Bammerhab: Bible Explainer

Exploring Bible Words in Greek and Hebrew
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

The Bible can be intimidating! This podcast helps explain it. Bammerhab is an exploration into the Bible by digging deeper into individual Greek and Hebrew words. bammerhab.substack.com

  1. 58 - Laodicea, I Wish! (ft. Victoria Murgante)

    Jun 11

    58 - Laodicea, I Wish! (ft. Victoria Murgante)

    Jesus didn’t swear, or use coarse language. Neither did Paul. But they did use very forceful injunctions to express strong emotions, and the word they used was ophelon. It can be translated as “Oh, How I wish!” …But that’s probably a little too formal for the actual sense of this word, which is just an expression of sheer frustration. In our vulgar age, this role is usually filled by four letter obscene words. Ophelon isn’t that… It’s not obscene, but it is a placeholder for extreme emotion getting spat out at the listener. The exact terms vary from culture to culture and generation to generation but actually Xennial guys like myself tend to use the interjection “Dude, uncool!” That’s a more faithful sense of what Ophelon means here. Paul also used this word in his immense frustration with the Galatian church getting so caught up in circumcision as being salvific that he darkly jokes that maybe they’d be super saved if they went the full nine yards and chopped more off. Paul’s immensely frustrated, and we know he is because he says ophelon!!! This episode digs deeper into “ophelon” (ὄφελον meaning ‘Oh, How I Wish!’) in Revelation 3:15. Revelation 3:15 - “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. Oh, How I Wish you were either one or the other!” (NIV) Victoria Murgante is a storyteller, a poet and a songwriter. In university, she played in a Klezmer and a Balkan ensemble, and was part of a large gospel choir. To this day, she still composes simple, mild-mannered tunes but you won't hear any of them on the radio. Victoria has worked in a flower shop and a music store; as a primary school teacher, an overnight baker, and manager of the night shift at a bookshop. She began her first job with the public library a few short months after meeting her future husband, Michael. The two now share three children, a fondness for forest rambles, and a home near Lake Simcoe in Central Canada. Her first book is The Traveling Piano Man of Fort Whettershire. www.victoriamurgante.com Mentioned: • Laodicea • Colossae • Victoria Murgante • Roman Historian Tacitus Describing Laodicea Rejecting Roman Help • Marshall McLuhan • “Stop trying to make fetch happen!” • Song of Solomon 5:2 - “I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.” (NIV) What is a Bammerhab? Ps. 31:8 - “You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.” (NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    26 min
  2. 57 - Suddenly in Philadelphia! (ft. Rachael Watson)

    Jun 4

    57 - Suddenly in Philadelphia! (ft. Rachael Watson)

    Surprising! Remember back in 2020? One day it was normal, the next day everything everywhere was shut down… for two weeks, or so they said. That was pretty sudden huh? Not much warning? In this penultimate church of Revelation, Jesus uses the Greek word tachy and basically tachy means fast, and Jesus uses it ALL over Revelation. In fact he uses this word three times in his very last speech in Revelation and also the very last words of the entire Bible. The last thing Jesus wanted us to know was tachy, tachy, tachy. Fast, fast, fast. But fast isn’t quite the right translation here, neither is swift, neither is soon, which is what most translators use here. They translate this as behold I am coming soon! Yes, translators have a tough job, and it’s not cool to knock them, but this one here is a pretty major goof up. That’s because the Greek word tachy has other connotations that the translators really should have picked up on, because they match everything else Jesus said elsewhere throughout his entire ministry. Tachy in addition to swift, soon, or fast can also mean shockingly sudden. Tachy can mean surprisingly sudden. And it is in this sense that Jesus is using the word. He really can’t make it any clearer. He called it like a thief in the night… well, that’s a surprise isn’t it? He called it like lightning across the heavens. That’s surprising and sudden too. And the last words that Christ left for us he said it three times. Sudden, sudden, and SUDDEN. He wanted us to know. He will come suddenly and it will be sudden. That’s also why he also uses this term to the church of Philadelphia. Because about seventy years before Jesus wrote to all these seven churches they were all impacted by one of the biggest earthquakes ever recorded in the ancient world. It damaged all the seven cities but it completely flattened Philadelphia, and they had to rebuild it all basically from scratch. And guess how that earthquake arrived? Yes, you guessed it. It arrived SUDDENLY, surprisingly and shockingly. This episode digs deeper into “tachy” (ταχύ meaning ‘Sudden’ or ‘Surprising’) in Revelation 3:11. Revelation 3:11 - “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” (NIV) ‘When Chaos Crumbles’ is by Rachael Watson Rachael Watson is a multi-genre writer who follows a story wherever it takes her. Her debut middle grade novel, ELIZABRIE, will be published by Bandersnatch Books in 2027. Her longlisted story was published in CrimeBits With Lee Child. Rachael holds a Diploma in Creative Writing from the University of Oxford. Her work has appeared in Calla Press, Havok Publishing, and been converted into a short film. Mentioned: Tachyon Tachycardia Earthquake of 17 AD Emperor Domitian Parable of The Ten Virgins - Matthew 25 What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    15 min
  3. 56 - Imagination - Kori Frazier Morgan

