Search the Scriptures Live

The 10 Commandments are not the highest moral code for Christians. The Lord fulfilled the Law and inaugurated a new and higher standard. Join us as we continue our analysis of the Sermon on the Mount.

Fr. Evan Armatas joins us for a special show to discuss his book, Reclaiming the Great Commission. The command of Christ to "make disciples of all nations" is often neglected by Orthodox Christians but it is essential to the gospel, the very purpose of the Church.

We no longer observe the Jewish laws, so what did Christ mean when he said during the Sermon on the Mount that he did not come to abolish the Law? What about the Ten Commandments? Are those rules the moral standards for Christians? Join us as we continue to study Matthew 5.

As we continue our study of the Beatitudes, one of the most famous passages in the Bible, we hear "blessed are those who mourn," and "blessed are the meek." These and other Beatitudes seem illogical and impossible. Did Christ intend them literally? The Fathers will explain.

The greatest sermon ever preached, certainly the most famous, is the Sermon on the Mount. The wisdom of Jesus is astonishing, especially compared to the mentality of first-century Judaism. With Chrysostom as our guide, we will begin delving into the Beatitudes.

As we continue our discussion of the Temptation of Christ in Matthew chapter 4, we will look at what the Fathers of the Church tell us about Christ's temptation and why Christians should not only endure temptations but even welcome them.

Why was Christ tempted after baptism? What does his temptation teach us about our baptism, the devil and spiritual warfare? Fr. Costas will be joining us!

A Deeper Look at the Baptism of Christ: Important theology is revealed and heresies are refuted by this event. The Father's voice shows fulfillment of the most perplexing Old Testament events. Other mysteries are also revealed about the Holy Spirit and our own baptisms.

The Baptism of Christ raises so many questions. First, why is this feast called Epiphany and Theophany? Why is this event considered a "big deal" in Orthodoxy when it is barely even mentioned by other Christians? Since baptism is for the forgiveness of sin, and John's baptism was for repentance, why was Christ baptized at all? Join us for the first Search the Scriptures of 2023 as we discuss these and other important historical, biblical and theological questions.

"Brood of Vipers!" St. John the Forerunner addressed the Jewish leaders with those harsh words when they came to the Jordan River to see him. Jesus would condemn them in the same way. But why did their presence call for such a sharp rebuke? More about St. John, the corrupt leadership in Jerusalem and Jewish attitudes in the first century.

John the Forerunner led an amazing and unusual life, described as an "angelic life," growing up in the wilderness of Judea. Yet rumors about influence by a strict Jewish sect have become popular today. Was John an Essene? Why did he baptize? Did John's baptism actually forgive sins? Join us as we continue our discussion of this important figure in Christian history, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord on Search the Scriptures Live.

john the Lord's Forerunner and Baptist is one of the most important saints of Christian history. We can see his prominence in every Orthodox Church by his position next to Christ on the iconostasis. He occupies a leading role at the beginning of all four gospels. Why was his ministry and presence so important? What made John so great that the Lord said that no man ever born was greater than John? Join us as we explore this important saint through the lens of Matthew's gospel.

The Massacre of the Innocents and Flight to Egypt. For Christians, Herod the Great's most notorious act was the murder of innocent babies in his effort to kill the Christ child but Mary, Joseph and Jesus had fled to Egypt. Today some Bible scholars question whether these events even occurred. Can we trust the historicity of the Bible? What facts and traditions support Matthew's account?

King of the Jews? Herod the Great was not even Jewish! And yet, Herod had been proclaimed King in Judea by the Romans. Lacking legitimacy, he established his kingdom by brutality and terror. That insecurity never leaves him and he becomes greatly disturbed when a few foreign visitors ask him a simple question, "Where is he who is born King of the Jews?" We will delve into the person and personality of Herod the Great whose shadow continues to loom large in the New Testament.

