It was easy to stand with Israel the week following October 7, but what about now, after six months of a controversial and very complex war? In this episode, Carly and Ezra discuss the environment we’re in today, where standing with Israel can evoke all kinds of responses. They talk about how it’s possible to both stand with Israel and not agree with everything the State of Israel does. You’ll hear about:   Stories of confrontation and the temptation to hide one’s support of Israel or Jewish...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra clarify some of the complexities of a ceasefire agreement and why Israel hasn’t agreed thus far. They challenge listeners to read multiple news sources to get the whole picture because a single source gives only a single perspective. They also offer some concrete ways to pray for Israel. Here’s some of what they cover in this discussion:   The fickle nature of the news cycle that has moved on from the Israel war, but Israel and...

Anti-Semitic incidents have dramatically increased since Hamas violently attacked Israel on October 7. In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra talk about some ways to combat anti-Semitism that you may not immediately think of. They discuss the origins of anti-Semitism and how, at its root, lies a spiritual matter. They also discuss:   Anti-Semitism isn’t new. Anti-Semitic spirits revealed in the Bible from Pharaoh to Haman and all the way to today’s terror group,...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra continue their conversation about the End Times and where Israel fits in regarding Bible prophecy. They dive into the Christian and Jewish mindsets toward the Last Days and challenge listeners to rethink a “for-Christians-only” understanding. The discussion turns to the difficult things Israel experienced on October 7, how these events may have caused some listeners to disengage with God and the importance of finding your way back...

Hamas’ October 7 massacre in Israel and the war since sparked questions about the End Times. Many people have written in, asking, “Is this the End?” or “Is this the Tribulation?” Before getting into that in our next episode, today, Carly and Ezra lay the groundwork by discussing where the concept of the End Times comes from. Did Jesus introduce it, or is it actually a Jewish thing? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, the conversation includes: What it was about October 7th that...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra discuss the profound metaphors and analogies of Romans chapter 11 and what this has to do with how Christians relate to Jewish people and respond to the crisis in Israel. They cover: What it means biblically to be “grafted in” Making Israel jealous for their God Reviewing the difference between Israel the Land, the State and the people Ezra’s take on the “one new man” of Ephesians 2 How the “one new man” relates to “grafted...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra are back in the studio for a conversation about the ongoing crisis in Israel in the aftermath of Hamas’ brutal attack on October 7, 2023, including Unraveling some of the complexities of the situation Wrestling over standing with Israel but not liking everything it’s doing How Hamas’ actions on October 7 have become overshadowed and absorbed into larger, more palatable causes If Israel is supplying aid to Gaza An analogy that...

In this special off-season episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra bring clarity to the tragic events of the last two weeks in Israel and Gaza. They discuss many questions people are asking about what’s going on, where this sudden attack came from, who Hamas and other players are, Israel’s response, and the needs in Israel right now. It’s been about two weeks since more than 1,000 terrorists invaded Israel and committed horrific murders and assaults on innocent Israelis and...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra talk with Tara-Leigh Cobble, host of The Bible Recap podcast. Tara-Leigh is a real kindred spirit with her love for God’s Word, for Israel and the Jewish people and helping Christians understand the Jewish roots of their faith in Jesus.   Join them for a fun conversation about the way we discovered Tara-Leigh that can only be by God’s hand what Tara-Leigh does and how she turned from someone who had no interest in going to Israel...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra talk about how practicing a Sabbath rest each week is so counter-intuitive in our productivity-driven culture. They share some of their own challenges and practices and provide you with some interesting thoughts to ponder when considering embracing a weekly day of rest for yourself. No shame, no guilt – just some fascinating and inspiring conversation, including:   The Bible’s first mention of a Sabbath rest The Jewish concept of...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra talk about the Jewish custom of reading through the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, each year, using a universal reading plan. Carly shares a bit about her background growing up Catholic, and they touch on how the “high church’s” Book of Common Prayer sprang from a Jewish concept begun during ancient Israel’s captivity in Babylon. They discuss how the plan works along with The meaning of the Hebrew word “parasha” that...

Who knew that the book of Jonah is connected to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement? Probably not anyone who isn’t Jewish, right? Well, it is, and it’s what Carly and Ezra talk about in this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss. They share the Jewish context in which Jonah was called to preach repentance to Nineveh, a cruel and wicked nation, the consequences of Jonah’s disobedience and how God ultimately restored Jonah and redeemed Nineveh.   Along the Way Along the way,...

