Apr 8, 2022
Today, it's my honor to invite you to join us for an incredibly unique and fascinating conversation with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine. Dr. Levine is an academic, an educator, and an author who is invested in Christians finding the Jewish context of their own story and helping them see where anti-Jewish messages exist in the world. Then, with her fellow Jews she desires to help them see that the New Testament is a Jewish story and that it fills in some of the gaps of Jewish history. Ultimately, her hope in all of this work is for Jews and Christians to stop bearing false witness against one another and treat each other as fellow children of God.
From a very young age, Dr. Levine began asking questions about how two groups of people that share so many similar beliefs about God, customs, etc, can villainize the other. We talk about those questions in our culture, within the Biblical and historical context, as well as why some believe there is a need to extract Jesus from His Jewishness, and how that truly takes away from the Biblical narrative and the gift of Christ on so many levels.
AJ calls Christians to own their faith in an incredibly powerful way. Her latest work Witnesses at the Cross examines the four Gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Christ and she offers many powerful statements about what we can learn from all of the various witnesses there. She not only weaves her vast wisdom of sacred texts and historical context into the accounts, but she also provides beautiful insights from her own experience. For example, while teaching a Divinity School class at Vanderbilt, she taught that class “on the inside” with inmates on death row. Their observations of Calvary implored her to consider the thieves on the cross from a lens she offers to us. She also challenges the readers to consider how we can find ourselves in the bystanders and scoffers as well as reminding us that even though many parts of this moment in time display many people at their worst, those people are made in the image of God. If Jesus is who He says He is, He was crucified for them too.
I hope that you find this conversation fascinating and thought provoking, friends. As we are about to walk into the days of Holy Week, with Palm Sunday here in just a couple of days, I hope you this conversation breathes fresh life into your Lenten journey. I hope it brings some questions to consider as we make our way to the Cross. As my friend Katie says “we are a Saturday people.” We long to see how the story ends. God is faithful to the end, for all of us. Jesus’ offering of His life is a gift that can never be taken, and is available to all who seek it. The Spirit dwells among us, and constantly reminds us of who God has always been and who He will always be. I pray we seek Him with fresh praise and gratitude and with open hands and hearts. You matter. Your story matters. He will complete the work He began in you.
Today’s episode sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty
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Connecting with Dr. AJ Levine:
Hartford International University Webpage
References:
-Prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament
-circumcision becoming unnecessary
-Sandy Eisenberg Sasso-Co-author of the children’s books
-The seven last words of Jesus
-Where is Cyrene? modern day Libya
-Riverbend Maximum Security Institution
-Men of
Valor
-”Shawshank Redemption”
-Short Stories by Jesus- by Dr. AJ Levine
-Historical context of Jesus’ day between the Jewish leaders and Rome
-The revolt doesn’t come until 30 years post resurrection
-”client ruler”- Herod Antiapas (kills JTB)
-Herod the Great (kills the babies bc of his fear of losing the throne)
-Archelaus (Herod’s son who gets part of his inheritance, in Judea)
-Tyberius is on the throne in Jesus’ time
-Nero
-The back story of Jews and Samaritans, modern day issues
-Herod the Great had a Maccabean Princess
Scripture References:
John 3:16-He is the only begotten son of God and He died for our sins
-Exodus 3:7-10, The book of Esther, Jeremiah 29:11- His faithfulness to His covenant with the children of Abraham (to name a few)
Romans 7:12- the Law is holy, just and good
Galatians 3- don’t follow the Law, it can’t save you, you can’t do it
Acts 9:15,Acts 26:17-20, Galatians 1:15-16, Ephesians 3:7-8, -Paul is the apostle to Gentiles
Acts 13-Paul says in Acts to worship in the synagogue
Matthew 27:32,Mark 15:21,Luke 14:27,Luke 23:26-Simon of Cyrene
Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-26-Joseph of Arimathea
Mark 15:41-the women who followed Jesus and ministered to Him
Luke 8:1-3-Joanna and Susanna
Luke 8:2, John 20:11-18-Mary Magdalene
Luke 23:32-55-the two thieves on the cross
Luke 23:39-43-The “good” thief is the only one who seems to realize Jesus has a Kingdom
Matthew 13:45-46-the parable of the pearl of great price
Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Joshua 1:8, -the call to remember in the Old Testament, write it on your door posts, and seal it in
2 Kings 22-Josiah found the scrolls of the Law and their revival
-Luke 1:1-25, 1:57-80 - Zechariah John the Baptist’s father, his response is him remembering the Lord and his faith to see what would happen next
Matthew 27:42-The bystanders who demanded him to do a miracle to bring Himself off the cross
Mark 1-8- allllll the miracles
Mark 7:36, 10:45-Jesus doesn’t want to be known as the miracle worker, but the One who died as a ransom for many
John 2:19, Matthew 27:40-You said you were going to destroy this Temple
Mark 6:14-29-”client ruler”- Herod Antiapas (kills JTB)
Matthew 2:16-18-Herod the Great (kills the babies bc of his fear of losing the throne)
Luke 10:1-23-Jesus told them to go out without a sword or staff
Matthew 5:20-Sermon on the Mount, talks about the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees
John 3:1-21, Acts 9:1-19 -Some Pharisees begin to follow Jesus: Saul of Tarsus (Paul), Nicodemus
Acts 15 -mentions other Pharisees who follow Jesus’ teaching as well
Exodus 20:8-11-How do you follow the Sabbath and keep it holy
Mark 12:28-34- Jesus is teaching in the Temple, scribe approaches and asks about the greatest commandment
Matthew 22:34-40- retells that story with a different tone
Luke 10:25-37- The “good” samaritan story
John 4- The woman at the well
Matthew 1- Jesus’ lineage with women
Luke 10:38-42- Mary and Martha
Mark 15:40-41- women who traveled from afar that followed Jesus
Matthew 14:13-21- Feeding of the 5,000
Mark 14- He’s already been anointed
Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24: 6-7 (this is the actual quotation) don’t you remember what He told you (the angel says to the women)
Mark 14:12-26- the last supper when Jesus spoke to them about going back to Galilee
Luke 1:39-56-Elizabeth proclaims over Mary that she is carrying Christ
John 19:25-women were at the cross
Luke 23:55, Luke 24:1-12-women were at the tomb
Acts 2-women were at Pentecost and receive the tongues of fire
Exodus 2:1-10, Exodus 15:2-21, Micah 6:4-Miriam, a prophetess, worship leader
Matthew 18:20-Where are two or three are gathered
James 2:14-26- faith without works is dead
Genesis 1:27 - everybody is in the image and likeness of God
Esther 4:14- For such a time as this
Ecclesiastes 1:9-There is nothing new under the sun
Matthew 16:24-Pick up the cross and follow Him
Romans 3:10-12,Psalm 14:1-3,Psalm 53:1-3-There is no one righteous, not one
Revelation 5:9; Revelation 5:12; Revelation 13:8; Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29; John 1:36; 1 Peter 1:19 Jesus is the Lamb of God
Hebrews 8:1-4-Jesus is the High Priest
Jeremiah 29:13- Seek Him and you will find Him
Philippians 1:6- He will complete the work He began
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