The Mountain E4 — After the exile from the first cosmic mountain of Eden, humanity spirals into depravity and violence.... more

Sermon on the Mount Q+R 5 (E39) – Should we judge abusive behavior in others? Do we need faith in... more

The Mountain E3 — The biblical authors portray Eden as a cosmic mountain—an overlapping Heaven and Earth space in God’s... more

The Mountain E2 — Ancient Israel’s neighbors believed that the world originated as a mountain rising up out of the... more

The Mountain E1 — What comes to mind when you think of mountains? Is it a strenuous climb or a... more

How is God’s generosity meant to change us? In the Bible, God’s gifts are intended to bring about transformation in... more

What happens when humans misuse the gifts God gives them? From Eve’s attitude toward the births of Cain and Seth,... more

The Bible begins with a portrait of God as an amazing and generous host to humanity, an image that is... more

What comes to mind when you think of generosity? Is it sharing your money, resources, or even time with others?... more

Sermon on the Mount E38 – When Jesus finishes the Sermon on the Mount, his first audience responds with astonishment.... more

Sermon on the Mount E37 – The final teaching of the Sermon on the Mount addresses the most important aspect of... more

Sermon on the Mount E36 – In the second part of the final section of the Sermon on the... more

Sermon on the Mount Q+R 4 (E35) – Can Jesus’ riddle about the good eye and the bad eye also... more

Sermon on the Mount E34 – Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount by presenting his listeners with a... more

Sermon on the Mount E33 – The final teaching in the main body of the Sermon on the Mount is... more

Sermon on the Mount E32 – In his fourth teaching on relationships and conflict in the Sermon on the Mount,... more

Sermon on the Mount E31 – Is it possible to evaluate the behavior of others in a healthy way? Jesus... more

Sermon on the Mount E30 – After the four-part section on our relationship to money, Jesus turns to addressing our... more

Sermon on the Mount E29 – In Jesus' fourth and final teaching on money, he offers his listeners an antidote... more

Sermon on the Mount E29 (Studio Conversation) – In Jesus’ fourth and final teaching on money, he offers his... more

What does an obedient follower of Jesus do with their money? In this re-release of one of our most popular... more

Sermon on the Mount E28 – In his third teaching on money, Jesus issues a warning about elevating wealth to the... more

Sermon on the Mount E28 – In his third teaching on money, Jesus issues a warning about elevating wealth to... more

Sermon on the Mount E27 – Jesus continues addressing our relationship to money and possessions with a riddle about the... more

Sermon on the Mount E26 – The third section of the Sermon on the Mount's main body opens with a... more

Sermon on the Mount Q+R 3 (E25) – What does Jesus mean when he describes people entering the Kingdom of... more

Sermon on the Mount E24 – Many of us first learned the King James translation of the final, personal... more

Sermon on the Mount E23 – The second half of the Lord’s prayer contains four requests on behalf of the... more

Sermon on the Mount E22 – The first half of the Lord’s Prayer features three requests on behalf of God... more

Sermon on the Mount E21 – Prayer is at the center of the center of the Sermon on the Mount.... more

Sermon on the Mount E20 – We are now halfway through studying Jesus' most famous sermon, which brings us to... more

Sermon on the Mount Q+R 2 (E19) – How do we reconcile Jesus’ words about the Law with other New... more

Sermon on the Mount E18 – In Matthew 6, Jesus turns his attention to religious practices of his day, specifically... more

Sermon on the Mount E17 – In Matthew 6, Jesus transitions from sharing a vision for righteousness that fulfills the... more

Sermon on the Mount E16 – In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus shares his sixth and final case study based on the... more

Sermon on the Mount E15 – In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus offers wisdom from the Torah about retaliation, justice, and nonviolent... more

Sermon on the Mount E14 – In Matthew 5:33-48, Jesus offers three case studies about how people can work together... more

Sermon on the Mount E13 – In Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus offers a quote from the Torah about when it is... more

Sermon on the Mount E12 – In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus references the Torah’s command to not commit adultery (Exod. 20:14),... more

