The Bible in Fewer Words Carole and Steve Wells

This episode has some familiar Bible stories. John the Baptist is beheaded, Jesus feeds thousands of people (twice) with a few loaves and fishes, Jesus walks on water, and Peter tries to.

It also has a couple stories that are less well known. Herod Antipas says that Jesus is the risen John the Baptist - while the Baptist is still alive! And Jesus calls a Canaanite woman a dog, refusing (at first) to heal her devil-possessed son.

The text and notes for this episode can be found here: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/fewer-words/241.html

If you enjoy these podcasts, consider supporting us at https://patreon.com/BFW

Jesus tells several parables in this episode, but his disciples don't understand them very well. So they ask him why he speaks in parables. He explains that he uses parables so that the people won't understand. That way they won't be converted and he won't heal them.

We also learn that his family (which includes four brothers and at least two sisters) are offended by him and don't accept his teachings.

The text and notes for this episode can be found here: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/fewer-words/240.html

If you enjoy these podcasts, consider supporting us at https://patreon.com/BFW

In this episode, Jesus tells us about the unforgivable sin. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Whoever says anything bad about the Holy Ghost will never be forgiven - in this life or in the next.

Jesus also tells us about unclean spirits, and how they inhabit, leave, and return to bodies, after they are cleaned up, with seven more spirits even more wicked than themselves.

And we learn about Jesus's family values. He denies his mother and brothers, saying that his real family are those who do what his father tells them to do.

The text and notes for this episode can be found here: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/fewer-words/239.html

If you enjoy these podcasts, consider supporting us at https://patreon.com/BFW

In this episode, Jesus selects the rest of his apostles and gave them power over unclean spirits. He tells them that everyone will hate them, but that any city that refuses to listen to them will be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah. He says that the Son of Man will come before they finish preaching to the cities in Israel.

Jesus said he didn't come to bring peace, but the sword. He came to divide families and make enemies within them. He said that no one can be his disciple unless they love him more than their families.

Although John the Baptist still didn't know what to make of Jesus, Jesus knew what to make of John the Baptist. He was, Jesus said, the greatest person to ever exist. And he was also Elijah - although John explicitly denied this in the gospel of John.

The text and notes for this episode can be found here: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/fewer-words/238.html

If you enjoy these podcasts, consider supporting us at https://patreon.com/BFW

After Jesus finished the sermon on the mount, he continued his ministry in Galilee. He cleaned a leper, healed a centurion's slave and Peter's mother-in-law, and cast out devils.

When one of his disciples asked to bury his dead father, Jesus said, "Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead."

Then Jesus calmed a storm, cast out some more devils by drowning a herd of pigs. He cured a paralyzed man by forgiving his sins. And he told a tax collector named Matthew to follow him.

A woman with a 12-year issue of blood was healed by touching Jesus's robe.

The episode ends with Jesus healing a ruler's daughter, restoring the sight of two blind men, and casting out the devils that inhabited the body of a man who couldn't speak.

The text and notes for this episode can be found here: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/fewer-words/237.html

If you enjoy these podcasts, consider supporting us at https://patreon.com/BFW

This is the second half of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus tells his followers to avoid repetitious prayer, and then teaches them the Lord's Prayer (or the Our Father) and tells them to pray with it.

He introduces the "golden rule" and says that it includes everything in the law and the prophets. And yet the Law of Moses commands us to stone to death our entire family if they suggest we worship another god (Dt 13:6-10) and a thousand other cruelties which break the golden rule.

It also contains some cool phrases like don't cast your pearls before swine or let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

The text and notes for this episode can be found here: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/fewer-words/236.html

This episode is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bifw



If you enjoy these podcasts, consider supporting us at https://patreon.com/BFW