Mary is the best known, least known woman in history. Billions recognize her name, yet the actual Jewish woman behind the icons has been almost completely erased. In this powerful conversation, Dr. James Tabor, Distinguished Fellow at Hebrew University and two-time New York Times bestselling author, reveals what 20 years of research, archaeology, and critical scholarship have uncovered about the real Mary. What emerges is not the passive, silent figure of tradition, but a revolutionary Jewish matriarch who shaped the teachings of Jesus, ran the headquarters of the early movement from Mount Zion, and whose voice we still hear in the Beatitudes.

Dr. Tabor takes us into the violent, politically charged world Mary lived through: mass crucifixions in the Galilee, Herod murdering his own family, and the constant threat facing anyone with Davidic lineage. He reveals the urban setting most people miss (Sepphoris, a major city just four miles from Nazareth), makes the case that Luke's genealogy is actually Mary's lineage showing she was "doubly royal" (descended from both King David and the priestly line of Aaron), and addresses the question most scholars avoid: the mysterious name Pantera that appears in early Jewish sources. This is history that will reshape how you understand Christianity's origins.

In this episode you will learn:

- Why Mary is the "most erased" woman in history and how it happened deliberately
- The shocking urban context of Jesus's upbringing (Sepphoris was a major city of 30,000 people just 4 miles from Nazareth)
- How Mary likely witnessed the mass crucifixions and burning of Sepphoris when Jesus was an infant
- The case for James (not John) being the "beloved disciple" at the cross
- Why the brothers and sisters of Jesus are real biological siblings, not stepchildren or cousins
- The evidence that Luke's genealogy is actually Mary's lineage, making her "doubly royal"
- What early Jewish sources in Sepphoris actually say about "Yeshua ben Pantera" (and why it's not an insult)
- How Mary functioned as the matriarch who shaped Jesus's nonviolent, revolutionary teachings
- The connection between Isaiah 11, Mary's vision, and Jesus's Beatitudes
- Why three of Mary's sons (Jesus, James, and Simon) were murdered because of their lineage

Get Dr. Tabor's new book "The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus"

More from Dr. James Tabor:
Blog: https://jamestabor.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesTaborVideos
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jamesdtabor

Also check out Dr. Tabor's bestsellers:

"The Jesus Dynasty"

"Paul and Jesus: How the Apostle Transformed Christianity"


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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

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https://linktr.ee/johnnyova

Get Johnny's book- The Revelation Reset

For over 50 years, Dr. Kent Hovind has been one of the most fearless defenders of biblical creation. A former high school science teacher turned full-time evangelist, Dr. Hovind has debated over 390 atheists and evolutionists at universities across America. His famous creation seminar series has been translated into more than 40 languages and has impacted millions of believers around the world. He's the founder of Creation Science Evangelism and Dinosaur Adventure Land in Lenox, Alabama, where he continues to teach that the Bible is not only spiritually true but scientifically accurate.

In this conversation, Dr. Hovind and I go deep into the evidence for a young earth, why carbon dating doesn't work, what the world looked like before Noah's flood, and why dinosaurs fit perfectly into the biblical narrative. We also tackle the flat earth movement and why Dr. Hovind believes evolution isn't just scientifically wrong but dangerously deceptive. If you've ever wrestled with questions about faith and science, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why there are only two worldviews: creation or evolution, and why it matters for everything
• The scientific evidence that points to a 6,000 year old earth, not billions
• Why carbon dating and radiometric dating methods are deeply flawed
• What the pre-flood world was really like: 900 year lifespans, greater oxygen, and giants
• How dinosaurs lived alongside humans and what happened to them after the flood
• What Behemoth and Leviathan in the book of Job really were
• Why the flat earth theory is wrong and how to respond to it biblically
• How evolutionary thinking laid the foundation for Nazism, communism, and moral decay
• Why you can believe the Bible and still be intellectually credible

Check out Dr. Kent Hovind's ministry and materials:

Call: 855-BIG-DINO

Email: drdino@drdino.com

Website: https://www.drdino.com/

Kent Hovind TV: https://kenthovind.tv/

Shop: https://dr-dino.myshopify.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kenthovindofficial1

Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/kenthovindofficial

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenthovindofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kenthovindofficial

Dinosaur Adventure Land in Lenox, Alabama (free admission!)

Subscribe and follow The Dig In Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

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Grab Johnny's book, The Revelation Reset: https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Nathan Finn, one of evangelicalism's foremost historians of spiritual awakenings, to tackle one of the most pressing questions facing the church today: How do we discern between authentic moves of God and emotionalism that burns out as quickly as it ignites? Dr. Finn brings decades of research studying every major revival from Jonathan Edwards' Northampton awakening to recent movements like Asbury 2023, helping us understand what genuine spiritual renewal really looks like.

