There were eight levels of slave in the ancient world, from the slave who was a therapist to the aristocracy to the galley slave whose life was short and brutal. It was this slave – the "below decks" – slave that Paul chose to label himself as for the cause of Christ. We aren't slaves, we are the lowest of slaves, but that doesn't matter because we know our true identity. We dig into this linguistic detail, and our lackluster employment history in the factories and fast food restaurants of Ameri...
Oct 17, 2023•17 min•Season 4Ep. 16
"They know not what they do..." A passage that has been quoted and misquoted since Jesus said it. Yet, so much of the grace of the gospel is held within this sentence – forgive the sin, even as it's occurring, and even as God is using to fulfill his purposes. Rick quotes a psychologist friend: "We don't know what we don't know, and we don't know that we don't know it." In this instance, and so many, God uses even our blind ignorance to bring about his story in the world. Tune in.
Oct 11, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Elisha was apparently very sensitive about his receding hairline. In this passage, he appears to call a battalion of she-bears to do some mauling when some errant youths call him "baldy." Josh discusses his own emotional baggage as a hairless American, and we discover there may be a little bit more to this she-bear mauling story than we thought. Isn't that always the case?
Oct 03, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 13
When the world was young, Moses made a bronze serpent that the people looked on to be healed. Centuries later, the image appears again, only this time the poison is more pervasive and the healing is eternal. Tune in to our latest episode where we talk about snakes and the fear thereof, briefly about polar bears, and a whole lot about motifs in the Old Testament. Mazel tov.
Sep 26, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 12
A woman kneading a lump of dough as big as a steamer trunk. A shifty fraud re-burying a treasure and then buying the field he found it in. Jesus’ parables weren’t just theological constructs or teaching tools, they were jokes in which the punchline was grace. The joy of a son come home, the joy of finding money you thought was lost – Jesus knows how outsized these feelings are, and so conveys them in his parables. It tells us a little about the heart of God and his hilarious sense of romance....
Sep 18, 2023•18 min•Season 4Ep. 11
After a week off, the geocachers return to put a Sunday School myth under scrutiny. You may have grown up with the story of the “needle gate” – a small gate in Jerusalem that camels had to get on their knees to enter. The homiletic fall out from this story is a lot of metaphors about wealth, putting off worldly baggage, etc. The issue being – there’s no such thing as a needle gate and never was. We discuss the historical context, the difficulty of camels crawling, and another of Rick’s trips to ...
Sep 11, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 10
That's not a threat, that's a promise—a line from every action movie since ever. In this episode, we look at a popular “threat” or “judgment” passage and find out instead that it's a promise. "If my people, who are called by my name" – it all happened on a very strange afternoon in 957 BC.
Aug 28, 2023•17 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Jesus gets up to read at synagogue and reads the passage of his choice, then interprets it radically, to say the least. Just when everybody’s admiring Him, he ticks off the whole room and sends the crowd into a riot. All in a day’s work. Meanwhile, Josh tries to buy fish bait at a bar and Rick crashes a party at a private club in Bangladesh. Turn your phasers to listen .
Aug 21, 2023•25 min•Season 4Ep. 8
We look in detail at the well-worn story of the woman with the issue of blood. The hem of His robe she touched was probably the tzittzit , a religious ornament worn on the bottom of a garment. The ornamentation was deeply tied to identity and has Old Testament precedent in a story of Samuel and then of Saul. The unnamed woman, then, didn't just tug on His sleeve, she touched on His identity. We also talk about Mr. T and the time Billy Graham stopped a press conference. Cheers.
Aug 15, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 8
We look at the ancient, culturally-binding role of the patriarch. This kinsman redeemer role helps us understand the OT narrative and was a foreshadow of the great Redeemer. From paying debts to settling disputes, the patriarch was much more than a landowner or grandfather figure. He funded, employed, defended and avenged his family—he loved them fiercely against the chaos of the ancient world. Also there's a brief aside about flannelgraph and shoe-throwing.
Aug 07, 2023•16 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Jesus talks about the smallest thing having power over the greatest thing—the mountain—in the geometry of faith. But the understanding of mountain had richer symbolism in the ancient world. This, and we talk about Josh's time on the beauty pageant circuit.
Jul 31, 2023•17 min•Season 4Ep. 5
They throw the woman caught in adultery at his feet. He draws in the sand next to her. Instead of jumping into the rage of righteous fury, Jesus stops everything to converse with a voiceless person. He stops the clock to look her in the eye and restore her. Does God hate sin? Sure. But His reasons are different than ours.
Jul 24, 2023•16 min•Season 4Ep. 4
The consistent, sticky refrain of a “land flowing with milk and honey” shows up several times in the Old Testament. These two items – like all sweet things – were not necessary for living, but made life livable. They were precious commodities in the ancient world, especially in Israel where bees were considered “unclean” animals. We consider all this, and what Jim Carey has to say about it, in this latest episode. Touch not thou that dial.
Jul 17, 2023•18 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world…These aren’t the droids you’re looking for…Houston, we have a problem – we all know that one line from a classic film that brings the whole experience to mind. The story, the actors’ faces, the tension or humor in the moment, these all come back in a few words. Jesus was doing the same with his famous quote from Psalm 22 as we died – He drew us into the entire story of that Psalm that ends not in loss, but resurrection. Also, Rick and Josh ...
