BibleProject

The Plague of the Firstborn – Firstborn E5

30 Jan 2023
01:11:44

How does the plague of the firstborn from Exodus fit into the biblical theme of the firstborn? And what does it mean when Yahweh calls Israel his firstborn son? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the theme of the firstborn in the Exodus scroll.

Power Grabs and Patriarchs – Firstborn E4

23 Jan 2023
01:09:19

Early in the story of the Bible, God chooses the family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob as his chosen representatives to bless other peoples. But these families are full of the same rivalry, envy, and division present in any other fa...

Rivalry Among Brothers – Firstborn E3

16 Jan 2023
01:08:10

Only a few pages into the story of the Bible, the story starts to get really bleak. Cain kills his brother Abel, Cain’s descendants become famous murderers, and Noah’s youngest son violates his father and mother. And all of it happens because humans...

Seizing vs. Receiving Power – Firstborn E2

9 Jan 2023
01:07:42

It’s not explicitly stated, but the theme of the firstborn first appears in the opening narratives of the Hebrew Bible. In Genesis 1 and 2, Yahweh elevates humans, the latecomers of creation, to rule the land. In Genesis 3, a snake, who is some kind...

God's Response to Human Power Structures – Firstborn E1

2 Jan 2023
01:09:34

In ancient Near Eastern societies, firstborn sons were prized above all other children and inherited special privileges and authority simply because of their birth order. In this episode, Tim and Jon start a new theme study covering the theme of the...

Happy New Year From BibleProject!

26 Dec 2022
00:47:11

We shared a lot of firsts together in 2022—from launching our first app, to reading the Torah movement by movement as an international community, to experiencing the Bible through new classes and videos. In our final episode of 2022, Tim, Jon, and Bi...

Simkhat Torah: Celebrating a Year of Reading

19 Dec 2022
01:15:48

When a Jewish synagogue finishes reading through the Torah together, they celebrate Simkhat Torah. What is Simkhat Torah? Find out on today’s episode as Jon and Tim reflect on our year-long journey through the Torah and look ahead to the rest of the...

When Do Words Become A Blessing? – Torah Q+R

12 Dec 2022
01:03:15

How do we know the biblical authors intended to link certain words and stories? When do someone’s words become a blessing? How do sacrifices actually atone for sins? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to audience questions from a year’s worth of co...

Which Laws Still Apply? – Deuteronomy Scroll Q+R

5 Dec 2022
00:58:10

Which ancient Israelite laws still apply today and which don’t? Should the law be divided into moral, civil, and ceremonial categories? And why did Jesus quote Deuteronomy when Satan tempted him? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to audience quest...

Moses’ Final Words – Deuteronomy E9

28 Nov 2022
01:19:19

Who are Yahweh’s children? For most of the Torah, the answer seems to be all of Israel. But in his final moments, Moses tells Israel that Yahweh’s true children are those who remain faithful to his covenant. In the final episode of our journey throug...

Can Anyone Live a Blessed Life? – Deuteronomy E8

21 Nov 2022
01:26:01

Moses gives the least motivating pep talk ever in the third movement of Deuteronomy. He outlines God’s covenant and the various blessings and curses associated with it, and then he tells Israel, “You’re going to fail.” Talk about demoralizing! In thi...

Covenant Curses – Deuteronomy E7

14 Nov 2022
00:58:02

In the final movement of Deuteronomy, there’s a pretty lengthy list of curses that will fall upon Israel if they break their covenant with Yahweh. But what exactly is a curse? Why are there so many of them, and what do they have to do with Israel’s c...

Jesus, Marriage, and the Law – Deuteronomy E6

7 Nov 2022
01:09:54

The Pharisees frequently tested Jesus on his knowledge of the law, and in Matthew 19, they grill him on a particularly challenging law about divorce. In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they wrap up the second movement of Deuteronomy by exploring Je...

How Do We Use the Law Today? – Deuteronomy E5

31 Oct 2022
00:53:59

Israel’s laws were meant to form them into people of wisdom who lived differently than the nations around them. But what wisdom can Christians gain from the law? In this episode, listen in as Tim and Jon discuss the wisdom the apostles gleaned from t...

What Do Moses and a Rock Have to Do With Jesus? – Numbers Q+R

26 Oct 2022
01:08:07

Are numbers in the Hebrew Bible literal? Is it dangerous to adapt God’s laws? Does Israel’s conquest of Canaan justify other historical conquests? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore audience questions about the Numbers scroll. Thanks to our audienc...