The Bible Project

In this episode, Tim and Jon continue to unpack the concept of the Holy Spirit. Last time, they focused on the spirit of God. This time, they’ll look at what the word spirit means and the difference between God’s spirit and human spirit. Scripture is full of examples of God’s spirit influencing and empowering people, but is this really still happening? What does the spirit of God have to do with us today as followers of Jesus, and how will God use his spirit and use people to fulfill his purpose for creation? In the first part of this episode (01:33-18:36), the guys look at the Hebrew word for spirit, “ruakh.” They track the ruakh of God throughout Scripture, so that we can begin to understand the purpose of God’s spirit. They also talk about what it means for humans to have a spirit. In the next part of the episode (19:00-40:43), Tim and Jon break down the four different definitions of ruakh. They look at the way God’s spirit empowers people in Scripture, working with their human spirit to accomplish God’s w

The Holy Spirit is a tough subject in Christianity. It seems everyone has their own experiences of how the Spirit works. Or doesn’t. Tim and Jon talk a little bit about their own Holy Spirit experiences growing up. Jon grew up in a Baptist church where the Holy Spirit was largely theoretical. Tim grew up with the opposite experiences in a community that got really dramatic about the Holy Spirit. The guys also talk about what the ancient Hebrews believed about the Holy Spirit and the differences between their ancient beliefs and the modern Western view. To the Hebrews, the Holy Spirit was the essential, mystical force of life. An all encompassing energy that created the world and kept creating the world over and over, right before their eyes. For Hebrews, creation and sustaining the creation were not two separate ideas. Tim and Jon reflect on what it might look like if we adopted a similar worldview the ancients had. How it might invite us to become re-enchanted with creation. That we would begin to

In this episode, Tim and Jon give an overview of the entire Bible with a focus on the Hebrew Scriptures. They also spend some time going deep into the structure of the book from beginning to end. The Bible, like any other book, experienced human revision. The guys talk about what it means for the Bible to be a work of literary genius created by humans and also the divine word of God. There’s a lot to unpack here––let’s go. In the first part of the episode (01:25-54:15), the guys talk about the structure of the Old Testament. In its earliest form, the Hebrew Bible is broken up into three sections called the Tanak. This is the structure that Jesus would’ve been familiar with, and understanding this helps us to better interpret the way Jesus talked about and referenced Scripture. In the last part of the episode (54:45-1:10:51), the guys talk about the New Testament. The New Testament is structured much differently than the Old Testament. Some of the books were meant to be taught in a church setting, and some wer

What does it mean for the Bible to be both divine and a work of literary genius? The Hebrew Bible is a sophisticated piece of literary art that has a theological message, and that message is communicated through a nuanced literary medium. On this podcast, Tim and Jon spend plenty of time talking about the literary structure and design of the books of the Bible. They examine the themes in the Bible that are found throughout the entire narrative arc of Scripture. But for this episode, they back up and talk about what the Bible is in the first place. The Bible didn’t drop out of heaven, it was produced over hundreds of years by many different authors that came from one particular people group of ancient Israel. The story of the Bible emerged from the history of God’s people. The Bible tells a story with Israel at the center, but the main focus is the story of all of humanity. Video: This episode is designed to accompany our video called, “What is the Bible?” You can view it on our youtube channel here: https://w

In the fourth part of their discussion on the gospel of Luke, Tim and Jon talk about the strange story in Luke 9 of the transformation of Jesus on the mountain. In this travel section, we find many parables of Jesus, and the banquets and parties he attended. Jesus is fascinated with parties, and he even used them to talk about what the Kingdom of God is like. These stories continue to reinforce that Jesus’ mission was first for the outsiders, a message that gets him into trouble with religious leaders of the day. Tim and Jon continue to discuss many more parts of Luke’s account. The final meal Jesus had with his disciples, followed by his arrest and execution. Two disciples who unexpectedly run into Jesus but don’t recognize him until he reveals himself to them. The transformation of Jesus on the mountain calls back to Mount Sinai as he becomes like the ancient of days enthroned in heaven, gleaming like shiny metal and fire. A series of parables about two things: money and dinner parties. Luke is clearly tryi