Why do we not find the Sermon on the Mount in the gospels of Mark or John? Why is “blessed”... more

Sermon on the Mount E10 – In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus reveals the divine wisdom of Israel’s Old Testament laws through... more

Sermon on the Mount E9 – What did Jesus mean when he said he came to fulfill the Law and... more

Sermon on the Mount E8 – Why does Jesus call his followers salt and light? In the Hebrew Bible, salt... more

Sermon on the Mount E7 – What will it cost us to live like Jesus in our world? In the... more

Sermon on the Mount E6 – What does it look like to have our desires and actions completely aligned with... more

Sermon the Mount E5 – What does it mean to be poor in spirit, mourning, and meek? Jesus uses these... more

Sermon on the Mount E4 – What does Jesus mean when he calls people “blessed” in the first section of... more

Sermon on the Mount E3 – The Sermon on the Mount is one of five major speeches Jesus gives in... more

Sermon on the Mount E2 – As a Jewish rabbi, Jesus was immersed in the Hebrew Bible, or what Christians... more

Sermon on the Mount E1 – Most of us have probably heard sayings from Jesus’ famous teaching, commonly called the... more

In our final episode of 2023, Tim, Jon, and BibleProject CEO, Steve, celebrate everything we worked on this year and... more

Does the dragon always deceive humans into sinning? Can we become agents of chaos even when our intentions are good?... more

In this series, we’ve talked a lot about chaos—chaos waters and the great chaos monsters of the deep. In this... more

The Revelation, the last scroll in the Bible, is an apocalyptic vision about the reordering of the entire cosmos. And... more

The biblical theme of the dragon is a way to think of a personal foe, the Satan, and an impersonal... more

The theme of the chaos dragon runs all through the story of the Bible—along with the biblical authors’ expectation of... more

As we’ve traced the theme of the chaos dragon in the Bible, we’ve come to expect what the biblical authors... more

Daniel 7 describes an incredible, apocalyptic dream had by the prophet Daniel where he sees four chaos monsters oppressing the... more

In the story of the Bible, the dragon is a recurring symbol of chaos, death, and destruction. The good news... more

While the chaos dragon is not God’s rival--it’s the rival of creation--it is God’s enemy. The Psalms sometimes portray creation... more

Did God create disorder and chaos? What does it actually mean to be evil? And how do you tell your... more

The theme of the chaos dragon raises some challenging questions. For instance, if God created a perfect world and humans... more

The story of Jonah employs all the major motifs of the theme of the chaos dragon: chaotic waters, a servant... more

When Israel chooses to act like the chaos monster instead of living like the people of God, God brings judgment... more

What happens when the entire nation of Israel consistently aligns themselves with the dragon? They themselves become a chaos monster... more

So often the symbol of the chaos monster shows up embodied by a human bent on oppressing other people. Goliath,... more

In today’s episode, we once again encounter a theme that’s becoming all too familiar: humans becoming chaos monsters. Jabin, king... more

Was Cain’s city a good thing initially? If Israel was just as bad as Sodom and Gomorrah, why didn’t God... more

God created humans to bear his image, but sometimes we choose our own destruction and start to look a lot... more

Genesis 3 is probably the most famous serpent-featuring story in the Bible—the moment we get to see humans and the... more

Dragons show up on page one of the Bible, named among the beings that feature in the seven-day creation narrative... more

When we read the word “myth,” often what comes to mind is a fictional story. However, a myth is a... more

Nahash, tanin, leviathan––the Bible is full of strange words describing a creature many modern readers can’t quite categorize. All these... more

How could Abraham have anticipated a coming City of God, like the author of Hebrews said? What’s the connection between... more

In the Bible, cities have a bad reputation as centers of immorality and unrighteous living. First-century followers of Jesus continued... more

As the story of the Bible unfolds, the expectation for a city of God—a new Jerusalem where Heaven and Earth... more

Cities appear to be inherently bad in the story of the Bible. So when Jesus calls his followers a city... more

The city of Jerusalem, established by David to be the home of God, is a glimpse of what a divine... more

Israel was meant to be a picture of the heavenly city of God, but over time, it began to look... more

