The Bible Within Judaism

Joel Willitts

The Bible Within Judaism brings the work of the Schubach Library & Study Center in Skokie, Illinois, to listeners everywhere. New Testament professor and scholar Joel Willitts hosts the podcast and directs the Library's Study Center. It explores the Jewish Scriptures as the foundational literature of early Judaism and reads the New Testament within the Jewish world in which it arose. Accessible conversations with scholars, archaeologists, and Library lecturers draw upon ancient texts, history, and archaeology to enrich Jewish and Christian readings of the Bible.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    Did Jesus and Paul Set Aside Jewish Law? A Conversation with Dr. Paul Sloan

    When Jesus argued with the Pharisees about the Sabbath, was he challenging the authority of Jewish law? And when Paul described himself as living outside the law, did he mean that he had abandoned the Torah? These questions have shaped Christian understandings of Jesus, Paul, and Judaism for centuries. But answering them requires understanding how Jewish law actually worked in the first century. In this episode of The Bible within Judaism, Joel Willitts talks with Dr. Paul Sloan, Associate Professor of Early Christianity at Houston Christian University and author of Jesus and the Law of Moses. Their conversation explores the world of ancient Jewish law, the meaning of halakhah, and the ways Jewish teachers interpreted and debated the commandments of the Torah. They also consider how this historical context can change the way we understand Jesus' disputes about the law. The conversation introduces themes Paul will develop in his upcoming lecture at the Schubach Library & Study Center, "Did Jesus and Paul Set Aside Jewish Law?" Join us for the lecture! Sunday, November 8, 2026 3:00–4:30 p.m. Central Time Schubach Library & Study Center 4118 Oakton Street, Skokie, Illinois Attend in person or online via Zoom. Advance registration is encouraged, and walk-ins are welcome. Lecture information and registration: https://www.schubachlibrary.org/lectures Join the lecture online via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5714843428?pwd=xMH2rld6nc3N3iT68phWyzsppkwqVG.1&omn=87167403065 Learn more about the Schubach Library & Study Center at https://www.schubachlibrary.org.

    Did Jesus and Paul Set Aside Jewish Law? A Conversation with Dr. Paul Sloan

  2. Oct 23

    Did Jewishness Still Matter After Jesus? A Conversation with Zach Wagner

    Jesus was Israel's Messiah. But what did his coming mean for Jewish identity? Did being Jewish continue to matter for those who believed in him, or had the Messiah brought about a new reality in which the distinction between Jews and Gentiles was no longer significant? In this episode of The Bible within Judaism, I talk with New Testament scholar Zach Wagner about his upcoming Schubach Library lecture, Jewishness in the Age of Messiah. We begin by discussing what drew Zach to the question and the themes he plans to explore. But our conversation quickly moves into a deeper consideration of Jewish identity in the messianic age and whether Jewishness remained a vital category within the earliest Jesus movement. The conversation offers a preview of the lecture while raising questions that matter for how we understand Paul, the earliest followers of Jesus, and the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. Upcoming Lecture: Jewishness in the Age of Messiah Dr. Zach Wagner Sunday, November 1, 2026 3:00–4:30 p.m. (Central Time) Schubach Library & Study Center Lecture information and registration: https://www.schubachlibrary.org/lectures#wagner The Zoom link is on the registration page. Visit the lecture page for registration and online participation information.

    Did Jewishness Still Matter After Jesus? A Conversation with Zach Wagner

  3. Oct 15

    Where the Bible Happened: Oliver Hersey on Jerusalem University College

    Welcome to The Bible within Judaism. I'm Joel Willitts. Today I'm talking with my friend Oliver Hersey, President of Jerusalem University College. Oliver and I have known each other for some time, and we share a passion for helping people better understand the Bible by engaging with the world in which its stories took place. I wanted to have Oliver on the podcast to introduce you to Jerusalem University College and the remarkable opportunities it offers for studying the Bible. We also talk about some upcoming events around the country, including one here in the Chicago area focused on Galilee. For listeners in the Chicagoland area: JUC is hosting The Setting of God's Story: Region of Galilee on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Elmhurst, Illinois. This daylong seminar explores the geography, history, and culture of Galilee and how understanding this setting illuminates the life and teachings of Jesus. Learn more and register: Jerusalem University College: https://www.juc.eduChicago-area seminar — October 24: https://www.juc.edu/chicago26/Location: Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst, ILRegistration: $49, including lunch and seminar materialsLearn more about the Schubach Library & Study Center at https://www.schubachlibrary.org.

    Where the Bible Happened: Oliver Hersey on Jerusalem University College

  4. Oct 10

    Jesus Was Jewish. But How Jewish? A Conversation with Dr. James Crossley

    Everyone agrees that Jesus was Jewish. But how seriously do we take that fact when interpreting his life and teachings? In this episode of The Bible within Judaism, Joel Willitts speaks with biblical scholar James Crossley about the ways scholars and Christians have understood Jesus' Jewishness—and sometimes minimized it. Their conversation challenges familiar portraits of Jesus and explores what changes when we take seriously his place within the Jewish world of the first century.

    Jesus Was Jewish. But How Jewish? A Conversation with Dr. James Crossley

  5. Sep 4

    Conversation with Dr. Ingrid Faro

    In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Ingrid Faro joins me to discuss Genesis and the problem of evil. But the discussion became something I did not expect. Along the way, we moved into questions of trauma, suffering, and the church, revealing how deeply personal and pastoral Faro’s work really is. This is far more than an academic conversation about Genesis. It is a conversation about how we understand evil, how we respond to suffering, and how the church can become a place of healing rather than further harm. I think you will be deeply impacted by it.

    Conversation with Dr. Ingrid Faro

  6. Aug 27

    Zach Wagner and his Course on Ephesians

    Joel Willitts talks with Zach Wagner about the journey that led him to study Ephesians, what he finds compelling about the letter, and what contemporary readers often miss. They also preview Zach’s upcoming course, Ephesians: Cosmic Conquest and Inclusion of the Gentiles. The five- week hybrid course begins September 15 at the Schubach Library & Study Center in Skokie, with both in-person and online participation available.

    Zach Wagner and his Course on Ephesians

  7. Aug 6

    A New Season at the Schubach Library

    In this opening episode, Joel Willitts introduces the Schubach Library & Study Center, tells the story of its founding, and describes the new season taking shape through its website, Dispatches, courses, and lectures. He also introduces The Bible within Judaism and explains how future conversations will help curious and thoughtful listeners explore Scripture within its Jewish, historical, cultural, and archaeological settings.

  8. Trailer

    The Bible Within Judaism Trailer

    An introduction to the podcast.

  • 1 Trailer
    7 Episodes

Trailer

About

The Bible Within Judaism brings the work of the Schubach Library & Study Center in Skokie, Illinois, to listeners everywhere. New Testament professor and scholar Joel Willitts hosts the podcast and directs the Library's Study Center. It explores the Jewish Scriptures as the foundational literature of early Judaism and reads the New Testament within the Jewish world in which it arose. Accessible conversations with scholars, archaeologists, and Library lecturers draw upon ancient texts, history, and archaeology to enrich Jewish and Christian readings of the Bible.

Information

  • Creator
    Joel Willitts
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Joel Willitts
  • Show Website
    The Bible Within Judaism

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