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 of spiritual being, tricks the humans despite their authority as God’s image bearers. This story is echoed in other accounts of sibling rivalry that continue throughout the Hebrew Bible. Join Tim and Jon as they discuss the land rulers and sky rulers...
Jan 09, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 338•Transcript available on Metacast 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 firstborn. Spoiler alert: The God of the Bible opposes lots of human ideas about power, and the privilege of the firstborn is no exception. Again and again, we’ll see Yahweh picking younger siblings and people we wouldn’t expect to be his chosen repr...
Jan 02, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep 337•Transcript available on Metacast 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 BibleProject CEO, Steve, reflect on the year behind us and look forward to the years ahead. View full show notes from this episode → Referenced Resources Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here. You can experience all of our resources in the B...
Dec 26, 2022•47 min•Ep 336•Transcript available on Metacast 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 TaNaK. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-09:30) Part two (09:30-31:00) Part three (31:00-57:45) Part four (57:45-01:15:47) Referenced Resources Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here. You can experience the...
Dec 19, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep 335•Transcript available on Metacast 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 conversations about the Torah. Thank you to our audience for your questions! View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps How Do We Know the Biblical Authors Used Hyperlinks? (1:19) When Do Words Become a Blessing? (13:47) Is the Genesis 3 Curse...
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep 334•Transcript available on Metacast 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 questions about the Deuteronomy scroll. Thanks to our incredible audience for your questions. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Which Laws Still Apply and Which Don’t? (1:30) Can Laws Be Categorized as Moral, Civil, and Ceremonial Rules?...
Dec 05, 2022•58 min•Ep 333•Transcript available on Metacast Who are Yahweh’s children? Up until the conclusion of the Torah, the answer to that question has appeared to be all of Israel. But in his final moments, Moses warns Israel that Yahweh’s true children are those who remain faithful to his covenant. In the final episode of our journey through the Torah, join Tim and Jon as they explore a prophetic poem that will set the tone for the rest of the TaNaK. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-23:25) Part two (23:25-48:13) ...
Nov 28, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep 332•Transcript available on Metacast 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 this episode, join Tim and Jon as they explore the paradox of righteousness accomplished by divine sovereignty and human freedom through the lens of Deuteronomy and the New Testament writers. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one ...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep 331•Transcript available on Metacast 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 covenant with Yahweh? In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about blessings and curses, ancient Near Eastern law code, and the choice all humans have between death or life. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-18:28) Part tw...
Nov 14, 2022•58 min•Ep 330•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Jesus’ understanding of the law and how it can help us interpret the Torah. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-12:00) Part two (12:00-35:00) Part three (35:00-55:00) Part four (55:00-1:09:51) Referenced Resources The Ai...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep 329•Transcript available on Metacast 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 the law. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-13:40) Part two (13:40-29:00) Part three (29:00-43:30) Part four (43:30-53:55) Referenced Resources Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought , Joshua...
Oct 31, 2022•54 min•Ep 328•Transcript available on Metacast 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 audience for your insightful questions. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Are Repeated Numbers Literal or Literary Embellishments? (1:20) Why Does Israel’s Population Decrease in Numbers? (16:25) What Does Jesus’ Title “The Rock” Have to D...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep 327•Transcript available on Metacast In the second movement of Deuteronomy, Moses gives Israel the law … again. But this time, he’s not talking to a nomadic group of people wandering the desert—he’s talking to the next generation preparing to settle in a permanent home for the first time. As they move into the land, their laws and their lives will need to look a little different. But in what way? In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they discuss how the law was always meant to form Israel (and modern readers) into people of wisdom,...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep 326•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we once again encounter the Nephilim, the evil demon-human hybrid beings we first met in Genesis 6. Now they resurface as giants inhabiting Canaan, the land Yahweh promised to Israel. Join Tim and Jon as they tackle the complex issues of violent conquest, human and spiritual evil, and divine justice. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-14:18) Part two (14:18-28:56) Part three (28:56-45:29) Part four (45:29-01:11:22) Referenced Resources Interested...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep 325•Transcript available on Metacast How do you clean a tabernacle? What does “laying of hands” represent? Is the scapegoat a hyperlink to Cain and Abel? How was it even possible for Israelites to follow the law? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions about the Leviticus scroll. Thanks to our audience for your insightful questions! View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps How Do You Clean a Tabernacle? (1:02) What Does “Laying of Hands” Represent? (9:06) Is the Scapegoat a Hyperlink to Cain and Abel? (14:...
Oct 12, 2022•58 min•Ep 324•Transcript available on Metacast In the first movement of Deuteronomy, two words appear more frequently than any others—listen and love. Why did Moses emphasize these two words in his farewell speech to Israel? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore what it looks like to be loyal to Yahweh, the God unlike any other, who listens to humanity. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-11:41) Part two (11:41-32:15) Part three (32:15-51:10) Part four (51:10-01:05:43) Referenced Resources A Greek-English Lexic...