    May 28

    56 - Imagination - Kori Frazier Morgan

    How should a Christian approach imagination? Imagination isn’t a virtue or a vice, it’s just the standard equipment of all humankind, made in God’s image. We have imagination because God has imagination. But while His imaginations are always good, ours aren’t. Our creativity can do wonderful things and it can also do terrible things. But the first person filled with the Holy Spirit in the bible was an artist, a craftsman named Bezalel, and the Hebrew makes it clear that his imagination was fired and inspired by the Holy Spirit himself. I discuss with Kori Frazier Morgan how should we approach something like that? Kori is an author, disciple, and creative entrepreneur. A graduate of West Virginia University’s Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing, she has been featured in publications such as Shenandoah, SN Review, Blanket Sea, Cantos, and Clayjar Review. She is the author of the novel in short stories The Goodbye-Love Generation and an essay collection, Why I Dyed My Hair Purple & Other Unorthodox Stories, which explores the integral role of the arts in her Christian testimony and is published by Calla Press Publishing. Kori is the founder and Chief Literary Strategist of Inkling Creative Strategies, an author services company that helps writers reach their full creative potential so they can impact and inspire readers. And I can recommend her personally as she’s helped me with a lot of my novels! This episode digs deeper into “Machashabeth” (מַחֲשָׁבֹ֑ת - meaning ‘artistic work’ or ‘imagination’) in Exodus 31:3-4. Exodus 31:3-4 - “I have filled him (Bezalel) with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze” (NIV) Mentioned: Kori Frazier Morgan’s Site Why I Dyed My Hair Purple - Kori Frazier Morgan The Goodbye-Love Generation - Kori Frazier Morgan Inkling Creative Strategies Bezalel Media LLC Wise Blood - Flannery O’Connor Essay About Books as “Alcohol” Bandersnatch Books The Banderpod S5:E6 - S.D. Smith The Habit S7:E4 - Kori Morgan Dyed Her Hair Purple Phantastes - George MacDonald North Wind Manor What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    44 min
  4. 55 - Watch Out in Sardis! (ft. G.K. Chesterton)

    May 21

    55 - Watch Out in Sardis! (ft. G.K. Chesterton)

    The Greek word Gregoron in Revelation 3:2 means “Watch out!” or “Wake Up!”. (It’s also where we get the name Gregory.) This episode is the fifth of seven in a little miniseries about the seven churches that Jesus directly addressed, and Jesus told this church to “Wake up!” This church is Sardis, but Jesus’ words to them apply to every single Christian in the twenty first century also. Why did Jesus shout at Sardis to wake up? To answer that, first we have to know what Sardis was. Sardis was the ridiculously wealthy and corrupt capital of the Lydian empire. Sardis was the Paris of its day. It had once been the capitol of the legendarily wealthy Lydian empire. Myth told that Midas came to Sardis to be rid of his golden touch and washed in the waters coming from Mount Tmolus and left behind a reside of gold dust. Midas left his golden touch with Sardis, and everything the city touched turned to gold. Yes, King Midas with the golden touch? Yup, he was Lydian. Remember King Croessus, of the common phrase “Rich as Croessus”? Yup, he was Lydian too. In fact, Croessus had so much gold lying around that apparently he stamped his face on some of it and invented currency. Hence, as the birthplace of currency Sardis was the center of finance in the ancient world, so it was not only Paris but the ancient New York Stock Exchange as well. Yes, Life was good in Sardis and luxuries abounded. Sardis was wealthy beyond belief and to protect that wealth it was built high up on a ridge with some of the most technologically impressive walls of its era. Every military leader agreed, its walls couldn’t be breached by direct attack. Or so they thought… This episode digs deeper into “gregoron” (γρηγορῶν meaning ‘Watch out!’ or ‘Wake up!) in Revelation 3:2. Revelation 3:2 - “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” (NIV) ‘Vulgarised’ by G.K. Chesterton is public domain from his collection of poetry entitled The Wild Knight and Other Poems published in 1900. Mentioned: Battle of Pteria - “A Great Kingdom will fall!” YouTube video of the Ruins of Sardis’ Walls The Goddess Cybele The Man Who Was Thursday - G.K. Chesterton ‘Vulgarised’ by G.K. Chesterton “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. ” ― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    24 min
  5. 54 - Creation - Sandra Lewis

