Episode Details

Preorder my new book Politics, Economics and New Testament Interpretation here: https://libertarianchristians.com/store/politics-economics-and-new-testament-interpretation/

In this episode I talk with Rabbi Steven Bob about his new book When Judaism Began: Exploring the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which examines the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah through an historical and theological framework, explaining how Judaism begins during that era of history. We talk about the neglect of Ezra and Nehemiah in both Jewish and Christian circles, the historical background of the period in which they were written, and how the geographical return from exile shaped Judaism. Rabbi Bob explains the ambiguous political relationship between the returned exiles and their Persian rulers, Jewish conflicts with the people of the land, the development of Torah, the Hebrew language, the temple, ritual, and sacrifice, and Ezra and Nehemiah as historical figures. We also explore how Judaism continued to develop between the time of Ezra and Nehemiah and the first century CE, the impact of these works on modern Judaism and biblical interpretation, and the way in which it prefigures twentieth-century Zionism. 

Media Referenced:

When Judaism Began: https://a.co/d/03CQeIpL

Author bio: https://mycec.org/rabbi-steven-bob/

Sign up for LCI’s 2026 Conference in Cincinnati, OH on Saturday, October 17! Many LCI content creators, including myself, will be speaking at the event, and it will be an excellent opportunity to connect with likeminded, liberty-loving Christians. Check out the event and sign up here: https://libertarianchristians.com/conference/ 

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!