Romans 12 and Google AI on dealing with difficult relatives.
[00:00:00] I have a relative who is very devout, but will no longer speak to me because I produced these podcasts.
[00:00:12] Jesus comes from a messy, complicated family just like many of us do.
[00:00:16] Jesus' lineage reminds us that even our family flaws can be woven into a tapestry of redemption.
[00:00:23] Jesus' lineage really challenges us to rethink our assumptions about what a perfect family should look like.
[00:00:44] I have a relative who will no longer speak to me because I produced these podcasts, and it upsets me on many levels.
[00:00:57] Jesus comes from a messy, complicated family just like many of us do.
[00:01:01] Jesus' lineage reminds us that even our family flaws can be woven into a tapestry of redemption.
[00:01:08] Jesus' lineage really challenges us to rethink our assumptions about what a perfect family should look like.
[00:01:18] Last year, both of my daughters got married. My daughter, Elizabeth, who I interviewed for this
[00:01:25] podcast and you will hear from in an upcoming episode. Elizabeth used Romans 12, 9 through 18,
[00:01:33] in her wedding, which says in part,
[00:01:47] I found this scripture very helpful.
[00:02:03] When dealing with relatives that require extra grace, I found this scripture very helpful.
[00:02:13] Particularly with relatives that say or do hurtful things they believe God is requiring
[00:02:22] them to say or do.
[00:02:25] How anyone can read the gospel and think that God requires them to do hurtful things is beyond
[00:02:32] me.
[00:02:32] But conservative Christians have cherry-picked some Old Testament verses and elevated them
[00:02:40] above the gospels, above Jesus' own words, often citing Matthew 5.17, where Jesus says,
[00:02:50] Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
[00:02:54] I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
[00:02:58] I have dedicated two or three episodes to the many Old Testament laws that conservative Christians
[00:03:07] ignore.
[00:03:07] See the episodes on Leviticus for some examples.
[00:03:15] The holidays can present many challenges, including dealing with misguided or judgmental relatives.
[00:03:25] Perhaps you might also find this scripture from Romans 12 helpful.
[00:03:30] Bless those who persecute you.
[00:03:32] Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
[00:03:36] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
[00:03:44] We know very little about the family dynamics of Christ's immediate family.
[00:03:50] Was there bickering or judgmentalism over the Passover dinner?
[00:03:55] Or was it a godly scene of tranquility?
[00:03:59] We can imagine.
[00:04:01] We can speculate.
[00:04:02] But we don't know.
[00:04:04] However, we do know a surprising amount about Christ's ancestral relatives.
[00:04:12] So, if you have challenging relatives, hearing about some of Christ's less-than-perfect relatives might cheer you up.
[00:04:22] Or at least put your challenges in perspective.
[00:04:26] I gave several articles to Google Notebook LM, an AI podcast generator.
[00:04:33] And it created this short overview of some of the problematic relatives in Jesus' lineage.
[00:04:42] And then, back by popular demand at the end of this podcast, is another video of Chica, our Habbonese puppy, which you can see on Spotify.
[00:04:55] But first, Christ's challenging ancestry from Google Notebook LM.
[00:05:04] Welcome to another deep dive.
[00:05:06] Today, we're going to be looking at something a little bit unexpected.
[00:05:12] Okay.
[00:05:13] The surprising figures in Jesus' family tree.
[00:05:16] Right.
[00:05:18] And we've got some fascinating biblical analysis and commentary here to really kind of dig into this.
[00:05:26] And believe me, it's not your average Sunday school genealogy lesson.
[00:05:29] Yeah.
[00:05:30] You're right about that.
[00:05:31] Right.
[00:05:31] We're not just looking at a list of who begat whom here.
[00:05:34] Right.
[00:05:35] These names and the way that they're presented.
[00:05:37] Yeah.
[00:05:37] Tell us a lot about Jesus.
[00:05:38] Okay.
[00:05:39] His mission and even challenge some assumptions about how we read the Bible itself.
[00:05:43] Okay.
[00:05:44] So, before we get into the specifics.
[00:05:45] Yeah.
[00:05:46] Can you give us some context?
[00:05:47] Sure.
[00:05:47] Like, what was the purpose of genealogies back then?
[00:05:49] Yeah.
[00:05:50] Were they always meant to be these, like, squeaky clean family histories?
[00:05:53] Well, in the ancient world.
[00:05:55] Yeah.
[00:05:55] Genealogies were more like power moves.
[00:05:58] Okay.
[00:06:09] Look at my impressive lineage.
[00:06:10] Right.
[00:06:11] I'm destined for greatness.
