Best Ephesus School Podcasts (2025)

1
Hate Your Father 12:56

1h ago12:56

12:56

“Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower,…

1
Andrew The First Called. 18:44

9d ago18:44

18:44

In the gospel of John, the call of Andrew, the apostle with the Greek name, precedes the call of Simon, whose name is derived from Aramaic. For this reason, Andrew is referred to as the “First-Called.” In the narrative, Andrew goes and tells his brother that they have found the Christ. The same pattern is repeated in the call of Phillip - a classic…

1
God Sees All 50:03

18d ago50:03

50:03

Most assume that the difference between Greek literature and the Semitic Scrolls, written in Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Qurʾanic Arabic, lies in narrative. It does not. Narrative is the veil, a carrier wave for what remains unseen. Everything hinges on lexicography. The decisive divide is grammatical. Greek “meaning” is a conceptually “built” co…

1
A Vessel Prepared. 14:52

23d ago14:52

14:52

On November 21 in the Holy Orthodox Church the feast day of the Entrance of the Theotokos in the Temple is celebrated. The epistle reading assigned for this feast is Hebrews 9:1-7, which speaks of the regulations for worship under the first covenant and describes the two parts of the tabernacle, called the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. In tha…

1
By God's Command 59:00

1M ago59:00

59:00

Human beings have always prided themselves on the advantage gained from possessing knowledge that others lack. We boast of being smarter, more informed, more enlightened—as if we were the elite guardians of some secret insight reserved for our sect, our institution, or our circle. Whether the advantage lies in religious doctrine, education, status,…

1
With A Sword In His Hand. 9:54

1M ago9:54

9:54

This episode looks at the remembrance in the Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael, the Chief Commander of the Bodiless Powers, in light of the reading at Vespers from Joshua Chapter 5. The victory granted to Joshua and the children of Israel is based on their adherence to the commandments of the Lord. The sword drawn in the hand of the supreme comm…

1
They Seemed To Be Pillars. 10:41

1M ago10:41

10:41

In the previous passage, verses 21-28, the direction of movement was out. Here, it is in - from the synagogue (representing Judaism of the diaspora) to the “house” of Simon (representing the temple, thus the Judaism of Jerusalem). And in that house, Jesus does exactly what he had done to the demon-possessed man - he brings healing through the gospe…

1
He Leads Them Out. 9:59

2M ago9:59

9:59

In the Antiochian Orthodox Church, St. Raphael of Brooklyn is commemorated on the first Saturday in November. At Divine Liturgy, the assigned readings are from the gospel of John and from the epistle to Hebrews. In Chapter 10 of John, Jesus speaks of himself as the good shepherd, the one whose voice the sheep hear when he calls them by name and lea…

1
Moses And All The Prophets. 13:01

2M ago13:01

13:01

Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets. In Chapter 3 of Galatians, St. Paul teaches an understanding of Christ that begins with the Pentateuch (the Books of Moses), via the story of Abraham, and goes ⅔ the way through the last scroll of the Latter Prophets, via Habakkuk. He literally “begins with Moses and all the Prophets” to explain all the th…

1
The Exodus Has Begun. 10:24

2M ago10:24

10:24

You Don’t Find God. He Finds You. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus enters Capernaum, a place whose name means “village of grace.” Scripturally, Jesus is bringing the news of the gospel to the people in that city as a gift. He goes into the synagogue, the place where the Jews of the diaspora gather to be taught, on the Sabbath, the day for that purpose.…

1
Crowd of Thorns 47:19

2M ago47:19

47:19

The thorns in Luke press and threaten. They are the self-referential swarm posing as a flock: the so-called “community” that gathers to its own voice, circling death, mistaking its stench for sweetness, even as it strangles the one bearing the seed. These are the thorns. But the roots are of another kind. They spring up from the seed itself. A daug…

1
The Seed Of Instruction. 10:58

2M ago10:58

10:58

A Light To The Nations - Bonus Episode The Seed Of Instruction. In the Bible, biological reproduction is simply a given, and not a matter of concern. What the Bible emphasizes is progeny through instruction, which it presents using the terminology of biological reproduction - see for example the Parable of the Sower from Mark ch. 4, Luke ch. 8, and…

1
Mending The Nets. 13:04

2M ago13:04

13:04

In this passage we hear about Jesus passing by the Sea of Galilee and calling two sets of brothers. First, we encounter “Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon.” It is said that they were “casting a net” for they were fishermen. Mark’s use of the verb ἀμφιβάλλοντας is important to note here. Ballo by itself means to throw; the prefix amphi adds the…

