In episode 134, the final episode of season 6 of the Enter the Bible podcast, co-hosts Kathryn Schifferdecker and Katie Langston discuss a series of audience-submitted questions in a lightning-round episode with guest Dr. Rolf Jacobson.
Rolf Jacobson is Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary and Dean of the Faculty. He has served as co-host of Working Preacher’s Sermon Brainwave and Narrative Lectionary podcasts.
Questions addressed in this Lightning Round:
- Who was Cyrus?
- What is the significance of the cords in Ezekiel 4:8?
- In Luke 4:14-30, did Jesus read in the synagogue from the Septuagint in Greek or from a Hebrew scroll?
- Why did Jesus’ miracles happen on the sabbath day?
Show notes
Biblical books and passages mentioned
- Isaiah 45: Cyrus is God’s anointed (Messiah)
- Ezra 1: Cyrus decrees that Jews can return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple
- Ezekiel 4:1-8: Ezekiel is ordered to build a model of Jerusalem under siege
- Luke 4:14-30
- Examples of Jesus healing on the Sabbath: Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-6, and Luke 6:6-11, Luke 13:10-17, Luke 14:1-14
Topics, themes, and figures mentioned
- See these entries in Enter the Bible’s Timeline:
- Exile (586-539 BCE)
- Judah during Persian Rule (538-332 BCE)
- Cyrus Cylinder at the British Museum
- The Great Isaiah Scroll (Hebrew)
- Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible)
- Targum (Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible)
