Ryan and Brian's Bible Bistro

A podcast about the Bible, theology, and all things related to the Christian faith. Hosted by Ryan Sarver and Brian Johnson..

Ryan and Brian's Bible Bistro is a christianity podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 200 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 84. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Ryan and Brian's Bible Bistro, a christianity show with 200 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #204

  Paul for the World with Dr. Nijay Gupta

  Aug 18, 20261 hourS6

  Brian talks with his professor Dr. Nijay Gupta about his new book Paul for the World , its predecessor Strange Religion , and what's next. Highlights: Crossover publishing — Gupta writes for engaged "nerdy lay people" and pastors, bridging academic scholarship and pop-Christian devotional writing. From Strange Religion to Paul for the World — the first book immersed readers in the ancient "marketplace of gods"; readers then asked how to actually live faithfully today, prompting this follow-up (original title: Here and Now ). A "here and now" gospel — Gupta argues the gospel is about present life, not just future heaven, drawing on Bonhoeffer's idea of "worldliness" (invasion, not escape) and Philippians 3 / Revelation 21. How topics were chosen — built around (1) what makes up a human life (work, health, friendship, sports) and (2) what Paul himself actually wrote about most — mostly practical, worldly problems, not abstract theology. Friendship in Paul — Paul wasn't a lone wolf; he's constantly surrounded by named companions. Gupta argues Paul favors agapētos ("beloved") over philos to "Christianize" friendship. Wellness & suffering — 2 Corinthians' "sentence of death" language connects to modern anxiety and depression; Gupta shares a personal near-death story from a snowstorm. Love in Pauline theology — revisiting The Affections of Christ Jesus : love isn't just ethics, it's central to Paul's theology (Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 13). Strange Religion revisited — ancient religion as civic/communal, not private; the Roman ritual of evocatio as background for "I will never leave you nor forsake you." What's next: 2 Timothy commentary (Smyth & Helwys series) Fierce and Faithful — children's book on 25 women in Scripture (w/ Carmen Imes) God Spoke Through Her — on women prophets (Feb. 2027) The Wooden Compass (working title) — a book on the cross and discipleship Books mentioned: Paul for the World , Strange Religion , The Affections of Christ Jesus , Tell Her Story (Gupta) · Dominion (Tom Holland) · Letters and Papers from Prison (Bonhoeffer) Scripture referenced: Philippians 2–3 · Galatians 2:20 · 2 Corinthians 8–9 · 1 Thessalonians · 2 Timothy · Revelation 5, 21 · Acts 19 · Joel 2/Acts 2

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Ryan and Brian's Bible Bistro