1
A Test Case. 10:56

2M ago10:56

10:56

By The Ephesus School

1
One is the Only Number 47:58

3M ago47:58

47:58

The functional path of oneness is not an abstract unity but a lived encounter of utter dependence. Western thought, enslaved by the grammar of the Anglo-Saxons, treats the human as an individual: a self-contained atom, an object unto itself. It imagines freedom as isolation, and isolation as freedom. But this supposed independence becomes sterility…

1
Jesus Is The Gospel. 11:29

3M ago11:29

11:29

In Mark 1:14, John the Baptist is dismissed from the narrative with a reference to his being arrested. Mark mentions the arrest to close the preaching of John; he wants to move on to his real topic of interest: Jesus and the heralding of the gospel. When he introduced John in verse 4, he omitted the term “gospel,” suggesting that he is reserving it…

1
Unsettled Settlement 55:07

3M ago55:07

55:07

The obsession of Western spirituality with forgiveness—therapeutic forgiveness—is an obsession with the self. With control. With the usurpation of God’s throne by human power. It domesticates God, it drags wisdom into abstraction, it ties it down, it entangles it in comfort for the self, and multiplies suffering for others. But Scripture cuts the k…

1
Son Of God, Son Of Man. 14:26

3M ago14:26

14:26

In this episode we continue our reading of the Gospel of Mark, covering Chapter 1:9-14. Although Mark had introduced his work as the Gospel of Jesus, calling him “the Christ” and “the Son of God” he qualifies both of these titles, which are parallel, by the phrase, as it is written in the prophets. Mark is telling his hearers that they cannot under…

1
Despair and Light 46:25

3M ago46:25

46:25

Every dynasty insists on its permanence. Every people clings to the hollow echo of its own voice. Every generation invents its own despair and dares to call it light. Yet Scripture unmasks the fragility of these human building projects. The voices of despair rise in the camp, soothing themselves with stories of morality, while kings and judges buil…

1
Moonstruck. 16:50

4M ago16:50

16:50

In Matthew 17, a boy’s father brings him to Jesus’ disciples to be healed but they cannot do it. Since the man is “from the multitude”, that is a Gentile, his son may be said to represent the second generation of the ekklesia, the Church, the primary addresses of Matthew’s Gospel. This story depicts the Gentiles in need of healing (the gospel), but…

1
What Lives On Is What Is Written 17:32

4M ago17:32

17:32

In the 2018 AMC series The Terror, we encounter an ancient form of communication: the cairn. These stone markers held messages—records of a journey left behind for those who would follow. Explorers lived and died. What endured was the knowledge they preserved. Andrea draws a parallel with the Bible. Its authors remain unknown. They left no signatur…

1
Lift Up Your Gates 42:37

4M ago42:37

42:37

All of Scripture comes to this: hope and trust. Not in the work of our hands, but in the righteousness of God. He alone vindicates the poor, he alone tends the needy. He is the Good Shepherd, the breath in the night, the voice that calms the storm, the hand that keeps the wolf at bay. Will we close the gates? Will we bind ourselves in chains? Will …

1
Eat What You Find. 14:05

4M ago14:05

14:05

In Scripture, God’s people don’t come to him, but he comes to them via the word that he puts into the mouth of his prophets. In Mark, John the Baptist follows this Scriptural pattern by beginning his ministry outside of Judea and Jerusalem. In other words, God appears in the wilderness and his people meet him there by hearing and accepting his word…

1
Incense and Ash 43:28

4M ago43:28

43:28

The function ש־ו־ב (shin–waw–bet) is not the sigh of remorse in a cloistered heart, but the pivot of a sword’s edge; the turn God commands into the place where his name has been denied. Abraham returns from the valley of kings; Moses returns to the mountain, still breathing the smoke of the calf’s golden stench; Gideon returns to the camp with the …

1
John 21:15-19 1:34:26

4M ago1:34:26

1:34:26

A guest lecture and followup discussion with an adult English fellowship at an Eritrean Orthodox parish in London. We discuss the meaning of love according to the Gospel of John Chapter 21 verses 15-19. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★By The Ephesus School

1
The Desert Knows His Name 51:27

5M ago51:27

51:27

In Scripture, to “find” is never mere discovery. It is encounter— a turning of the text where mercy meets rebellion, where favor walks hand-in-hand with wrath. In Gerasa, the people find the healed man—clothed, sane, silent— and they tremble. He is a mirror, a testimony they cannot bear. Restoration becomes a scandal. Mercy, a threat. As well it sh…