Herod, the Magi, a Star... Are the descriptions of Herod, the Magi, and the Star of Bethlehem historically accurate, symbolic or legendary? Matthew emphasizes the royal and divine nature of Christ, and central to the story is a king who felt threatened by the one who was "born King of the Jews." Why would Herod the Great feel threatened by a little baby? Why was he called "the Great" anyhow? Join us on Search the Scriptures Live this Monday as we continue our study of the birth of the Messiah according to St. Matthew.

Pagan myths and the virgin birth. Is it true that pagans had stories about virgin births? Is it possible that the gospel stories were inspired by these mythologies? What about other elements in the Infancy Narratives, such as the Star and Herod's attempts to kill the newly born Christ? Are those historically based or simply imagery to convey messages and meaning about the birth of Jesus Christ?

Palace or manger? Royalty or poverty? The Birth of Christ in Matthew 1. As we continue our study of Matthew 1, we begin by responding to the criticisms of Jews and pagans about the genealogy of Christ in Matthew and Luke with answers from the Fathers of the Church. But why is the birth of Christ told differently by Matthew and Luke? What significant lessons do each teach us about the Incarnation of the Lord?

Meticulous Matthew, the first evangelist has been called. What do we actually know about Matthew from early Church tradition? The first gospel is not written by someone we might expect, someone prominent among the disciples, such as St. Peter. Instead, the first gospel was written by a former tax collector. And yet, he gave us a gospel that is magnificent in its spiritual insight and astonishing in its complexity. It is quite impossible to imagine the Church without the Gospel of Matthew, the gospel that supplies a critical bridge between Judaism and the Church, and explains the relationship between the Old and the New. This week we will continue in our brand new study and also hear the inspiring words of St. John Chrysostom on the importance of reading the Scriptures.

The first evangelist, Matthew, composed a masterpiece of literary construction and theological thought. Now our long awaited deep dive into this extremely important gospel begins. The Gospel of Matthew is called "the gospel of the Church." Join us for the start of this brand new series in which we will learn about the meaning and historical background of so many well-known stories and saying of Christ, not to mention those amazing patristic insights.

This week, Search the Scriptures LIVE! will be coming to you live from St. Tikhon's Orthodox School of Theology with a special guest, Dr. David Ford, professor of Church History at St. Tikhon's. Dr. Ford and Dr. Jeanne will be talking about the early Church, Dr. Ford's area of expertise, which is St. John Chrysostom, and other subject

Dr. Jeannie is joined by her husband Fr. Costas Constantinou for this week's show. They'll discuss his study of the Bible, Christian giving, why he loves Christmas, and other subjects.

We will continue our discussion of the startling story of Ananias and Sapphira from chapter 5 of The Acts of the Apostles to ponder and discuss from a patristic perspective why God allows occurrences that we consider unfair or even unfortunate. Is God unfair? Is God unjust? Does God act capriciously? How should we react to events that we consider inconsistent with justice?

he story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is one of the most perplexing in the New Testament. Husband and wife each dropped dead after lying to the Holy Spirit. How does Chrysostom explain the apparent harshness of this consequence? What does our uncomfortable reaction to this story say about us?

Peter and John were hauled before the Great Sanhedrin to explain how they were able to heal a man paralyzed from birth. In this dramatic scene, Peter preaches to the chief priests and high priest that the man was healed by faith in Messiah Jesus, whom they had rejected and crucified only weeks before, but who had risen from the dead. Join us as we continue our study of Acts of the Apostles and learn how the first believers preached the gospel to their fellow Jews.

After he healed a paralyzed man begging at the Temple, St. Peter explained that Moses himself foretold the coming of the Christ, Jesus who had recently been crucified among them. This week on Search the Scriptures LIVE!, we will continue our discussion of how the early Church evangelized the Jews

"They had all things in common." In Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke describes the lives of the very first Christians, a life of prayer, sacrifice, sanctification with sacramental fellowship, sharing all of their goods and possessions. What was so important about the practices St. Luke describes and what can we learn from the lives of these first believers?

Crucial prophecies and Jewish expectations about the long-anticipated Messiah were fulfilled by Jesus. St. Peter explained these prophecies on the day of Pentecost when he delivered the very first sermon on the "birthday of the Church." Join us as we continue our study of Peter's sermon and learn about the character and lifestyle of those who joined the primitive Church in those early days

When St. Peter arose to address the people of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, he explained that the Resurrection of Christ was the fulfillment of prophecy. This was the first sermon to proclaim the gospel to the masses, delivered on Pentecost, the "birthday of the church." Peter's sermon, and other speeches in Acts of the Apostles, expressed and preserved crucial early Church traditions of how the crucifixion and resurrection were foretold by the prophets. It provides a snapshot of how the apostles evangelized their fellow Jews and provides important lessons for us as well

After receiving the Holy Spirit, the Church is off and running. St. Peter immediately begins preaching to the crowd, astonished by the sight and sound of Galileans speaking various foreign languages. His speech, which is very important for understanding the message and mind of the early Church, inspires St John Chrysostom to contrast the humble fisherman disciple with the famous and renowned philosopher, Plato.

The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a dramatic event characterized by visual and audible phenomena: the sound of a mighty wind and something that looked like fire. Why was the Spirit manifested with these signs? Why did it come like this at all, since the Lord had breathed on the disciples and bestowed the Spirit after His resurrection? The Fathers will answer these and other questions on Search the Scriptures LIVE!

More discussion about the Holy Spirit is featured on Search the Scriptures LIVE this week. We will continue our study of the initial chapters of Acts of the Apostles, focusing on Pentecost as well as aanswering listener questions on the doctrine about the Holy Soirit and who can be a Father of the Church.

On the Monday of Pentecost, Dr.Jeannie was live in our Chesterton, IN studio. In this episode she takes us through the early arguments against the divinity of the Holy Spirit as well as the divinity of Jesus Christ. She helps us understand why we believe in and affirm the three persons of the Trinity - One in essence and undivided.

Doubts about the scientific possibility of the Resurrection are nothing new. They were raised long ago even by Greek Christians, not surprisingly by none other than Christians in Corinth. But because of their doubts, St. Paul wrote the earliest written account of the appearances of the Risen Christ and a theological masterpiece about the reality and importance of the Resurrection. Join us on Search the Scriptures LIVE! for our final lesson of this series on the Resurrection.

On the road to Emmaus, the Risen Christ is asked by his own disciples, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that happened there in these days?" We will discuss the Resurrection of Christ as presented in the gospel of Luke including the conversation between the Risen Christ and two disciples and his appearance to the Eleven in the upper room. Join us as we continue to discuss the Resurrection tonight on Search the Scriptures LIVE

The Resurrection of Christ is the hope of all Christians and the foundational teaching of our faith. Why do people resist it and what arguments do they raise against it? Can it be "proven," and if not, why not? Why wouldn't God want us to be assured of the resurrection and give us absolute proof?

The Resurrection of Christ: What are its key components and the main criticisms against it? Since the Resurrection is critical to the Christian faith, why didn't the Lord give us something "obvious" or "provable" for this most important of all events? We will also return to some of our "Random Questions."

We conclude our series on the Crucifixion of the King of Glory by turning our attention to the burial process described in the gospels, many details of which have been disputed in modern times. The discovery of the empty tomb and the Resurrection itself have been challenged on the basis that, as a condemned criminal, Jesus would not have been buried at all. Is there any truth to these claims? What about the details such as the huge quantity of myrrh and aloes brought by Nicodemus? What was the purpose of that and why did the women plan to return after the Sabbath to anoint the body?

Two Messiahs? A dead God? Christ as the True Isaac? The "crucifixion" of sacrificial lambs? How strange typologies and amazing prophecies were fulfilled are the subject of this week's episode of Search the Scriptures LIVE! Join us tonight as we continue our discussion of the new book, The Crucifixion of the King of Glory

The "last words" of Christ on the cross have been the subject of much interest over the millennia. In spite of his extreme pain, the Lord spoke seven times from the cross and each statement is instructive for us. Each evangelist recorded the statements that he considered most important to his presentation of Christ, his identity, example, and purpose.

