Explore every episode of the podcast Scripture with the Fathers

What are the ten commandments? What are they really? Is it prohibitions on one's freedom or a response of love to the One who loved us first? Since Christ, are people still bound by the ten commandments? We look to St. Augustine for some guidance as well as St. Paul and the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament.

Jesus takes the Apostles to Caesarea Philippi and asks, "Who do men say that I am? and But who do you say that I am?" Peter's confession has many parts and we begin to to explore the depth of this exchange between Peter and Jesus. Peter's response is informative and gives us the the seed of the founding of the Church and Peter's office. We explore the hypostatic union of Christ and what that means. We hear from St. Jerome, St. John Chrysostom and St. Hilary.

Moses enters the dark cloud on Mt. Sinai and speaks to the Lord. What is God doing with the trumpet blasts, the cloud and fire, lightning and thunder? Consider who the Hebrews are at this stage of their relationship with God and where they had been for four hundred and thirty years. They were in a culture of pagan pantheism, the many gods of Egypt and slavery to just basic survival. God is calling them and bringing them out of that to freedom to be in right relationship with him, and not as a slave master relationship, but rather as sons and daughters; a family. But this takes time and as a parent teaches a child from infancy to adulthood, God is approaching the Hebrew people in the same way. They are infants spiritually and so the concrete, the sense perceptions are the first way in which he interacts with them so they get rule one: "I Am God, the only one." Moses can enter the dark night of the soul as signified by entering the cloud.

Jesus walks away from the Pharisees and Sadducees and then gets into the "boat" with the Apostles and warns them about the "leaven" of the Pharisees. then Jesus takes them to a particular place to pose the question, "Who do men say the Son of Man is?" and then, "Who do you say that I am?" We begin our discussion of Jesus' question to his disciples, which is the question to all of us.

We continue to explore the theophany on Mount Sinai and the nation of priests that Israel was supposed to be. This priesthood comes from it being God's first born son. However, Israel eventually fails in this and this establishment of the family of God is realized in Jesus Christ and the one Church He establishes. We hear from Dr. Hahn and Curtis Mitch, Lumen Gentium, Haydock and Gregory of Nyssa.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to "test" Jesus. What does this say about who they are and where their loyalties lie? Who is their Daddy? Jesus responds by talking about the weather. So they ask for a sign from heaven and Jesus refers them to the sky, (still temporal, but moving in the right direction). Then Jesus tells them that this generation is adulterous and evil and that no sign will be given, except the sign of Jonah. What is the sign of Jonah? What does it mean for a generation to be an adulterous and evil generation? We look back to the prophets and Deuteronomy and Psalms to gain information. We hear from Dr. Edward Sri and Curtis Mitch and the Fathers, Remigius and St. Jerome.

Israel is God's "first born son" and consecrated as a nation of priests. But what is the nature of that priesthood? How does this relate to God's pedagogy of salvation of man? We explore these topics along with how this eventually plays out with the entering into time of the Only Begotten Son of the Most High. We learn from a Jewish Pharisee to understand how the covenant was ordered as a contingency by God declaring, "If you will obey my voice..."

Jesus heals "all who came to him..." Matthew records that Jesus fulfills the prophet Isaiah as written in 35:5-6. After the healings, Jesus feeds the four thousand in the wilderness, thus fulfilling feeding the Israelites in the wilderness in Exodus. Jesus is demonstrating that he is fulfilling the prophecy of Moses that another will come, greater than him. Jesus cures the blind, lame, deaf, and mute. Moses had not done such, in fact Moses had brought, by the power of God the plagues in Egypt. Immediately after, the Pharisees and Sadducees ask him for a sign to test Him. Seriously? What does that say about those enemies of Jesus? What could possibly motivate them to "test" the Lord? We hear from St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom.

Chapter 18 begins with the reuniting of Moses, his wife, sons and his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Three key themes pop out of this chapter: the wisdom of Jethro, a non-Hebrew or Gentile, the humility of Moses, and the delegation of authority in a hierarchical structure for the society. We hear from Chrysostom, Augustine and Origen. We also see in the meal with the Lord, the invitation of the Gentiles through Jethro. Jethro, after hearing of the great wonders the Lord had worked for the Israelites with Moses as the mediator, praises the Lord for being greater than all the gods and offers burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord.

Continuing with our discussion of the Canaanite woman's faith. We turn to Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch, Edward Sri, St. Jerome, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine in order to unpack Jesus' encounter with this gentile woman whom he calls a "dog." What actually that means and the reference. We turn to Exodus and Acts to discover who are the children at the masters table. What is the significance of this encounter for those who would follow Christ from the Gentile nations?