In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the first six chapters of the gospel of Luke. Luke stands out among the other gospels because it is all about Jesus’ message being first for the poor and outcasts. This made the religious leaders of the day mad, and Jesus’ ministry was totally revolutionary in a culture that was all about status and wealth. Luke’s gospel is constantly calling back to the Hebrew Scriptures, and it emphasizes, again and again, that Jesus is the Messiah that the prophets talked about. In the first part of the episode (02:01-11:10), the guys talk about the literary genius of the gospel of Luke. Luke’s account oozes with Old Testament allusions, and he did this so that his audience would see how connected Jesus is to Israel’s story and history. In the next part of the episode (11:41-19:28), the guys spend a lot of time talking about why Luke included the story of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. The symbolism between Jesus’ baptism and the crossing of the children of Israel into the promised

Following up on part one of their discussion on the gospel of Luke, Tim and Jon continue to unpack the main themes of Luke’s unique account of Jesus’ life. The book of Luke makes clear that Jesus’ story is the continuation of the hope of the Hebrew Scriptures. Luke wants the reader to see how Jesus’ mission is for the outsiders, the poor, and the marginalized. As Jesus went around preaching about the Kingdom of God, he left behind people who were changed by him, and he called these people to live radically new lives of justice and peace. Luke uniquely highlights the social implications of these communities that Jesus wanted to form. The gospel of Luke is a rich account that comes together to give a vision for who Jesus was and what he taught. Video: This episode is designed to accompany our new video series and our new video called "The Story Of The Bible." You can view it on our youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_CGP-12AE0 Scripture References: Luke Show Music: Defender Instrum

In this episode, the guys give an introduction to the gospel of Luke. What does it mean for Luke, and all of the gospels, to be historical accounts? All history is interpretation, and all of the gospel accounts have different a different focus as they tell the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. But how do we make sense of all of this information? If you’ve ever wrestled with being able to trust the gospels, then this dialogue is for you. The guys spend the majority of the episode (02:13-40:46) talking about what it means for an ancient historian to write history. Do we impose standards that would’ve been foreign to the gospel writers? Tim unpacks the cultural context of the gospels and explains why we can look at them as faithful historical accounts. Video: This episode is designed to accompany our first two videos on the Gospel of Luke. You can view them on our youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OLezoUvOEQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k4GbvZUPuo Scripture References: Luke 1-6 Isaiah 4

In this episode, Tim and Jon try to tackle some of the glaring questions about the story of Job. They talk about the surprise friend, Elihu, who seems to show up out of nowhere towards the end of the story. They also spend some time discussing Job’s speech in chapter 28. There’s a lot to unpack in that chapter, and understanding it may give us clues as to what this book is all about. Finally the guys look at Job’s final showdown with God and how God responds to Job’s accusations of being unjust and unfair. In the first part of the episode (01:53-07:29), the guys talk about Job’s surprise friend, Elihu. He comes into the story and reaffirms for Job that God is just, but he also hints at a more complex understanding of God’s justice. Yes, he is just, but he’s also God, and he’s capable of disciplining someone to avoid future suffering. In the second part of the episode (07:51-17:22), the guys discuss Job’s speech in Chapter 28. This chapter is all about God’s divine wisdom. Job talks about humans as creative an

In this episode, Tim and Jon continue their discussion on Job. How exactly does Job fit in with the other wisdom book of the Bible? It’s kind of a weird book. Job takes place in Uz, a non-Israelite town, and it features non-Israelite people. It seems out of place, but it’s also a book that other biblical authors refer to throughout Scripture. We have to wonder about the differences between Job and the other books of the Bible. Is Job a literal account, or is it a wisdom parable that is intentionally fiction? In the first part of the episode (02:14-09:42), the guys talk about the first two chapters of Job. In this section, God’s justice is questioned, but the story is not trying to teach about the origins of human suffering. The guys try to get at what this first part may be trying to teach us. In the second part of the episode (09:57-22:50), Tim and Jon talk about the heavenly scene in Job and discuss why the author chose to include it. The point of the heavenly scene isn’t to tell us how God makes decisions.

