Why Jesus Kept ‘Poking the Bear’ on the Sabbath—and What It Proves
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
Release Date: 07/08/2026
Unmasking the Gospels: Is Mark the Original Jesus Report?
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
If Mark really preserves Peter’s eyewitness testimony, what does that mean for the other Gospels—and for skeptical claims that the New Testament is late, legendary, and contradictory? In this follow‑up episode, we build on the case from Part 1 and argue that Mark is not only rooted in Peter’s preaching, but is also likely the earliest written Gospel that Matthew and Luke used as a framework. You’ll hear why Mark’s short, urgent, “rough” style points to an early source, how Matthew and Luke expand and smooth Mark’s material, and what editorial patterns suggest about...
info_outline
Eyewitness or Legend? The Truth About Mark’s Gospel
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
Was the Gospel of Mark built on real eyewitness testimony—or is it just another religious legend? In this episode, cold‑case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace (you) walks through the historical and forensic evidence that Mark’s Gospel is rooted in the firsthand experiences of the apostle Peter. You’ll discover why early Christian writers called Mark “Peter’s interpreter,” how Mark’s rough Greek, Aramaic quotes, and Roman details fit a live translation of Peter’s preaching, and why Peter’s fingerprints are visible all over the narrative. We’ll examine...
info_outline
Deconstructing Judas: Saved, Lost, or Something Far Worse?
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
In this episode, cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace reopens “the Judas file” and asks a blunt question: Was Judas ever truly saved, or was he an unsaved insider from the start? Drawing on a detective’s methodology, J. Warner walks verse by verse through every major Judas passage, examines Judass remorse in Matthew 27, and weighs historic voices—from the Church Fathers to the Reformers—before offering a cautious but clear verdict. Along the way, he shows how Judas became a trusted ministry insider, a treasurer, and a preacher, yet still serves as a chilling...
info_outline
Can ANYONE Close the Missing Centuries of the Shroud of Turin?
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
How do you investigate the “missing centuries” of the Shroud of Turin like a real cold-case detective? In this third episode on the Shroud of Turin, J. Warner Wallace walks through the most popular claims about pre‑Turin relics—sudariums, veils, and rival “shrouds”—and explains why none of them close the chain‑of‑custody gap needed to treat the Turin cloth as first‑century evidence for Jesus. For more on how to examine the claims of Christianity like a detective, check out Cold-Case Christianity: Visit our website for articles, videos, and resources:...
info_outline
Why Jesus Kept ‘Poking the Bear’ on the Sabbath—and What It Proves
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
In this extended episode, cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace investigates every one of Jesus’ Sabbath miracles and controversies as if they were crime scenes on a case board. Instead of treating these passages as isolated “nice healings,” J. Warner stacks them side by side—Capernaum, the withered hand, Bethesda, the bent woman, the man with dropsy, the man born blind—and asks the questions any good detective would ask: Why this person, on this day, in this setting? Why are so many of these...
info_outline
21 Clues Everyone Misses About Jesus’ Deity in John’s Gospel
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
Is Jesus really God, or did the church just make that up later? In this episode of Cold-Case Christianity, homicide detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace works through the Gospel of John like a case file, pulling one key piece of evidence from each chapter (John 2–21) to test the viral claim, “Jesus never even said He was God.” You’ll see how titles, reactions, and “hidden in plain sight” details in John quietly build a powerful cumulative case that Jesus is more than a great teacher—He is God in the flesh. If this episode helps you, please subscribe and rate the...
info_outline
How Should Christians Respond When The World Is On Fire?
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
In this episode, J. Warner Wallace joins The Bill Arnold Show to discuss how followers of Jesus can thoughtfully respond to the recent events in Minneapolis. Drawing on his background as a cold-case detective and Christian apologist, J. Warner explores how to separate facts from headlines, think biblically about justice, authority, and race, and model truth and hope in a culturally divided moment. Listen in as we examine how to apply a forensic faith framework to breaking news, avoid outrage-driven narratives, and live out a distinctly Christian response in times of crisis. Check...
info_outline
What 1,300 Years of SILENCE Says About the Shroud of Turin
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
Is the Shroud of Turin a genuine relic of Jesus, a medieval hoax, or something else entirely? In this second episode on the Shroud of Turin, cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace examines the shroud the way he would any piece of evidence in a homicide trial, focusing on chain of custody, historical silence, and what the earliest Christians actually relied on to make the case for the resurrection. For more on how to investigate the claims of Christianity like a detective, check out the book Cold-Case Christianity: Visit our website for articles, videos, and...
info_outline
Did We Make Up God… or Superheroes? A Cold-Case Detective Investigates
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
Are our favorite superheroes just modern myths—or are they clues that we were made for something more? In this episode, cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace takes you on a deep dive into the “theology of superheroes.” Drawing from Marvel, DC, and other comic-book universes, J. Warner explores how the attributes we assign to our heroes—unlimited power, knowledge, justice, mercy, sacrificial love, and even “friendly neighborhood” presence—mirror the classic attributes of God described in Christian scripture and theology. Why do we long for an all-powerful...
info_outline
If the Gospel Is So Powerful, Why Bother Persuading Anyone?
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast
Many Christians say, “Just preach the gospel—God will do the rest.” But Scripture paints a richer picture: the gospel is the power of God for salvation, and God still calls us to reason, explain, and persuade. In this episode, J. Warner Wallace walks through key passages—from Romans and Proverbs to the book of Acts—to show how Jesus’ first followers actually shared the message. You’ll see why Peter, Paul, and the other apostles worked so hard to contextualize the same unchanging gospel for very different audiences, from devout Jews to skeptical philosophers and hostile officials....
info_outlineIn this extended episode, cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace investigates every one of Jesus’ Sabbath miracles and controversies as if they were crime scenes on a case board. Instead of treating these passages as isolated “nice healings,” J. Warner stacks them side by side—Capernaum, the withered hand, Bethesda, the bent woman, the man with dropsy, the man born blind—and asks the questions any good detective would ask:
- Why this person, on this day, in this setting?
- Why are so many of these healings non‑emergencies that easily could have waited until the next day?
- Why does Jesus keep staging these events in synagogues, at Jerusalem feasts, and in Pharisees’ homes, right in front of the people most likely to object?
- What is He claiming about Himself when He heals on the very day that belongs uniquely to God?
As J. Warner walks through each Sabbath scene, he collects the “evidence”: the wording of the texts, the legal questions (“Is it lawful…?”), the escalating conflicts, the reactions of the religious leaders, and the way Jesus talks about His relationship to the Father and to the Sabbath itself. When all the case files are finally pinned to the board, a striking pattern emerges. The Sabbath isn’t just a backdrop to these stories—it’s the key piece of forensic evidence.
By the end of the episode, J. Warner argues that the cumulative pattern of Jesus’ Sabbath activity forces a verdict: either Jesus is a reckless lawbreaker, or He is exactly who He claimed to be—the Lord of the Sabbath, acting publicly as Israel’s God in the flesh, freeing people from a deeper bondage and offering the true rest the Sabbath always pointed toward.
If you’ve ever wondered why Jesus kept “poking the hornet’s nest” of Sabbath law—or what these stories reveal about His deity—this episode will help you see what’s been hiding in plain sight.
If this investigation is helpful to you, please subscribe and leave a review on whatever platform you use to listen—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. Your ratings, reviews, and shares help more people discover the show and join the conversation.