FACTS

Why does Scripture call Jesus the Lamb of God? Was it merely a metaphor, or is it the key that unlocks the entire story of redemption?In this episode, we trace the biblical theology of the Lamb from Genesis to Revelation. Beginning with the first sacrifices after the Fall, we follow the thread through Abel, Noah, Abraham, the Passover, the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the prophets, showing that biblical worship has always been sacrificial at its core.We then examine John the Baptist’s declaration: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Why did he identify Jesus this way? How does Christ fulfill the Passover? Why does John’s Gospel carefully structure the Passion around the slaughter of the Passover lambs? And what does Revelation’s vision of the Lamb standing as though slain reveal about worship in heaven?Along the way, we’ll explore the testimony of the Church Fathers, including Melito of Sardis, Irenaeus, Cyprian, Chrysostom, and Leo the Great, who all saw Christ as the fulfillment of every sacrificial type in Scripture.Most importantly, we’ll consider what Revelation 5 reveals about the heavenly liturgy and how the worship of heaven centers forever upon the Lamb who was slain and now reigns. The Lamb is not merely part of the Christian story—He is its center.From Cain and Abel to the heavenly throne room, Scripture points to one reality:The Lamb who was slain now stands forever, receiving the worship of all creation.If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7#AgnusDei #LambOfGod #Catholic #Eucharist #Mass #BookOfRevelation #Passover #JesusChrist #ChurchFathers #BiblicalTheology #Christianity #CatholicPodcast #FACTSwithStephenBoyce #JohnTheBaptist #Revelation5 #HeavenlyLiturgy #Sacrifice #Worship #BibleStudy #CatholicFaith

From the Upper Room to the Empty Tomb, Holy Week reveals the full story of redemption. In this episode, we walk through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday—unpacking the institution of the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the Cross, the silence of the tomb, and the victory of the Resurrection. This is not just history—it is the Gospel in motion.If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Most people assume that the Jewish canon of Scripture was already fixed and universally agreed upon in the time of Jesus—but the historical evidence tells a very different story.In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce and Pat May take a deep dive into the world of Second Temple Judaism to examine what different Jewish groups actually believed about Scripture. From the Pharisees and Sadducees to the Qumran community (Essenes), we uncover a landscape of textual diversity, competing authorities, and a canon that was still developing.Did the Sadducees really only accept the Torah?Were the Pharisees already using the full Hebrew Bible?Why were books like Enoch and Jubilees preserved at Qumran?And what does all of this mean for how we understand the Old Testament today?We’ll also explore the role of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the rise of rabbinic Judaism after 70 AD, and how the idea of a “closed canon” emerged over time—not before Christ.If you’ve ever been told that “the Jews had a settled canon,” this episode will challenge that assumption and walk through the actual historical evidence.Join us as we separate tradition from history and take a closer look at the formation of the Hebrew Scriptures.#DeadSeaScrolls #BiblicalCanon #OldTestament #SecondTempleJudaism #MasoreticText #Septuagint #BibleHistory #ChurchHistory #Apologetics #FACTSPodcastIf you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce explores the origin and historical development of the Septuagint (LXX), the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. We examine the ancient traditions surrounding its creation under Ptolemy II Philadelphus, including the well-known account preserved in the Letter of Aristeas and later repeated by Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus. We also discuss how the translation likely developed historically within the Jewish community of Alexandria as Greek became the common language of the Mediterranean world.Along the way, we look at key textual examples showing the importance of the Septuagint for biblical studies and early Christianity, including the famous textual variant in Gospel of Luke 10 concerning whether Jesus sent out seventy or seventy-two disciples, and the missing “nun” verse in Psalm 145 preserved in the Septuagint and confirmed by Hebrew manuscripts from the Dead Sea Scrolls. These examples highlight how the Septuagint sometimes preserves readings that reflect an earlier textual tradition than the later Masoretic Text. This episode helps listeners understand why the Septuagint became the primary Old Testament of the early Church and why it continues to play a crucial role in biblical scholarship today.If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Were the resurrection accounts contradictory, or are we reading them with the wrong expectations?In this episode, we take a careful look at the resurrection narratives in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Rather than forcing harmonization or dismissing differences as errors, we examine how ancient historians wrote, how eyewitness testimony was preserved, and how narrative compression, selective naming, and staggered arrivals help make sense of the details.We explore the role of the women at the tomb, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, and consider why their consistent presence across the Gospels matters historically. We also look closely at Peter and John’s visit to the tomb and the significance of the burial cloths described in John’s account.When read within their ancient context, the resurrection narratives do not collapse under scrutiny. Instead, they reflect the texture of remembered events told from distinct but overlapping perspectives.Join us as we reconsider what the Gospels are, and how they should be read.Here's a link to Stephen's newest paper: https://www.academia.edu/164899261/Reconsidering_the_Resurrection_NarrativesIf you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Is Ash Wednesday apostolic? Medieval? Biblical? Or something in between?In this special Ash Wednesday episode of FACTS, Dr. Stephen Boyce examines the historical development of the imposition of ashes, tracing its roots from the biblical symbolism of dust and repentance to the public penitential practices of the early Church, and finally to its formal codification in the medieval West.Were ashes universally practiced in the early centuries? How did Lent develop into a 40-day fast? Why does the East not observe Ash Wednesday in the same way as the West? And does later liturgical development undermine theological legitimacy?Rather than sentimentality or polemics, this episode offers careful historical analysis—grounded in Scripture, the Fathers, and liturgical history. Ash Wednesday may not be apostolic in its fixed form, but its symbolism is deeply biblical and its theology profoundly Christian: we are dust, and we stand in need of repentance.Join Dr. Boyce for a historically grounded exploration of how dust became devotion.