[00:06:13] So, basically, the opposite of what we see in Jesus's genealogy.
[00:06:17] Exactly.
[00:06:18] Which includes some pretty scandalous characters.
[00:06:20] Exactly.
[00:06:20] And that's where it gets really interesting.
[00:06:22] Right.
[00:06:23] The Bible doesn't shy away from the less than holy aspects of Jesus's lineage.
[00:06:28] Wow.
[00:06:29] In fact, it seems to highlight them.
[00:06:31] Which is pretty surprising.
[00:06:32] It makes you wonder why these figures were included.
[00:06:35] And what that tells us about the message of the gospel.
[00:06:38] One figure who really stands out is Rahab.
[00:06:41] Oh, yeah.
[00:06:42] Now, she was a prostitute who ended up becoming an Israelite hero.
[00:06:46] Okay.
[00:06:47] Her story is a pretty dramatic example of God's grace and the unexpected paths to faith.
[00:06:54] Yeah.
[00:06:55] The story of Rahab helping the Israelites conquer Jericho is one of those Bible stories you don't forget.
[00:07:00] It is.
[00:07:01] Walls crumbling.
[00:07:01] Right.
[00:07:02] Sties escaping.
[00:07:02] A whole city brought down.
[00:07:04] Mm-hmm.
[00:07:05] With the help of this one.
[00:07:06] Yeah.
[00:07:07] And what's fascinating is that she's not just a footnote in the story.
[00:07:10] Right.
[00:07:10] She becomes part of the lineage of Jesus himself.
[00:07:14] Yeah.
[00:07:14] It's a powerful statement about how God can use anyone.
[00:07:18] Wow.
[00:07:18] Regardless of their past to accomplish his purposes.
[00:07:21] It also challenges our assumptions about who is, like, worthy of God's favor.
[00:07:26] Exactly.
[00:07:27] Speaking of challenging assumptions, let's talk about King Solomon.
[00:07:29] Okay.
[00:07:29] Famous for his wisdom.
[00:07:31] Yes.
[00:07:31] But also, as our sources point out, for having a rather large number.
[00:07:35] He did.
[00:07:36] Of wives and concubines.
[00:07:38] Yeah.
[00:07:38] 700 wives and 300 concubines.
[00:07:40] Oh, wow.
[00:07:41] To be exact.
[00:07:41] Okay.
[00:07:41] And for those unfamiliar, a concubine in that era was sort of a wife with extra rights and responsibilities, but not quite on the same level as a full wife.
[00:07:52] Okay.
[00:07:52] So, not exactly what you'd call a model of monogamy.
[00:07:55] Right.
[00:07:55] I mean, how do you even keep track of that many people?
[00:07:57] Yeah.
[00:07:57] Yeah.
[00:07:58] But seriously, what's the significance of this detail?
[00:08:01] Yeah.
[00:08:01] In Jesus' genealogy.
[00:08:02] Well, on the one hand, Solomon achieved great things.
[00:08:06] Right.
[00:08:06] He built the first temple in Jerusalem.
[00:08:09] Yes.
[00:08:09] Which was a massively important act of faith and devotion.
[00:08:12] Right.
[00:08:13] But on the other hand, his indulgence in excess.
[00:08:16] Yeah.
[00:08:16] Especially when it came to his relationships.
[00:08:18] Yeah.
[00:08:19] Ultimately led him astray from God.
[00:08:20] That's a really important point.
[00:08:22] Okay.
[00:08:23] Solomon's story isn't just about a king with a lot of wives.
[00:08:26] Okay.
[00:08:26] It's about the tension between human ambition and God's will.
[00:08:31] Okay.
[00:08:31] It shows that even someone blessed with incredible wisdom can still fall prey to temptation.
[00:08:37] Right.
[00:08:37] And suffer the consequences.
[00:08:39] So, it's a mixed legacy full of both brilliance and flaws.
[00:08:42] Exactly.
[00:08:43] Which brings us to another king.
[00:08:45] Yeah.
[00:08:45] King Manasseh.
[00:08:46] Who really takes the bad boy crown in this genealogy.
[00:08:51] Manasseh is a truly complex figure.
[00:08:54] Okay.
[00:08:55] He engaged in pagan worship.
[00:08:56] Okay.
[00:08:57] Even child sacrifice.
[00:08:58] Wow.
[00:08:59] All while being the king of Israel.
[00:09:01] Yeah.
[00:09:02] It's hard to imagine actions more contrary to God's laws.
[00:09:05] Yeah.
[00:09:05] His reign is often described as one of the darkest periods in Israel's history.
