Tom Schmidt: How well connected were Josephus and Jesus?

In this 'Meet the Scholar' episode, Dr Thomas Schmidt, author of the book, Josephus and Jesus, talks to Dr Tony Watkins about the many connections Josephus had to various members of the 1st century Jewish-elite who were likely to have been at Jesus's trial.Dr Thomas Schmidt is Associate Professor at Fairfield University and a Visiting Fellow at Princeton University. He is the author of Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ (Oxford University Press).Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This week we have one of our occasional ‘Meet the Scholar’ episodes, featuring Dr Jill Firth, Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at Ridley College, Melbourne, in conversation with Dr Tony Watkins. In this episode, Jill talks about her research into the presentation of David in the Psalms and the logic for the order they were compiled in.00:00 - 01:04 - Intro01:04 - 03:14 - Background03:15 - 04:30 - Jill’s study of the Psalms04:31 - 09:45 - The last Psalms09:46 - 12:32 - The Descendant12:33 - 15:49 - Traps, Nets and Snares15:50 - 20:17 - Looking Forward - a call to praise20:18 - 29:15 - Changes in Thinking over 20 yearsSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This episode brings to a close part one of our series exploring William Tyndale’s life, Bible translation and legacy. In this third episode, we explore the continuing legacy of William Tyndale’s work of Bible translation with the help of experts in the sixteenth century and the history of Christianity.We’re very grateful for contributions from:• Bruce Gordon, the Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School, and author of The Bible a Global History (Basic Books, 2024)• Alec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Durham, and the author of The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion (Yale University Press, to be published in 2026)• Simon Burton, John Laing Senior Lecturer in Reformation History at the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, and author of ‌ Participation & Covenant in Puritan Theology (Davenant Press, 2025)• Karl Gunther, historian of the Reformation from the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education in the University of Florida, and author of ‌ Participation & Covenant in Puritan Theology Reformation Unbound: Protestant Visions of Reform in England, 1525–1590 (Cambridge University Press, 2014)• Harry Spillane, Bye-Fellow in History at Downing College, Cambridge. He is currently completing his Munby Fellowship research project entitled ‘Collecting and Correcting: Histories of the English Bible and the Bible Society Collections’Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

In this series we are exploring William Tyndale’s life, Bible translation and legacy, including interviews experts in the sixteenth century. In this third episode, we explore William Tyndale’s life after his publication of his translation of the New Testament into English in 1526.We’re very grateful for contributions from:Bruce Gordon, the Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School, and author of The Bible a Global History (Basic Books, 2024)Alec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Durham, and the author of The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion (Yale University Press, to be published in 2026)Simon Burton, John Laing Senior Lecturer in Reformation History at the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, and author of ‌ Participation & Covenant in Puritan Theology (Davenant Press, 2025)Karl Gunther, historian of the Reformation from the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education in the University of Florida, and author of ‌ Participation & Covenant in Puritan Theology Reformation Unbound: Protestant Visions of Reform in England, 1525–1590 (Cambridge University Press, 2014)Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This is the second episode in our series exploring William Tyndale’s life, Bible translation, and legacy. In this episode, Tony Watkins interviews experts in the sixteenth century and the history of the Bible to explore William Tyndale’s life leading up to the publication of his New Testament in 1526. This was the first to be translated directly from Greek into English, and the first New Testament to be printed in English.We’re very grateful for contributions from:Bruce Gordon, the Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School, and author of The Bible a Global History (Basic Books, 2024)Alec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Durham, and the author of The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion (Yale University Press, to be published in 2026)Simon Burton, John Laing Senior Lecturer in Reformation History at the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, and author of ‌ Participation & Covenant in Puritan Theology (Davenant Press, 2025)Karl Gunther, historian of the Reformation from the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education in the University of Florida, and author of ‌ Participation & Covenant in Puritan Theology Reformation Unbound: Protestant Visions of Reform in England, 1525–1590 (Cambridge University Press, 2014)Listen to our Principal, Peter J. Williams, talking about Robert Barnes' sermon at St Edward King and Martyr Church in Cambridge. https://youtube.com/shorts/zdCvIdDhlZ0?feature=shareSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This is the first episode in our new series exploring William Tyndale’s life, Bible translation, and legacy. Tony Watkins interviews experts in the sixteenth century and the history of the Bible. In this first episode, they explore the history of Bible translation prior to William Tyndale and the cultural context in which he lived and worked.We’re very grateful for contributions from:Bruce Gordon, the Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School, and author of The Bible a Global HistoryAlec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of DurhamSimon Burton, John Laing Senior Lecturer in Reformation History at the School of Divinity at the University of EdinburghKarl Gunther, historian of the Reformation from the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education in the University of FloridaLink to Season 5 of the Tyndale House Podcast on New Testament manuscripts: https://tyndalehouse.com/2025/01/16/s5e1-what-is-a-manuscript-and-why-should-we-study-them/Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This week we have one of our occasional ‘Meet the Scholar’ episodes. Dr Tony Watkins interviews Dr Petra Ratkovics (yes, she did indeed pass her viva!) about her PhD on the influences of Jeremiah in Paul’s theology as well as her plans for the future.Time stamps:00:00 Petra is about to submit her thesis!1:15 Petra’s background3:10 Why Petra became interested in Theology4:20 Petra’s PhD topic7:30 How Petra came to see the links between Jeremiah and Paul’s theology13:05 Idea of the new covenant and how we can only boast in the Lord16:25 The Lords presence in the covenant community19:40 Other shared themes between the Jeremiah and Paul’s letters biblical books authored by Paul20:45 Differences between the Greek and Hebrew texts of Jeremiah22:35 How might this work help the church?24:45 Petra’s plans for the future, particularly with Hungarian language resourcesSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

