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 ...
Feb 23, 2017•58 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast 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 s...
Feb 14, 2017•1 hr 11 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Feb 08, 2017•1 hr 4 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast 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 l...
Jan 06, 2017•1 hr 3 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Dec 13, 2016•56 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast 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 liv...
Nov 22, 2016•29 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast 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) t...
Oct 28, 2016•42 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Sep 10, 2016•59 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast 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 intention...
Aug 29, 2016•42 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Aug 03, 2016•51 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast 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), J...
Jul 14, 2016•1 hr 3 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast 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 pr...
Jul 07, 2016•1 hr 7 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast 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 pa...
Jun 18, 2016•51 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jun 08, 2016•49 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast 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 o...
May 25, 2016•32 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Do...
May 04, 2016•53 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast 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 firs...
Mar 12, 2016•1 hr 7 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Hu...
Feb 29, 2016•47 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Feb 18, 2016•45 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve gotten requests to take the live Q+R’s on our YouTube channel and put them here on our podcast. That way people can listen to it without having to watch a video. This is our Q+R on Holiness. Thank you to all our supporters! You are so meaningful to us! Q's and Timestamps: In the Bible, does holiness mean “perfection” or does it just mean separated and cut off from? (4:05) Moses and Joshua have encounters with God on “holy ground” but if God is always present in all of creation, isn’t all g...
Feb 18, 2016•50 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve gotten requests to take our Q+R Youtube sessions and put them on the podcast for people to enjoy listening to, without the hassle of watching a Youtube video :) This is a Q+R on our Heaven and Earth video. Thank you to all our supporters! You are so meaningful to us! Q's and Timestamps: Why does the Bible Project video only talk about heaven and earth and not hell? (1:15) Could people have gotten injured in the Garden of Eden before the fall? (4:09) Uniqueness of Hebrew temples v other cul...
Feb 12, 2016•45 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is the backstory to a question that we ask ourselves a lot at The Bible Project. Maybe you ask yourself this question too. What happens when we die? Where did the biblical authors think a person went after they died? Do we go to heaven, and what does the Bible tell us about heaven? This is a question that is really helpful to work and think through, and there’s a ton to unpack. We put all of our thoughts into a new workbook we created called, "Heaven and Earth." Look for t...
Feb 12, 2016•55 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, the guys wrap up their discussion on heaven and earth. The guys will solidify the idea that Jesus is the meeting place of heaven and earth. He is God’s temple presence on earth, and his resurrection is the first part of God’s plan for a new creation. Not only do the New Testament authors draw on temple imagery to talk about Jesus, but they also use it in reference to people and communities of believers. What does this mean for followers of Jesus? And finally, what happens to us ...
Feb 10, 2016•42 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Tim and Jon continue their discussion from last time about what it means for God to be in “the heavens” and transcend humans. They’ll go a little bit deeper and talk about what it looks like for God’s space and human space to overlap. The biblical story begins with the mingling of these two spaces, and it was only after human rebellion that they became separated. The guys take a look at what Scripture says about heaven and earth and the future hope that one day God’s presence wi...
Feb 04, 2016•37 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Tim and Jon begin their conversation about heaven and earth starting in Genesis 1. This is the first time “heaven" appears in the Bible. “The heavens” literally means “the sky.” Did the ancient Israelites think God lived in the sky? Maybe. The guys will talk more about this and what it means for God’s space and human space to overlap. In the first part of the episode (01:27-08:57), the guys talk about the idea that heaven is in the clouds. How did we get there? Tim will bre...
Jan 28, 2016•41 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, the guys wrap up their discussion on the Kingdom of God. The biblical story ultimately becomes a clash between God’s Kingdom and human kingdoms. God responds to this rebellion throughout the Old Testament, but the good news of Jesus is that he came to bring the Kingdom again. What does this mean for us as followers of Jesus? In the first part of the episode (02:36-16:40), Tim and Jon talk about Jesus as King. What does it look like for Jesus to invite his followers to live under...
Nov 15, 2015•23 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss Jesus’ authority over heaven and earth and what it means for humans to rule with Jesus. The guys talk about what it will be like for God’s Kingdom to be fully realized. The Bible tells us that God’s Kingdom arrived in Jesus, but the fullness of that Kingdom is yet to come. What went wrong with the establishment of God’s Kingdom, and how does he plan to fix it? In the first part of the episode (01:22-13:20), Tim and Jon talk about Jesus as the one who has auth...
Nov 10, 2015•44 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Tim and Jon look at a key Biblical theme that traces throughout the entire Bible––the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is central to Jesus’ message, but it can be confusing to understand completely. The guys will discuss why Jesus talked about the Kingdom so much and what that should mean to us as Jesus followers. Before they dive into the discussion, Tim will give a brief explanation of the concept of the Kingdom and its introduction into Scripture in Genesis 1. In the first ...
Nov 03, 2015•29 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, the guys continue their discussion of the law with a look at the prophets. The prophetic books in the Bible are an interesting follow up to the Torah. The prophets seemed to really be getting at God’s heart behind the law, and they were desperate to see Israel come out of their rebellion. Tim and Jon will wrap up their discussion by looking at Jesus’ response to the law. He was the answer to Old Testament prophecies, but he didn’t come to get rid of the law, Jesus came to fulfil...
Oct 20, 2015•50 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Tim and Jon go deeper into the themes introduced in our video, “The Law.” What is the purpose of the Old Testament law, and what does it have to do with Christians today? The guys will talk about how the laws were given to the ancient Israelites and how they contribute to a larger narrative about human nature and God’s plan for creation. There’s a lot to unpack here, and there’s definitely something we can learn by understanding these ancient commands. In the first part of the e...
Oct 19, 2015•48 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 