Picking up from Chapter 16, the Manna is more than just the bread, but it is the meat from quail, a bird. We look back to Genesis 1:20-23 to understand John 6 as the sign of the Eucharist as foreshadowed in Exodus 16. Birds "swim" in the waters above the earth and the fish swim in the waters below the earth.

We look at Chapter 17 and the Water from the Rock. We turn to St. Paul to gain insight into the significance of the water from the Rock. God provides for the Israelites despite them murmuring and testing God. This testing of God is remembered in Psalm 95, which is read every day in the invitatory of the Liturgy of the hours.

Jesus explains the parable to Peter who is dull in understanding. Jesus explains this so Peter can understand and we hear from Jerome and Augustine. Augustine displays a detailed understanding of the operation of the natural operations of the body. Jesus then leaves and goes to Sidon and Tyre, Gentile lands, Oh no! But is Jesus doing anything that should scandalize the Jews? We look back to the Old Testament to gain insight on Jesus' movement into Gentile lands.

The Israelites murmur once again against Moses and in their hunger and murmuring God provides the manna; but what is it? We look to the Psalms, Wisdom and the Fathers to gain insight into what this manna or manhu (Hb.) actually is. Lastly we look to the Gospel of John as Jesus tells us exactly what the manna was and is.

Jesus explains what defiles a man and it is not what enters, but what comes out of man's mouth as that reveals what resides in his heart. We hear from St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome. We also look to Genesis and Acts of the Apostles in unpacking this saying to the Pharisees and Scribes who are offended by Jesus' speech. Jesus cautions the multitude about following those that are blind (do not understand) the Law of God.

The Song of Miriam is still echoing in the heads of the Hebrews, just after God rescues them from the Egyptian Army, so that Egypt never again threatens them again, and three days later, they murmur against Moses and God; again, now for the second time. They reach an oasis, but the waters are bitter and not drinkable. Moses cries to God and is shown a tree which Moses throws into the water to make it sweet. What are we to make of this? We hear from St. Ambrose, Tertullian, Origen, St. Jerome and Cyril of Alexandria for insight into these events.

Jesus heals the sick not just at Gennesaret, but the town's people brought others as well. We see from Jerome and Chrysostom that Jesus fame has spread to the surrounding area and apparently heard about the woman who was healed by simply touching the hem (fringe) of his garment. But as Jesus' fame is being spread to the surrounding area, His fame has apparently reached Jerusalem, for, "Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem..." They find the perverbale speck in the eye of the disciples, (not washing their hands) meanwhile transgressing the 4th commandment and thus missing the log in their own eye! Their duplicity of honoring God in their lips, while their deeds are full of malice.

The Israelites have crossed the Sea of Reeds and the Egyptian army is destroyed and seeing the enemies of Israel destroyed, compose a song of praise to God. We look at the original Hebrew language of key words to gain insight into the song itself. If we read this through the lens of the Church Fathers, we won't be surprised.

Why Does Jesus wait until the fourth watch of the night, (between 3AM to 6AM)? Peter walks on the water, but then sinks, why? The disciples, for the first time, worship Jesus. Jewish men know the first commandment. After Jesus gets into the boat, the wind ceases, immediately; "and the disciples worship him." How is it possible that these Jewish men worship Jesus? Don't they know the first commandment? What does this say about Jesus? We hear from Jerome and Chrysostom, Curtis Mitch and Dr. Edward Sri.

After the Hebrews complain about the situation in which they are lead by Moses to the edge of the sea in front of them, the Egyptians behind them and the Philistines are on the road along the Mediterranean Sea, so the Hebrews travel south to a place to where they are hemmed in by the wilderness, the Egyptians and the sea. They are boxed in by nature and the enemies of the sons of Israel. Moses stretches out his hands and a "strong east wind blows all night" and the Israelites cross on dry land through the sea. Why would God bring them to this place? Why place them in this difficult place? We look at 1 Cor. 10:1-2, St. Basil the Great and St. Cyril of Alexandria and Dr. Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch.

The Apostles are in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, while Jesus remains to pray. He comes to them in the fourth watch of the night. Jesus walks on the sea. Is there something about walking on the sea? Were there instances of prophets who walked on the sea?

We explore the Old Testament and the original Greek language to gain insight on the significance of this event.

