no man has ascended into heaven,” the overlooked letter Elijah sent to King Jehoram after the chariot event, and the Hebrew meaning of “heaven” as it often refers to the sky or atmosphere.

When all the evidence is placed side by side, the traditional assumption about Elijah may not hold up.

This isn’t about attacking belief—it’s about interpreting Scripture honestly.

📖 Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible really says.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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Heaven and Earth As Witnesses

As part of God's Law, He determines that, in order to verify the truth of a matter in court, it must be brought before the leaders by the mouth of two or three witnesses. This would ensure that no single, jealous or angry party testifies falsely, wrongly condemning an innocent person.

In establishing the covenant with Israel, God appears to follow this by calling two witnesses of His own - Heaven and Earth.

The question this episode seeks to answer is, without eyes or ears to witness or a mouth to testify, how are Heaven and Earth valid witnesses, and what EXACTLY (or WHO exactly) are they witnessing about or against?

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

Responding to Atheist Emails

A few months ago, I received an email from an atheist outlining several supposed issues with Christian theology and thinking.

This email covered everything from miracle claims to morality and, it seemed to me, these questions were asked with sincerity.

In this episode we respond, systematically, to the concerns presented and, hopefully, come closer to clarity of understanding between people who believe and people who don't.

Atheists aren't bad people just because they don't believe in God. Christians aren't dumb people just because they believe in the text of Scripture. As often as we can reject these extreme narratives, come to the table, and have honest and open discussion with one another, the better.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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What Does It Mean To Be "Freed From the Law"?

What does it mean to be "freed from the Law"?

Would you be surprised to know that the Bible doesn't actually ever state this?

Certainly there are sections of Scripture that discuss Law and the ways we now relate to it under the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. And, certainly, those sections do reflect a difference in HOW we relate to that same Law. But nowhere in Scripture does it say that we are FREED from obedience or rules or that God has no expectation of us as Christians.

So what DOES the Bible say?

When thinking about this, we have to ask ourselves - what do we even MEAN by this question?

I can't imagine finding ANY Christian who would state that we're freed from the Law meaning we are now free to sin at will. Most often, I see people interpreting these passages about Law as meaning we are freed from CERTAIN laws that seem outdated or overtly Jewish in nature.

Is THIS what the Bible means?

Next, we have to ask ourselves: what does the Bible mean by Law?

This might seem like an obvious question but.. it really isn't. Did Paul mean that Jesus had eased off the burden of Roman law in Israel? Did he mean the 10 commandments are no longer valid? What about the Oral vs. Written Law?

In this episode we take a look at what the Bible ACTUALLY says about Law because.. these sections can get really complicated.

Legalists will often accuse mainstream Christians of anti-nomianism (being against the Law). Other Christians even HEAR the word Law and accuse someone of being legalistic.

This episode seeks to take the Bible at its word, reject extremist viewpoints, and make sense of some confusing concepts in the Bible. When we do this we should be able to ease ourselves of cognitive dissonance.

Christians live as if there are moral standards that God, in His goodness, legislates, but to hear the word Law sounds too restrictive to many people.

Let's ease that tension.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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What's Jesus So Angry About?

In the Gospels, we get an account of Jesus overturning tables and driving out the money changers. He calls them a den of thieves which, to most readers, tells us that the thing He's angry about is their dishonest business dealings.

They must be taking advantage of the poor, buying and selling unfairly, and extorting those who can't help but fall prey to them. Right?

Kind of.

Jesus isn't just arbitrarily calling them a den of thieves, and He doesn't arbitrarily decide to state that the temple was meant to be a house of prayer for all peoples.

These are verses from Jeremiah and Isaiah, respectively, that we can read for ourselves to understand the context with which Jesus is speaking.

In both sections of Jeremiah and Isaiah, God is displeased with Israel's treatment of the foreigner and stranger who is attempting to draw near to God.

In the Gospels, it helps us to know that Jesus is overturning the tables OUTSIDE OF the Court of the Gentiles.

