The Biblical Mind

What happens when an Australian butcher starts reading Leviticus—and finds it fun? In this unique episode, Dru Johnson speaks with Phil Bray, author of Leviticus on the Butcher’s Block, about how his day job cutting lambs and steaks helped him see the book of Leviticus in a whole new light. Phil traces his journey from casual Bible reader to Leviticus superfan, exploring how rituals, sacrifice, and atonement make far more sense when you’ve broken down hundreds of animals by hand. Phil shares how ancient sacrificial rituals weren’t necessarily about violent death but about preparing food as a gift to God. The conversation dives into the Hebrew understanding of holiness, clean vs. unclean, and why God’s presence is depicted as a space without disease or death. Along the way, Phil and Dru reflect on Mary Douglas, Jewish slaughter laws, the power of smell and memory, and how the altar isn’t where the animal dies—but where it becomes holy. Phil’s insights bring theology and meat science into one coherent (and hilarious) frame, showing why Leviticus is deeply spiritual, richly embodied, and more relevant than most Christians assume. For Phil's YouTube Channel, go here: https://www.youtube.com/@Leviticus_is_fun We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 The Journey to Leviticus 03:19 Understanding Atonement and Sacrifice 06:19 The Butcher's Perspective on Rituals 09:15 Cultural Context of Sacrifice 12:32 The Nature of Death in Sacrifice 15:29 The Art of Kosher Slaughter 18:23 Leviticus: A Fun Exploration 21:27 The Meaning Beyond Death in Rituals 27:01 The Olfactory Experience of Worship 30:24 The Significance of Sacrifice in Ancient Cultures 34:07 Rethinking Atonement and Sacrifice 39:19 The Life of Jesus: More Than Just Death 45:06 Leviticus: A Guide to Drawing Near to God

In this episode, Old Testament scholar Dr. Carmen Imes unpacks widespread Christian misunderstandings of Torah and shows how the laws of the Old Testament were never meant as a means of salvation, but as a way of living out Israel’s covenant identity. Rather than a legalistic burden, Torah was a gift of freedom—a lifestyle for a people already redeemed. Dr. Imes explains how Jesus wasn’t raising the bar beyond Sinai but calling his followers back to its original heart: internal transformation, not external compliance. Through examples like the command against coveting and teachings on oath-making, she demonstrates how the Torah shaped a moral imagination rooted in God’s character. She also reveals the narrative logic of Israel’s law: it was given within a story of deliverance, not in abstraction. Laws were embedded in history, and many operated more like wisdom paradigms than court-enforceable codes. This narrative-law fusion is unique to Israel among ancient Near Eastern cultures. With compelling insights into the Ten Commandments, patriarchal structures, and agricultural ethics like gleaning, Imes challenges modern Christians to reinterpret Torah as a resource for discipleship—not something to discard, but to embody. Torah becomes not a list of rules, but a lens for living justly in every generation. We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 0:00 Why the Torah isn't what gave salvation to the Israelites 2:28 Why there are rules in the Bible 7:44 Oath-making in the Hebrew Bible 13:07 What the Ten Commandments were really like 17:23 The uniqueness of the Hebraic covenants and Old Testament laws 25:04 What it means to "love the LORD your God with all your heart"

ICYMI: This episode is one of our earliest episodes, and originally aired on 5/14/2020   In this introductory conversation, Dr. Jonathan Pennington joins the Center for Hebraic Thought as its newest fellow and shares how his journey through philosophy and biblical scholarship led him to see the New Testament as part of a deeply sophisticated intellectual tradition. Pennington discusses how early Christianity, though written in Greek and shaped within a Hellenistic world, did not abandon its Jewish roots but rather translated its robust metaphysic across cultural lines. Drawing from his work on Jesus as a philosopher, Pennington explains that the New Testament doesn’t reject or capitulate to Greco-Roman philosophy—it stands alongside it, often outthinking and outlasting it. In contrast to Stoicism’s emotional detachment and denial of suffering’s reality, the Bible presents a profoundly realistic vision: a God who enters the world, values the body, and promises the restoration of creation through Shalom. Pennington argues that Jesus—especially in Matthew’s Gospel—functions as a public philosopher. In moments like the Sermon on the Mount or debates with religious elites, Jesus offers strikingly rational, ethical, and metaphysical responses to life’s biggest questions. This episode introduces not only a new CHT fellow, but a vision of Scripture as intellectually vibrant, emotionally honest, and endlessly translatable. We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org

What happens when the tech elite of Silicon Valley use their skills to serve the church? In this episode, Kevin Kim, executive director of Crazy Love Ministries and founder of Basil Tech, joins Dr. Dru Johnson to explore a radical idea: that technology, creativity, and innovation can be spiritual gifts to build up the Body of Christ. Drawing from his experiences with venture capitalists, Stanford designers, and software engineers from Apple and Google, Kevin explains how Basil Tech mobilizes volunteers to serve ministries with world-class digital tools. But this isn’t just about flashy apps or slick design. Kevin critiques the tech industry’s isolating, consumeristic culture—and shares how discipleship must involve “laying down your non-fungible gift” for the good of others. From reimagining the sermon to redesigning urban ministry in East Palo Alto, his work shows that thoughtful innovation, when grounded in Scripture and humility, can fuel mission and foster true community. “We don’t make anything better—we’ve made things worse at Basil,” Kevin jokes, “but we try to help amazing people do amazing things.” This conversation invites listeners to rethink what tech can do—not as an idol, but as a tool in God’s hands. Connect with Kevin Kim's Basil Tech here: https://www.basiltech.org/ We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Journey into Tech and Faith 02:44 Innovation in the Church 06:08 Understanding Innovation vs. Technology 08:56 Reimagining Ministry Practices 11:52 The Role of Technology in Modern Missions 15:00 Bazel Tech: Bridging Faith and Technology 17:55 Discipleship in the Tech World

Are the ten plagues just divine punishment? Or are they intended to form a people? In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson sits down with Dr. Rick Wadholm and Pastor Dalton Avery, co-authors of Plagued by Faith, to explore a more layered vision of the plague narratives in Exodus. Rather than merely acts of judgment, the plagues are portrayed as formative, disruptive events that unmake Egypt’s religious, political, and economic worldview—and detach Israel from it. The Nile River, Egypt’s source of life, is turned to blood not only to confront Pharaoh, but to sever Israel’s spiritual dependence on Egypt. The calendar is reset at Passover, reorienting the people’s very sense of time and community. These acts weren’t random—they were theological statements shaping Israel’s identity, even while challenging Egypt’s gods . As Dalton notes, “The Lord is not out here just doing violence for no reason, but there’s redemptive heart, there’s redemptive intent in every action of the Living God” . Rick adds, “Behold the face of God who sends plagues… somehow to offer a re-visioning of these stories as revealing this God”. We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 The Genesis of the Book 03:22 God vs. The Gods: Understanding the Plagues 06:17 Deconstruction and Identity: The Plagues' Purpose 09:27 The River: A Symbol of Life and Security 18:26 Calendar and Community: Redefining Time for Israel 21:51 Lessons from Egypt: What to Keep and What to Leave Behind 23:38 The River's Dual Role: Life and Death 25:22 Corporate Responsibility and Divine Justice 27:02 Women of Courage: Midwives and Prophetic Resistance 30:49 Jesus and the Exodus: Parallels and Fulfillment 35:47 The Ongoing Plagues: Lessons from Israel's Journey 39:48 Plagued by Faith: Understanding God's Intentions