Podcast Program Transcript
Episode 1: Who Am I & Why Am I Doing This?
Heather M R Olsen
Hello listeners.
This is episode 1 of my Illumination: Hebrew Insights podcast, entitled, Who Am I and Why Am I Doing This?
I’ll start by introducing myself and sharing the why’s of Illumination.
But first a quick analysis to hook you in, which will demonstrate one facet of this podcast, biblical accuracy.
This one makes me smile, it’s simple … not doctrinally earth shattering, but still, a humorous inaccuracy.
Who said there were three kings who came looking for the newborn Messiah, Jesus, at his birth? (Fact checkers can open your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, the first book in the New Testament chapter 2).
There is a popular Christmas carol, We Three Kings, but nowhere in the Gospels do we encounter three kings.
We can read about three gifts: gold, frankincense, & myrrh.
So aside from the song, did someone at some point assume that only one man could carry one gift?
Continuing with the Song, “We three kings from Orient are.”
Accounting for musical artistic license, we hear in the song, that they are kings, and they are from the Orient. Reputabletranslations indicate that these men were either magi, or wise men, not kings.
Back in my childhood days, someone from the Orient would have been somewhere like China.
As I quote scriptures, I will personally default to the New International Version translation, unless I state otherwise (we’ll get into that next podcast). My NIV Bible calls these men “magi.”
Matthew 2:1, we can read, “Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.”
In reality:
There is an undetermined number of magi.
Scholars conclude that they were astronomers or astrologers following an incredible star. They were from the east, possibly from the regions of former Babylon or Persia, though some extra biblical sources claim countries such as Arabia or Ethiopia. Do you see how details are snow balling?
In fact, there is a Christmas opera entitled, Amahl and the Night Visitors, delightful, one act, in English, the librettist has designated three kings and even gave them names.
Let’s go on: I surmise they are pagan, since they are not from the Holy Land and their occupations are astrology. BUT again, going back to the Source (the Bible). We know they were from somewhere east of Jerusalem & Bethlehem. Period.
Interestingly, “east” in the Old Testament often means “away from God” like in the beginning of Genesis, Adam and Eve were put out of the garden “to the east.”
So, these pagan magi, were coming from the East to the west, towards Jerusalem, towards the Newborn King. Towards God. Miraculously, as pagan, these magi knew or in the least, knew of the Hebrew Scriptures, what the church calls the Old Testament.
The Hebrew Scriptures are full of prophecy regarding the Messiah.
These magi believed the Scriptures and came to worship the “one born King of the Jews.”
Let’s take this magi section of Scripture one step further. If you have a nativity set, the “three kings” are included in the extended package.
But were they there at the birth of the Messiah? If you read the text in Matthew carefully, Mary or her Hebrew name Miriam and Joseph or his Hebrew name, Yosef were in a house by the time the magi came. Jesus was a “young child” based on the Greek translation, not a newborn in the stable by the time these magi arrive (Matthew 2:11). This would likely put the Messiah into toddlerhood.
Consequently, when I place my nativity set out during Advent and Christmas, my magi, and yes, I have three, are either on another table or far away from the stable. It makes me smile as I do love biblical accuracy! Yet no one coming into my house during the Season has noticed yet.
Does this change the gist of the Incarnation story? Not really.
Does it change my faith? Nope.
Does it make one want to know truth? Accuracy? For me, yes.
Let’s illuminate and dig into the corners of the Bible to flush out accurate interpretations & translations. Let’s learn Hebrew insights that have been missed or passed over.
Back to who I am.
My full name is Heather Marie Radtke Olsen. My first degree is in vocal music from St. Olaf College. Yep, Minnesota. If you catch me just right, you’ll hear a little MN come out.
I have taught my entire adult life, all ages, Kindergarten through adults. First, vocal music then the Bible. I quickly realized, I love all age groups and I love teaching.
During COVID shutdown in 2020, I thought it would be a good idea to get my master’s degree. I had this fear of being bored.
Well, a few months later, you all went back to work or in person school, or whatever fun activities you all do, and I was still in my study for almost 3 more years. I completed this second degree: Master of Practical Theology with a concentration in Messianic Jewish Studies from the King’s University Seminary in May 2023.
This podcast is in support of all biblically sound churches, Bible teachers, and teaching pastors. There just isn’t enough time to teach & learn what we need once a week!
This concentration in Messianic Jewish Studies covers topics such as 2nd Temple Judaism, the Ancient Near East, biblical Hebrew, the Jewishness of the Bible, and the history of the church as it pertained to Jewish believers in Yeshua. Basically, my degree covered a lot of the Hebrew Scriptures through Jesus’ time period and the beginning of the community of believers in the first century.