When Jesus tells Nicodemus people must be born again of water and Spirit, is that connected to the anointing theme?... more

When we first read about Jerusalem in the Bible, it appears to be a golden city—founded by David, a center... more

Jerusalem is the Bible’s image of what a city of God should be. But from the earliest moments of its... more

At last, there’s a positive example of a city in the Bible, the capital city of Egypt under the rule... more

If Babylon is the worst city in the Bible, then Sodom and Gomorrah are a close second. The injustice and... more

You may have heard that Babylon was the biggest, baddest city in the Bible, but where did that reputation come... more

As the story of the Bible unfolds, humanity grows more and more violent. Cain is more violent than his parents,... more

In the story of the Bible, cities are a bad thing. They’re a symptom of humanity’s violence and attempts to... more

The theme of the city in the Bible is a surprising one. When cities are introduced in the story, they’re... more

“Jesus the anointed one” is the literal translation of the Greek title “Christ,” frequently applied to Jesus. In this podcast... more

Do the biblical authors consider women the second-born siblings of men? Were Joshua and Caleb rivals? Why is Korah, the... more

David’s life gives us two parallel portrayals of what it means to be God’s anointed one: one is victorious—God’s anointed... more

David was Israel’s greatest king, but even he failed to live as God’s anointed one. When Isaiah prophesied about the... more

Israel’s first anointed king, Saul, consistently makes choices that put him in conflict with God and the responsibilities God has... more

What’s so special about oil? Why does the Bible specify that oil—not water or wine—must be used to anoint a... more

The title most often applied to Jesus is “the anointed one”—that’s what the Greek word “christ” means! But what is... more

In our final episode of the Firstborn series, we look at the New Testament’s description of Jesus as the firstborn... more

Under levitical law, touching anyone unclean would make you unclean too. But when Jesus touches people who are unclean, they... more

The authors of the gospel accounts in the Bible—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—regularly refer to Jesus as the Son of... more

In the scroll of Samuel, Israel demands a king in place of the judges that have been ruling over them.... more

This episode is a special re-release of an interview we did in 2018 with Dr. Michael Heiser. Mike has been... more

Hannah was an oppressed woman, scorned by her husband’s rival wife because of her barrenness. But the way she prayed... more

How does the plague of the firstborn from Exodus fit into the biblical theme of the firstborn? And what does... more

Early in the story of the Bible, God chooses the family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob... more

Only a few pages into the story of the Bible, the story starts to get really bleak. Cain kills his... more

It’s not explicitly stated, but the theme of the firstborn first appears in the opening narratives of the Hebrew Bible.... more

In ancient Near Eastern societies, firstborn sons were prized above all other children and inherited special privileges and authority simply... more

We shared a lot of firsts together in 2022—from launching our first app, to reading the Torah movement by movement... more

When a Jewish synagogue finishes reading through the Torah together, they celebrate Simkhat Torah. What is Simkhat Torah? Find out... more

How do we know the biblical authors intended to link certain words and stories? When do someone’s words become a... more

Which ancient Israelite laws still apply today and which don’t? Should the law be divided into moral, civil, and ceremonial... more

Who are Yahweh’s children? For most of the Torah, the answer seems to be all of Israel. But in his... more

Moses gives the least motivating pep talk ever in the third movement of Deuteronomy. He outlines God’s covenant and the... more

In the final movement of Deuteronomy, there’s a pretty lengthy list of curses that will fall upon Israel if they... more

The Pharisees frequently tested Jesus on his knowledge of the law, and in Matthew 19, they grill him on a... more

Israel’s laws were meant to form them into people of wisdom who lived differently than the nations around them. But... more

Are numbers in the Hebrew Bible literal? Is it dangerous to adapt God’s laws? Does Israel’s conquest of Canaan justify... more

In the second movement of Deuteronomy, Moses gives Israel the law … again. But this time, he’s not talking to... more

In this episode, we once again encounter the Nephilim, the evil demon-human hybrid beings we first met in Genesis 6.... more

