A Note from Your Friends at The Bible Binge The Bible Binge is a year old and in that time, we’ve had an incredible time rediscovering stories and characters within the Bible. One thing we’ve noticed is that we have the desire to extend those conversations in ways our episodes just don’t allow. Which is why we wanted to start this community. To be sure, one of the biggest motivations behind The Bible Binge in the first place was because we felt like there were a lot of people like us: not academics or theologians, but yet super interested in talking about the Bible in a way that is less Bible Scholar and more every person. And our hunch was confirmed in the incredible community of listeners that's grown around the show. This is why we're excited to unveil our plans to help widen the potential for that growing community. Listen, we know that merging conversation and content about the Bible / faith elements with monetization can be TRICKY. Understanding that, we're actively running away from a tip jar structure that offers vague value beyond good vibes and digital high fives. Final word: Asking you for monies is something we take very seriously. We know it’s no small thing to commit your financial resources to us and we deeply respect even your consideration of such a thing. But know that our commitment to you and this community is always to pursue a return on investment that greatly exceeds $5 each month. WWJD, Knox, Jamie, and Erin TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Use This Deep Dive 3 Episode Overview 5 Follow Along Casting Background & Timeline Handy Episode Breakdown MVBP Biggest L So What, Who Cares? Gentle Rebuke Show Notes Expanded Gentle Rebuke 10 Discussion Questions 13 Fun Facts 14 Additional Resources 15 Resources Used in the Episode Going Further Movies TV Playlist Art Bibliography 17 Notice of reproduction: If you’re a member of The Bible Binge Patreon community, this guide is 100% yours. Print it out, bind it, share it with your small group, whatever. We ask that you do not distribute this guide without purchasing it. We know you’ll do the right thing. HOW TO USE THIS DEEP DIVE If you’re here, that means you’ve either joined our Bible Binge Patreon community OR you’re considering it. Either way, thanks for all the clicking that brought you here. We hope you like what you see. Ever since we started The Bible Binge, we’ve had requests from our listeners for more. The Bible Scholar Deep Dive is our more. Within these pages, you’ll find all the things we’ve always wanted to include in an episode, but were never able to. You’ll discover new ways to engage with the Bible, either in community or on your own. Here’s how you use this resource: EPISODE OVERVIEW This contains the high points of the episode: scripture references, casting, timelines, timelines and backgrounds for each episode’s scripture, gentle rebukes, show notes, and more. EXPANDED GENTLE REBUKE There’s always a good bit of Gentle Rebuke that won’t fit into the episode. You’ll get all Erin’s bonus rebukes here. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS These questions are designed to help you think about the story in new ways. They work well for small groups, family dinner tables, or just you on your own. FUN FACTS What’s a Bible Binge episode without fun facts? Dazzle your friends and puzzle your pastor with all your newfound (albeit potentially useless) smarts. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Immerse yourself in the story by going even deeper. Here you’ll find examples of art, music, books, movies, and shows that will use your pop culture knowledge to enhance your Biblical knowledge. Plus, as a member of our Patreon community, not only do you get this dope guide for every episode (and we’re working on past episodes as well), there’s even more Bible Binge love to go around. + Monthly QTNAs with The Bible Scholar 3 + Quarterly Ask-Us-Anything Live with Knox, Jamie, and Erin + Ad-free Episodes + Occasional Bonus Episodes like “The Nos of Church” + Plus, you just never know what else might be on the whiteboard. This Deep Dive is meant to help you go further into these Biblical stories as a casual learner, or a wannabe scholar. You can use it as a resource for your small group, for facilitating conversation around your family dinner table, or ponder these things in your heart by yourself. Our hope is that you’re able to learn more about the Bible, whether or not you identify as spiritual or religious. Print it out, upload it to your e-reader, use it as a leader guide, it’s yours. If you’re interested in leading a group bigger than your community group, we ask that you contact us for licensing information. We can’t like, stop you, but we know you’ll do the right thing. We’re always open to suggestions from our Patreon community, so if you have ideas on how to make this resource work for you, drop us a line in Patreon and let us know. We’re committed to making something valuable for you. Again, we’re grateful you’re here. Let’s get started. 