In this episode, the guys take a bird’s eye view of the book of Job. Job is considered wisdom literature, and it aims to teach the reader about justice, suffering, and the role of God in the lives of humans. The author is intentionally trying to ruffle some feathers. This book is all about calling into question the reader’s views of God and the world. In the first part of the episode (02:15-09:02), Tim and Jon give an overview of Job and talk about what it’s trying to communicate. The book doesn’t give us a clear answer as to why Job is suffering, but it does teach us about the character of God and offers a model for how to handle suffering. In the second part of the episode (09:30-13:05), the guys talk about the problem of evil and why bad things happen to good people. Job is an excellent study on this question. If a good and powerful God created this world, then why do people, including good people, suffer? In the next part of the episode (13:34-23:03), the guys talk about the order that humans try to impos

In this episode, the guys explore the story of two Harvard Business School graduates who were confronted with a biblical view of money that changed their lives. In the first part of the episode (01:12-09:51), Tim and Jon talk about what the Bible says about money. On one hand it says it’s the root of all evil––kind of intense. But on the other hand it also talks about ways to use your money to bless others. How does the Bible ask us to view money? In the next part of the episode (10:08-22:15), Jon talks to John Cortines and Gregory Baumer. John and Gregory were two young, successful Christians making more money than most of us can dream of. They were faithful Christians tithing to their church regularly, but when they took an elective class at Harvard Divinity school about God and money, everything changed for them. In the next part of the episode (22:42-37:26), John and Gregory talk about how God completely flipped the way they think about money on its head. For a project in their class, they sent out an ano

Hanging out with Ecclesiastes isn’t fun. We need to be exposed to the Teacher’s words as a helpful exercise to have our illusions dismantled. His words are like a Goad (a pointy stick to get Sheep to go in the right direction). The endless march of time that results in death for everyone. Everything dies. Humans and Animals. From our point of view (under the sun) humans don’t seem to be any better than animals. We can see that all living creatures go to the dirt and we don’t have any concrete proof of what happens after that. We can’t prove that humans have any advantage over the animals. As a follower of Jesus we have a worldview based on the claim of the Apostles that Jesus raised from the dead so we see this differently than the Teacher in Ecclesiastes. Music Break More on the March of Time and death from a cosmic scale. Ecclesiastes has a whole poem about aging. We are all going towards old age and old age is miserable. Ecclesiastes also talks about chance. Life is unpredictable. Chance screws with all of

In this episode, Tim and Jon begin their discussion on the book of Ecclesiastes. This is an interesting book in Scripture, and the author is relentlessly trying to get the reader to rethink their black and white mindset. It can be a bit depressing to read, and it doesn’t quite give you the same type of feel-good wisdom that the book of Proverbs does. The guys will try to get at what this book is trying to teach us and what the author thinks it means to live a good and godly life. In the first part of the episode (02:14-09:57), the guys talk about the two distinct voices in Ecclesiastes. We know that it was written by a son of David, which could mean an actual king, or it could mean someone who wrote in the tradition of the wisdom of the kings. Getting a little bit of context about the author will help us to figure out what this book is trying to say. In the next part of the episode (10:18-17:28), the guys discuss the Hebrew word, “hevel,” used thirty-eight times in this short book. “Hevel” is roughly translat

In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about the ancient wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. The author of Proverbs is this incredible teacher who offers guidance for just about everything humans will encounter in their lives, but is it just a book of wisdom sayings that we can memorize and put on our walls? The guys will go on to explain that wisdom, and the Hebrew concept of “chokmah,” is much more than that. In the first part of the episode (01:52-10:00), the guys talk about the Hebrew word for wisdom, “chokmah.” In the Bible, God uses chokmah to design the entire universe, and humans can access this divine wisdom. But it’s not just about using wisdom to know the pattern of the universe; we can use it to design our life. In the next part of the episode (10:25-22:00), the guys talk about chokmah as more than an impersonal force. The wisdom found in Proverbs is not just about goodness and reality, it’s also about street smarts. This is the second nuance of chokmah. In English, wisdom is something that we think