How do you clean a tabernacle? What does “laying of hands” represent? Is the scapegoat a hyperlink to Cain and... more

In the first movement of Deuteronomy, two words appear more frequently than any others—listen and love. Why did Moses emphasize... more

Have you ever wondered where the earliest sermons in the Bible are found? Moses’ final speech to Israel, found in... more

After years of wandering in the wilderness and what seems like way too many rebellions against Yahweh, Israel has finally... more

As Moses’ death draws near, Yahweh selects Joshua to lead the people of Israel. What made Joshua uniquely qualified to... more

In the third movement of Numbers, five sisters approach Moses with a legal case not covered in God’s laws: Without... more

So far in the second movement of Numbers, the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel have rebelled against Yahweh,... more

God chose the Levites to take care of the tabernacle, and within the tribe of Levi, he picked Aaron’s family... more

We’re looking at a story about God’s chosen ones facing a test with fruit trees in a beautiful garden—sounds like... more

How do God’s people follow his will in situations where there are no explicit rules or laws given? At the... more

Confession of sins, strange water rituals, Nephilim, and Nazarite vows—Numbers 5 and 6 might feel like a confusing mix of... more

The scroll of Numbers can be difficult to make sense of without context, and there’s a reason for that. The... more

Blasphemy, principles of restitution, jubilee, exile, and the mercy and justice of God––it’s all there in the final lines of... more

Are there specific times humans can meet with God in special ways? For ancient Israel, the answer was yes. In... more

Throughout the Leviticus scroll, Yahweh instructs Israel, “Be holy as I am holy.” But what does that actually mean? As... more

At the center of the center of the Torah is the Day of Atonement. What is the significance of this... more

Childbirth, non-kosher food, sex, death, disease—they’re all considered impure in the book of Leviticus. In this episode, join Tim and... more

Why did God say he was going to kill Moses? What exactly was God’s test for Abraham on Mount Moriah... more

In the second movement of Leviticus, Aaron and his sons agree to the terms of their covenant with Yahweh, signing... more

What is the significance of the offerings described in Leviticus? In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they walk... more

A God who wants nothing more than to dwell with humanity, a way forward to a repaired relationship between Heaven... more

Holiness is a word we frequently associate with the Bible, but what does it mean? As we pick up the... more

Did Israel pass or fail God’s test at Mount Sinai? And what did Yahweh mean when he made Israel a... more

In the second movement of Exodus, Moses walks straight into God’s fiery presence on Mount Sinai without fear. But by... more

Why does God seem to care so much about the furniture within the tabernacle? The instructions for the tabernacle furniture... more

You may have heard that God’s holiness keeps him from getting close to sinful humanity, but in the Bible we... more

We often think of the ten commandments as a list of dos and don’ts—the things you need to know to... more

Mount Sinai is the famous spot where Yahweh gives Moses the ten commandments—and the location where most of Exodus, all... more

The nation of Israel seems to go from one life-threatening situation to another in the Exodus scroll. From slavery in... more

Nobody likes tests. But the test is a recurring pattern in the biblical story for how God relates to his... more

The ten plagues––they’re fascinating, they’re famous, and they sometimes seem overly harsh. Where do they fit in the story of... more

The story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt is famous for good reason—a burning bush, a transforming staff, 10 plagues,... more

God is not a name—it’s a title. In fact, the God of the Bible introduces himself by a specific name... more

How is Jesus the first-born of creation and the “second Adam”? Why are the biblical authors so obsessed with the... more

He lays down his life to save a remnant of God’s people, he brings God’s blessing to all nations, he... more

Joseph is one of the Bible’s most famous characters, and in the Genesis scroll, his story is a climactic moment... more

Throughout the story of the Bible, God singles out different people, like Jacob, to be the conduit of his blessing... more

The word “blessing” brings to mind a variety of images for all of us. But what exactly does it mean... more

Today would have been our 287th podcast episode. We haven’t missed a single week in seven years! Unfortunately, we won’t... more

The family of Abraham is chosen by God. But despite God’s promises to them, they continually act out of greed,... more

