The BEMA Podcast: Episode 450 - "Talmudic Matthew — The 7"
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Host: BEMA Discipleship (Brent Billings, El Grover Fricks, Josh Boss)
Introduction and Context
In Episode 450 of The BEMA Podcast, hosts Brent Billings, El Grover Fricks, and Josh Boss delve deep into the Lord's Prayer, aiming to unpack its layers through historical and biblical contexts. This episode serves as a culmination of their extensive series, encouraging listeners to revisit foundational episodes for a comprehensive understanding.
Exploring the Lord's Prayer
1. God's Paternal Image
Josh Boss initiates the discussion by emphasizing the foundational assertion of the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father." He connects this image to the Exodus narrative, highlighting God's role as a rescuer.
Josh Boss [04:36]: "That God is our parent... the initial image of rescue... God is your f... To go to Pharaoh's face and say, hey, God says that Israel is their firstborn son."
El Grover Fricks builds on this by contrasting the personal, often culturally influenced view of God as "Dad" with the more profound biblical portrayal of God as a protector and liberator.
El Grover Fricks [06:55]: "When we read it in the text in Exodus, it's like, oh, yeah, primary identity of God, rescuer."
2. Sanctification and Its Exodus Connection
The discussion transitions to "Hallowed be thy name," where Josh Boss examines the term "hallowed" versus the simpler translations like "holy." He connects this sanctification to Exodus 13:2, where God commands the sanctification of the firstborn.
Josh Boss [12:49]: "Let your name be sanctified... when we consider how Jesus identifies God as holy, it's about continuing God's work in a way that makes His name holy."
El Grover Fricks further explores the Hebrew nuances, suggesting that Matthew might originally have been written in Hebrew to capture these subtleties.
El Grover Fricks [14:07]: "It's like, oh yeah, primary identity of God, rescuer... sanctification connects to walking in God's will."
3. "Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done on Earth as It Is in Heaven"
Brent reads the Lord's Prayer from the King James Version, setting the stage for a nuanced discussion on the interplay between God's heavenly decree and earthly application.
Josh Boss links this to Exodus 1:17, drawing parallels between God's will and Pharaoh's oppressive reign.
Josh Boss [20:09]: "The word for will also means desire... Exodus 1:17 where midwives fear God and defy Pharaoh's orders."
El Grover Fricks adds that this divergence between divine and earthly wills underscores the radical nature of God's kingdom.
El Grover Fricks [23:55]: "Trust God to not lead you to the place that's going to send you tumbling back down the hill."
4. "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
Brent reads Exodus 16:4, discussing the manna as a symbol of God's provision bridging the gap between heaven and earth.
Josh Boss [32:23]: "Manna is about God's life-giving love flowing down as bread... God's love is tangible and real."
El Grover Fricks connects this to practical sustenance, emphasizing that "daily bread" extends beyond physical needs to emotional and spiritual nourishment.
El Grover Fricks [37:01]: "When I'm living on the path that I'm supposed to be... I experience that daily bread."
5. "Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors"
The conversation shifts to the literal interpretation of "debts" and "debtors," drawing connections to Exodus 20 and the biblical concept of slavery tied to debt.
Josh Boss [53:24]: "Jesus says... setting people free is telling God's story... liberation is the business we are about setting people free."
El Grover Fricks highlights the ethical imperative to forgive debts as a reflection of God's forgiveness and the call to liberate others.
El Grover Fricks [52:23]: "Slavery was when your labor is divorced from the land... setting people free is central to our mission."
6. "Lead Us Not into Temptation, But Deliver Us from Evil"
Finally, the hosts interpret this plea as a request for divine guidance to avoid situations that could lead to spiritual downfall, referencing Exodus 13:17 where God leads the Israelites on a longer path to prevent them from rebelling.
Josh Boss [58:06]: "Don't lead us into situations that are going to be too much for us... Just trust God to not lead you to the place that's going to send you tumbling back down the hill."
El Grover Fricks concurs, emphasizing that avoiding temptation is about maintaining alignment with God's commandments.
El Grover Fricks [59:35]: "Turning around and going back is what gets in the way of walking out the commandments."
Connecting to the Exodus Narrative
Throughout the episode, the hosts continuously reference the Exodus story to ground the Lord's Prayer in its historical context. They argue that each petition in the prayer mirrors the Israelites' journey from slavery to liberation, reinforcing themes of divine provision, sanctification, and ethical responsibility.
Josh Boss [26:18]: "The exodus... God's liberation of God's rescue... duplication of what God does... we are here to liberate people."
Practical Applications and Conclusions
The final segments of the podcast focus on the practical implications of the Lord's Prayer in daily life. The hosts encourage listeners to see their daily provisions as manifestations of God's ongoing work and to actively participate in liberating others from various forms of bondage—be it financial, emotional, or spiritual.
Josh Boss [57:03]: "We get to actively recreate and make alive and resurrect in people's lives... setting people free is telling God's story."
El Grover Fricks underscores the balance between maintaining childlike faith and engaging in responsible stewardship, ensuring that the pursuit of liberation is both joyful and reverent.
El Grover Fricks [73:33]: "Putting liberation as our identity... partner with God in that work... putting the world back together."
Brent Billings humorously wraps up the discussion, highlighting the depth and complexity of the Lord's Prayer while maintaining a light-hearted tone.
Brent Billings [76:04]: "This prayer has depths and depths and depths to it... it's been good though."
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
- Josh Boss [04:36]: "That God is our parent... the initial image of rescue..."
- El Grover Fricks [06:55]: "When we read it in the text in Exodus, it's like, oh, yeah, primary identity of God, rescuer."
- Josh Boss [12:49]: "Let your name be sanctified... walking in God's will."
- Josh Boss [20:09]: "The word for will also means desire... Exodus 1:17 where midwives fear God and defy Pharaoh's orders."
- Josh Boss [32:23]: "Manna is about God's life-giving love flowing down as bread."
- El Grover Fricks [52:23]: "Slavery was when your labor is divorced from the land... setting people free is central to our mission."
- Josh Boss [57:03]: "We get to actively recreate and make alive and resurrect in people's lives..."
- El Grover Fricks [73:33]: "Putting liberation as our identity... partner with God in that work..."
- Brent Billings [76:04]: "This prayer has depths and depths and depths to it..."
Conclusion
Episode 450 of The BEMA Podcast offers a profound exploration of the Lord's Prayer, intertwining it with the Exodus narrative to reveal its deep historical and theological roots. By dissecting each petition through the lens of biblical events and ethical imperatives, the hosts provide listeners with a richer, more contextual understanding of this foundational prayer. The episode emphasizes active participation in God's mission of liberation, urging believers to embody the principles of the Lord's Prayer in tangible, everyday actions.
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