We dive deep into the patterns that mark authentic revival throughout history - from the Moravian hundred-year prayer meeting that birthed modern missions to the controversies surrounding Charles Finney's revival techniques. Dr. Finn shares crucial insights about why some movements with unusual manifestations turn out genuine while others fizzle into hype, and reveals the red flags that indicate spiritual manipulation versus the Holy Spirit's authentic work. This conversation is especially timely as we see growing spiritual curiosity in our culture and wonder if we might be approaching another great awakening.

In this episode you will learn:

• The biblical distinctions between revival, renewal, and awakening
• Three unmistakable marks that appear in every genuine move of God throughout history
• How Jonathan Edwards discerned true conversion from religious excitement
• The connection between authentic revival and missional explosion
• Warning signs that distinguish spiritual manipulation from real revival
• Why the church often becomes a counterculture right before major awakenings
• How to evaluate modern movements like Asbury 2023 while they're happening
• The historical patterns suggesting we might be approaching another great awakening
• What pastors and Christians should be doing now to prepare for potential revival
• Why "staying close and staying clean" matters more than revival techniques

Connect with Dr. Nathan Finn:

• Website: nathanfinn.com
• Substack: Think Christianly, Live Faithfully
• Books: Historical Theology for the Church (B&H Academic)

Stay Connected with Johnny and The Dig In Podcast:

Subscribe and follow our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

Follow all things Johnny Ova: https://linktr.ee/johnnyova

Get Johnny's book, The Revelation Reset: https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

#Revival #SpiritualAwakening #ChurchHistory #NathanFinn #Christianity #HolySpirit #JonathanEdwards #CharlesFinney #Asbury2023 #ChurchRevival #BiblicalDiscernment #DigInPodcast #ChristianPodcast #TheologyPodcast #ChurchMovements

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What if ancient Israel didn't start out believing in one God? In this groundbreaking episode, Oxford Professor Emeritus Dr. John Day reveals how archaeological evidence and biblical texts themselves show that early Israelites worshipped multiple deities from the Canaanite pantheon. With over 40 years of scholarship and doctorates from both Cambridge and Oxford, Dr. Day takes us on a fascinating journey through the religious landscape of ancient Canaan, where Yahweh was originally just one god among many, including El, Baal, and even goddesses like Asherah who was worshipped alongside Yahweh in the Jerusalem temple.

Dr. Day traces the revolutionary transformation from polytheism to monotheism, showing how Yahweh absorbed attributes from other gods like El (becoming equated with him) while rejecting others like Baal. We explore how mythological creatures like Leviathan were borrowed from Canaanite sources, why "Israel" contains the name El rather than Yahweh, and how true monotheism didn't emerge until the Babylonian exile with Second Isaiah's radical declaration: "I am Yahweh, and there is no other." This conversation will challenge and deepen your understanding of how the biblical faith developed over centuries.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why Deuteronomy 32:8-9 suggests Yahweh received Israel as his portion among 70 gods
• How El and Yahweh were originally separate deities who later merged into one
• The shocking evidence that some Israelites worshipped Asherah as Yahweh's wife
• Why Baal was rejected while El was embraced in Israelite religion
• How the seven-headed Leviathan from Canaanite mythology became part of Yahweh's identity
• The difference between monolatry ("worship only one god") and monotheism ("only one god exists")
• King Josiah's radical 621 BC reformation that centralized worship in Jerusalem
• Why the Babylonian exile was the catalyst for absolute monotheism
• How these Canaanite connections appear in the New Testament (Beelzebub, Revelation's seven-headed dragon)
• Why understanding this evolution enriches rather than threatens faith

Guest's Work:

Get Dr. Day's groundbreaking book "Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan": https://a.co/d/h6gCyuG

Also check out his extensive work on Genesis: "From Creation to Babel" and "From Creation to Abraham"

Stay Connected with The Dig In Podcast:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

Follow all things Johnny Ova: https://linktr.ee/johnnyova

Get Johnny's book "The Revelation Reset": https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

#BiblicalArchaeology #AncientNearEast #Monotheism #Canaanite #Yahweh #BiblicalStudies #ChristianHistory #OldTestament #HebrewBible #AncientIsrael #BiblicalScholarship #ChurchHistory #Theology #ReligiousStudies #DigInPodcast

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Join us on The Dig In Podcast as we delve into the profound depths of the book of Isaiah with Dr. Paul D. Wegner, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gateway Seminary in Ontario, California. With a Ph.D. from King's College, University of London, Dr. Wegner brings decades of scholarly expertise to our discussion, illuminating the historical context and literary structure of Isaiah's prophecies.

In this episode, we explore:

• The significance of Isaiah's historical backdrop
• The structural composition of the book and its theological implications
• The concept of the guilt-offering in Isaiah 53
• The messianic expectations within Isaiah's prophecies

Dr. Wegner's insights offer a richer understanding of Isaiah, bridging the ancient text to contemporary faith.