In this co-recorded discussion with Susan Sonna, we take a careful, historically grounded look at Origen of Alexandria, cutting through centuries of caricature and polemics to ask a more basic question: Who was Origen actually, and how should the Church understand his legacy?Rather than treating Origen as either a misunderstood saint or a condemned heretic, this conversation focuses on primary sources, historical context, and reception history. We explore Origen’s role as a foundational biblical exegete, his influence on the Nicene Fathers, and the crucial distinction between Origen’s own theology and the later Origenist controversies that erupted centuries after his death.Special attention is given to: • Origen’s method of biblical interpretation • His Christology and doctrine of the eternal Word • How figures like Athanasius and the Cappadocians engaged him • The difference between speculative exercises and settled doctrine • And why later condemnations often reflect sixth-century debates, not third-century realitiesThe goal of the discussion is not to rehabilitate Origen uncritically, but to redeem the historical conversation—to read him as the early Church read him: critically, appreciatively, and with theological discernment.This episode is for listeners who want a more precise, historically responsible account of Origen, beyond soundbites and inherited assumptions.If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Why did 2 Peter face more resistance than nearly any other New Testament book—and how did it ultimately secure its place in the Christian canon?In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce traces the long and contested journey of 2 Peter, one of the most debated epistles in early Christianity. From early doubts about authorship and style, to its uneven reception in the East and West, we examine why this letter stood on the margins for centuries while others were quickly received.We explore:Early patristic hesitation and silence surrounding 2 PeterHow figures like Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome evaluated the letterThe role of apostolic authority, theological content, and ecclesial usageWhich church councils and canonical lists ultimately included 2 Peter—and whyWhat this controversy reveals about how the canon was actually formedFar from being a simple rubber-stamp process, the inclusion of 2 Peter exposes the rigor, caution, and theological criteria employed by the early Church when discerning Scripture.This episode challenges modern assumptions about the canon and asks a deeper question:What does it really mean for a book to be “Scripture,” and who decides?A must-listen for anyone interested in biblical canon, early church history, and the complexities behind the New Testament we hold today.If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7