Stephen Colbert Bible Verse Discussion

August 17, 2019 4:19 PM

I'm looking for where Stephen Colbert discussed a bible verse. I don't necessarily need the clip, so much as where/when it occurred. I'm positive it was either on The Colbert Report or The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (I'm leaning towards The Colbert Report), and I'm pretty positive it was during an interview segment. I was astounded by Colbert's memorization and unpacking of the Bible. I feel like the two people were having a contest in terms of who had memorized the Bible more, though I may be wrong. I feel like the main passage that Colbert discussed was Jesus turning water into wine/the marriage at Cana. I've searched for these terms online and can't find anything.
posted by TheLinenLenin to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

My first thought was that there was an exchange kind of like this during his recent interview with Ricky Gervais.
posted by amanda at 4:37 PM on August 17, 2019

Are you thinking of Colbert Catechism: Stephen Colbert professes his faith to Fr. James Martin? (Scripture quoting begins at 3:45).
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:36 PM on August 17, 2019

Maybe you're thinking of his Catholic Throwdown with Jack White? It actually actually crossed my twitter timeline in the last day or so.
posted by zachlipton at 6:06 PM on August 17, 2019

I totally remember an interview segment of The Colbert Report that was exactly like that, but I don't remember the details enough to google it successfully. I'm assuming it would've been fairly early in the run of the Report, when Stephen wasn't as well known to be so well-versed in the Bible.

Perhaps either the interview with Bart Ehrman when they discuss the Bible in general, or perhaps Philip Zimbardo's interview when Zimbardo brings up that God created Hell and Stephen shot back that 'Hell was created by Satan removing himself from God's love... God doesn't send you to Hell, you send yourself there.' (super rough paraphrasing of a line that stuck with me, apparently, there was more to it than that).

I hope someone else can give you a definitive answer because I definitely remember it, as well!
posted by carlypennylane at 8:32 PM on August 17, 2019

He says "balm in Gilead" which is from the Bible at 1:04 of Episode 1030 of WTF with Marc Maron. They go on to have a back and forth, and Colbert recites a Shakespeare sonnet and gives it a spiritual interpretation. Later at 1:17, Colbert mentions that the Sermon on the Mount is in Matthew Chapter 5, and quotes a bit of it.
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 4:59 PM on August 18, 2019

"Stephen Colbert had Sen. John McCain as a guest for one of the “The Colbert Report’s” final dozen shows Monday, a distinction that McCain viewed as “scraping the bottom of the barrel.”

“No, we have saved the best for last, to paraphrase the Gospel,” Colbert said, before beginning to note that McCain was a “five-time U.S. Senator.” But McCain cut him off, chuckling.

“What chapter of the Bible is that?”

“You have saved the best for last?” Colbert responded. “It’s the marriage at Cana, when [Jesus] turns the water into the wine, the wine that he makes out of the water is passed around to the guests, and they say thou hast saved the best for last. I thought, ‘How are you going to appeal to Christian conservatives if you don’t know your Gospel,’ sir?”

(This exchange takes place from about :30 to 1:05. Link is to RedAlertPolitics.)
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:51 PM on August 18, 2019