1
The Beginning Of The Gospel. 14:15

5M ago14:15

14:15

Many biblical scholars consider Mark to be the earliest production among the four gospels. Unlike Luke and Matthew, Mark contains no infancy narrative of Jesus. And compared to the other three, there is little by way of a post-resurrection appearance. What is there (Mark 16:8-20) seems to be compiled from the accounts in the other gospels; moreover…

1
The Staff Rebellion 1:02:58

5M ago1:02:58

1:02:58

Examining the history of nomadic pastoralism across Asia—from the Caucasus and Central Asian steppes to ancient Mesopotamia—reveals a consistent pattern: settled elites have repeatedly waged war against pastoral peoples. Both the Bible and the Qur’an emerged from nomadic pastoral societies, yet these same texts were later weaponized by sedentary ci…

1
The Elijah To Come. 19:16

6M ago19:16

19:16

What does Jesus mean when he says that, for those who are willing to accept it, John the Forerunner “is the Elijah to come”? How does John function as Elijah in the Gospels? In this episode we discuss the text that is heard in the Orthodox Church on the Nativity of the Forerunner, in which John is said to go before the Lord “in the spirit and power…

1
The Mirror is Not Your Friend 41:09

6M ago41:09

41:09

Human beings are evil. We are hardwired to curate our self-image, excuse our failures, and cling to the stories that make us feel good about ourselves. The truth is, we are hypocrites—fluctuating between condemning unspeakable horrors, often hidden from public view, and idolizing the very politicians and institutional cowards who cause or permit th…

1
No Statue, No Temple, No City, No King. 16:32

6M ago16:32

16:32

The Scriptural God has no representative statue, no temple and no earthly city. As such, he is unique among other deities of the ancient near east; they are made by the hands of men, they reside in temples made of stone, set in fortified cities and governed by a king who, like the statue, is the representative of the deity, his plenipotentiary on e…

1
Lex Maligna, Lego Inferna 31:02

6M ago31:02

31:02

In Dark Sayings, I explain how Emperor Justinian stands as a striking example of imperial harlotry. Like all rulers, he filtered Scripture through his own agenda—much like what we see in 2025, with elites twisting the biblical text to justify the very actions it condemns. Today’s world leaders are effectively reenacting the sins of the Bible’s vill…

1
Table Fellowship. 16:24

7M ago16:24

16:24

Have You Anything Here To Eat? This episode is the audio of a sermon given on the Feast of Annunciation. The prescribed texts for the feast are Acts 1:1-12 and Luke 24:36-53. In the New Testament, table fellowship (koinonia) between Jews and non-Jews is an expression of the oneness of the Gospel. Peter was taught in Acts 10 that he must not call “c…

1
Presence of Absence 49:28

7M ago49:28

49:28

In Isaiah, Cyrus the Great emerges as a unique figure chosen by the God of Israel to fulfill a specific historical task: the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple and the liberation of the Judahites from exile in Babylon in direct fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by Jeremiah. Cyrus’s rise to power is depicted not as a product of his strength but as …

1
Join the Rebellion 42:57

7M ago42:57

42:57

People choose personal relationships and personal fulfillment over duty. Most often, they place the latter ahead of the former, which is why you see all these ridiculous posts on social media about “toxic relationships.” It’s a big joke. I live among people who do not inhabit the same reality as I do. It used to frustrate me, but now I smile and mo…

1
I Am Not a Greek 37:28

7M ago37:28

37:28

Situated opposite Galilee, the “earth” of the Gerasenes marks the site of God’s first tactical strike against Greco-Roman assimilation in Luke. The Greco-Roman rulers who possess and enslave the land impose violence and havoc, sowing death where God’s many flocks were meant to roam freely, without interference. Like the abusers in Jerusalem, the oc…

1
The Liberation of the Land 34:06

8M ago34:06

34:06

In Scripture, “earth” signifies more than just physical land; it functions as a literary sign that opposes human oppression. The biblical narrative presents the land both as a silent witness against human civilization and as one of its victims. In this context, the recurring phrase “heavens and earth” serves as a merism, expressing the totality of …

