Best Carey Griffel Podcasts (2025)

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Purity before Sinai 3: One Goat to Clean Them All - Episode 151 1:06:36

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Concluding the mini-series reading from Udug-hul (Udug-hul) Tablet 12, a Mesopotamian exorcism/purification text, and tracing how a single goat in this ritual ends up doing several jobs—substitute, container of breath, apotropaic object, and finally the thing that carries evil away. From there, Carey compares the logic of the text with Leviticus 16…

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Purity before Sinai 2: Sacred Technology of Cosmic Repair - Episode 150 1:16:48

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This episode continues last week’s deep dive (Ep. 149) into Udug-hul Tablet 12, exploring how ancient Mesopotamians understood purity, sacred space, demons, and ritual—and how that compares (and collides) with the Bible’s worldview. Carey walks through Ea (Enki), Marduk, Belet-ili, Eridu, decreed destinies, and a striking black-goat “scapegoat” rit…

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Purity Before Sinai: Subverting Storm Demons - Episode 149 1:09:14

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Today we step before Leviticus into Sumerian and Akkadian worlds to see how ancient people thought about purity, danger, and the sacred—and how Israel both echoes and upends that world. We sample Udug-hul exorcism tablets (incl. Tablet 12), meet storm-like demons, and trace common ancient ritual media (living water, flour circles, fire, incense, be…

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Unseen Realm Expanded with Mike Chu - A Heiser-ish Conversation Episode 148 1:35:41

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Carey sits down with Mike Chu to talk through the new Unseen Realm - Expanded Edition, how Heiser clarified his stance on creeds, why frame semantics and ancient contexts matter, and why a Christotelic reading (aimed at the eschaton) can keep Scripture’s big story intact. Along the way: pastoral cautions about celebrity culture, the value of schola…

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Purity Before Holiness: Reading Toward Christ - Episode 147 1:00:24

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Continuing the water series by framing purification and holiness through an ancient Near Eastern lens and a Christotelic (telos-aimed) reading of Scripture. We contrast Christocentric “reading back” with Christotelic “reading forward,” explore holy/common vs clean/unclean as two distinct axes, and ask whether Leviticus was ever meant to be a sin-ma…

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Baptism and Ritual: Symbol, Reality, and Identity - Episode 146 1:00:55

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This episode of Genesis Marks the Spot explores the meaning and function of ritual with a special focus on baptism. From Jewish mikvahs and Qumran practices to Greco-Roman mystery rites and John the Baptist’s wilderness call, baptism emerges as more than a symbol—it’s participation in a story of death, resurrection, and new creation. We’ll look at …

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Living Water vs. Rain: Toil, Covenant, & Spirit - Episode 145 1:06:58

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This episode continues our deep dive into the biblical theme of water. From Genesis to the prophets, from Eden’s rivers to Israel’s covenant rain, water frames the story of God’s presence, judgment, and renewal. Along the way we’ll explore: How waters above (rain) and waters below (springs, rivers) carry distinct theological meanings Why the flood …

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The Butcher, the Book, and the Bloody Good Theology - Episode 144 1:10:20

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In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey sits down with Phil Bray—author of Leviticus on the Butcher’s Block and creator of the YouTube channel Leviticus is Fun—for a wide-ranging conversation on sacrifice, atonement, and the surprising beauty of Leviticus. They explore: How Leviticus reframes atonement away from wrath and toward restoratio…

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Living Water & Covenant Union: Hospitality & Power Struggles - Episode 143 1:02:08

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Water flows through Scripture as far more than a backdrop — it carries covenant, hospitality, conflict, and even divine judgment. This episode of Genesis Marks the Spot traces how the Bible uses water as a sign of both intimacy and power. We begin at the wells of Genesis, where stories like Rebekah’s hospitality and the Samaritan woman in John 4 ti…

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Allegiance, Baptism, and the King Jesus Gospel with Matthew Bates - Episode 142 1:03:51

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In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey Griffel sits down with Dr. Matthew Bates—New Testament scholar and author of Salvation by Allegiance Alone, Gospel Allegiance, and Beyond the Salvation Wars. Together, they explore what it really means to proclaim Jesus as King, how allegiance reframes faith, and why justification should be seen as a…

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Adam, Christ, and the Fragile Order - Episode 141 1:11:13

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In this follow-up to the discussion of J. Harvey Walton’s dissertation, let’s look closer into his reframing of Eden—not as a perfect paradise but as fragile divine order. Carey pushes back on Walton’s rejection of covenant in Genesis 2–3 and explores how his ideas intersect with Paul’s Adam–Christ typology in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15. Along t…

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Myth of a Perfect Eden: Chaos, Order, and Divine Space - Episode 140 1:09:19

