The Bridge Builders Forum
The Bridge Builders Forum Podcast helps Jews and Christians better understand their faith, the Bible, and each other. Each episode features individuals and perspectives that foster mutual enrichment and the goodness we can bring to our communities and the world when there is a bridge, rather than a gulf, between Jews and Christians.
Episodes
Did Paul redefine Israel in Romans 9 or defend Israel’s covenant identity?
Romans 9:6 is one of the most debated verses in Paul’s letters. Many Christians read it as proof that “true” Israel is no longer ethnic Israel, but a spiritual category made up only of believers in Jesus. But is that what Paul meant?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we dig into Romans 9:1–6 and look closely at ...
Are Christians the “Spiritual Jews” Paul Talks About in Romans 2?
What does Paul really mean in Romans 2:28–29 when he says, “A Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart”?
For centuries, this passage has been used to argue that Christians are now the “real” or “spiritual Jews.” But is that what Paul was teaching in Romans 2?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Pau...
What if the Apostle Paul showed up at church this Sunday to deliver a sermon on God’s heart for Israel?
In this special episode of Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert shares a powerful message delivered at The Church at Bushland in Amarillo, Texas. Drawing from Scripture, personal experience, and the Jewish context of Paul’s letters, Ryan invites listeners to rediscover the real Paul—a Jewish apostle, a bridg...
What is Galatians really about?
Many Christians assume Paul wrote Galatians to declare freedom from the Torah and pronounce Judaism a spiritual dead end. But what if that common interpretation misses the point entirely?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we take a fresh look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians and discover that he wasn’t rejecting Judaism or the Torah at all. Instead, Pau...
What is the Talmud—and what does it have to do with Jesus, Paul, and the New Testament?
In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert is joined by Dr. Isaac Oliver, a scholar of early Judaism and Christian origins, to explore the true nature of the Talmud and its role in Jewish tradition. Together, they unpack common misconceptions, trace the development of rabbinic literature, and discuss how th...
What does Paul really mean by “One New Man” in Ephesians 2:15?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore how a widely misunderstood phrase has fueled theological confusion and erased the very Jewish-Gentile harmony Paul worked to establish.
Is “One New Man” about replacing identities—or reconciling them?
You’ll learn why mistranslations have shaped Christian theology for centuries, w...
What if the Book of Revelation—long seen as a mysterious, apocalyptic Christian text—is actually rooted in Jewish thought and tradition?
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Rebekah Haigh, a scholar of Second Temple Judaism whose research challenges the way most people read Revelation. We explore Revelation’s connections to Jewish apocalyptic literature, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and themes of ritual purity, offeri...
Did Paul believe Christians replaced the Jewish people? In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore what Romans really says about Replacement Theology and Israel. Far from promoting triumphalism, Paul urges Gentile believers to stay humble—and to see themselves as joined among Israel, not instead of Israel.
Discover how reframing Romans in its Jewish context challenges centuries of misundersta...
Was Paul just a Jewish teacher—or was he also shaped by the Greek world around him?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore how Paul’s deeply Jewish identity was expressed within the Greco-Roman culture of his day. Drawing on examples from Romans 7 and 11, we highlight how Paul used Greek literary techniques, cultural metaphors, and the Septuagint to connect with his audience.
Rat...
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most polarizing issues of our time. But what if there was a way to discuss it with biblical clarity, human compassion, and moral courage?
In this timely and powerful episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan sits down with Justin Kron — founder of The Kesher Project and co-producer of the award-winning film Hope in the Holy Land.
They explore:
...
Who was the Jewish prophet behind Paul’s passion?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore why the Apostle Paul quoted Isaiah more than any other prophet—and how Isaiah’s vision of the nations streaming to Jerusalem shaped Paul’s mission, message, and hope.
Far from abandoning the Hebrew Bible, Paul was fueled by it. Isaiah didn’t just inform Paul’s theology—he lit Paul’s path. Discover...
Did Paul expect Gentiles to keep the Torah? Most people would say, “Absolutely not.” After all, Paul is often seen as the one who set Christians free from the Law. But is that what Paul really taught?
In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore this surprising truth: Paul taught Torah to Gentile believers—and expected them to live by its wisdom. But not as Jews.
Paul’s letters reveal ...
Why would a traditional Jewish rabbi teach about Jesus, Paul, and the New Testament?
In this episode of Bridge Builders Forum, Rabbi Joe Charnes joins Ryan Lambert for an honest conversation about the Jewishness of Jesus and Paul, the evolving Jewish perspective on Christianity, and why Jewish-Christian friendship matters now more than ever. Rabbi Joe also shares the personal pushback he’s faced for his inter...
Did Paul teach early Christians to celebrate Pentecost… or Shavuot?
Today, these two holidays are often seen as separate—Pentecost as a Christian celebration of the Holy Spirit, and Shavuot as a Jewish festival remembering the giving of the Torah. But in Paul’s time, they were one and the same.
In this 3-minute episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore:
What Pentecost and Shavuot m...
Did Paul abandon Jerusalem after his encounter with Jesus? Many assume so—but the evidence tells a different story. In this episode, Ryan Lambert draws from his book The Weird Apostle to explore Paul’s enduring commitment to Jerusalem and the Temple. Discover why Jerusalem remained sacred to Paul, how his letters and actions reflect deep solidarity with the city, and why reclaiming Paul’s love for Jerusalem creates po...
Is the New Testament antisemitic? In this thought-provoking episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, Lutheran theologian Dr. Jesper Svartvik joins Ryan Lambert to explore this controversial question. Drawing from his book Jewish Foundations of the New Testament, Dr. Svartvik addresses how supersessionism and misreadings of texts like John 8 have fueled antisemitism for generations.
We discuss the legacy of anti-...
Did you know the first interpreter of Paul’s most important letter was a woman? Her name was Phoebe—and she didn’t just carry Paul’s letter to the Romans; she likely read it aloud, fielded questions, and explained its meaning. In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, we explore Phoebe's remarkable role in the early Jesus movement and what her story reveals about Paul’s true view of women. Was Paul really ...
Romans 10:4 is often quoted to claim that Jesus put an end to the Torah. But is that really what Paul meant?
In this episode, we take a fresh look at Romans 10:4 and explore what Paul was actually saying about the Torah, the Gentiles, and God’s promises to Israel. Was Paul declaring the law obsolete—or revealing its deeper purpose through Christ?
Drawing on insights from scholar Stanley Stowers, we ...
What does it mean for Christians to truly understand Judaism—and why does it matter?
In this thought-provoking conversation, Orthodox Jewish scholar Dr. Tzvi Novick (Notre Dame) joins the Bridge Builders Forum to discuss his bold new book "Judaism: A Guide for Christians". From the lasting impact of supersessionism to what Jews really believe about the Talmud and the Holy Spirit, this episode is ful...
Did the Apostle Paul abandon the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel?
Many Christians assume he did—but the Bible tells a different story.
In this special Bridge Builders Forum episode, released for Israel’s Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut), we explore Paul’s deep commitment to the Abrahamic covenant and why that matters for how we understand the biblical promise of the land.
Far from teachi...
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