No Experts Allowed

Mark 7:24-29

Perhaps more than any other gospel story, Jesus' encounter in Mark with the Syrophoenician woman paints Jesus in a poor light. In a surface-level reading, Jesus appears to compare the woman and Gentiles to dogs. Her sassy retort that "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" (7:28) appears to change Jesus' opinion of her so that he heals her daughter. Scholars have debated this text, and Jonathan and Seth discuss some of the proposed interpretation options.  One option sees the woman as a theologian who understands who Jesus is and what Jesus can do, which leads to a conversation about who does theology and who is excluded as if they were a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin.

James 1:17-27

Martin Luther's distaste for James neither prevents the lectionary from including it nor Jonathan and Seth from discussing the book. James has historically received little attention or been disparaged because of its apparent differences with Paul's work. Jonathan and Seth, however, discuss what it looks like to read biblical texts and look for narrative and counter-narratives. The stories are not linear and do not contain one single arc, but evidence various viewpoints that may be compatible and sometimes not. This episode is as much about the art of reading sacred stories as it is about James.

Ephesians 6:10-20

The armor of God may have given strength to latent Jesus-followers. As a ragtag, small, minoritized group, protection would have sounded helpful. The author, however, states that battles fought with God’s armor are not physical ones; conflicts are against unseen enemies. Jonathan and Seth discuss how this can help Christians consider institutions and systems and prevent demonizing individuals.
 
They reference Bibleman, a video series that ran from 1995 through 2010. One may view the humorous armor of God sequence here.

John 6:51-58

After following Jesus and being amazed when 5,000 are fed on the shoreline, Jesus comments that "If you don't eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves (Jn. 6:53) cause many to stop following him. This phrase and the early Jesus-followers' practice of communion caused the emerging Church to be called cannibals and barbarians by outsiders. Jonathan and Seth discuss what it looks like to follow Jesus even when his words are mysterious and often countercultural.

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Scholars debate the audience of Ephesians. Since little in the letter addresses a specific congregational issue, it may have been written to Ephesus or Jesus-followers elsewhere. No matter the audience, the end of Ephesians is instructive: the author describes not only what not to do but also what one should do. Jonathan and Seth discuss how the Church has historically focused on rules without offering a corresponding, positive action.

Martin Luther's Small Catechism gets a shoutout, which can be found here.

Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15

The Revised Common Lectionary's compilers occasionally splice stories in unexpected places. They cut verses five through eight in this case because they were repetitive: the Israelites complain again. They are starving and lament the fact that there is nothing to eat in the wilderness. God responds by providing manna. The manna appears magically each morning, but the announcement of this new food supply catches Jonathan and Seth's attention.

John 6:1-21

Instead of using the term "miracle," John's Gospel refers to these supernatural occurrences as "signs." When Jesus feeds 5,000 people and walks on water, John combines the two events into a single sign. Jonathan and Seth discuss how these two stories connect, how to understand Jesus' miraculous multiplication of loaves, as well as how we think about scarcity or a lack thereof.

Psalm 23

We return from a hiatus to what may be the most well-known Psalm from the most popular translation of the English Bible. Jonathan leads the discussion on Psalm 23, prompting them to think about the difference between comfort and consolation. As they both (but mostly Seth) returned to the rhythm of podcasting, some technical hiccups occurred in this episode. We hope none spoil the content.

Best Of Year 1: Mark 11:1-11

No Experts Allowed returns with a new episode next Saturday, July 17th. Until then, Seth and Jonathan are practicing self-care, traveling, and reading. They each selected their favorite episodes of the first year to highlight:

Claiming that "Jesus Christ is Lord" denies lordship to Caesar. The differences between the two, however, contrast with Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Caesar rides the finest horses; Jesus borrows a colt. Caesar enters with an entourage; Jesus enters with a small group of disciples without armor or weapons. The counter-cultural and empire-critical reading confronts the powerful today, including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezo.

Best Of Year 1: Isaiah 40:21-31

No Experts Allowed returns with a new episode on July 17th. Until then, Seth and Jonathan are practicing self-care, traveling, and reading. They each selected their favorite episodes of the first year to highlight:

Isaiah writes to the exiles in Babylon about a God who never tires. God has been there since earth's founding and will continue to be present, thereby empowering the exiles to persevere too. This episode is quintessential No Experts Allowed: A discussion of the text and its context coupled with a lively talk about how Jonathan and Seth hear it and how might the ancient audience receive it too.