Explore Dr. Wegner's Publications:

• Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary
  
  
• The Journey from Texts to Translations: The Origin and Development of the Bible
  
  
• A Student's Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods, and Results
  
  
• The Prophets and the Apostolic Witness: Reading Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel as Christian Scripture
  
  

Tune in to gain a deeper appreciation for the book of Isaiah and its enduring relevance.

More About The Host Johnny Ova:

Follow on Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyova
Follow on Instagram- /johnnyovaaa
Follow on Facebook- /thejohnnyova
Follow on TikTok- Johnny Ova
Website- www.soh.church

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What if everything you were taught about hell... deserves a second look?

In this bold and freeing episode of The Dig In Podcast, Johnny sits down with Bishop Jamie Englehart for an honest and eye-opening conversation about one of the most misunderstood topics in Christianity...HELL.

Jamie is the creator of the course Get the Hell Out, a deep theological dive that challenges the traditional view of eternal conscious torment and invites believers to explore what Scripture actually says about judgment, destruction, and God’s ultimate purpose for humanity. In this episode, Jamie brings that same clarity and conviction to the table as he and Johnny unpack the biblical origins of hell, the meaning of words like Gehenna, Hades, and Sheol, and how our view of hell shapes how we see God.

Together, they explore:

• Where the modern idea of hell came from
• What Jesus really meant when He spoke about fire and judgment
• How first-century Jewish context changes everything
• Why a shift in our understanding of hell can lead to deeper peace, love, and trust in God

This is not about ignoring Scripture. It is about reading it with fresh eyes, asking real questions, and letting the gospel speak louder than fear.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the concept of hell, or wondered how a good God fits into the picture, this episode is a safe and powerful space to start digging.

Pull up a chair and join the conversation. You might just leave with more hope than you came with.

More About The Host Johnny Ova:

Follow on Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyova
Follow on Instagram- /johnnyovaaa
Follow on Facebook- /thejohnnyova
Follow on TikTok- Johnny Ova
Website- www.soh.church

Support the show

What does the book of Lamentations reveal through the cries of its children? In this powerful conversation, Pastor Johnny Ova sits down with Dr. Timothy Yap, Lecturer in Historical Theology and PhD in Old Testament studies, to uncover the overlooked voices at the heart of Jerusalem’s fall.

From starving infants to abandoned sons and daughters, Lamentations paints a haunting picture of suffering, resilience, and survival. Dr. Yap shows us why these passages matter, how they speak to modern crises of war and famine, and what it means to grieve with God at the center.

📖 Episode highlights include:

• Why children play such a unique role in Lamentations
• How Hebrew terms reveal age groups and social classes in crisis
• The shocking betrayal of mothers, and the nurture of Daughter Zion
• The tension of God’s sovereignty, raw lament, and lasting hope
• What ancient lament teaches us about modern suffering and survival

🔥 Don’t miss this deep dive into Scripture that will change how you see both grief and hope.

👉 Subscribe for more episodes of The Dig In Podcast:

• Apple Podcasts
  
  
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📚 Check out Johnny’s book The Revelation Reset

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If God has always looked like Jesus, what does that mean for how we understand wrath, judgment, and justice? What do we do with the violence in the Old Testament, or the warnings of hell in the New?

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Dr. Brad Jersak joins Johnny Ova for a deeply theological yet pastoral conversation on one of the most urgent questions of our time: What is God really like?

Together, they explore:

• Why Brad believes Jesus (especially crucified) is the full and final revelation of God’s nature
• How this reshapes the way we interpret divine wrath, judgment, and Old Testament violence
• Whether the doctrine of eternal conscious torment fits the character of a Christlike God
• How to read Scripture through the lens of Jesus, rather than flattening all parts of the Bible equally
• Why many traditional views of justice fail to reflect the restoration, mercy, and nonviolence revealed in Christ

Johnny and Brad dig in with honesty, humility, and a shared passion for helping believers rediscover the God who is love, not abstractly, but as revealed in Jesus crucified and risen.

If you've ever wrestled with difficult portrayals of God in Scripture or longed to reconcile the Bible’s harshest passages with the kindness of Christ… this episode is for you.

🔗 Explore Brad Jersak’s Work:

• 📚 A More Christlike God
• 📚 Her Gates Will Never Be Shut
• 📚 A More Christlike Word
• 📚 Can You Hear Me?
• 🎓 Brad’s University (SSU)

🎧 Listen + Subscribe to The Dig In Podcast:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

#BradJersak #DigInPodcast #ChristlikeGod #JesusIsTheLens #Deconstruction #Wrath #Hell #Judgment #TheologyPodcast #Christianity #BibleStudy #OldTestamentViolence

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