This Week in Word from the Bird
Book Launch. Pontius Pilate Executes Jesus. King Jesus. Apocalyptic Anachronism in Matthew.
Tuesday: Launch Day for Jesus and the Powers (Free Sign-Ups)
Launch Day for Jesus and the Powers, to celebrate, I’m posting a video of my debate with Christian Nationalist Stephen Wolfe.
Wednesday: Why Did Pilate Execute Jesus? (Paid Subscribers)
Preview of my next book! Why did Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judaea, hand Jesus over to be crucified? Pilate had to balance several competing interests, keeping the peace at Passover, suspicion about the priest’s intentions, what would his boss in Syria think, how would the crowds react, etc. It’s not actually straightforward!
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Thursday: Easter Message: The Kingdom of God as a Call to Action (Free Sign-Ups)
The world right now seems messed up, combustible, on the cusp of an apocalyptic calamity that might forever shape human life on our planet. What is a person to think of all this, or to do about it? What is there to hope for?
Friday: All Hail the Crucified King (Free Sign-Ups)
The Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus in a paradox, he’s both a powerful prophet, but also a messiah, a king, crucified in abject weakness.
Saturday: Many Saints Came Out of their Tombs: Matthew's Apocalyptic Anachronism (Paid Subscribers)
In the Gospel of Matthew, there is a strange scene, unique to Matthew, and quite peculiar: “The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many” (Mat 27:52-53). What’s up with that?
A Dr. Bird I’m looking forward commentary on the debate you just recently had. I watch it already and it definitely was a very spirited and intense debate/conversation. I feel finished your book already I couldn’t put it down. I haven’t read The case for Christian nationalism yet but I have Dr. Kevin Deyoung review which was a fair critique but he definitely concluded this view has many problems. This discussion needs to continue in the and the broader culture especially in America 🇺🇸 because this phrase comes up all the time in the media related to Trump versus Biden campaign etc. It’s definitely not going away. Living hear in New England the concept of Christian nationalism is very unpopular but not so much in the South. I think the root of this issue for the church is a lack of education in regards to American history and church history. No doubt all sincere Christians need to this through.
The saints coming out of the tombs has always been a bit of a puzzle to me!