We kick off the new year with one of our occasional ‘Meet the Scholar’ episodes, which, this week, features Dr Catherine McDowell, Professor of Old Testament at Palm Beach Atlantic University, in conversation with Dr Tony Watkins. In this episode, Catherine talks about her research into the language of ‘image and likeness’ found in the book of Genesis, and its links to Mesopotamian culture, as well as her forthcoming book on idolatry. Catherine’s book The Image of God in the Garden of Eden is published by Eisenbrauns and is available from Amazon and other retailers.Her forthcoming book on idolatry is part of the Essential Studies in Biblical Theology series published by IVP which can be found here.0:00 Introduction0:50 Catherine's current work tracing idolatry through the Bible1:20 Catherine's motivations for this work1:50 Catherine’s research into the terms ‘image' and ‘likeness’, particularly in Genesis6:18 'image and likeness' ideas through the rest of scripture9:40 links to Mesopotamian culture12:55 links to Egyptian culture14:00 how this work links with Catherine’s work on idols15:45 what does it mean for humans to 'know good and evil'17:30 the origins of idolatry21:50 Counters to the theme of idolatry throughout the Bible24:05 How does this help the church?27:35 ConclusionSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

In the final episode of this Advent series, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about Simeon and Anna meeting the baby Jesus and the impact of their words on Mary. This four-part series for Advent is exploring Luke chapters 1 and 2, which are the focus of Christopher’s book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy (The Good Book Company, 2019).Repeat the Sounding Joy, by Christopher Ash is available from The Good Book Company and other booksellers.Timings:00:00 Introduction01:07 Reading of the passage Luke 2:21-383:35 The significance of Jesus’ name5:18 How does Mary ever manage to get her head around Jesus’ mission?5:50 The rewarding of long term waiting: Simeon (and Anna)9:40 Jesus as the consolation of Israel10:40 Simeon’s prayer, the Psalms and their use in Christian liturgy13:17 The shadow of the cross15:30 The rewarding of long term waiting: Anna16:44 Simeon and Anna as the fixed points in the temple17:40 A model of long term waiting: Anna19:15 The significance of Anna’s genealogy20:25 What can we learn from Simeon and Anna?24:36 Concluding remarksSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

In the third episode of this Advent series, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and the Shepherd's visit to the new baby. This four-part series for Advent is exploring Luke chapters 1 and 2, which are the focus of Christopher’s book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy (The Good Book Company, 2019).Repeat the Sounding Joy, by Christopher Ash is available from The Good Book Company and other booksellers.Want to explore some of these issues in more depth? Why not check out some of the articles on our website?Not in that poor lowly stable: https://tyndalehouse.com/2021/12/08/not-in-that-poor-lowly-stable/Who were the Magi?: https://tyndalehouse.com/resources/christmas-resources/Time codes00:00 introduction0:51 ’Not Old, Not Young, Not Done'2:10 Misconceptions around Christmas5:50 why are Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem?7:45 the impact of Joseph and Mary being unmarried 9:05 the shadow of the cross on the nativity9:55 The shepherds13:10 Shepherding and Kingship imagery throughout the Bible14:55 Why does Matthew leave out the Shepherds and Luke leaves the wise men?16:25 Tension between the two narratives (Matthew and Luke)17:04 How is the baby a sign to the shepherds?18:40 The significance of Luke 2:1422:00 How did Mary understand these things?25:00 Mary as a model of faithSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube