The Hidden Orchard Podcast

Long before Chasidic Judaism, the Bible and the sages spoke of the chasid, one who serves the Creator with love, humility, and holy intention. In this episode, we begin an exploration of this concept and examine how it may have shaped the spiritual worldview of Jesus.   For more information and citations, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-way-of-the-chasid-rediscovering-the-ancient-path/  

What if one of the most influential thinkers in church history turned out to be a case of mistaken identity? We'll look at how an anonymous Neoplatonic writer slipped into the stream of Apostolic tradition and shaped the Church's understanding of heaven, hell, angels, and salvation.   For more information, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-accidental-apostle-the-story-of-psuedo-dionysius/  

One of the most common and troubling concepts associated with the Bible has to be the idea of "eternal punishment." But when we dig through the layers of Greek-to-Hebrew translations, we find a different picture of the afterlife. For more information on this topic, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/eternal-punishment/  

Did Jesus celebrate Chanukkah? When we look closely at the elements in John, chapter 10, familiar themes from the prophets emerge, giving us a clue to the messianic tradition behind this winter holiday.   To subscribe, or learn more - visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/the-good-shepherd-and-the-chanukkah-connection/  

Did Jesus reject Jewish dietary laws, declaring all foods clean? In this episode, we unpack the discussion in Mark 7 to challenge the popular tradition that Jesus abolished Torah-given commandments, showing instead how ‘traditions vs. commandments’ reflects a misreading of first-century Judaism.   Learn more: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/traditions-and-commandments/