The Divine Council Worldview Podcast

EP095: Beginning the Passion Week

In this episode, Ronn and Mike discuss John 12 as a theological and narrative hinge in the Gospel, situating it within the chronology of Passion Week while exploring its deeper implications for atonement, messianic expectation, and Gentile inclusion. They noted that early church councils never defined a single atonement theory, arguing instead for a flexible, text-driven, and retrospective understanding of Jesus' death that emerges only after the resurrection. Walking through key scenes—the anointing at Bethany, the triumphal entry, the growing threat posed by Lazarus, and Jesus' interaction with Greeks seeking him—they emphasized how John frames Jesus' death as the means by which the Gentile world is drawn in to Abraham's family and the ruler of this world is judged. Along the way, they challenged overly simplistic prophecy-fulfillment models, cautioned against reading the Old Testament too quickly through a New Testament lens.

EP094: John 11:45-57: The Gathering of Jesus' Family throuigh Death

In this episode, Ronn and Mike complete the 11th chapter of John (verses 45-57). Their main point of discussion is Caiaphas' description of the meaning of the death of Jesus in vs.52: "he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." Ronn recommended that this "gathering" of Abraham's family was understood by later NT writers as accomplished through Jesus' symbolic ritual cleansing of Gentiles. He noted how most discussions of Jesus' death in the NT are associated with ideas of entering sacred space ("clean," "heal," "enter," "sanctify," etc.) as opposed to ideas that describe salvation ("righteous/ness," "save/d," "salvation," etc.).

EP093: John 11:1-44: The Raising of Lazarus

In this episode, Ronn and Mike enjoy the story of Lazarus' resuscitation in John 11:1-44. For several reasons found within this narrative, Ronn recommended that original readers would have been tempted to regard Lazarus as the "disciple that Jesus loved" referred to in later stories of John. A key element in this story, of course, was Martha's belief that Lazarus would "rise again in the resurrection" (11:24), offering a chance to talk about death and resurrection beliefs within 2nd Temple Judaism. Did the crowd expect Jesus to literally "be the resurrection and the life"? Apparentliy not—until Lazarus heard his name attached to the invitation to come out of the tomb! The conversation closes with personal application of this story to our understanding and hopes for eternal life.

EP092: Beyond Knowledge: When Theology Meets Real Life

A raw, global conversation on applying theology to real life—addressing spiritual abuse, prison ministry, and a growing hunger for biblical understanding in Brazil. Sandra Alex and the hosts explore why translation, community, humility, and lived faith matter more than knowledge alone.

EP091: John 10: Jesus' Use of Psalm 82

In this episode, Ronn and Mike work their way through John 10, starting with Jesus' self-identification as Israel's "good shepherd." They recommend that Jesus is thuf fulfilling the meaning of Ezekiel 34, which recalls the extended metaphor of Yahweh claiming to be Israel's ultimate shepherd. This leads to a necessary discussion of the issue of "divine agency," and how God could be seen working through figures who receive their authority through God's appointment. Closing discussion attempts explanations of Jesus' curious statement that he and his Father are "one" (v. 30) and Jesus' use of Psalm 82 to extinguish charges of blasphemy.