    May 14

    54 - Creation - Sandra Lewis

    Yatsar is what a potter does to clay. Yatsar is also what God did to us. Yatsar is a cognate for another Hebrew which means to squeeze, to push, to pressure and to be distressed. This is because the image of formation that yatsar evokes is shaping something like a potter shapes a pot. The potter squishes, squeezes, pushes and pressures the clay. I will bet that the clay if it could talk would say it was feeling a bit distressed! I discuss this with Sandra Lewis, the missionary who created Grace & Peace Community Ministries in Richmond, Virginia to serve families in Richmond’s inner city, with a special focus on those on Raven Street, a division of Mosby Court. This has always been the most violent, dangerous and poor place in all of Richmond. But Sandra went into the neighborhood to show Christ’s love through service. She currently serves 80-100 households surrounding Raven St. in Mosby Court, a public housing community, helping single mothers, kids and others with education, health services, work training, spiritual training and basic needs. Antsy kids love to create stuff with their hands, so Sandra is continually creating art projects and opportunities for them. Yatsar was on her mind because she’s just recently started up a new pottery opportunity for the kids, which came from her study of Diana Glyer’s recent book all about pottery, entitled Clay in the Potter’s Hands. So Sandra’s mind is on pottery and yatsar And that’s where we will start our conversation with her! This episode digs deeper into “yatsar” (יָצָֽר - meaning ‘formed’) in Genesis 2:8. Genesis 2:8 - “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.” (NIV) Mentioned: Grace & Peace Community Ministries Grace & Peace Community Ministries Facebook Clay in the Potter’s Hands - Diana Glyer The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis The Circle Maker - Mark Batterson Area 10 Church - Richmond, VA National Community Church - Washington, DC Tyler Staton Can Can Brasserie Psalm 63 The Market at 25th A Call to Mercy - Mother Teresa Banff & Lake Louise What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    45 min
  6. 53 - Burden of Prophecy in Thyatira (ft. Rebecca Gomez)

    May 7

    53 - Burden of Prophecy in Thyatira (ft. Rebecca Gomez)

    This episode is the midpoint of the miniseries about the seven churches that Jesus directly addressed. And this one gets heavy, and it is longest letter, the heaviest letter to a tiny little church that wasn’t in a major city at all. It was in the middle of the seven, in the middle of a path to two greater cities, and perhaps even in the… Middle Ages? But that’s a bit cryptic so we’ll get to that in a bit… First, did you know that in addition to being a king, a priest, a healer, a preacher and a warrior, Jesus was a prophet? It’s true. Jesus gave many specific prophecies during his three years of ministry, and he didn’t stop there. When he visited John, he arrived with a burden of prophecy for each of the churches. In fact, he even called it a burden, a translation of the same term that most of the Old Testament prophets used for their heavier prophecies of judgment. In Isaiah 13:1, Nahum 1:1, Habakkuk 1:1, Malachi 1:1, Ezekiel 12:10, among other places, these prophets started out their heavier prophecies by explicitly calling them a burden of the word of the Lord. The Hebrew term for burden was מַשָּׂא and it meant a heavy thing you carry, you know a burden — but the metaphor of judgment was clear. The prophet is carrying a heavy thing that is an event in the future that is rolling your way as surely as a boulder rolling down a hill. This episode digs deeper into “baros” (βάρος meaning ‘burden’) in Revelation 2:24. Revelation 2:24 - “Now I [Jesus] say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you.” (NIV) A big thank you to Rebecca J Gomez for the use of her poem entitled “Coming Spring” at the end of this episode! Check out her substack entitled: Snippets and Sketches Also check out her Middle Grade novel in verse: Mari in the Margins Mentioned: Rebecca J. Gomez’ Substack “Snippets & Sketches” Ancient Purple Dye Elijah vs. the Prophets of Ba’al What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    31 min
  7. 52 - Heirs - Henry & Cindy Smith

