Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman
by Bart Ehrman
Latest episode
Which John Wrote New Testament Books? Even Church Fathers Didn't Know
Which John Wrote New Testament Books? Even Church Fathers Didn't Know
About this podcast
"Misquoting Jesus" is the only show where a six-time New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned Bible scholar uncovers the many fascinating, little known facts about the New Testament, the historical Jesus, and the rise of Christianity. The show features Dr. Bart Ehrman and host, Megan Lewis.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 213 episodes
- Which John Wrote New Testament Books? Even Church Fathers Didn't Know · 31 min · Episode 212Five books, nearly a fifth of the New Testament, have the name John attached to them. Many Christians might think this is John the fisherman, the son of Zebedee, and that perhaps…
- Was 70 the year that changed everything? · 46 min · Episode 211In the summer of 70 CE, Roman legions broke into Jerusalem and burned the temple. The sacrifices that had organized Jewish worship for centuries stopped, and never started again…
- Did the Winners Write the Bible? · 42 min · Episode 210As early christians wrestled with their beliefs and theologies surrounding Jesus, they both produced new texts and gospels, and edited existing ones to better fit with specific…
- Did Jesus Believe in Ghosts? · 47 min · Episode 209The Bible's world is crowded and unsystematic: ghosts, familiar spirits, demons that cause illness, and the dead who can be summoned. And at times, this world breaks through in…
- Where Did Original Sin Come From? · 43 min · Episode 208Most Christians grow up believing that everyone is born a sinner, that when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, humanity inherited a broken nature and a guilt we can't escape. It's one…
- How Apologists Use (and Misuse) Manuscripts · 57 min · Episode 207Do manuscripts prove the Bible never changed? Some Christian apologists have argued that the Great Isaiah scroll (1QIsaa) is proof of an unchanging Bible, that it's "Word for…
- Was Daniel Jesus' Favorite Book? · 41 min · Episode 206The Book of Daniel is set in the sixth century BCE, during the Babylonian exile. It describes visions of empires rising and falling — and for a long stretch, the sequence tracks…
- The KJV is a Literary Masterpiece, and a Disaster Study Bible · 45 min · Episode 250The King James Bible is arguably the most influential book in the English language, and Bart thinks it's a literary masterpiece. He also thinks it's one of the worst Bibles you…
- Fixing Gospel Contradictions: 2nd Century to Now · 38 min · Episode 204Around 170 CE, a Syrian Christian named Tatian noticed what a lot of readers have noticed since: the four Gospels don't always agree. So he fixed it. Tatian wove all four into a…
- Why Are There Four Gospels? · 44 min · Episode 203Most Christians are used to reading four Gospels. But why are there four? Why not one? Or twelve? The early Church thinker Irenaeus fought hard to keep Christians reading all…
- Was Paul an Eyewitness of Jesus' Resurrection? · 40 min · Episode 202In a recent response to Wes Huff, Bart said the only eyewitness we know of who's converting people is Paul. A lot of people pointed out that Paul never met Jesus. Fair. But Paul…
- How Bart Learned to Live Without God · 42 min · Episode 201For many religious people who deconvert, losing their faith leaves a giant hole in their lives. They can lose their community, their purpose in life, and their understanding of…
- Where did Satan actually come from? · 36 min · Episode 200In the Old Testament, Satan is a minor figure at best, and one fully under the control of YHWH. He appears briefly in the New Testament, notably in the temptation of Jesus. How…
- What Moody Bible College Didn't Prepare Me For · 45 min · Episode 199Those familiar with Dr. Bart Ehrman's career trajectory will know that he attended Moody Bible Institute, where he received his early training in textual criticism - but what is…
- Was Jesus Actually John's Disciple? (Q&A) · 36 min · Episode 198Did you know that Jesus wasn't the only apocalyptic prophet traveling around Galilee during the 1st century CE? If the answer is "yes Megan, of course!", then you probably know…