This may be too much information for any of you who are new to the Bible or haven’t spent much time learning what the Bible says or maybe you’re exploring your faith. Or you may not even have a faith. I promise to circle back.
I chose the name Illumination: Hebrew Insights because I want to shine a light, Illuminate, ignite an excitement to read the Bible, exploring nuances to read the Bible accurately and to get to know the 1st century time period. And to restore the Jewish interpretation of our Bible …
Throughout my adult life, I have loved visiting different denominations of churches or listening to teachings from other Jesus believing faiths. These have expanded my appreciation for interpretational differences. Compound this as nuances have evolved, as theologians, interpreters of ancient Hebrew and Greek, anthropologists and archaeologists have researched and uncovered increasingly accurate 1st century information which leads to more accurate biblical interpretation.
An overarching goal of mine, then, is to increase our knowledge, that the Bible is relevant and true and exciting! Especially in its historical context.
Moreso, That God is relevant and loving and good and just.
ALWAYS!
So, as translations and our understanding of the culture of the ancient near east have become more and more accurate, us long time church attenders may need to refresh some of the old and favorite Sunday school stories we may have been taught. Like, the three kings. I will dive into another favorite SS story soon, so stay tuned!
I’m under no illusion that everyone listening is a believer in Jesus.
And I love that you are listening! My target audience is everybody, if that is possible: long time church goers, stagnant or vibrant, those of you who may go to worship for only Christmas & Easter, some of you may be long time Bible study-ers. Hopefully, what we cover here is relevant to all of us. Personally.
As a lifelong teacher, I need named objectives. I currently have 5.
1 – Make the Bible come alive. There is a powerful verse in the book of Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 that states, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword.”
2 – For each of us to realize that the Bible is God’s inspired words to humanity. In the book of Titus chapter 1 verse 2 we can read that, “God, does not lie.”
3 – Mind dump what I have learned in my degree because it’s just so interesting!
4 – Share with believers and unbelievers God’s incredible plan of love, of redemption, and His beckoning to the world beginning with the biblical book Genesis and ending with Revelation.
5 – Those curious about the faith of Jesus the Messiah and God’s plan for humanity, I want you to see that this world is not just random.
This podcast should serve to either deepen believers’ faiths, to challenge us to accurately read the Bible,
Or to show unbelievers that there is a God, and this God, with a capital G has a sovereign plan for all of humanity. If we can see the Great and Grand Story wonderful and credible, you and I are on the right path to this lifetime journey in our faith.
And it is a journey. Not a one and done event.
One final bit about me. I may occasionally refer to little Heather. That’s still me. I grew up in a Christian home, a home where I can’t remember a day when I didn’t go to church, or Sunday school, or Vacation Bible School. Yet, I do remember the Sunday in church when things were different for me. I don’t have a day or date of my budding belief, like some denominations encourage one to record. I was about middle elementary. This particular Sunday I was not just sitting in worship avoiding boredom. I actually felt God’s presence in my heart and my worship was not nothing anymore.
I learned what the book of Romans chapter 10 verse 9 means that, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
This same little Heather had unique ideas of church, the faith, the Bible, God, Jesus. These ideas eventually needed some fine tuning as her faith was intact, but her doctrine needed work.
Things we will cover:
- The ancient biblical Hebrew language, and how translations have evolved
- Accurate Bible reading. Read it for yourself, don’t rely on what others tell you
- Flesh out information on the Jewishness of Jesus and the relevancy of what he said in his 1st century culture.
- At some point we will cover the history of rising antisemitism in the church with forced Jewish conversions, a dark history of the church with hopefully much reconciliation.
- We will debunk some Sunday School myths.
- If I am brave, we will tackle some biblical tensions, doctrinal terms like election, or faith vs works, the judgment of believers, being in the world without being of the world.
Some of this is heavy stuff and I won’t have all of the answers. But it’s good to talk and reason and grapple! Many of us are verbal processors.
Believe me, lots of prayer has gone into this podcast.
If you don’t know me personally, trust and believe this.
I love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind, the greatest command given to us all.
I love Jesus, God’s Son who died as the final sacrificial lamb for my sins. He rose from death and ascended into heaven.
I love the Holy Spirit who is given to me in my faith, who equips me and lives within me.
There it is.
This is my intro so tune in as we begin!
Shalom, my friends, chaverim.
Let’s start this journey together!
**Heather!
©2024 Heather M R Olsen, Illumination: Hebrew Insights. All rights reserved. 
