God’s Pagan Civil Rulers

Nebuchadnezzar was the pagan king of Babylon from approximately 605-562 BC. He was filled with worldly motives that revolved around conquering nations and expanding his own personal rule. In Daniel 2:37, God reveals this about Nebuchadnezzar, “you, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the honor.” This proclamation was expressed after Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Jerusalem and took Judah captive. The question you may ask yourself is, why would God lift up a pagan ruler in such a way knowing he was not God-fearing, nor had he treated Judah with kindness and compassion? Join us as we unpack this mysterious revelation.

Jesus and the Law: Part 2

Ready for part 2 of Jesus and the Law? In this episode we continue to unpack the implications of Jesus and His teaching on “fulfilling” the Law of God. In fact, directly following Matthew 5:17-19, we begin to see Jesus reveal how He fills up the teachings of the Torah (OT) instead of tearing them down. After understanding this revelation, we as believers in Him can bring out the fullness in our own lives and radically contradict the world we live in just as Jesus did during His days on Earth.

Jesus and the Law: Part 1

In Jesus’ (paraphrased) words, “I did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill it.” The question must be asked, what does it mean to “fulfill”? In this episode we discuss the Jewish background of the word for “fulfill” and explain the historical and literary context of this passage. In the end, we conclude Jesus’ words about the Law of God have been misrepresented and misinterpreted for centuries. Our hope is to shed light on the text and dialogue about the words of our Messiah.

Jonah: The Overlooked Death

The story of Jonah is well known story for a reason. It’s short, satirical, and fantastic! When you think of Jonah being swallowed up by the great fish, are you picturing a lonely man camping in the belly of a whale, waiting to be brought to shore? This is the picture usually painted of Jonah’s time in the belly of the great fish. But, we posit a different interpretation of Jonah’s time in the fish’s belly. Jonah 2 gives us a unique perspective that may differ from the traditional telling of the story of Jonah; however, it is a perspective that gives us a direct link to Jesus.

The Illuminator

In John 1:4-5, the Bible speaks of Jesus being the life and light of mankind. Life and light are terms we use often in believing circles. Their common use can lead to a loss of their rich and deep theological meanings. In biblical times, the terms light and darkness had significant connotations that implied forces of power at work. In this episode, we will discuss how John uses this imagery to develop the theology of Jesus’ role and effect over the dark world we live in.

In The Beginning

“In the beginning,” is a pivotal phrase within the Bible. We often think of Genesis and the creation of the world, but Apostle John also uses this phrase in the opening of the Gospel of John. John reveals to us that in the beginning was the Word (Jn 1:1). Why did John choose the opening lines of Scripture to be the opening lines of his Gospel? How does John’s use of Genesis 1:1 giver further revelation about what Moses originally wrote? Pastors Mark and Justin explore why Apostle John decided to do this and the implications it has on our faith for today.

The Bible Jesus Used

When Jesus came to Earth, He came to an ancient world complete with a culture far different than what we know today. Jesus did not have a physical Bible that He could carry around with Him nor did He have accessibility to the Scripture like we do today. Our experience with Scripture is vastly different than in Jesus’ day. In this episode, we will take an in-depth look at the Bible of Jesus’ day.

Prologue

Welcome to the Get Scrolled prologue where we discuss the purpose and foundations of the podcast. We will dive into our sponsor’s Messianic identity and share a bit about the hosts, Pastors Mark McLellan and Justin Gardner. Ultimately, we are Jews and Gentiles united in Jesus, the Messiah, who are thrilled to dive deeper into the scrolls of Scripture!