The Hebrews left Egypt in great jubilation on their way to where Moses will lead them, a "land flowing with milk and honey." As they traveled Moses, following the Lord's direction to "turn back" stops at a land wherein they are hemmed in by the wilderness and the Sea of Reeds as directly translated from the original Hebrew, and seemed to be trapped by the geography of the land and sea. The Egyptians become more hardened in their hearts against the Hebrews and begins a military campaign to stop their escape. Where did this happen? Is that even important? We know from the text that when the Hebrews crossed the Sea of Reeds, there "was a wall of water to their right and to their left." Seemingly trapped by the land and sea and by the advancing army of pharaoh, the Hebrews complain and cry to go back to Egypt. Why would having just been freed from slavery would they want to go back to slavery?

We start off with St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome and dive into Old Testament and New Testament Scriptural references. God/Jesus works a miracle of feeding the "sheep" by having the disciples distribute the food. This miracle points to and is brought to its fulfillment in the Eucharist as we see in the Gospel of John. We look to 2Kings 4:1-7; Psalm 78:19 and John 21:15-19.

The Israelites are lead away from Egypt and as they leave, are instructed sacrifice the first to open the womb to the Lord of all the clean animals, and to redeem the unclean and the humans. St. Cyril gives us a Christological view of this redemption. As they leave Egypt, God instructs the Israelites to not take the Philistine road, the shortest route to Canaan, but rather toward the wilderness and the Reed Sea. The Ephraimites had met their destruction along the road of the Philistines and were destroyed. Who were the Ephraimites? We look ahead in the Book of Chronicles to answer that question. Why were the descendants of Ephraim, Joseph's younger son noted and not Manasseh who was the older? Dr. Hahn and Curtis Mitch explain this unusual pattern in Genesis. We review the importance of the Father's blessing, which involved the passing on of the priesthood to the first born son.

We begin by reading Matthew 14:13-36. Jesus withdraws from Judea upon learning of the execution/martyrdom of John the Baptist. Is Jesus a coward, or prudent? By what means did Jesus depart? What does that have to do with anything? We hear from St. Jerome and St. John Chrysostom that give us insight. We look at the feeding of the five thousand or commonly known as the multiplication of the loaves. Why is this significant? How many people were there including women and children? Was there ever another event that would give an indication that the Messiah would do such a thing?

What does it mean to be consecrated to God? Why the first born male is consecrated and not any first born? Where did the Israelites approach the Red Sea? What is this pillar of cloud and the fire that leads the way for the Israelites? We look to Dr. Hahn, St. Cyril, St. Augustine and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to gain insight to this prefigurement of the freedom from sin and death effected by Jesus Christ in the foreshadowing of the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery to Pharaoh.

Why would John the Baptist be risk his life over the illicit marriage of Herod to Herodias? What does the Church, based on the teaching of Jesus Christ himself say about marriage? Is marriage by the very nature of the sacrament indissoluble, or is that just an "ideal?" We look to the Council of Trent, Vatican II, and St. John Paul II to see the enduring nature of the Church's actual teaching about marriage. Situational ethics or "relativism" is not an excuse for violating the sixth commandment. Is God's grace enough for us to live out the commandments of Jesus about this very foundational sacrament?

We look at the Passover liturgical rite as a prefigurement of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We look to St. Cyril of Alexandria and Dr. Bergsma and Dr. Pitre to gain insight to the parallels between the institution of the Passover and that of the Sacrifice of Christ. St. Cyril interprets the five day period between the 10th day of Nisan and the 14/15 day of Nisan as the ages of the world and human history and how that relates to the New and Everlasting Covenant.

Jesus ends the third discourse and then goes to his home-town and those who "knew" Him take offense at Him at His wisdom and mighty works. So they were aware of the miracles He worked and the wisdom of His speech. We hear from Pope St. Gregory the great and of course St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome. WE look back at Sirach and Genesis to get a full understanding of Jesus using parables to describe the Kingdom of God.

We hear from St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Jerome and see that the Passover sacrificial offering is a type of the actual everlastic covenant that is sealed in the Blood of Jesus Christ. We begin unpacking the typology in light of the "Lamb of God." What does it mean to do something as a memorial? Is the bread of wine, used in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, greater than, a higher reality than the lamb offered in sacrifice at the first Passover? We hear from the fathers to understand how this is related.

We continue looking at the third discourse of Jesus about the kingdom of God. We begin with a quote from St. Jerome about the Mustard Seed and how the Gospel may be seen in this way. He compares the Gospel mustard seed to the Philosophies of Men, which at first blush seem great, but over time come to nothing. We continue Matthew 13 and the parables of the kingdom of God with the treasure in a field and a pearl of great price and a net. We hear, along with St. Jerome, St. John Chrysostom and Pope St. Gregory the Great.