- Bart Fact Checks Apologist Wes Huff · 59 min · Episode 197Last year, Wes Huff was a relatively unknown Christian apologist. Then he went on The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the biggest podcasts in the world, and spent more than three…
- Did Jesus Actually Believe in Heaven? · 43 min · Episode 196Did you know that Jesus didn't believe in the soul, heaven, or hell? As an apocalyptic Jew, these ideas would have been completely foreign to him. So where on earth did…
- 8 Bible Myths Many Christians Believe · 43 min · Episode 195Have you ever heard a Christian say something about the Bible and wondered exactly where they were getting their information from? Today we are talking about the most common…
- Who Really Chose the Books of the New Testament? · 41 min · Episode 194Have you ever read something in the New Testament, maybe the Book of Revelation, and wondered why on earth it's included in the Bible? Why were these specific books included, and…
- John's Rewritten Gospel: What Did Scribes Change? · 44 min · Episode 193Did you know that scribes made changes to all of the books of the New Testament? Some of them were accidental, but some of them were very deliberate. The gospel of John is no…
- Three Myths Atheists Believe · 39 min · Episode 192Atheists often accuse people of religious faith of uncritically accepting a bunch of myths - but do atheists do the same? How closely do people actually examine their dearly-held…
- Did Jesus Suffer During His Crucifixion? (Depends Which Gospel You Read!) · 34 min · Episode 191In the gospels, Jesus' suffering is on a sliding scale - from sweating blood, to calmly accepting his fate. What did Jesus think about his own suffering, and is it even possible…
- This 1,700-Year-Old Song Is the Oldest Christian Music We Have · 39 min · Episode 190Ever wondered what the first Christian praise and worship service sounded like? Join us as Dr. Charles Cosgrove unveils the mystery of the Oxyrhynchus Hymn, the earliest known…
- Why No One Can Prove the Resurrection · 45 min · Episode 189The resurrection of Jesus is probably one of the most well known stories from the New Testament. But how do historians deal with this miraculous event? Should it be discounted in…
- Before Genesis: What the Old Testament Borrowed from Mesopotamian Stories · 40 min · Episode 188The Old Testament wasn't written in a cultural vacuum, but who and what influenced its writers. Today we're talking about the cultural background of the Old Testament and how the…
- 5 Evangelical Truisms that Aren't True · 42 min · Episode 187Love him or hate him, if you're listening to this podcast then you're probably familiar with some of Dr. Bart Ehrman's beliefs - but how familiar are you with the ideas he used…
- Is the Trinity Really in the Bible? · 43 min · Episode 186The doctrine of the Trinity - that there's one single God who is father, son, and holy spirit - is central to modern Christianity. But is it even in the Bible?
- Do the Dead Sea Scrolls Actually Prove the Bible Never Changed? · 44 min · Episode 185The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls shook the field of biblical studies to its core. But did they actually change how we view the Old Testament? Today we're talking about the…
- Did Jesus Actually Believe in Hell? · 39 min · Episode 184Hell – the fiery eternal torment known from many Baptist pulpits – is maybe the ultimate consequence for misbehaviour. But is it an afterlife that is present in the Bible? Today…
- Is the Rapture Really in the Bible – or Was It Invented Later? · 42 min · Episode 183The Rapture, the ascent of Jesus' faithful flock to heaven at the end of the world is enthusiastically anticipated by many evangelical Christians. But is this expectation…
- The One Verse That Made Bart Question Everything · 41 min · Episode 182Different Christian denominations have different beliefs about the Bible, and those who leave the faith have different ideas again. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to talk about…
- Why Christians Keep the 10 Commandments (But Ignore the Rest of the Old Testament) · 37 min · Episode 181The 10 Commandments are the most famous laws in the Bible, despite the fact that most people can't name more than a few. Today, I'm joined by Bart Ehrman to discuss why the 10…
- What Really Happened After the Crucifixion? · 36 min · Episode 180Easter is fast approaching, and while children everywhere are looking forward to chocolate eggs, the minds of many Christians are turning to Jesus' resurrection. Today, Dr. Bart…
