Jesus’ Personal Bible: The Greatest Archaeological Discovery Ever - 2019 Lecture by Dr. Frank Spina
In my 46th and final year as a Professor of Old Testament at Seattle Pacific University, I presented my “last lecture.” Though the title was sensationalized—“Discovering Jesus’ Personal Bible: The Greatest Archaeological Discovery Ever”—it was apt. This is because we have had Jesus’ Bible all along. It did not have to be discovered. This Bible was the Jewish Bible, the Bible of the Synagogue, or the Hebrew Bible. It is the Bible that Christians would later refer to as the Old Testament. But this is the only Bible Jesus read, quoted, thought was authoritative, and believed was a testimony to himself. Jesus never knew about a New Testament. For that matter, neither did the authors of the New Testament! For all of them were trying to demonstrate that what God was doing in and through Jesus was consonant with the Scriptures, that is, Jesus’ personal Bible.
The Frank Anthony Spina Lectureship on Christian Scripture
After his 46-year career as Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology in The School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University and Seattle Pacific Seminary, Dr. Frank Anthony Spina launched a legacy project to endow an annual lectureship on Christian Scripture. Though Seattle Pacific University has a proud tradition of promoting Christian Scripture not only in the university curriculum but in the life of the Church, it has never made provision for an annual lectureship that would attract scholars from around the world. The Frank Anthony Spina Lectureship on Christian Scripture seeks to fill that void.
The endowment will require $100,000.00. Dr. Spina is donating $20,000.00 of that amount. Already, colleagues, students, and friends have contributed about $50,000.00.
Anyone who is interested in making a contribution to this endowment may contact the Seattle Pacific University Department of Advancement.
The First Step in Our Bible Journey
My name is Frank Spina and during my 46 years as a professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology, I noticed that most people only know interpretations of the Bible, rather than the scripture itself.
In this podcast, I will be your teacher and guide through the Bible that not many people are familiar with. As we unpack quintessential Biblical stories, you will gain an unparalleled understanding of the scripture. More importantly, my teaching style is fun, engaging, and always inspirational!
But before we get into dissecting the scripture, I’d like you to know a little about me and how I got to the position of speaking to you on this podcast.
I didn’t always think of myself as a scholar, but today I speak seven languages and hold numerous degrees. In high school, I was a “C” student who could never imagine teaching at a college. What inspired this transformation?
In this episode, you will hear all about my journey of becoming a professor at the Seattle Pacific University and an Episcopal priest at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Bellevue, Washington.
I developed a specific pedagogical method for teaching scripture that I’m happy to share with you today and in future episodes. As a result, my students found the Bible not only fascinating but also deeply transformative. It is my hope that you will receive this podcast as a blessing as well!
So if you want to unlock the secrets of Jesus’ precious words, make sure to subscribe now!
We’re only getting started.
For more reading, check out my book: The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story