#126 Was Jesus an Ancient Magician? - Religion for Breakfast

Within Reason

Oct 19, 2025•1 hr 12 min

--:--

Listen in podcast apps:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Download

Listen to this episode in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episode description

Exclusive NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/withinreason. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Andrew Mark Henry is a scholar of religious studies. His research focus is early Christianity and late Roman religion. He earned his PhD at Boston University.His YouTube channel is "Religion for Breakfast", find it here.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Was Jesus a Magician?

3:35 - The Origins of ‘Magic’

10:02 - Celsus, Christianity’s Earliest Critic

16:35 - The Wise Magi

19:59 - Did Jesus Use a Wand?

30:22 - Curses, Rituals, and Magical Formulas

40:43 - What Kind of “Magus” Was Jesus?

43:52 - Was Jesus a Freelance Ritual Expert?

48:34 - Charisma and the Origin of Exorcism

53:03 - Grimoires: The Magic of the Written Word

01:08:40 - The Religion Department

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android