No Experts Allowed

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.

Best Of Year 1: Matthew 25:31-46

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:

Jesus' "parable" of the Sheep and the Goats is not a parable at all. It does not start with the formulaic phrase, "The kingdom of God is like." Instead, it acts as a roadmap to finding Jesus in the present: he's with people who are thirsty, hungry, naked, imprisoned, ill, addicted to substances, living under the effects of environmental degradation. The parable is both political and not political, which is worth rehearing.

Best Of Year 1: Philippians 4:1-9

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:

Rejoicing during a pandemic, even one that appears to be slowing, creates difficulties. The Philippians -and Paul himself- are in difficult circumstances too. Paul is in prison. Yet, he cajoles the recipients to rejoice and focus on "whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable" (Phil. 4:8). This joy in the face of distress is worth revisiting.

Best Of Year 1: Matthew 5:1-12

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:

In their first episode, Jonathan and Seth discussed the beatitudes as a calling. They hope to reframe these well-known verses and overcome their on-air jitters. This episode is timeless in its content while showing how the show has improved and grown over time.