Pharaoh Mock God and in doing so provides the very curse he uses against God's servant Moses, is the very plague that God delivers to the Egyptians. We do a quick review of the first nine plagues and the movement of Pharaoh's heart from not knowing who God is to negotiating the terms on which the Hebrews can worship. Pharaoh wants to and attempts to set terms on where, how and who will worship the God of the Hebrews. In a fit of rage, Pharaoh curses and threatens Moses with death. In doing so, Pharaoh pronounces the very plague that will be visited upon the Egyptians. Pharaoh is at last defeated and surrenders.

Jesus down shifts to teaching using parables and using analogous agricultural themes to teach heavenly realities about the kingdom. What is a tare? How did the farmer allow his field to be invaded at night, "while the servants were sleeping?" How can the kingdom of God be compared to a mustard seed? We turn to Chrysostom, Hilary, Augustine and Jerome for answers.

Locusts and Darkness lead up to the final plague as Pharaoh's heart becomes even more hardened. I AM has now destroyed the last of the agriculture of Egypt by the invasion of locusts, after which a supernatural darkness covers the land of Egypt for three days. Meanwhile the Hebrews experience none of these plagues, beginning with the fourth. Pharaoh tries to set terms for the liturgical worship of the Lord, the God of the Hebrews. Pharaoh's hardness of heart brings about more disaster and then curses God's mediator Moses.

Jesus gives his third discourse and explains the kingdom of God. However, there is a shift in the manner in which Jesus speaks and conveys this teaching. He explains the meaning to his disciples only, after the teaching to the crowds. Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah in real time. The kingdom is explained in these sayings of Jesus in its various facets, what it is like, who it is that will enter and those who will not and each of their ends.

Systematically, "I AM" the God of the Hebrews, is systematically defeating the gods of Egypt, this time Apis, Hathor, Sekhmet, Nut, Shu, Tefnut, Senehem. Pharaoh at first ignores the plague, but upon the rain, hail and fire, pharaoh agrees to let the people go, and then goes back on his word. But in this pharaoh asks Moses to "entreat the Lord to relent the hail and I will let the people go," Is Pharaoh recognizing God? Pharaoh attempts to negotiate with God as he would as an opposing king, trying to keep the upper hand. This will not go well as we will see.

What is the sign of Jonah? Was it just one thing as Jesus articulates or is there more? He alludes to the third sign of Jonah and what that will be. We turn to St. Jerome and St. John Chrysostom to get insight. Is the return of the unclean spirit associated with the sign of Jonah? Next Jesus describes His true kindred as being those who do the will of His Father. In this statement, is He possibly rebuking His own mother? Was the one designated to be the Mother of the Word Incarnate somehow being disrespected by Christ Jesus? What is the Greek word for "brother" Does that mean sibling?

God sends Moses to Pharaoh to demand, on behalf of God to let His people go to serve the Lord God. God gives Pharaoh a choice, let my people go or the Nile will bring forth frogs. Pharaoh says no and the frogs come forth. But the magicians of Egypt did the same. Then the gnats from the dust of the earth. The magicians fail. Snakes from sticks, Nile water into blood, frogs from the Nile; all duplicated by the Egyptian magicians. God brings gnats from the dust, the magicians fail and say, "This is the finger of God." God is slaying or mocking each of these false gods (demons) of Egypt.

Jesus shows us the way in which to be meek and gentle, even when we are being attacked. However, as the Pharisees continue the false accusations this time reaching a point to which they have committed the unforgivable sin; the sin against the Holy Spirit. What is this sin that will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come? How can we know what this is to avoid it?

God hardens Pharaoh's heart. Pharaoh hardens his heart. Pharaoh's heart was hardened. So which is it? Who is hardening Pharaoh's heart? How can we decipher what is happening to Pharaoh's heart? In the first plague the waters in the Nile become blood. Why blood?

What is God doing in these plagues on Egypt? Who is God executing judgment upon with these plagues.

Matthew shows us a facet of Jesus as the warrior king, the goel, who comes to rescues His people; to take back that which belongs to Him. Jesus in demonstrating that which Isaiah wrote foreshadowing the anointed of God, the Messiah who would rescue the people from the tyrant, announces to His accusers, the Pharisees that He is that one. In doing so Jesus declares that, "if it is by the power of God, i.e. the Holy Spirit, that he "binds the strong man," then the kingdom of God is upon you...NOW! We here from St. Augustine, St. Jerome and St. John Chrysostom to give us the proper understanding.