- Did Christians Invent Jesus' Teachings? · 44 min · Episode 179We've been talking a lot about the revolutionary message of altruism in Jesus' teachings recently - but how do we know what the historical Jesus actually taught? Today, Dr. Bart…
- The Surprising Truth Behind "Love Thy Neighbor" · 34 min · Episode 178Jesus' most famous commandment might be to "love thy neighbour" - but what exactly does "love" mean, and how do you love your neighbour? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to talk…
- Did Jesus Invent Charity? · 42 min · Episode 177Bart's newest book, Love Thy Stranger, will be released on March 24th - but really, how much can you say about Jesus' impact on the moral conscience of the west? As it turns out…
- Did Jesus Invent Modern Morality? Exploring Ancient Ethics · 55 min · Episode 176The difference between right and wrong and how to live a good life has been a matter of debate for millennia. In the ancient world, different schools of philosophers subscribed…
- Love Thy Stranger: The Radical Origins of Western Compassion · 36 min · Episode 175What did it mean to be a good person in the ancient world, and what did ancient cultures say about how we should treat one another? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to discuss…
- The Surprising Reason Luke Removed Atonement from His Gospel · 41 min · Episode 174The writer of Luke's gospel drew heavily on the gospel of Mark - but was very careful to remove any idea of atonement - the concept that Jesus died in the place of others. Today…
- Were Peter & Paul Really Martyred? History vs. Legend · 48 min · Episode 173It's well-known Christian tradition that the apostles Peter and Paul were both crucified as a result of their Christian faith, but what does history have to say about those…
- Are We Missing a Gospel? Unpacking the Q Source Debate · 35 min · Episode 172Q is a hypothetical source for the gospels of Matthew and Luke - but did it exist, and if it did, why are there no fragments of it? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to answer YOUR…
- Lost Verses? The Biggest Changes Made to the Gospel of Luke · 45 min · Episode 171The original manuscript of the gospel of Luke may have looked entirely different from the one you might be familiar with - to start with, it might have lacked the first two…
- Must Christians Keep Kosher? Decoding Matthew's Answer · 41 min · Episode 170The first followers of Jesus were Jewish, and followed Jewish law. After Jesus' death, gentiles started to convert to Christianity - along with additional Jewish members. Did…
- Sin, Death, and Salvation: Paul's Mysterious View · 38 min · Episode 169Sin and salvation are two incredibly important concepts for Christians - both ancient and modern. But exactly what is sin, and how does one attain forgiveness? Today, Dr. Bart…
- Does the Book of Revelation Predict our Future? · 44 min · Episode 168The book of Revelation predicts some incredibly unsettling events, full of suffering and blood. Are these predictions of our own future? Today Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to talk…
- Did Ancient Scribes Alter Jesus' Words? Evidence from the Gospel of Matthew · 47 min · Episode 167The Gospel of Matthew was copied and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press - and each new copy introduced new changes to the text. What were…
- The Real Mary: History vs Christmas Legend · 44 min · Episode 166Ever wondered what Mary, the mother of Jesus, was really like—beyond the nativity scenes and stained glass? This week, Megan Lewis sits down with Dr. James Tabor to dig into the…
- The Real Story Behind the Virgin Birth in Christianity · 35 min · Episode 165Mary's virginity is a central tenet in most (or all) Christian denominations - but when did the story develop? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to talk about where the idea of a…
- Is the Christmas Story a Myth? · 44 min · Episode 164Did you know that the "Christmas story" everyone knows, with the shepherds and wise men, is actually an amalgamation of the accounts in the gospels of Luke and Matthew? Today…
- How Did Scribes Change the Gospel of Mark? · 53 min · Episode 163We have hundreds of manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark, and no two are exactly the same. From spelling errors to deliberate, theologically-driven changes, each scribe put their…
