Thinking Fellows – "Are There Hidden Secrets in the Old Testament?"
Featuring Chad Bird
Released: January 27, 2026

Main Theme and Purpose

This episode delves into the recurring idea that the Old Testament harbors "secrets"—hidden codes, numerological clues, or esoteric knowledge accessible only to a spiritual elite. The hosts and guest Chad Bird, an Old Testament scholar, examine the roots of this fascination, its relationship to biblical clarity (perspicuity), the role of language and translation, and how Christians can more faithfully engage the Old Testament.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Allure of Hidden Knowledge in the OT

• Modern fascination with "Jewish wisdom," secret codes, numerology, and special "Hebrew insights" in the Old Testament is on the rise, both online and in popular religious culture.
• Chad Bird explains that such obsessions promise “deeper” spirituality and knowledge only accessible to the "initiated," creating a kind of “spiritual hierarchy.”

  "There's this attraction of secret knowledge... you get of it, the better equipped you are to really understand the Bible as opposed to just typical readers." – Chad Bird (04:09)

• The hosts liken this to a form of Gnosticism, privileging secret knowledge over the plain reading of Scripture.

Clarity of Scripture and the Danger of Mystical Readings

• The Lutheran and Reformation tradition emphasizes the perspicuity (clarity) of Scripture—that the Bible is meant to be understood, not obscured.

  "Perspicuity just means clarity... they're written in a way that they're intended to be understood and not intended to contain un-understandable or secret or hidden knowledge." – Scott Keith (07:41)

• There is acknowledgment that understanding the original cultural context (e.g., fishing metaphors for fishermen) can enrich understanding but is distinct from claiming that vital truths are hidden or unreachable without special codes or languages.

Common Examples and Critiques of the "Secret Knowledge" Approach

• Chad and the hosts reference examples like numerology, secret codes in Hebrew names, or overemphasis on Hebrew word roots to manufacture Christian messages ("pounding a square peg in a round hole").

  "If you're committing all kinds of linguistic...breaking all kind of linguistic rules to get that message, that just gives ammunition to those who say that Christ isn't in the Old Testament and you're just twisting things around to try and find him there." – Chad Bird (11:18)

• They discuss specific debates, such as the identity of “Israel” in prophecy, emphasizing that these discussions are often hijacked by those seeking hidden knowledge, rather than seeking clarity from the text itself.

On Context, Translation, and the Role of Original Languages

• The New Testament writers, including Paul and the Evangelists, most often quoted the Old Testament in Greek (the Septuagint), not Hebrew. This serves as a caution against fetishizing the original Hebrew as hiding secret revelations.

  "When you look at the New Testament, what is the text...that is used overwhelmingly when it's quoted or alluded to, it's not the Hebrew text." – Chad Bird (26:35)

• The study of Hebrew, Greek, and other original languages is not about discovering secrets, but about understanding nuance, context, and clarifying meaning, especially where translations can’t capture the full nuance.

  "When you put a string of words together into a sentence, there's a lot of nuances. And you can never bring 100% of one language over into another language." – Chad Bird (32:12)

• For example, in Psalm 23 "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me," the Hebrew verb is better rendered "pursue," conveying a more active sense of God’s mercy.

The Real Purpose of Studying Scripture and the Old Testament

• The team stresses that studying the original languages or historical context is to assist in understanding—not to uncover secret knowledge, but to make the clear things clearer and the obscure things plainer.

  "If you are a pastor teaching that, you could actually...provide context...if I were translating myself, I'd say pursue. But that's not secret knowledge." – Scott Keith (35:44)

• The Old Testament is clear in its central message—the promise of Christ. All parts of Scripture should ultimately point to Christ, as modeled by Jesus and the Apostles in their teachings.

  "The key question always to ask is how is this showing me Jesus? What is this teaching me about who he is and what he's done for me?" – Chad Bird (48:00)

History of Language Study and Transmission

• During the Reformation, renewed attention to Greek and Hebrew rooted in the desire for accurate understanding and translation (rather than secret knowledge) led to more reliable Bibles.
• The tradition of studying biblical languages in seminaries (especially Lutheran) continues for clarity and accuracy—not for esotericism.

Debates, Variant Readings, and Peripheral Mysticism

• Some topics (such as the number of the beast: 666 or 616; Revelation 13, 45:06) involve numerology or symbolic numbers, and have been debated for centuries. Not all such details affect core doctrine, and scholarly debate on such matters is natural.

  "That's part of the Christian tradition. Christians have always debated meanings of things, and that's okay, so long as we keep the main thing. The main thing..." – Adam Francisco (45:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hidden Knowledge and Spiritual Elitism:

  "There’s a mystical draw that you can get a deeper knowledge that not everyone else has... by diving into these mysterious elements of the Hebrew language." – Chad Bird (04:09)

• On the Clarity of Scripture:

  "The Scriptures are clear... [they're] intended to be understood and not contain un-understandable or secret or hidden knowledge..." – Scott Keith (07:41)

• On the Use of Greek in the Early Church:

  "If Jesus and the apostles would have us truly approach the Hebrew text the way some people want us to, they certainly did not set a good example, because they never do the kind of things we see happening with some of this Hebrew stuff." – Chad Bird (27:07)

• On the Real Benefit of Language Study:

  "The advantage of learning Greek and Hebrew... is to be able to say, okay, this is an accurate translation. There are some nuances which are kind of hard to bring out." – Chad Bird (32:12)

• On the Central Purpose of the Old Testament:

  "Jesus says that from Moses to the prophets to the Psalms to the writings, that all of these are about him. So...the key question always to ask is how is this showing me Jesus?" – Chad Bird (48:00)

Important Timestamps

• Hidden Knowledge in the OT & Its Allure: 04:09–06:40
• Perspicuity of Scripture & Translation Issues: 07:09–09:51
• Numerology and Searching for Christian Messages: 11:18–12:32
• Debating Identity of Israel & Reinterpretation: 12:58–15:42
• The “Secret Knowledge” Teaching Example: 15:42–19:57
• Response to Contextual ‘Twist’ Interpretations: 19:57–21:44
• Why Study Greek and Hebrew? Real Benefits: 32:12–35:41
• Old Testament Points to Christ, Not Hidden Codes: 48:00–49:43

Conclusion: Productive Engagement with the Old Testament

• The hosts and Chad Bird ultimately urge listeners not to seek hidden codes or “secrets,” but to find confidence in the clear, Christ-centered message of the Old Testament.

  "Studying further is not for secrets, it's for clarity and certainty." – Caleb Keith (49:43)

• The value in language, history, and context is to enhance clarity, enrich understanding, and amplify the message that’s already present—Christ for you—rather than create spiritual gatekeepers or exclusive knowledge.

For Further Listening

Chad Bird co-hosts "40 Minutes in the Old Testament" and is involved in the "Bible in One Year" project. More resources can be found at 1517.org.
Short-form video content and other podcast episodes are also available through the 1517 network.