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Was Eden ever the perfect paradise we imagine? Exploring J. Harvey Walton’s groundbreaking dissertation on Genesis 2–4. Walton challenges the familiar Eden–Fall–Redemption narrative, arguing that the text’s original audience didn’t see a perfect paradise shattered by sin, but a fragile, unfinished order constantly threatened by chaos and evil. We u…

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On This Rock: A Christ-Centered Biblical Theology Community - Episode 139 1:01:10

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In this special episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey shares the heart and vision behind her new online community—On This Rock—a distraction-free space for deep Bible study, discipleship, and ministry growth. From the biblical inspiration in Matthew 16 to the practical ways members can connect, learn, and serve together, Carey invites you into a…

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Zero Female Nephilim: Violence, Symbolism, and Covenant - Episode 138 1:05:35

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Did female Nephilim exist? It's a fascinating question—and one that seems straightforward from a modern lens. But this episode takes you deep into the symbolic, theological, and cultural frameworks of the ancient world to explore why the biblical narrative omits female Nephilim entirely. Unpack the logic of Genesis 6 through the lens of biblical th…

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This One Goes to 11: Rethinking Referent and Affirmation - Episode 137 1:04:06

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What if the Bible talks about things it doesn’t actually affirm? That’s the question John and J. Harvey Walton explore in their referent/affirmation hermeneutic—a method that seeks to distinguish between what Scripture uses culturally and what it teaches theologically. In this content-heavy episode, we dig deep into the Waltons' approach, explore s…

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Our Interpretive Toolkit: Framing How We Read Scripture - Episode 136 1:21:15

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Venturing deep into the world of biblical interpretation—exploring the methods that shape how we read Scripture, how we understand righteousness, holiness, and obedience, and why John Walton's work continues to spark both admiration and controversy. We’ll survey key interpretive methodologies: literalist, historical-grammatical, canonical, literary…

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Torah and the Two Ways: Wisdom unto Life, Not Legal Death - Episode 135 1:10:13

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This episode of Genesis Marks the Spot centers on an example of biblical theology, reframing how we understand law—not as rigid legislation, but as wisdom anchored in covenant relationship. Drawing from The Lost World of the Torah by John Walton and J. Harvey Walton, Carey challenges modern assumptions about law, obedience, and divine command theor…

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Torah on Trial: Rethinking Law in Ancient Israel - Episode 134 1:00:35

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This illuminating episode of Genesis Marks the Spot dives deep into the nature of biblical law—just in time for the Fourth of July. What is law, really? Is the Torah a legislative code or a curated teaching tool for ethical formation? Drawing from Michael LeFebvre’s scholarly work Collections, Codes, and Torah, Carey unpacks how law functioned in t…

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Carved in Covenant: Bronze Age Sinai and the Making of a People - Episode 133 1:00:18

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Walk through the ancient Near Eastern background of biblical covenants to arrive at the archetypal Sinai covenant. Picking up where Episode 132 left off, Carey explores the formal elements of Late Bronze Age treaties and how they echo within the biblical text—especially in the Ten Commandments. Through historical, grammatical, and theological analy…

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Covenants Before Contracts: The Ancient Near Eastern Frame - Episode 132 1:09:08

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In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey takes listeners beyond prooftexts and into the deep structure of biblical meaning by asking: What kind of thing is a covenant? Drawing from ancient Near Eastern treaty forms, the episode explores how covenantal frames shape not only Genesis but also our understanding of baptism, representation, and t…

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Covenant Theology, Baptism, and Biblical Imagery - Episode 131 1:04:17

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What connects wine, wrath, baptism, and the flood? This powerful bridge episode toes out into the deep waters of systematic theology that will lead to biblical theology in order to explore how God's covenantal signs—from the cup to the flood—shape a story of transformation. The conversation sets up how creation, judgment, and restoration are tied t…

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The Cups of the Cross: Cana, Gethsemane, and Golgotha - Episode 130 1:09:56

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What does it mean that Jesus drank the cup—and said he would not drink again until the kingdom came? What is that mysterious cup that Jesus didn't want to drink? In this final episode on alcohol in Scripture and with the help of Mark Scarlata's book, Wine, Soil, and Salvation, Carey draws together themes of covenant, celebration, and sacrifice as s…

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The Cup of Wisdom: Drinking in Creation’s Order - Episode 129 1:03:44

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In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey uncorks the surprising biblical connection between wine and wisdom. What begins as a reflection on the interconnection of John Walton’s New Explorations and a survey of wisdom literature in Mark Scarlata's Wine, Soil, and Salvation blooms into a deeply interwoven meditation on creation order, covenan…

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Goodnight, Adam. Goodnight, Eve. Goodnight, Functional Ontology. - Episode 128 1:00:49