4 Episode Overview Season 6, Episode 1: Baby Moses EPISODE OVERVIEW Season 6, Episode 1: Baby Moses FOLLOW ALONG: Exodus 1, 2:1-10 (NRSV, ESV, The Message, NIV) CASTING Moses - Brad Pitt (as a baby) Shiphrah - Tia Mowry Puah - Tamara Mowry Miriam - Winona Ryder Oppression Pharaoh - Dax Shepard OTHER BIBLE BINGE EPISODES REFERENCED Season 2, Episode 5: Moses, Miriam, and Aaron BACKGROUND & TIMELINE: EXODUS The book of Exodus, which is the second book of the Bible, takes its name from the Ancient Greek and means “going out.” Exodus is also the second book of the Torah, but is called Shemot, which means “Names”. It’s difficult to pin down the exact date for the writing of Exodus, as it’s a compilation of two works which are very different from one another. “When attempting to read the book of Exodus as a unified literary work, one must acknowledge that it is being pulled in opposite directions from both sides, and the unifying factors are significantly strained.”[1] However, many scholars believe that the writing of Exodus (and possibly the rest of the Pentatuech) began around 600 BCE, organizing existing oral and written traditions and bringing them together. As far as when they became sacred texts in the more or less final form we know today, that probably occurred around 400 BCE. Exodus is considered to be “historical narrative,” but it’s difficult to pin down the events chronologically. We don’t have much to go on as far as historically placing the details described in Exodus, since no one bothers to include the names of the pharaoh or identifying markers that could be helpful. We know these dates are important (Israel’s 5 Episode Overview Season 6, Episode 1: Baby Moses calendar was positioned around the actual exodus), but it wasn’t a sticking point to whoever was compiling these stories and turning them into the Exodus we know today. The author of Exodus clearly doesn’t want us to get bogged down in all of that. He (or she, you never know) is focused on telling the story of how God fulfilled his covenant to Abraham through his offspring, and began making Abraham’s descendants a great nation. HANDY EPISODE BREAKDOWN Moses Casting (4:52) Baby Moses and Importance of Moses (2:59) Genesis vs. Exodus (3:30) Legend of Baby Moses (5:21) Background and The Name of Moses (5:34) Principle Character Casting (6:26) Historical dating, Exodus timeline, and Pharaoh (8:00) Pharaoh Casting (9:20) Story Context (11:19) Exodus 1:6-7 (14:09) Exodus 1:8-10 (15:45) Egyptian and Mesopotamian Context (17:19) Exodus 1:11-14 (18:07) Exodus 1:15-19 (21:49) Hebrew Midwives and Egyptian Women (23:45) Exodus 1:20-22 (26:17) Exodus 2:1-4 (27:27) Exodus 2:5-10 (29:24) MVBP (32:08) Biggest L (33:29) So What, Who Cares? (34:38) Gentle Rebuke (38:11) MOST VALUABLE BIBLE PLAYERS Jamie: Shiphrah and Puah Knox: Shiphrah and Puah BIGGEST L Jamie: Pharaoh Knox: Pharaoh 6 Episode Overview Season 6, Episode 1: Baby Moses SO WHAT, WHO CARES? Jamie: Shiphrah and Puah: As midwives to Hebrew women, Pharaoh trusted these women. What I love about their story is that they teach us about social justice work and about being allies to those who are oppressed. They had no real reason to stand up for the Hebrews. They had every reason to kill Hebrew boys because it meant they could live. That’s so true for me too. We have to be willing to sacrifice our audience with the king (i.e. our privilege) to do what is right. They risked death to be allies to Hebrews. For us, we may have to risk losing a follower on social media or a friend in real life because we call them out for bad behavior. Sometimes we are faced with hard decisions that violate what we know is right and we might have to risk something to do the right thing. That risk will always pay off. The scripture said God blessed the midwives with a family. We have to take the same risks to be allies to oppressed people.