Blessing, testing, failure, success, God’s plan for the nations—you’ll find all these themes woven through the story of the Bible,... more

When we think of God’s Spirit, judgment is probably not what comes to mind. But the biblical authors saw God’s... more

Why does the author of Genesis make a point to name God’s Spirit in Genesis 1 and 2? In this... more

In the final episode of the year, Tim, Jon, Carissa, and the CEO of BibleProject, Steve, reflect on our journey... more

How do we apply the biblical paradigm to our own Bible reading? It starts with reading the Bible in movements—the... more

How do we teach the Bible to our children? How can a book written by humans be divinely authoritative? Is... more

What do we do with the passages in the Bible that are really difficult? Violence, slavery, the treatment of women—what... more

Are there ways to read the Bible other than a private quiet time? For most of Church history, followers of... more

Have you ever figured out halfway through a conversation that you and another person were on totally different pages? Reading... more

What makes the biblical languages so important? Because the Bible was written in another time and culture, we need to... more

As followers of Jesus, how can we know we are making the “right” choice in situations the Bible doesn’t address?... more

How were the books of the Bible selected? What should we do if we have a hard time reading the... more

The apostle John is the most poetic of the Gospel storytellers, but what is he really communicating with his beautiful,... more

What’s the ideal way to study the Bible? Is it 20 minutes of reading every morning or larger blocks of... more

Is the story of the Bible about humans or God? Because the Bible is about the Messiah—the God who became... more

At first glance, the New Testament can seem wildly different from the Old Testament––but is it? Jesus saw himself as... more

How can a collection of ancient manuscripts written by numerous people over thousands of years tell one unified story? In... more

How does God work in the world and communicate with humanity? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore God’s relationship... more

Have you ever read the Bible and felt like you’re not “getting it” or that you’re not connecting with God?... more

What makes a person worthy to be chosen by God to do his work? In the story of the Bible,... more

The Hebrew Bible contains one story of human failure after another, leaving us with no doubt in our minds: humanity... more

A stubborn prophet, a wicked nation, a giant fish––the story of Jonah is frequently translated into the popular imagination through... more

Does God hold children responsible for their parents’ sins? In the fifth installment of our most-listened-to podcast episodes, join Tim,... more

The word “gospel” has acquired many meanings since the biblical authors first used it. What does it really mean? In... more

Earn it, lose it, take it, spend it, save it––we talk about time like currency. The Sabbath can be confusing... more

Humans are like trees. While this thought might not have been at the top of your mind this week, it... more

God’s law––it can be an intimidating topic. Why are there over 600 laws? What do we do with them? We’re... more

Are Genesis 1 and 2 literal? What’s up with the differing timelines in those chapters? Where are the dinosaurs in... more

Did humans originate by intelligent design or the process of evolution? This question has been debated by the scientific community... more

It’s easy to recognize the psalms as beautiful poems. But how do we understand their deeper meaning? How psalms are... more

How compatible is the Bible with science? And why does the creation story look different between Genesis 1 and 2?... more

What does it mean that the biblical authors expected the return of Eden? The prophets anticipated waters of life from... more

Are there two creation stories in Genesis? How do Genesis 1 and 2 fit together and into the rest of... more

The biblical authors often use creation imagery that clearly didn’t come from Genesis 1. Did they borrow from the creation... more

What is existence? What existed before humans did? Ancient people groups asked the same questions we do today, with totally... more

What does the Bible really say about the origins of the universe? The biblical authors had a completely different framework... more

Who was at the beginning of the cosmos with God? God’s Spirit? God’s word? Or Lady Wisdom? Rich with creation... more

Of all the people in the Hebrew Bible, why is Melchizedek so crucial for understanding Jesus? In this episode, join... more

Jesus is our priest, our atoning sacrifice––and our brother? In this episode, join Tim, Jon, and special guest the Rev.... more

Thanks to our audience for all your incredible questions! In this week’s episode, we tackle questions like: How could God... more

After Jesus’ disciples receive the Holy Spirit, they become God’s temple and the physical embodiment of Jesus on earth. This... more