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Reviewing John Walton’s newest entry in the Lost World series: New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis. With clarity and candor, Carey explores Walton’s theological evolution—particularly the move from “functional” to “ordered” creation—and discusses the role of biblical theology in understanding Genesis 1–3. Carey also responds to popular-le…

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Wrath and the gods: Deut. 32 and the Mirror of Judgment - Episode 127 1:10:00

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What does it mean when the Bible speaks of gods being judged? Is wrath just God's angry impulse, or is it the just consequence of misplaced allegiance? In this episode, Carey dives deep into Deuteronomy 32, reading it not just as a poetic song, but as a cosmic indictment—against Israel, against the nations, and against their gods. Drawing from bibl…

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The Cup of Wrath: Inheriting Your Desire at the Banquet - Episode 126 1:04:29

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What does it mean to drink the cup of wrath? And why does Scripture use the language of vineyards, vintage, and wine to describe divine judgment? In this richly layered episode, Carey walks us through the biblical vineyard—from Genesis to Revelation—where wine is not merely a blessing but a mirror. Here, wrath is not divine temper but a giving-over…

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Between the Vines: Soil, Symbol, and the Cups of Consequence - Episode 125 1:04:50

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In this mid-series episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey takes a step between the Cup of Joy and the Cup of Wrath—into the vineyard itself. With the help of Mark Scarlata’s Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, we explore how the land, the vine, and the embodied experience of cultivation shape biblical theology. From G…

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The Cup of Joy: Wine, Blessing, and Sacred Celebration - Episode 124 1:08:38

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In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, we trace the theme of wine as joy in Scripture—what it means to share in divine abundance, and how the vine tells a story of provision, blessing, and worship. This is the first of (at least) a trilogy exploring the biblical theology of wine: from joy to judgment to covenant. With stops in Genesis, Psalms, …

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Wine, Judgment, and the Second Adam: Rethinking Noah’s Fall - Episode 123 1:02:03

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In this compelling follow-up to our discussion on Noah and the relief of the cursed ground, we examine the puzzling aftermath: Noah’s drunkenness. Was it a relapse into chaos—or something else entirely? Come walk through the deep theological and symbolic threads tied to wine in Scripture. Drawing on frame semantics, ancient rituals, and cultural in…

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Eden to Ararat: A Ground-clearing Look at the Genesis Curse - Episode 122 1:01:00

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Did the Flood reverse the curse of the ground? Carey builds a compelling case for a concept that’s often overlooked—or outright dismissed: that the Flood narrative in Genesis 6–9 isn't just about judgment, but also about restoration—specifically the cleansing of the cursed ground from Genesis 3. Carey weaves together frame semantics, Hebrew wordpla…

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Devil in the Details: Rest, Relief, and Frame Semantics - Episode 121 1:08:50

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In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, we finally dive into a long-anticipated topic: frame semantics—a cognitive linguistic tool that could revolutionize how we approach biblical texts. From exploring how the word "rest" is more than just a Sabbath nap, to rethinking the identity of the Satan in Job and why the Sons of God are unique, this epi…

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Noah’s Name and the Rest of the Story - Episode 120 1:01:27

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You know his name. You know the flood. You might even think you know why Noah was given that name in the first place. But what if I told you… there's some strange artifcacts with ‘rest’ in Genesis 5:29? What if the comfort Lamech longed for wasn’t exactly what Noah delivered? Or maybe it was more than he was looking for... Today, we’re digging into…

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Twu Wuv, Twoil, and the "Curse" of Genesis 3:16 - Episode 119 1:01:20

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As You Wish… Or Maybe Not? Rethinking Genesis 3:16. Genesis 3:16 has been a theological battleground for centuries—was Eve cursed? Does this verse establish male rule? And why did the ESV change its translation again? In this episode, we dive deep into the Hebrew text, ancient interpretations, and modern theological debates surrounding this passage…

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There and Back Again: Scripture in Both Directions, with Spencer Owen - Episode 118 1:03:17

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A conversation with Spencer Owen about reading the Bible from the OT to the NT and from the NT to the OT. Do we need Jesus in order to read the Old Testament? **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot Genesis Marks t…

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Slavery: The Upside-Down Kingdom - Episode 117 1:00:46

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Isn't it a bit weird that Christians are called slaves? Isn't slavery a bad thing? **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot Genesis Marks the Spot on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genesismarksthespot/ Music c…

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Tyranno(saurus) Rex: Do We Only Rule Animals? - Episode 116 1:12:30

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Genesis 1:28 - Is human rule meant only for animals and not for other humans? What is biblical government? Tying in some modern social psychology with Jonathan Haidt's moral foundation theory, I offer an encouragement to political engagement in a self-giving way rather than engaging in one-up-manship. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patre…