Who is being extorted? Who is being cheated to make a profit? The same people that Israel has always mistreated - those to whom they were supposed to be bringing the light of God as a model nation - the Gentiles.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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Isaiah Seems So "Tense"

In the book of Isaiah we get to read an amazing prophecy about the coming Messiah. When we line this prophecy up with the events of Jesus's life they fit to a point of precision that should amaze us and YET, it would have been so obscure to reader's in Isaiah's (or even Jesus's time) that to believe the events of Jesus's life were fabricated to REPLICATE this prophecy also doesn't seem very likely.

As awesome as it is that this prophecy stands as a cool proof text for Jesus as Messiah, something literarily occurs in this chapter that really stood out to me - the tense changes mid prophecy.

Instead of Isaiah saying, "He WILL come," he speaks as if He HAS come. Instead of Isaiah saying, He SHALL bear our sins," he speaks as if he HAS borne them already. At a certain point, he does switch to future tense. Why?

What can we learn from this interesting little piece of information? Why would Isaiah write a prophecy about the Messiah that actually reads BETTER for someone living during our time than someone living in his own?

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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Is Something Wrong With Quoting Extrabiblical Sources?

In this episode we begin a discussion on quoting sources. While, on the surface, this might not seem like a biblically relevant topic, it is one that people have differing opinions on throughout Christian circles.

When we quote various books and authors, what is the responsibility of the person offering the quote to make disclaimer statements regarding what ELSE from the author we do or do not ascribe to?

Most of the sources we will draw on (outside of Scripture itself) will be connected in SOME way to something unsavory, undesirable, or downright unholy. While, of course, we should be careful about where we draw information from and use solid discernment while reading and studying (especially as it relates to assisting with our understanding of Scripture), does the inability of any person throughout history (aside from Jesus Christ) to stand up to rigorous scrutiny mean that we should avoid quotations or references altogether?

The reality of the situation is, there are many people who use quotes regularly in sermons or conversations with other Christians AND there are many who are uncomfortable with a loose utilization of quotations for fear of some being led astray when checking out quoted sources that, in other places, might state things better left unsaid.

In this environment, and whatever our responsibility towards precise vetting of sources for moral purity, we are responsible for treating one another with love when we disagree - especially on topics like this.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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Who Hardened Pharaoh's Heart?

In the book of Exodus we read a very challenging set of verses. One says that GOD hardens Pharaoh's heart. One says that PHARAOH hardens his own heart. Everyone wants to know - which one is true and what are the implications for God's goodness and sovereignty in the face of the human suffering (the plagues) that came from this moment?

In this episode we take a look at the best modern explanation I've ever heard for this conundrum that explains it with simplicity and clarity. We also take a look at a centuries old explanation that mirrors the first one.

Hopefully, this grants us some peace with these verses, some solidarity with ancient thinkers, and some encouragement to be actively engaged in some of the writings of the early church fathers (as well as modern discussion with our peers) in order to glean some solid points on things that have been discussed for ages.

While I don't see the early church fathers as authoritative in the same way Catholics do, to take the opposite approach and ignore them entirely is to pretend that we, in our historical context, are the first ones to approach scripture and, therefore, miss out on many points of wisdom that have already been laid as groundwork for good biblical study.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruthBeToldYouTube

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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The Woman With The Issue of Good News

Sometimes when we read scripture we might walk away feeling like we got NOTHING from that bible study session. It can be aggravating and defeating, but we have to keep reading. You never know when something you read NOW might connect perfectly to something you read later.

In this episode we examine one of my personal favorite stories: the woman with the flow of blood for 12 years. On its own, this story is an incredible story of the compassion of Christ, the faith of a broken woman, and a merciful miracle. But when we keep reading, particularly later in the book of Matthew, we learn more about the incredible, CONTINUED faith of this woman, the effect our story can have on others, and a wonderful lesson about the goodness of God NOT being too good to be true.

 

Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com

Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoutic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly

 

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