We are introduced to the coming conflict between God and the gods of Egypt. Pharaoh, representing the tyrant of the devil responds to the modest request of a three days journey to enter into a feast, or liturgical sacrificial worship of God. Pharaoh does not know God and therefore intensifies the work required so as to consume all of the time of the Hebrews so that they cannot be idle. The worldly see time in rest (Hb. sabat) looking forward and back (Gen.2:3) as a time for rest in the Lord to worship Him to order things properly, God first, then work. Hence now in the New and everlasting covenant, we worship God on the first day, the first day of the New Creation, and giving to God the first fruits. The genealogy of Moses and Aaron is the demarcation, a breath if you will before we begin the confrontation of God with the gods of Egypt.

What is the proper understanding of the Sabbath Rest? Is it lawful to do good or evil, to save life or kill? In the Gospel of Mark, we see in the same event as recorded in Matthew 12. But why does Jesus ask this question? The reference interestingly enough is in the Old Testament. We look at Jesus equation of Himself with the Temple and as such He is the Lord of the Sabbath. We look to the Fathers to understand how all of this not only reveals Jesus' divinity and at the same time causes the Pharisees great consternation.

First God calls Moses to go to Egypt to Free His people, then God was going to kill Moses on the over-night stay. How can we explain this? What was the reason for God's seemingly turn around from calling Moses to intending to kill him? Why is Zipporah doing the circumcision? Why does God call Israel His "first born son"? What is the significance of the first born son?

Jesus makes reference to King David and his men from 1 Kings 13 and also Leviticus and Deuteronomy in refuting the Pharisees' accusation that He was breaking the law of the Sabbath. Jesus first insults his accusers by asking them, "have you not read...?" Certainly they had, but Jesus is pointing out once again, that their interpretation of the law was legalistic, in the same manner in which Lucifer uses Scripture. What does the law (of Moses) say of healing on the Sabbath? Jesus demonstrates His Lordship over the Sabbath and how his accusers have things upside down. We look to the Old Testament and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to point out Jesus fulfilling that which was written in the Law and writings.

We continue in our discussion of the Essence of God as revealed to Moses, and the significance of giving someone your name. God sends Moses on a Mission and Moses objects. God answers Moses' objections and provides the necessary ezer (in Aaron) grace and tools to carry out the mission God gives to Moses. How one of these signs is repeated in the book of Kings and Jesus repeats the sign of His own word in the Gospel of Mark and thus declaring that He is the God that spoke to Moses!

Jesus prays to His Father. Does this mean that He is a being less than the Father? However, Not only the Fathers, St. Augustine, St. Chrysostom and St. Hilary, but Dr. Edward Sri agree, Jesus' prayer is conversation with His Father and they all confirm that Jesus is of the same divine substance as His Father, yet a different person. Jesus ends this prayer with the image of being yoked to Him, for the burden is light. We look back to the prophet Isaiah and the Book of Sirach to understand the meaning of Jesus' Prayer.

Moses the prince of Egypt becomes a shepherd and while tending the flock of his father-in-law, the Priest of Midian, he sees a burning bush. From this apparition of this unusual sight, Moses hears the Lord and for the first time in Scripture reveals His name. What is in a name? If it is God's name, a great deal. We learn what the Fathers drew from this and the significance of the name, I AM Who I AM.

We complete Jesus discussing John the Baptist, as Jesus brings out that John and Jesus' arrival are fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi. Jesus shifts to examining those that have seen his miraculous healings and heard His teachings and yet remain unrepentant. Jesus puts before him that in John they saw asceticism and in Jesus celebration, and yet didn't respond to either call to repentance. What is the fate of those that hear the Word of God, and more so have seen the supernatural wonders He has performed and yet remain in their hardness of heart.

We go into detail about Moses fleeing into Midian. Where is Midian, and why is that location called Midian? Why would, in God's providence have Moses wind up in Midian as opposed to somewhere else? Who is Reuel, the priest of Midian. Was he a priest of some polytheistic pagan religion or something else? God's thread of his holy ones meeting their wives at water wells continues with Moses as it had with Issac and Jacob.

How is it that John points out Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Bridegroom, and One whom he is unworthy to even untie His sandals and yet sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the One to Come, the Messiah promised to Israel? Who was John and why was he eating locust and wild honey and wearing camel hair clothing? Why was he at the Jordan River at the crossing near Jericho, north of the Dead Sea? Why did Jesus call him the greatest born of women? We turn to Biblical Scholars, Dr. Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch, Dr. John Bergsma and of course the Fathers, St. Jerome, St. John Chrysostom, and Gregory the Great. We see prophecies from Malachi, a prophet from 480 B.C. announcing John the Baptist's coming.