  Be Perfect? Rethinking Jesus' Hardest Command

  Jul 21, 202653 min

  Ryan and Brian return from an extended break to close out Matthew chapter 5 in their ongoing Sermon on the Mount series, tackling Jesus' teaching on loving your enemies and the puzzling command to "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Episode Summary Picking back up in the Sermon on the Mount, Ryan and Brian work through Matthew 5:43–48, where Jesus contrasts the popular teaching "love your neighbor, hate your enemy" with his own command to love and pray for enemies. They trace the "hate your enemy" idea to a possible source in Psalm 139, examine parallel teaching in Luke 6, and dig into the Greek word teleios — usually translated "perfect" — arguing that "mature" or "complete" better captures Jesus' meaning. The conversation widens into Paul's theology of love in Philippians 2, John 13, and Ephesians 4, and closes with a reflection on Galatians 6:2 ("carry each other's burdens") and what it practically looks like to love the way Christ loved. Key Discussion Points Matthew 5:43–45 — Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18 ("love your neighbor") and contrasts it with the added, extra-biblical teaching "hate your enemy," then commands love and prayer for persecutors, appealing to God's own impartiality (sun and rain on both righteous and unrighteous). Where "hate your enemy" came from — A look at Psalm 139:19–22 as a possible source for the added teaching, and how post-exilic hostility toward Israel's enemies may have shaped this interpretation. Luke 6:27–36 parallel — Comparing Jesus' "love your enemies" teaching in Luke, including the Golden Rule and the call to lend without expecting return. Matthew 5:46–47 — Jesus contrasts kingdom ethics with the behavior of tax collectors and pagans, calling his followers to a higher standard of love that extends beyond their own group. "Be perfect" (Matthew 5:48) — Why "perfect" is a misleading translation of the Greek teleios ; the case for "mature" or "complete," tied to imitating God's character rather than achieving moral flawlessness. Philippians 2 and John 13 — Jesus' self-emptying (kenosis) and foot-washing as models of the same self-giving love, and Michael Gorman's argument (from his work on Paul and John) that these passages share deep conceptual and linguistic ties. Ephesians 4:11–16 — Paul's use of teleios ("mature") in the context of the body of Christ growing up into Christ through love; a brief detour on how the NIV adds interpretive language not present in the Greek, compared to the NRSV. Cruciformity — Drawing on Michael Gorman's concept (and its later expansion to "resurrectional cruciformity"), the idea that believers conform their lives to the shape of the cross — self-sacrificial, others-focused love. Nijay Gupta's "Affections of Christ Jesus" — Central to the episode's second half; Gupta's argument that Pauline love is both feeling and action, produced by the Spirit rather than willpower, with reference to Romans 5:5 ("God's love poured into our hearts"). Practical application — Wrestling with what loving enemies looks like in ordinary life (patience in traffic, responding to anger with love, forgiveness) rather than only in extreme examples like Mother Teresa. Galatians 5:13–15 and 6:2 — "Carry each other's burdens" as fulfilling the "law of Christ"; a footnote referenced from Gupta's book noting that burden-bearing was historically slave/servant work, reframing mutual burden-bearing as mutual servanthood. Scripture Referenced Matthew 5:43–48 · Leviticus 19:18 · Psalm 139:19–22 · Luke 6:27–36 · Matthew 22:37–39 · Philippians 2:5–11 · John 13:1–17 · Romans 5:5 · Romans 5:6–8 · Ephesians 4:11–16 · Galatians 5:13–15 · Galatians 6:2 · 1 Peter 1:16 Books & People Mentioned Affections of Christ Jesus — Nijay Gupta Paul for the World — Nijay Gupta (upcoming interview episode) Michael Gorman — Paul and John in Harmony (new release); concept of "cruciformity" / "resurrectional cruciformity" From Adam to Christ — Morna Hooker (quoted on the cross and self-emptying love) Charles Taylor, A Secular Age — referenced via Andrew Root's concept of "the haunting of transcendence" Andrew Root — previous podcast guest, referenced regarding transcendence and secularism

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #202

  Oaths, Vows, and Letting Your Yes Be Yes

  May 28, 202656 minS6

  <p>Ryan and Brian reunite in person at "Bistro East" (Ryan's home in Indianapolis) to celebrate Ryan's 45th birthday and dive back into their ongoing Sermon on the Mount series. This episode covers Jesus' teaching on oaths and vows — what the Old Testament commanded, where things went wrong, and what Jesus calls his followers to instead.</p><p>In This Episode</p>A birthday dinner recommendation: Bodhi Thai restaurant in Indianapolis (reservations required — book 7 days ahead!)Milestone: Episode 202 of the podcastMain text: Matthew 5:33–37 — Jesus on oaths and swearing<br/><p>Key Scripture References</p>Leviticus 19:12 — Do not swear falsely by God's name...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #201

  Don't Burn the Eggs (and Other Ways to Prevent Divorce)

  May 5, 202655 minS6

  <p>In this episode of Ryan and Brian’s Bible Bistro, Ryan and Brian continue their walk through the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 about adultery and divorce. What does Jesus mean when He says lust begins in the heart? Is He making the law stricter, or restoring its original intent? The conversation explores how desire, temptation, and the “lust of the eyes” work together, tracing those themes from Genesis and David & Bathsheba all the way to modern life with phones, advertising, and social media.</p><p></p><p>The discussion also dives into the difficul...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #200

  Jesus and the Law

  Apr 21, 20261h 3mS6

  <p>Ryan and Brian hit their 200th episode while continuing their deep dive into the Sermon on the Mount. In this episode, they tackle one of Jesus’ most misunderstood statements: His relationship to the Law.</p><p>Did Jesus do away with the Old Testament—or deepen it?</p><p>Walking through Matthew 5:17–26, they explore how Jesus fulfills the Law by revealing its true purpose: not just external obedience, but transformation of the heart. From Sabbath controversies to anger and reconciliation, the conversation shows how the Law points beyond rule-keeping to mercy, relationships, and the Kingdom of God.</p><p>Key ta...

  ListenShow Notes

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.