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Not to 50!: Does the Punishment Fit the Crime? - Episode 115 1:08:43

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What if we've all got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance? How are guilt and justice portrayed in the Bible, especially in relation to God's character? What does shame have to do with (legal) guilt? How do these concepts develop? And...why does Genesis 1-11 seem so Mesopotamian?? **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreo…

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Nakedness, Shame, and Guilt - Episode 114 1:14:21

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What's up with shame in Genesis 2 but not 3, and why were Adam and Eve naked in the garden? What were the garments of skin (and what's with these garments of glory)? **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthespot Genesis …

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Jordan Peterson: Do I Believe in God? - Episode 113 1:04:07

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Ruminations of a recent lecture and Jordan B. Peterson's new book, We Who Wrestle with God. Tyranny, slavery, sovereignty, calling, and conscience--oh, and the best way to cook a steak. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesism…

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Finishing the Dangerous Parables of Enoch (Part 4) - Episode 112 1:00:59

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Part 2 of the third Parable of Enoch. In this parable, we find some interesting bits about Noah and what's behind the flood, and ruminate on salvation, critical thinking, dangerous books, and what's upcoming on the podcast. Bit of a rambly episode at the end, but just opening the door a bit to consider some thoughts and importance of where we place…

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Wisdom and Works: Parables of Enoch (Part 3) - Episode 111 1:06:40

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Part 1 of the third Parable of Enoch. (Guys, I tried to fit it into one episode, but the more the merrier, right??) In this parable, we find some interesting bits about Noah and start to see what's behind the flood, and end up ruminating about what this text tells us about salvation--especially between OT and NT. (To be continued next week!) **Webs…

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Son of Man: Parables of Enoch (Part 2) - Episode 110 1:13:49

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Who is the Son of Man and why is this Jesus's preferred title for himself? An overview of the second part of 1 Enoch, the Parables of Enoch, with a reading of the second parable. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesismarksthe…

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The Messiah: Parables of Enoch (Part 1) - Episode 109 1:02:40

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Is 1 Enoch a Christian writing? Some believe so because of its close description of the Son of Man and other messianic imagery, particularly in the Parables of Enoch. An overview of the second part of 1 Enoch, the Parables of Enoch, with a reading of the first parable. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Genes…

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Puzzling Donkeys in the Bible - Episode 108 1:24:35

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What do donkeys have to do with Genesis 3? A survey of donkeys in the Bible and ancient Near East with a view to history and symbolism and explaining some difficult passages: the breaking of the firstborn donkey's neck in Exodus 13 and Balaam's jenny in Numbers 22. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMa…

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An Overview + Reading of 1 Enoch: The Book of the Watchers - Episode 107 1:18:31

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An overview of 1 Enoch with a reading of the Book of the Watchers. Bonus: comment on Timothy Alberino and Blurry Creatures' Enoch commentary. 18:32 - Reading of the Book of the Watchers. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the Spot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesis…

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The Origin of Sin: Genesis 6 Historical Interpretation, Part 4 - Episode 106 1:08:08

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What did the ancient Israelite think about the origin of evil and sin? What did the first temple Jew think about the origin of evil and sin? What about the rabbis? Let's check out the literature, and track this topic so that we can better understand the Reformation's understanding of Genesis 6:1-4. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon:…

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Poor Reading Comprehension is Unbiblical: A Review of "The Unbiblical Realm" - Episode 105 1:10:47

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A review of Heath Henning's book, The Unbiblical Realm: Refuting the Divine Council of Michael Heiser's Deuteronomy 32 Worldview. Spoiler alert: I give this book negative stars. Henning can't even present Dr. Heiser's understanding of the word elohim correctly, which is one of the most basic things that one must get "right" in order to understand m…

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Let's Blame Augustine: Genesis 6 Historical Intepretation, Part 3 - Episode 104 1:09:03

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How much blame does Augustine deserve for the Sethite view of Genesis 6:1-4? A discussion on why I think the "angelic" view of Genesis 6 should be primary, and how the "human" view got solidified over time. Spoiler alert: it's politics. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis Marks the …

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Allegory: Genesis 6 Historical Interpretation, Part 2 - Episode 103 1:01:54

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Who were the sons of God and the nephilim? What about the giants? The earliest views up to the human/Sethite view in historical interpretation, with a special focus on allegory and what it is and how we might look at it. (Skipping Augustine because he needs his own episode!) **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com…

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Genesis 6 Historical Interpretation, Part 1 - Episode 102 1:14:02

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Who were the sons of God and the nephilim? What about the giants? What is the earliest interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4? When do we get the human/Sethite view? Historical interpretation and its development up to the first couple of centuries A.D. **Website: www.genesismarksthespot.com My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot Genesis M…