Most people think of Hanukkah as the “Jewish Christmas,” a cultural celebration with candles, dreidels, and chocolate coins. But the real story is far older, far weightier, and far more connected to the story of Jesus than many Christians realize. 

Hanukkah is a story about attempted erasure, courageous resistance, and God’s unstoppable commitment to preserve His covenant promises.

In this episode, we walk through the rise of Antiochus, the Seleucid king who sought not only to dominate Israel but to erase its identity - banning circumcision, outlawing Torah, desecrating the Temple, and demanding assimilation. 

Yet when the majority gave way to cultural pressure, a few refused to bow. The Maccabees stood when others surrendered, preserving the line through which Messiah would one day come.

And 150 years later, during this very feast, Jesus walked in the Temple and declared Himself the Light of the World. The same God who preserved His people through the few stands faithful today. 

Hanukkah isn’t merely history; it is a lens for understanding the spiritual battles of our own moment and the hope of the King who will come again.

Most of us learned the Lord’s Prayer before we understood what it was doing. It became a ritual, something recited rather than lived. 

But when Jesus’ words are returned to their original world - the Jewish people under Roman rule, the long ache for redemption, the hope of a coming kingdom - the prayer opens up in ways most modern readers have never seen. It becomes less a mantra and more a mission.

In this conversation with Brad Gray and Brad Nelson of Walking the Text, we explore why context is not a luxury but a lifeline. 

Jesus wasn’t offering a poetic devotional. He was giving His disciples a framework for partnering with God, joining the story that began in the Exodus, and learning to embody the kingdom He announced. 

Every line reaches back to Israel’s history and forward to God’s future, shaping a people who would carry His reign into the world.

From the clash of kingdoms under Rome, to the Jewish practice of communal prayer, to the way the early disciples finally recognized the kingdom at Shavuot, this episode invites us to see the prayer not as ancient words but as a daily blueprint. 

This is what it means to bring heaven here - to live as a people formed by the Father, trusting His provision, forgiving like He forgives, and resisting the powers that distort His world.

Jesus wasn’t a Christian. He was a Jew. That truth alone is enough to unravel centuries of misunderstanding - and stir up the spiritual resistance of our age.

In this powerful episode, Scott Volk shares his deeply personal journey from being an "ignorant Jewish pastor" to leading a global ministry that blesses both Jews and Arabs in the name of Yeshua. 

With passion and clarity, Scott dismantles replacement theology, calls the Church to awaken from its apathy, and reminds us that Israel holds the key to God’s redemptive plan for the world.

From heartfelt humor to prophetic fire, this is more than theology. It’s a wake-up call for the Church to embrace the Jewishness of Jesus, God’s eternal promises, and the unity He desires among all people.

It seems as though Jesus keeps showing up at the right time unless you're part of the crowd trying to keep the same old traditions unchanged. He shows up and brings a whole new meaning to an ancient feast.

The Feast of Booths, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar. It is a pilgrimage feast when Jews worldwide celebrate the harvest and give thanks for the earth's bounty.

In this episode of the Jewish Road podcast, we take a look at the Jewish High Holy Day of Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement.

This holiday has roots in both the Old and New Testaments, and its implications are still relevant to how we live today.