King of Glory: Crucifixion Part 2. No punishment is more associated with the Roman Empire than crucifixion. Almost no one was immune from the possibility of suffering this fate and everyone feared it. Crucifixion was specifically designed to maximize pain. But also fundamental to the procedure and this punishment was the humiliation of the cross, the shame and loss of status in a culture which esteemed personal glory, honor and reputation above all.

Crucifixion. Nothing was more feared in the Roman Empire than this horrific punishment. Almost no one was immune from the possibility of suffering this fate. Crucifixion was specifically designed to maximize pain. But also fundamental to the procedure and this punishment was the humiliation of the cross, the shame and loss of status in a culture which esteemed personal glory, honor, and reputation above all. Join us tonight on Search the Scriptures LIVE! as we discuss the cross and crucifixion in Roman culture.

Mockings were routine in Roman culture, but in Christ's case, the crown of thorns contributed significant physical agony. Scourgings also routinely preceded crucifixions. What was a scourging, and if Pilate believed Jesus to be innocent, why was Jesus scourged at all? The Jewish leaders insisted on crucifying Jesus and blackmailed Pilate to achieve their goal. Find out how on Monday's podcast, Search the Scriptures LIVE!

Pontius Pilate has become a controversial figure recently. Many critics of the New Testament claim that the portrayal of Pilate in the gospels is not accurate. What do we really know about Pilate? What became of him? Could it be true that he was reluctant to crucify Jesus? If so, why?

The Jewish trial of Christ in the gospels reveals the determination of the Jewish leaders to convict Jesus. Requirements of Jewish trial procedures were violated, and the outcome was predetermined. But claiming to be the Messiah was not a crime, nor was predicting the destruction of the Temple. A conviction warranting the death penalty would not have been possible without Jesus' last statement. After being silent during most of the trial, why did Jesus finally speak and what was so shocking about his statement that the High Priest tore his robes and pronounced Christ guilty of blasphemy?

Judas remains one of the most enigmatic figures of the New Testament. How much do we actually know about Judas? Why is he called Iscariot? After everything he had witnessed, what motivated him to betray the Lord? Why did he throw the coins into the Temple, and how do the Fathers explain his remorse? As Jesus awaited his arrest, he was in agony and actually sweated blood. Why wasn’t it a sin that Jesus was afraid and wanted to avoid the cross?

Why did the Lord cleanse the Temple? Why did he decide to take that action at that time after having visited the Temple countless times before? Did Jesus lose his temper? The words and actions of the Lord that day have been misunderstood by many. but the event is recorded in all four gospels because it had deep significance and resulted directly in his crucifixion

One of the most perplexing stories in the Bible is God's request to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. This event, known as the Akeda, has been endlessly discussed by the Jews who cannot agree as to its meaning and purpose. But the Church knows its deep, powerful, and surprising connections to the crucifixion of Christ,

Now that we have taken our tour of the Temple and the Temple Mount, we will take a closer look at the Jewish priesthood. Who could become a priest or Levite? What jobs did they perform? Why did Jesus "cleanse" the temple? Did the Lord lose his temper, or was something happening in Judaism that led him to take such dramatic action?

The Temple at Jerusalem was one of the marvels of the ancient world. It is central to the arrest and crucifixion of Christ. When the Temple is mentioned, we may imagine something like a large church, but the Temple was enormous and unparalleled in size, in opulence and in importance in the ancient world. Join us Monday on Search the Scriptures LIVE as Dr. Jeannie describes the amazing Jewish Temple at Jerusalem.

Dr. Jeannie introduces her upcoming book The Crucifixion of the King of Glory and begins to set the stage for a deep dive into the unknown details behind the arrest, trials, and crucifixion of Christ which will be the focus of our study throughout the spring. She begins tonight by discussing the messianic expectations of the Jewish people and the prophecies God gave to prepare them for the coming of Christ