[00:09:09] It is.
[00:09:10] And yet he's included in Jesus' lineage.
[00:09:13] Yes.
[00:09:13] Because his story, despite its horrific elements, ultimately becomes one of repentance and redemption.
[00:09:19] Okay.
[00:09:20] He eventually turned back to God repenting of his sins and seeking forgiveness.
[00:09:24] So, even someone who committed such terrible acts.
[00:09:28] Yes.
[00:09:29] Found redemption in the end.
[00:09:30] Exactly.
[00:09:32] Manasseh's story reminds us that God's grace is available to everyone.
[00:09:37] Okay.
[00:09:37] No matter how far they've strayed.
[00:09:39] Right.
[00:09:39] It's a message of hope that runs throughout the Bible.
[00:09:42] Yeah.
[00:09:42] You know, it's really something.
[00:09:44] And it challenges us to think about how we view people, even those who have done terrible things.
[00:09:49] Right.
[00:09:50] Are they forever defined by their worst actions?
[00:09:53] Or is there always the possibility for change, for redemption?
[00:09:57] That's a powerful question and one that's particularly relevant.
[00:10:00] Yeah.
[00:10:01] When we look at another figure in Jesus' genealogy, King David.
[00:10:04] Okay.
[00:10:05] Now, he's often held up as this heroic figure.
[00:10:08] Right.
[00:10:08] Man after God's own heart.
[00:10:10] Mm-hmm.
[00:10:10] But the Bible doesn't shy away from his flaws, does it?
[00:10:14] Not at all.
[00:10:15] The story of David and Bathsheba, which is often presented as simply an act of adultery,
[00:10:19] is actually portrayed in a much more troubling light.
[00:10:22] Right.
[00:10:22] One of our sources points out that the original Hebrew uses a word that implies force,
[00:10:28] suggesting that David, in a position of power, took advantage of Bathsheba.
[00:10:33] It's a difficult passage to read.
[00:10:35] Yeah.
[00:10:35] And it certainly complicates our understanding of this beloved king.
[00:10:38] Right.
[00:10:39] But I think it's important to wrestle with these uncomfortable truths.
[00:10:43] Mm-hmm.
[00:10:43] The Bible doesn't present as heroes as flawless beings.
[00:10:47] They're complex individuals who make mistakes, who sin.
[00:10:50] Right.
[00:10:50] Who sometimes act in ways that are deeply hurtful.
[00:10:53] And by including these stories,
[00:10:55] Yeah.
[00:10:55] it forces us to confront the reality that even those we admire.
[00:11:00] Right.
[00:11:00] Even those who achieve great things.
[00:11:02] Yeah.
[00:11:02] Are still capable of doing wrong.
[00:11:04] And perhaps even more importantly, it shows us that God's grace extends even to those who have committed grave sins.
[00:11:11] Right.
[00:11:11] David, despite his failings, was still chosen by God to be part of the lineage leading to Jesus.
[00:11:17] So it's not about ignoring the darkness.
[00:11:19] Right.
[00:11:19] Or pretending that these things didn't happen.
[00:11:22] Exactly.
[00:11:22] It's about recognizing that God can work through even the most broken situations, even the most flawed individuals.
[00:11:30] Yeah.
[00:11:30] To bring about his purposes.
[00:11:32] It's a reminder that we're all in need of grace.
[00:11:35] Mm-hmm.
[00:11:35] That none of us are perfect.
[00:11:37] Right.
[00:11:37] And that God's love and forgiveness are available to all of us regardless of our past.
[00:11:42] Okay.
[00:11:42] So we've talked about these surprising figures in Jesus' genealogy.
[00:11:47] Rahab, Solomon, Manasseh, David.
[00:11:49] Mm-hmm.
[00:11:50] Each of them, in their own way, challenges our assumptions about what a perfect family tree should look like.
[00:11:56] Right.
[00:11:56] But what does it all mean?
[00:11:58] Yeah.
[00:11:58] What's the bigger picture here?
[00:11:59] Well, if we step back and look at these figures as a whole.
[00:12:02] Okay.
[00:12:03] I think we can see some really important themes emerging.
[00:12:06] Like what?
[00:12:07] Well, first of all, it's a powerful reminder that God works through imperfect people.
[00:12:12] Okay.
[00:12:13] He doesn't just choose the best or the most deserving to accomplish his will.
[00:12:17] Right.
[00:12:17] He often chooses the unlikely, the unexpected, the flawed.
[00:12:22] What in Rahab?
[00:12:22] Who went from being a prostitute to playing a key role in the conquest of Jericho.