    Apr 30

    52 - Heirs - Henry & Cindy Smith

    Henry Smith wrote the song “Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart” in 1978. But he only sang it at his local church in Williamsburg, Virginia with his wife Cindy. So, understandably, they were both utterly stunned when they later heard their song years later as a chart topping hit. The hymn had gone viral without them knowing how. Still to this day, it’s not quite clear how the song travelled and who carried it where. But what’s indisputable is that the song resonated with the entire church around the world and it has been translated into many languages and encouraged Christians around the globe. The song had been credited to “Author Unknown” until Henry contacted the recording studio, Integrity Music, and let them know he wrote it. They were thrilled, as they’d been searching for the song’s origin for a while. Henry and Cindy discuss all this on the episode and we also chat about how Henry attended seminary where he studied Greek and Hebrew. Therefore, he was excited to discuss Romans 8:17 with me and we focused in on the Greek word klēronomoi (κληρονόμοι) which means “heirs.” And stay tuned to the end where Henry has kindly allowed Bammerhab to premiere a portion of one of his newest songs! This episode digs deeper into that word “klēronomoi (κληρονόμοι - meaning ‘heirs’) in Romans 8:17. Romans 8:17 - “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (NIV) Mentioned: History of Henry Smith’s “Give Thanks” Wikipedia Entry for “Give Thanks” Dave Dravecky’s Site Wikipedia Entry for Dave Dravecky Fathered by God - John Eldredge Experiencing God - Henry Blackaby Global Media Outreach Union Presbyterian Seminary - Richmond, VA Hurricane Helene Francis Asbury What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    40 min
  8. 51 - Thrones & Swords in Pergamum (ft. Rebecca Gomez)

    Apr 23

    51 - Thrones & Swords in Pergamum (ft. Rebecca Gomez)

    Jesus told the ancient church at Pergamum that they were living right next to Satan’s throne. Then Jesus said he had a sword ready for battle… but maybe not quite in the way you’d expect! This episode continues the miniseries about the seven churches that Jesus directly addressed. Remember, these words to the seven churches are important because this is the biggest chunk of direct speech that Jesus directs to his church anywhere in the scripture. To the third church at Pergamum, Jesus saw things that they didn’t. They knew they were in a dark city, but they didn’t realize how dark. Jesus says somehow Satan was partially headquarted in Pergamum for a time. That’s pretty dark! And yet Jesus praises this church for their brave stand against all the forces of darkness in their city. However, the greatest threat to the church is within. A group of fifth-columnists who are intentionally infiltrating the church. Jesus speaks directly to these fakers, and he gives them one last chance to repent. And it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy. Jesus is literally wielding a sword here, and it’s not a little sword either. It’s a barbarian broadsword called a rhomphaia. This episode digs deeper into “thronos” and “rhomphaia” (θρόνος meaning ‘throne’ and ῥομφαίᾳ meaning ‘sword’) in Revelation 2:13 & 2:16. Revelation 2:13 - “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name.” (NIV) Revelation 2:16 - “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (NIV) A big thank you to Rebecca J Gomez for the use of her poem entitled “Cairns” at the end of this episode! Check out her substack entitled: Snippets and Sketches Also check out her Middle Grade novel in verse: Mari in the Margins Mentioned: Rebecca J. Gomez’ Substack “Snippets & Sketches” Etymology of Parchment Pergamum Altar to Zeus in Berlin “Fifth Columnist” meaning Bammerhab Episode 10 - Judas’ Heel Princess’ Bride - “You fell victim to one of the classic blunders!” What is a Bammerhab? “You have not given me into the hands of the enemybut have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Ps. 31:8 - NIV) The phrase “in a spacious place” is the Hebrew word: Bammerhab. Thanks to: • Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design • Dave Allam of Allam House for podcasting techniques • Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew resources This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

    29 min
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About

The Bible can be intimidating! This podcast helps explain it. Bammerhab is an exploration into the Bible by digging deeper into individual Greek and Hebrew words. bammerhab.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Exploring Bible Words in Greek and Hebrew
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Bammerhab - Words from the Word
  • Show Website
    Bammerhab: Bible Explainer