In this episode, the guys give an overview of wisdom literature in the Bible. Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes are considered wisdom literature. Each book has unique ideas and ancient wisdom about the world, but all of the books are trying to teach the audience what it means to live a good life. In the first part of the episode (01:31-05:28), Tim and Jon discuss the purpose of wisdom literature. These books are full of ancient wisdom that has been passed down for centuries. They’re the insights of wise, God-fearing people accumulated throughout the generations to become God’s word to his people. There is a specific context in which the books were written, but they are universal and still totally applicable to us today. In the next part of the episode (05:40-12:22), the guys talk about the differences among the wisdom books of the Bible. The books come from distinct time periods in Israel’s history, and each one offers a unique perspective that we need to interpret as a whole. In the final part of the episode (

In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about the glory of God and what it means for humans to glorify him. Does glorifying God simply mean singing songs or acting a certain way? Why is God so interested in his glory? This all connects back to the image of God. The glory of God is one of those terms that is thrown around a lot in Christian culture, but what does it really mean? In the first part of the episode (01:10-08:46), the guys talk about how the image of God is connected to the glory of God. Does glorifying God mean that we need to get out of the way or remove ourselves? We as humans bear the image of God, and we’re going to represent God in the world simply because of who we are. But can choose to represent God well, and this too can be glorying. In the next part of the episode (09:13-17:00), Tim and Jon talk about what it looks like to glorify God in our everyday activities. It doesn’t always have to be about singing praise songs. Paul talks about how everything we do, we can do to the glory of God. In the

In this episode, Tim and Jon wrap up their discussion on the image of God. Scripture tells us that humans are made in the image of God, but what does that actually mean for our lives? Do we exist simply to glorify God, or does bearing the image of God mean we have a greater responsibility? As Christians, we tend to think we have to divide secular and sacred, but as the guys will unpack, this doesn’t have to be the case and we can choose to reflect God and his image in all that we do. In the first part of the episode (01:15-04:48), Tim and Jon talk about why the garden shouldn’t be considered perfection. The garden was good, but it is only the beginning of the story! God’s story will be complete when humans are fully united to God and his creation is redeemed. In the next part of the episode (05:15-16:58), the guys talk about the parent/child relationship between God and humans. It’s crucial to understand that God wants to share his creation with us! Just like in the garden, humans will one day reign with God.

In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about what it means to be remade into the image of God. This is a different Christian narrative than we usually hear, but it’s all right there in the Bible. The guys will talk about the image of God throughout the New Testament and how humans reigning on God’s behalf is part of the gospel. In the first part of the episode (02:15-5:52), the guys confront the familiar Christian narrative that says humans are terrible and screwed up and God just puts up with us. Humans are sinful, sure, but they’re also treasured by God and a crucial part of his plan for humanity. The biblical story is not about how terrible people are. It’s about God’s plan for the world and how he will restore and heal the image of God in humans and fulfill the original calling he gave in the garden. In the second part of the episode (06:19-12:10), Tim and Jon talk about God’s plan for humans to reign on his behalf as the image is repaired. Paul picks up the language of the image of God to talk about Jesus and

What does it mean that humans are created in the image of God? In this episode, the guys discuss the biblical theme of the image of God and its implications for Jesus followers. As humans, we bear the image of God, but what is the purpose of this for us––what is the purpose for God? Creating images of gods was a fairly familiar concept in the ancient world, but representing the image of God, not through a statue or idol but through your very being, has profound significance. In the first part of the episode (01:31-13:58), the guys talk about Genesis 1. This passage tells us that humans were created in God’s image and then given the task to rule over creation. Compared to the Babylonian creation myth, the biblical story of creation gives a worldview and social order that is pretty unique. In the second part of the episode (14:14-26:10), Tim and Jon talk about the purpose behind God creating humans in his image. After God creates Adam and Eve, he tasks them with subduing creation? What does this mean? How shoul