Jul 10, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Welcome to Season 4! Let’s get caching! We are proud to present a new cohost—pastor, writer, grandfather, cigar enthusiast, former cult member—Rick Shallenberger! We’ll get to know this remarkable man and talk about the “stones” Jesus refers to in Luke 19, how they might break out in song (but we will not, you’re welcome).
Jul 03, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 1
The Pharisees didn't eat gnats because they weren't kosher, but camels aren't either, so what's going on? Jesus delivers one of his famous one-liners to his critics, mixing absurd images and fantastical situations. We also learn why it's better to show up on time than show up with flowers. Tune in.
Oct 25, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Jesus talks about the mini-apocalypse in Matthew 24, primarily describing the fall of Jerusalem under Rome. This highly symbolic and brutal military maneuver changed the world, and redemptive history, for good. Why does Jesus talk about vultures gathering? It's an ugly death leading to resurrection, once again.
Oct 06, 2022•11 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Woe is me, for I am undone. This is how the King James renders Isaiah's reaction to the direct presence of God. The temple shakes, the world is undone, and we don't see this happen again until one important afternoon centuries later. What does it mean to be "undone" by God's presence and work and wonders in the world? In a world short on amazement, may we always celebrate God's surprises. Also there's a cool story about a helicopter.
Aug 24, 2022•13 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Jesus calls Herod a fox. Why? What does that mean anyway? Let's look at this ancient insult and why the Lord would refer to someone this way. The local "king" being addressed by the True King.
Jul 14, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 7
I have a deep, abiding hatred of snakes. I've never been bitten by one or anything, just a pre-programmed genetic revulsion maybe? Paul gets bit by a viper in Acts 28, but walks away unharmed, continuing to build a campfire (which seems really casual!). What was going on with this weird story? What does it mean to be unaffected by the "gods" of the world and, like Paul, shake them off and keep moving? Lisssssssten in (sorry, that was lame).
Jul 01, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Recorded during my kids’ swimming lessons under an apocalyptic sun, we talk about Jesus drinking habits. When the Pharisees saw Jesus’ generous, welcoming approach to people they declared him a drunk. But when they saw John the Baptist’s austerity they accused him of being possessed. Okay, well which is it? Do we as Christians usually get accused of having too much of a good time? Of being too welcoming or feasting too much? Jesus was. Tune in.
Jun 16, 2022•9 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Mary Magdalene was the first to see the resurrected Jesus in the book of John. She looks in the tomb and sees two angels sitting in a particular way. Again, the gospel writers never waste ink. What does an ancient angelic seating arrangement have to do with the identity of Jesus? Welp, let's geocache.
Jun 04, 2022•11 min•Season 3Ep. 5
"He meant to pass by them..." Mark 6:48. This is an uncomfortable detail in the otherwise comforting story of Jesus walking on water. Why would he pass them by? They needed him! But the gospel writers were connecting the story of Jesus with the stories of God's glory passing by Moses and Elijah. So pay attention.
May 26, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 4
“…there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28). What now, Jesus? Those peeps have been dead for a few dozen centuries, so what was He talking about? Let’s take a gander, and I’ll do my best impression of British atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell. Promise.
May 20, 2022•15 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Jesus makes a comment in the middle of a great Peter moment and a great Peter gaffe. He talks about "binding and loosing," which has always confused me, am I alone on this? Anyway, let's geocache it and we'll talk a little bit about changing your oil. Strap in.
May 12, 2022•13 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Ummm....so I've been gone a bit, but I can't help myself. I'm back and our name is Geocaching Scripture again and there it shall stay. In this episode, we talk about the so-so water supply in Laodicea in Asia Minor, Daniel Day Lewis and how metaphors – even biblical ones – are best drawn from whatever's laying around. It's very, very good to be back, fellow cachers. Pax humana.
May 06, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Warning: This episode is Dan-less. He's moving and I told him to take a few weeks off to carry boxes and not break dishes. He will return right soon! So me, just me, looks here at the calling of Peter in Luke 5. Jesus walks up to expert fishermen on the beach and tells them how to do their job. What was a very crowded day of teaching becomes a one-on-one conversation between Jesus and Peter, knee-deep in the surf.
May 28, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 61
Jesus wanders off to the temple in the traffic jams of the Passover celebration in Jerusalem. It's one of the more confusing episodes in the gospels, and the only glimpse we have of Jesus' childhood. What was he up to? Why does the cataclysmic story of Jesus' birth lead right into a very pedestrian story of a wandering t'ween and frustrated parents? What happened the time when Dan got lost hunting and had to hitchhike with a loaded gun? What about the time Josh got lost, as a t'ween, on a sweaty...
May 14, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 60
John the Baptist seems to appear out of thin air with his wild hair and blazing eyes and message of judgment. But he was actually part of a prophetic tradition that had been around for a long time. Part of it, but also out of step with it in just the right way, just the right amount of pushback on a paradigm. Wade in the water with Weird John for a minute, there's much to learn.
May 07, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Welcome to the late-night Tired Dad's Cafe, as Josh and Dan zoom after the kids' bedtime to talk polygamy. This practice, so foreign to the modern western mind, is everywhere in scripture. But just because polygamy shows up there, does that mean the bible is advocating it? Is polygamy – and other morally repulsive ideas – advocated by scripture? The answer is in the narrative, not the bullet points and we take a look at how most of these multiple marriages went – spoiler alert: not well.
Apr 23, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 55
