What I like about Matthew’s Gospel is that he connects the Old Testament to the New. He’ll include a verse from the Old Testament and say something like, “As the prophet Jeremiah said…” or “As the prophet Isaiah said…” I appreciate that he cites his sources.

Except for that time that, well, he didn’t. And we have no idea where it came from.

It’s in the Christmas story, Matthew chapter 2, where it says in

Verse 23

And he [Jesus] went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

That all sounds fine, except: which prophet said that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene? And it wasn’t just one; Matthew said it was “spoken by the prophets” which means more than one. And yet you can scour your Old Testament and you will never find a single verse that the Christ would be called a Nazarene. In fact, you won’t find a single mention of Nazareth at all.

So what prophecy is Matthew talking about?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s NOT in the Bible.

Turn to Matthew 2, and let’s get weird.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - The Context

5:10 - The Nazareth Prophecy

13:50 - Mailbag

18:00 - Next Time

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Coming up on today’s edition of Weird Stuff in the Bible, we have an interview with Remnant Radio’s Michael Miller. He’s going to help us answer the question: Can Christians be Possessed by Demons?

Remnant Radio is a podcast with three pastors who teach on spiritual gifts and how to operate in them within the church.

What I like about Remnant Radio is that they (1) have first-hand experience in the things they talk about, and (2) they don’t get kooky about it. They keep things very grounded and biblical.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

4:00 - Oppression vs Possession

9:00 - Can Christians have Demons?

17:00 - How common is demonic manifestation during deliverance?

18:00 - Can a demon speak through a Christian?

19:40 - How do you determine whether an issue has a spiritual cause?

22:00 - Do you need to learn a demon’s name to cast it out?

27:20 - Can small children have demons?

29:00 - Tell everyone about Remnant Radio

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Normally on these episodes I start by introducing a Bible passage that’s bizarre, perplexing, or just plain weird. But we are reaching a milestone of 100 episodes, and I thought I would just take a step back this time and tell you the story of why I’m such a weirdo.

Why I like digging into the weird stuff in the Bible.

Why I think the weird stuff in the Bible matters.

And it all starts with a crazy experience I had in college when my friend got possessed by a demon and it started speaking to me.

Because from then on, my life was never the same. My Christian walk was never the same. And I probably wouldn’t be doing this podcast right now if it wasn’t for the story that I’m going to share today.

And just a warning in case you’ve got any kids around, and also in case the episode title didn’t clue you in, the story is a little dark and scary. Like, it literally happens on Friday the 13th. But if you think you can handle it, grab some popcorn and let’s get weird.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

1:30 - My Story

14:35 - Why I Share This Story

20:20 - Mailbag

26:10 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

I had three listeners send me the same video in a 24-hour span. Which means you have my attention. And they all thought this would be right in line with the podcast here, which means it’s gonna get weird.

And what was the video? I’ll play it for you later, but this video claims that in the end times- as Jesus describes them in Luke 21- there will be great signs in the heavens. And that the Greek terms for these signs in the heavens can be translated as monsters coming out of the sky.

In fact, I’ll quote it for you from the New King James:

Luke 21:11

there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven

Is this true? Did Jesus prophesy that the end times will see sky monsters?

What are these signs in the heavens that will perplex and terrify the people?

Are they UFOs? The third kind? Did Jesus just spoil the next Avengers movie?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Luke 21, and let’s get weird.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

1:15 - Rick Renner’s Claim

4:50 - From Heaven

10:30 - Fearful Sights

15:10 - Help from the Septuagint

20:25 - So What’s Coming in the End Times?

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

I was not able to put together a new episode for today, so I am re-sharing a popular episode from the past. Look for a new episode next week that dives into Luke 21 and Jesus' prophecy of the "sky monsters."

In today's episode: Something really strange happened when Jesus was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.

This is the night that Jesus was put on trial, and the next day He was nailed to the cross. So there’s a lot going on. it’s a very heavy section of scripture. And there’s one detail that’s only recorded in one of the four Gospels.

Mark 14:51 and 52 say

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Now if you’re a normal, well-adjusted person, you probably read a strange verse like that, you say: “well that’s weird”- and then you just move along with your Bible reading.

But the listeners of this podcast are not normal, well-adjusted people.

So let’s figure out today what’s up with the naked man who shows up in the garden when Jesus was arrested.

Because I find it to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Mark 14, and let’s get weird.

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - The Context

4:40 - Theory 1- Simply a Historical Detail

13:30 - Theory 2- Mark Himself

15:30 - Theory 3- A Miracle

22:45 - Theory 4- All of Them Together at Once I Suppose

23:35 - Mailbag

26:00 - The Naked Truth

Special thanks to the Two Witnesses Live podcast for inviting me on their show recently! Here is a link if you’d like to see/hear it: https://www.youtube.com/live/Mh0bTZhUKwk?si=vqVdx6KZx9tQIZSo

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

I have a special episode for you all today, it’s a conversation with an experienced deliverance expert, Beatty Carmichael. He is a Bible teacher and has served as a deliverance minister, and he specializes in exposing the spiritual roots behind conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, addiction and chronic pain.

He’s got a simple, step-by-step path to breakthrough from these things in his book, The Prayer of Freedom. Listen to our conversation today to find out how lasting healing comes when demonic oppression is cast out and God’s freedom is restored. Beatty Carmichael joins me today to share his process with us on the Weird Stuff in the Bible podcast.

Find his book right here: https://theprayeroffreedom.com

You can WATCH today's interview at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exT7QM-td8Y

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

King Solomon had to be crazy. 300 wives. That’s 300 anniversaries to keep track of, 600 in-laws, and being told to pick your underwear up off the floor 900 times every day. I’ve never met anyone who thought that 300 wives sounded like a good idea. Doesn’t seem very wise. If any of us wanted advice for anything, we probably aren’t asking the guy who got married 300 times.

And yet, we do, because this is the guy who wrote the quintessential book of the bible on wisdom- Proverbs. And then he also wrote the sexual manual- Song of Solomon. That one isn’t so surprising. And then later he wrote the most depressing book of the Bible- Ecclesiastes. But that’s a lot more understandable when you remember- the guy had 300 wives.

If you go to the New Testament, one of the qualifications for a pastor is that he must be “the husband of but one wife.” Fair enough. Yet turn back to the Old Testament and it’s full of godly men who would have failed this test for spiritual leadership.

It wasn’t just Solomon. Abraham, Jacob, Esau, Gideon. Even David. David who wrote most of the psalms. David who was called “a man after God’s own heart.” David who was the king- not of Utah- but God’s nation of Israel.

Why did so many ancient figures- even what we would call biblical heroes- have multiple wives?

And more importantly to us- why does it seem like God was OK with it?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Genesis 2, and let’s get weird.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:30 - The Origin of Marriage

4:50 - How to Read the Bible

9:20 - God’s Institution of Marriage

14:40 - Forbidden for Kings and Pastors

18:55 - Forbidden for Everyone Else!

23:50 - God’s Silence

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!