No Experts Allowed

Acts 11:1-18

“The Way,” as the early Church was called, was exclusive to Jews, but Peter has a vision that opens the Jesus-followers to eating foods that were previously thought unclean and to accepting Gentiles into their movement. Jonathan and Seth talk about the ways grace extends to people they may not want it to extend to. This episode asks: who do we think is unworthy of grace? Why? Who am I that I could hinder God (11:17)?

John 10:22-30

Jesus' opponents want to know if he is the Messiah. "Tell us plainly," they demand (Jn 10:24). They've seen his works but want assurance. So, Jonathan and Seth discuss doubt. They disagree, discuss it, and conclude that Seth may have been too "down" on doubt. We may be unable to accompany people experiencing uncertainty if we try to avoid it. Interpreting Scripture with others can be life-giving. We hope this episode exemplifies that process, even when disagreements arise.

John 21:1-19

“Do you love me?” asks Jesus. Just as Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus asks Peter whether he loves him three times. In English, the questions seem repetitive, but the Greek forms of “love” help clarify Jesus’ questions. Jonathan and Seth discuss this passage as great storytelling and a profound narrative about grace. It’s one of Jonathan’s favorite passages; we hope this episode becomes one of your favorites as well.

Revelation 1:4-8

Revelation can be scary. But, like the whole Bible, it doesn't have to be. Looking for Jesus, knowing that Revelation addresses a particular time and place, and embracing the unknown help tame it. Since this is the podcast's first dive into Revelation, Jonathan and Seth give a short primer to the book. They discuss how Revelation can encourage people during difficult circumstances. The pair also connect this text to the Easter season and discuss why the lectionary compilers may have included it.

Easter: John 20:1-10

No one rises from the dead. That's why many of Jesus' disciples did not believe the news that the stone sealing the tomb moved and that it was empty, except for Jesus' folded clothes. Thomas receives the worst treatment for his unbelief. He's "doubting Thomas" for almost 2,000 years. Mary, however, encounters Jesus in the garden and believes. Jonathan and Seth discuss who we trust and what that says about God. It's an episode about shifting the focus so that people previously on the margins are now at the center.

We wish everyone a joyous Easter and the resurrection life Jesus offers!

Good Friday: Jesus’ Seven Sayings from the Cross

Around 1700, a Catholic priest in Peru created a service commemorating Jesus’ three hours on the cross and his final words. Traditionally, it runs for 3 hours. Jonathan and Seth adapt this service for this Good Friday episode and condense it to roughly 10 minutes. They encourage you, however, to pause and reflect on Jesus’ sayings.

The next episode airs on Easter Sunday (rather than the usual Saturday schedule). They wish you a blessed Holy Week.

Luke 19:29-40

Entering Jerusalem, Jesus emanates peace. He knows what will happen there and has alluded to it frequently to the disciples. More importantly, Jesus knows who he is. Jonathan and Seth discuss how we achieve this peace in our daily lives. It looks similar to Jesus': knowing whose we are, neither overinflating our ego nor belittling ourselves. Inner peace can affect the world too, make others feel at ease with us, and bring out the best in them. It can do all this even on the way to a cross.

100th Episode Spectacular

After one hundred episodes (counting only a handful of re-airs), Jonathan puts Seth’s Bible knowledge to the test against two longtime friends. See how Seth fairs and whether he can continue hosting No Experts Allowed.

We’ll return next week with an episode related to Palm Sunday. Until then, thank you to all our listeners, whether you’ve listened once or have been following us for almost two years. We’re glad you’re journeying with us through the Bible.

This episode is marked “explicit” because Seth swears during the second round of Bible trivia.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Reconciliation involves power dynamics. The two parties are rarely equal. This inequality applies to God who “reconciled us to himself through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:18) and, in turn, gives people the task of reconciling too. Jonathan and Seth, however, discuss how people may force reconciliation or use it to maintain the status quo. They discuss how reconciliation is ultimately God's doing and not to be coercive. To hear this passage in a new light, they turn to Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of the Bible, The Message.

Isaiah 55:1-9

If you're like us, you're familiar with the phrase: "My plans aren’t your plans, / nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord" (Jer. 55:8).  It often loses its context; it stands alone. Jonathan and Seth discuss how they've heard this verse cited. They also discuss Israel's situation in exile as the background for Isaiah's pronouncement. This context helps them hear the phrase as comforting to people with an uncertain future.