Tyndale House Podcast

Step into the very first verse of the Bible with a new podcast series from Tyndale House, Cambridge, on Genesis (The Creation Story). 
Episode 1 explores the full depth of Genesis 1:1 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth'. This single verse has shaped centuries of belief, debate, and scholarship, and we unpack why it still matters today.
In this episode, we take a research‑rich, accessible journey through some of the most searched questions about the creation narrative:
How does Genesis 1:1 compare to ancient Mesopotamian creation myths such as the Enuma Elish and other Near Eastern texts?
Can we trust the historical reliability of this ancient narrative?
What numerical patterns and structural features appear in the Hebrew text, and how might they highlight the intentional design of God’s Word?
Perfect for listeners searching for Genesis commentary, Bible Study podcasts, creation vs ancient myths, Old Testament background, and biblical numerology explained. 
Whether you’re exploring Scripture for the first time or diving deeper into familiar passages, this episode offers a thoughtful, engaging look at the verse that starts it all.
This episode is hosted by Dr. Peter Williams, Principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge and author of 'Can We Trust the Gospels?' And 'The Surprising Genius of Jesus'. He is joined by Dr. J Caleb Howard and Dr. James Bejon, who both work on the Old Testament names project at Tyndale house. 
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Timestamps 
00:00 Introduction 
00:35 Genesis 1:1
1:30 Is Genesis like Enūma eliš?
1:50 What is the link between Genesis 1&2
4:41 Genesis 1:1-5
6:30 Mesopotamian texts and the links to Genesis
8:54 Is Enūma Eliš well known in the Ancient Near East? (+ Star Wars)
10:10 Back to links between Mesopotamian texts and Genesis
12:30 Are there connections between Genesis 1:2 and Tiamat?
15:00 Is Genesis 1 poetry?
17:08 The descriptions of God in Genesis 1 in light of the canon of scripture
22:15 James’ love for biblical numerology
27:15 Caleb’s response

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Edited by Tyndale House

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Step into the ancient world with our deep dive into Genesis, our most ambitious series yet.
Travel from the text of Genesis to the tablets of Assyria with expert Dr Caleb Howard. Explore what the original Hebrew reveals beneath the surface and discover how even data can become a tool for helping us grow in understanding with analyst Dr James Bejon – and this is just episode one!
Led by Tyndale House Principal, Dr Peter Williams, this extended series takes you deep into Genesis chapters 1–9 with clarity, curiosity, and visual richness. This is a series meant to be seen. Join us on YouTube, subscribe, and experience it for yourself.
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This week we have one of our occasional Meet the Scholar episodes. Dr Tony Watkins, the Fellow for Public Engagement, talks to Dr Rebecca Idestrom about her work researching the presentation of God's glory in the Bible. Dr Idestrom currently teaches at the Tyndale Seminary in Toronto, and is the author of Show Me Your Glory : The Glory of God in the Old Testament (Pickwick Publications, 2023).
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In this 'Meet the Scholar' episode, Dr Thomas Schmidt, author of the book, Josephus and Jesus, talks to Dr Tony Watkins about the many connections Josephus had to various members of the 1st century Jewish-elite who were likely to have been at Jesus's trial.
Dr Thomas Schmidt is Associate Professor at Fairfield University and a Visiting Fellow at Princeton University. He is the author of Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ (Oxford University Press).
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This week we have one of our occasional ‘Meet the Scholar’ episodes, featuring Dr Jill Firth, Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at Ridley College, Melbourne, in conversation with Dr Tony Watkins. In this episode, Jill talks about her research into the presentation of David in the Psalms and the logic for the order they were compiled in.

00:00 - 01:04 - Intro
01:04 - 03:14 - Background
03:15 - 04:30 - Jill’s study of the Psalms
04:31 - 09:45 - The last Psalms
09:46 - 12:32 - The Descendant
12:33 - 15:49 - Traps, Nets and Snares
15:50 - 20:17 - Looking Forward - a call to praise
20:18 - 29:15 - Changes in Thinking over 20 years
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Edited by Tyndale House

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