The Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus) are some of the most controversial but practical books in the New Testament. In this episode, Dr. Charles Ray III helps us to understand the ways in which the Old Testament can shed light on ...

Does the Old Testament help us understand the New Testament? If so, how do we use the Old Testament in studying the New Testament, and what are some of the challenges we face when trying to make connections between the Old and New Testaments? I...

 Mob violence was a common issue in the ancient Roman Empire and a common theme in the New Testament. The issue of mob violence is of particular interest when examining the trial of Jesus and the ministry of Paul. In this episode, Nicholas...

In Acts 18, a group of Jews dragged Paul before the Judgement seat of a Roman Governor.  This incident ended with a violent and confusing case of mob violence. To make it even more confusing, The governor did seem to care; he simply ignore...

The New Testament uses the Old Testament a lot, but in many cases, its use of the Old Testament can be confusing. In this final installment of my interview with Dr. Jonathan Patterson, an Old Testament scholar,  we grapple with these issue...

Do you understand the Old Testament sacrificial system? It can be quite confusing. Why was sacrifice important and what exactly did a sacrifice do?  Even more important, how does the Old Testament sacrificial system shed light on Jesus's C...

One of Jesus's favorite titles was "The Son of Man," but this title was originally used in the Old Testament. What Insights can the Old Testament provide into this title? Also, one of the topics that Jesus debated the most was the proper observ...

The New Testament writers used the Old Testament extensively, but what value and challenges does studying the Old Testament provide for readers of the New Testament? In this podcast, I interview Dr. Cory Barnes, an Old Testament scholar,  ...

What is The Old Testament Law?  What significance did Law have for the people of Israel in the Old Testament? Does the Old Testament idea of Law shed light on the New Testament? In this podcast, I continue my interview with Dr. Jonathan Pa...

Great news, I am changing the podcast to an interview-style format and increasing the regularity of episodes. From now on, you can listen to an episode twice a month (on the 1st and the 15th). I hope you enjoy the changes. 

What is a Covenant?  What significance did Covenant have for the people of Israel in the Old Testament? Does the Old Testament idea of Covenant shed light on the New Testament? In this podcast, I interview Dr. Jonathan Patterson, an Old Te...

Mark 1:1 appears to be a pretty straightforward and boring introduction, but if you understand the historical and literary context then you realize that it is much more. If you want to support the podcast, check Ben's new book. &nbs...

The New Testament was written and set in the first century Roman Empire; an empire that was filled with interesting ideas about religion and the supernatural. These Greco-Roman ideas about religion form an important background that many readers...

Who Ran the Roman Empire? Most people would answer, "Caesar" or "the Emperor." However, the trials of Jesus suggest a more complex picture of how the empire was run. Join Dr. Benjamin Browning as he explores this interesting topic. 

Hello Everyone! I am back and ready to start podcasting again. Also, I have recently published a book. It is called Facing the Mob: Rome, the Crowd, and the New Testament. In the book, I explore the ways in which Roman governmental...

The Essenes were one of the many groups that composed first-century Judaism. One interesting aspect of this group is that it may have had a connection with John the Baptist. Join Dr. Ben Browning as he discusses this group and their possible co...

The Sadducees are not as well known as the Pharisees, but they are just as important to the story of Jesus. Join Dr. Ben Browning as he explores the identity and beliefs of the Sadducees. Check out our website at ntsetting.com<...

The Pharisees are one of the most recognizable groups in the New Testament. They are often viewed as simply a group of hypocrites or as the two dimensional villains who opposed Jesus at every turn. But is this a fair depiction? Were the Pharise...

This podcast explores how a non-Jewish family ruled in Israel for nearly a century and made their way into the Bible. If you have ever wondered who the Herods were or how they influence our understanding of the New Testament,  you will fin...

If you read the New Testament then you will notice that one name occurs frequently, Caesar. Who is Caesar, and which emperors are the New Testament writers referring to when they use this name? In this episode, Dr. Ben Browning helps you to ans...

In this episode, Ben joins Nicholas Noyola in Interviewing Dr. Craig Keener concerning his book on ancient biography and the Gospels, Christobiography. Check out the video version of the video on Nick's channel: https://yo...

There is a 400-year gap between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. What happened in the history of Israel during this period, and how does it affect the New Testament? In this episode, Ben answers these questio...

God chose the people of Israel as his special people, and he made a covenant with them. They broke that covenant and as a result, Israel collapsed under the weight of its enemies. In this episode, Ben tells the story of the fall of Israel and i...

In this Podcast, we continue exploring the history of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament. Specifically, Ben covers the story of Israel from Joshua to Solomon. ___________________________________________________________________...

The Old Testament is the most important source for information about the background and setting of the New Testament. In this episode, Ben provides a brief overview of the first five books of the Old Testament (the Torah), and he discusses how ...