1
No History. No Harmony. Only Function. 12:33

8M ago12:33

12:33

Harmonizing the Narrative is a Betrayal of the Text. The Church considers the complete and necessary depiction of Jesus to be that which is drawn out of all four gospels. Rather than assuming a harmonized narrative that each one gives some little glimpse into, the Church has always affirmed the full authority, and thus the necessity, of all four. T…

1
Internalized Racism 48:51

8M ago48:51

48:51

In “Dark Sayings,” I explore how internalized racism destroyed my mother’s family. This psychological process, woven out of Hellenistic pluralism and anti-Scriptural platitudes about the so-called “Melting Pot,” reveals how systemic racism operates not only externally but within the immigrant’s self-conception. Internalized racism is more insidious…

1
Out Of One. 13:24

9M ago13:24

13:24

In Hebrews 2:11, it says, “for he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all “of one.” In Greek this is ex enos - literally “out of one.” Various translations render that phrase “of the same family” (NIV), “have the same father” (New Living Translation), “have one source” (ESV), and “have the same origin” (NET). These are misleading …

1
The Arrogance of Job 36:41

9M ago36:41

36:41

Theologians and philosophers love to talk about the meaning of life. They explore its purpose, justification, and value, questioning whether or not suffering has meaning. They sound like the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, wasting time viewing things from the wrong perspective: man’s point of view, the king’s point of view, Job’s point of view. This mirr…

1
Sing to the Lord a New Song 32:52

9M ago32:52

32:52

In every age, empires create words to describe the people in the societies they seek to dominate and exploit. Eventually, these terms are turned inward and used against themselves. The Greco-Romans—and their eastern heirs, whom modern scholars call the Byzantines—labeled those outside their empire as barbarians. The colonials who settled the Americ…

1
Do Not Be Led Astray. 18:19

9M ago18:19

18:19

The Weekly Quizzes Are Open-Book. The Final Exam Is Not. Chapter 21 of Luke is the only Gospel to use the noun form of ὑπομονῇ, often translated “patience” or “steadfastness.”This term comes from a verb which literally means “to bear under.” Luke uses it another time in his Parable of the Sower to describe how those who hear the word keep it and be…

1
Glory to the Most High 25:06

9M ago25:06

25:06

Some concepts in the Bible are so crucial that if they aren’t properly understood from the outset, the text itself can be twisted from a guide that protects your steps into a snare that traps you in a cycle of endless folly. One such example is the idea of ownership or proprietorship. When you hear the Bible, even in the original languages, but esp…

1
Forget, Lest You Forget 37:28

10M ago37:28

37:28

What is it like to be unaffected? How sad it must be to go to church, attend a class, interact with your neighbor, and be indifferent to what they say. What is it like to be unaffected? To be so confined to yourself that when you look at your natural reflection in the mirror, you see your flaws—you might even acknowledge them—but the moment you loo…

1
It's Literature 14:21

10M ago14:21

14:21

This week, Fr. Paul reminds us that a word does not carry meaning yet the words of Scripture make God’s instruction accessible. Likewise, it is the words of God to which we submit, not an abstract Torah in Deuteronomy, but the words of God, a point echoed in the letters of St. Paul. (Episode 333) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★…

1
From A To Z. 15:21

10M ago15:21

15:21

From A To Z. When we hear Scripture, we are always beyond the grace. This is point A. And we always have the peace - point Z - ahead of us. All of the epistles of Paul start with “grace and peace,” and they all end with “grace.” He gives you the starting point and the end point at the outset, but then after teaching for the duration of his letter, …

1
It's Personal 40:01

10M ago40:01

40:01

When people hear Luke 8:18, they assume it is talking about stuff. But Luke, like the Book of Job, is not about stuff. It is about darkness and light. When people evaluate others—their first mistake is that they evaluate at all—they measure what others have. That is how the Duopoly assesses Job. They love him because he was rich, pity him because h…

1
Nothing But The Text. 17:46

10M ago17:46

17:46

In Galatians, Paul maintains that God’s promise to Abraham was implemented in Christ; and that this “freedom from the curse” was accomplished specifically through his going to the cross, essentially becoming a curse for us. The basis for his conclusion is neither philosophical or mystical, but is the same as in all his letters: Scriptural, that is,…

1
May God Cover Us 24:41

10M ago24:41

24:41

Most people, when they hear the story of Josiah and his priest rummaging through the rubble of the temple in Jerusalem and stumbling upon a scroll, fall prey to the hope that Josiah was a reformer. That he picked up the scroll, looked upon those who came before him, and thought: I can do it better. I can get it right this time. But that's the trap.…

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