What does it mean for Jesus to be humanity’s cosmic priest? It means he intercedes on behalf of humanity––and so... more

Why were the Levitical priests always getting mad at Jesus? Jesus identified himself as another of God’s anointed priests––except he... more

What will God do with the continually failing Levitical priesthood? God announces that he will elect his own faithful priest... more

The origins of Israel’s royal priesthood are anything but glamorous. From Moses rejecting God five times to Aaron creating an... more

What do Abraham, Melchizedek, and David all have in common? They’re part of the unfolding theme of the royal priesthood... more

In the story of the Bible, all the main players are prophets, priests, or kings. While it might seem foreign... more

A coming king and a bunch of crying babies? Psalm 8 can seem kind of confusing. But when we look... more

How can the book of Ephesians contribute to conversations surrounding modern race and justice issues? Tim and Jon interview New... more

From biblical deconstruction to the responsibility of Jesus followers in government and social justice, we’re looking at what the Bible... more

Thank you to our audience for your incredible questions. In this week’s episode, we tackle questions like, did Adam represent... more

God’s plan has always been to bring all of humanity into one diverse and connected family. Jesus carried forward this... more

In the book of Romans, Paul talks about humanity being justified by faith, but what does this have to do... more

God wants people from all nations to be a part of his family, but Jesus’ mission was focused on Israel.... more

Who did Jesus come for? Throughout the Gospel accounts, Jesus is laser-focused on Israel. Yet his ministry and even his... more

In this special year-end episode, Tim and Jon reflect on 2020, share stories from our listeners, and look ahead to... more

Why do God’s chosen people have just as many moral failings as anyone else in the Bible? In this week’s... more

What does divine election have to do with God’s blessing for all nations? In this week’s episode, we’re picking up... more

What was so bad about the Tower of Babel? In this episode, Tim and Jon examine the cycle of division... more

What is God’s picture of an ideal humanity? In this podcast episode, Tim and Jon look at Genesis 1-2 and... more

Jesus unites his followers across cultural and ethnic lines as members of his global family. But that doesn’t mean cultural... more

Sometimes the Bible seems to contradict itself––God is slow to anger, except for the times he appears to get mad... more

Are we called to have blind trust in God? Not exactly. People in the Bible trusted God because he had... more

Despite generations of rebellion and sin, God continues to pursue his people with his promise-keeping loyalty and generosity. In this... more

God demonstrates his wrath by handing his people over to the natural consequences of their own destructive decisions, which ultimately... more

Jesus saw himself as the one who would drink the cup of God’s wrath, which meant dying in Israel’s place... more

It seems like God gets angry all the time in the Hebrew Bible, but then Jesus arrives on the scene... more

Noses that burn hot? Turning your face away? Drinking a cup of wrath? These unfamiliar phrases are found in biblical... more

The flood is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible, yet this story of judgment seems to be... more

In Exodus 34, God describes himself as “slow to anger,” but many people are uncomfortable with the portrait of God... more

Thank you to our audience for your incredible questions. In this week’s episode, we tackle questions like, “Is God the... more

Grace is such a familiar word that we often miss the depth of its meaning. In this episode, Tim, Jon,... more

God describes himself as “compassionate,” but what does that mean? The answer might surprise you. The Hebrew word for compassion... more

The golden calf story from the book of Exodus shows us how all of humanity continually tries to worship God... more

Who does God say he is? In this first episode of a new series, Tim, Jon, and Carissa look at... more

This week, we finish our How to Read the Bible podcast series with one final Q+R episode where we answer... more

The New Testament letters can be difficult to follow, but the right tools can help us unpack their rich meaning.... more

Writing a letter in Paul’s day wasn’t as simple as grabbing a pen and paper and placing the finished letter... more

Do we have to follow all the commands in the New Testament? Did Paul know his words were inspired? And... more

Did Paul actually say that? In this week’s podcast episode, Tim and Jon talk about how to wisely read the... more

The New Testament letters were written to address specific situations among specific groups of people. In this episode, Tim and... more

Paul wrote his letters in the shadow of Rome. His words stood in stark contrast to Roman rule and its... more