We live in a fast-food culture where we want things yesterday. We get frustrated when we have to wait on things out of our control. So, what does it really mean to “wait on God”?  For most of us, waiting seems like idleness or passivity. In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Ezra and Carly dive into the Hebrew word used in verses about “waiting on the Lord” to reveal it’s not a passive thing. No, indeed. The Hebrew word reveals some pretty rich insights about how waiting on God is...

You may have heard that 2023 is Israel’s 75th anniversary, but do you know exactly what that’s referring to? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra explore this topic, filling in gaps you may have about when and how Israel became a nation again, how the Arab world views Israel’s existence and a startling shift in the United Nations’ (U.N.’s) attitude toward Israel in the last 75 years. They discuss: What led to Israel’s independence Why the date changes on the...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra address a listener question, asking, “Are Messianic Jews obligated to obey Jewish tradition established by the rabbis after the Bible was written?” Before they get to the answer, they clarify terms by comparing rabbinic Judaism and biblical Judaism. They also talk about: Some key reasons why Judaism tends to lean heavily on rabbis to interpret the Scriptures The differences and similarities between Jewish and Christian ways of...

In Romans 11, Paul writes that salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. He says that he hopes his ministry to the Gentiles arouses jealousy, or as the King James Version says, “provokes” his own Jewish people to jealousy. OK, so we just answered the question in the title of this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, but you’ll want to tune in because Carly and Ezra get into the why and how of this unusual – and sometimes uncomfortable – purpose in Gentile Believers’ lives....

Why should Christians care that Messianic Judaism exists in the world? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra analyze three reasons why a Messianic Jewish expression of faith in Jesus is important and why Gentile Believers should appreciate it. They also discuss whether or not this means Christians should go all in and attend a Messianic congregation and about how there are many thousands of people with Jewish heritage that attend Christian churches.   Along the...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra discuss where Messianic Judaism falls in the realm of Judaism and Christianity and show you that it’s a more complicated question than you might think. First, they head over to Wikipedia to see what it says on the matter – not because it’s the most reputable place to start but because a lot of people find answers there. They also get into: Why this is a loaded question Ethnicity, religion, separations and links Hmmm… Would Jesus...

This is our final episode of the season, and it’s a big one! Jesus came as Savior of the world, but most of the world doesn’t believe in Him. Does that mean He failed in what He came to do? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Ezra and Carly ask these hard questions and more. What was Jesus’ goal? Did He fail? Jesus died – isn’t that defeat? If Jewish people are God’s Chosen People, why didn’t Jesus save them while He was on Earth? If Jesus’ earthly ministry was to the Jewish...

In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Ezra and Carly break down the various perspectives on Israel – from both the Jewish and Gentile perspective – uncovering differences and finding similarities about this important nation. The conversation includes: What is the Christian perspective on Israel? How do secular Jewish people view Israel? Why is Israel called the Holy Land and why is this (not so) convenient? What is the promise referred to in “Promised Land”? What are the Christian...

Is Jesus a personal Savior of individuals or a national Redeemer of Israel? Christians and Jewish people tend to have different pictures of the Messiah. In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Ezra and Carly dig into the Christian and Jewish concepts of a biblical Messiah, and how they intersect and differ. And all of it reveals a deeper understanding of where each is coming from, providing a bigger scope for dialogue between Jewish and Christian friends. They discuss: The general...

If you’re Jewish and hear a plea to “convert,” you’re undoubtedly offended. If you’re a Christian, chances are you don’t understand why that would be the case. In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Ezra and Carly open the doors wide on this little-spoken-of misunderstanding, uncovering some truly helpful and clarifying points you should know – whether you’re Gentile or Jewish. Why the word “convert” is such a big deal What do Christians mean when they use it? How relationships,...

If the first followers of Jesus were almost entirely Jewish, how did there grow to be such a huge divide between Judaism and Christianity? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra dive into a bit of history to talk about just how and when these two faiths — both believing in the God of the Hebrew Scriptures — parted ways.   Ezra and Carly discuss: The beginnings of Judaism and Christianity Jewish authorship of most of the New Testament The influence of the Jewish...

Is one day right and one wrong? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra discuss the different days Jews and Gentiles worship and the biblical reasons why. Their conversation takes them to: The biblical first and last days of the week Two reasons why Jewish people worship on Saturdays When did Jesus’ followers switch from meeting on Saturdays to Sundays…or did they? The significance of Sunday for Believers in Jesus What is “the Lord’s Day” in Revelation chapter...