[00:12:27] Right.
[00:12:27] Or the other women mentioned in our sources who are part of Jesus' lineage despite having questionable reputations.
[00:12:34] And it's not just that God uses these people, but that their flaws, their mistakes, even their sins become part of his plan.
[00:12:42] Wow.
[00:12:42] He doesn't erase their past.
[00:12:44] Right.
[00:12:44] He redeems it.
[00:12:45] It's like he's saying, I can work with this.
[00:12:48] I can use this for good.
[00:12:49] Yes.
[00:12:50] And I think that leads to the second major theme, the emphasis on Jesus' humanity.
[00:12:56] Okay.
[00:12:56] By including these flawed figures in his lineage, it grounds him in the reality of human experience.
[00:13:03] It shows that he's not some distant, perfect being who can't relate to our struggles.
[00:13:08] Jesus comes from a messy, complicated family, just like many of us do.
[00:13:12] And that, I think, makes him all the more relatable.
[00:13:14] Right.
[00:13:14] He understands our weaknesses, our temptations, our failings, because he comes from a line of people who struggled with those very things.
[00:13:20] And finally, there's this incredibly powerful message of hope and redemption.
[00:13:26] Yeah.
[00:13:26] That runs through Jesus' entire genealogy.
[00:13:28] No matter how messed up our past may be, no matter what mistakes we've made, God's grace is always available to us.
[00:13:36] Right.
[00:13:36] Just like he worked through the flaws of those who came before Jesus, he can work through ours as well.
[00:13:42] That's a pretty comforting thought, isn't it?
[00:13:44] It is.
[00:13:44] It reminds us that we're not defined by our past or even by our present struggles.
[00:13:49] Right.
[00:13:49] We're defined by God's love for us and by the potential he sees in each of us.
[00:13:53] Speaking of different perspectives, our sources seem to offer some slightly different interpretations of this idea of redemption.
[00:14:01] Yes, they do.
[00:14:02] The Christianity Today article focuses on the idea that God uses these flawed figures in his grand plan.
[00:14:08] Their imperfections become tools, in a sense, to bring about significant events and ultimately lead to the coming of Jesus.
[00:14:15] Right.
[00:14:15] While the Catholic source emphasizes the idea of God working through our sin, transforming it into something good.
[00:14:22] Yeah.
[00:14:22] They even gave that powerful example of Muslims converting to Christianity after witnessing the horrors of the war in Iraq and Syria.
[00:14:29] It's a stark reminder that even in the midst of suffering and darkness, God can bring about light and transformation.
[00:14:37] Our family flaws, our mistakes, even our sins don't have to be the end of the story.
[00:14:42] They can be part of a bigger story, a story of redemption and hope.
[00:14:46] Exactly.
[00:14:47] It's a pretty amazing message when you think about it.
[00:14:49] It is, and it really challenges us to rethink our assumptions about what a perfect family should look like.
[00:14:54] This deep dive has definitely been an eye-opener for me.
[00:14:57] Exploring his family tree like this has given me a new perspective.
[00:15:01] It's a story that challenges us, inspires us, and ultimately offers us a message of hope and inclusion.
[00:15:06] It's like no matter where we come from.
[00:15:08] Yeah.
[00:15:09] No matter what our family history looks like.
[00:15:11] Right.
[00:15:11] We can be part of something bigger.
[00:15:13] Jesus' lineage reminds us that even our family flaws can be woven into a tapestry of redemption.
[00:15:19] It's a powerful message for us all to carry with us.
[00:15:23] Thanks for joining us on this fascinating journey.
[00:15:26] We'll see you next time for another deep dive into a topic that's sure to spark your curiosity.
[00:15:34] Resist the temptation to get angry or to lash out.
[00:15:39] Remember the scriptures from Romans 12.
[00:15:43] Bless those who persecute you.
[00:15:45] Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
[00:15:48] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
[00:15:54] Jesus' lineage reminds us that even our family flaws can be woven into a tapestry of redemption.
[00:16:03] If you have challenging relatives,
[00:16:06] I hope this episode puts your relatives in perspective
[00:16:11] and that this short video of Chica can cheer you up.
[00:16:17] Be strong.
[00:16:19] Let the light of Christ shine through you.
[00:16:22] Stay safe and God bless.
[00:16:25] This is Elton Sherwin.
[00:16:27] And here is your moment of Chica.
[00:16:30] We're not just like the beautiful παres de Marcos 12.
[00:16:30] And here is your moment of Chica.
[00:16:30] And there is the mountain walking carre.
[00:16:30] Thank you.