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep 323•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever wondered where the earliest sermons in the Bible are found? Moses’ final speech to Israel, found in Deuteronomy, is the first time we see what is essentially a modern sermon—a long speech meant to communicate God’s truth. Just as Israel is about to enter the promised land, Moses reminds them that, just like their ancestors, they have the choice to live by their own wisdom or to follow Yahweh’s life-giving commands. Join Tim and Jon as they dive into the final scroll of the Torah an...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 322•Transcript available on Metacast After years of wandering in the wilderness and what seems like way too many rebellions against Yahweh, Israel has finally arrived on the edge of the promised land. What could possibly go wrong now? And yet even here, two of Israel’s tribes rebel, repeating the sins of Adam and Eve and dividing themselves from their brothers. Join Tim and Jon as they wrap up the Numbers scroll. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-20:20) Part two (20:20-33:50) Part three (33:50-43:2...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep 321•Transcript available on Metacast As Moses’ death draws near, Yahweh selects Joshua to lead the people of Israel. What made Joshua uniquely qualified to lead? How does his leadership differ from Moses’? In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they discuss how the Hebrew Bible depicts Joshua as a new Adam, a new Moses, and a precursor to the Messiah himself. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-15:08) Part two (15:08-37:33) Part three (37:33-49:43) Part four (49:43-1:04:16) Referenced Resources The Heb...
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep 320•Transcript available on Metacast In the third movement of Numbers, five sisters approach Moses with a legal case not covered in God’s laws: Without any brothers to inherit their father’s land, their family inheritance will be lost unless women are allowed to receive an inheritance too. Yahweh agrees with these five women, setting an important precedent for not just how Israel was to engage the laws of the Torah but for later followers of Jesus as well. Join Tim and Jon as they discuss the story of Zelophehad’s daughters and Jes...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep 319•Transcript available on Metacast So far in the second movement of Numbers, the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel have rebelled against Yahweh, the people themselves have rebelled against Yahweh, and even the Levites have rebelled against Yahweh. In fact, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb are the only people that haven’t rebelled. So what happens when those closest to Yahweh fail to obey his word, too? In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about Moses’ rebellion, the high cost of leading God’s people, and humanity’s deep need for...
Sep 05, 2022•55 min•Ep 318•Transcript available on Metacast God chose the Levites to take care of the tabernacle, and within the tribe of Levi, he picked Aaron’s family to have the special duty of offering sacrifices and burning incense. In Numbers 16, a Levite named Korah and 250 Israelite leaders accuse Aaron and Moses of setting themselves above everyone else. What’s going on here? In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the story of Korah’s rebellion, God’s judgment and mercy, and the responsibility of the leaders God chooses. View full show notes from ...
Aug 29, 2022•43 min•Ep 317•Transcript available on Metacast We’re looking at a story about God’s chosen ones facing a test with fruit trees in a beautiful garden—sounds like Genesis 3, right? Surprisingly, this is a story from Numbers 13-15, with another tree and another test. In this episode, Tim and Jon dive into the second movement of Numbers and the choice Israel faces when they reach the border of the promised land. Will they choose to trust their wisdom or Yahweh’s? View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-17:24) Part two...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep 316•Transcript available on Metacast How do God’s people follow his will in situations where there are no explicit rules or laws given? At the conclusion of the third movement of Numbers, the Israelites don’t know how God wants them to respond to a situation. Join Tim and Jon as they explore Numbers 6-9 and how followers of Jesus today can learn to understand the will of God. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-19:22) Part two (19:22-32:42) Part three (32:42-45:40) Part four (45:40-01:06:50) Referenc...
Aug 15, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep 315•Transcript available on Metacast Confession of sins, strange water rituals, Nephilim, and Nazarite vows—Numbers 5 and 6 might feel like a confusing mix of laws, but the scroll’s author is cleverly reminding us of the Hebrew Bible melody we first encountered in Genesis 1-9. In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about four odd laws that are part of the intricate story we’ve been following through the Torah. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-9:03) Part two (9:03-22:31) Part three (22:31-39:27) Part fo...
Aug 08, 2022•58 min•Ep 314•Transcript available on Metacast The scroll of Numbers can be difficult to make sense of without context, and there’s a reason for that. The scroll was never meant to be understood on its own. Numbers picks up where Leviticus leaves off and mirrors the scroll on the other side of Leviticus (Exodus). To fully understand all of these scrolls, we need to read them together. Join Tim and Jon as they dive into Numbers, trace the theme of the temple, and discuss the unique role of the tribe of Levi. View full show notes from this epi...
Aug 01, 2022•59 min•Ep 313•Transcript available on Metacast Blasphemy, principles of restitution, jubilee, exile, and the mercy and justice of God––it’s all there in the final lines of the scroll of Leviticus. Join Tim and Jon as they talk about the great gift and responsibility of carrying Yahweh’s name and discuss the wisdom and surprising hope of the Law that’s finally fulfilled in Jesus. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-18:22) Part two (18:22-31:17) Part three (31:17-44:54) Part four (44:54-1:08:33) Referenced Resou...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep 312•Transcript available on Metacast Are there specific times humans can meet with God in special ways? For ancient Israel, the answer was yes . In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they explore the final movement of Leviticus, talk about the Sabbaths and festivals ancient Israelites celebrated every year, and discuss the significance of rituals and liturgies that allow us to see our time as a significant part of God’s story. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-11:49) Part two (11:49-40:12) Part thre...
Jul 18, 2022•1 hr•Ep 311•Transcript available on Metacast Throughout the Leviticus scroll, Yahweh instructs Israel, “Be holy as I am holy.” But what does that actually mean? As we enter into the third and final movement of Leviticus, we’ll find that living holy lives had everything to do with how Israel treated others and utilized their time, a theme reinforced by the continual command to honor the Sabbath. Join Jon and Tim as they explore the wisdom we can find in these ancient laws. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-...
Jul 11, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep 310•Transcript available on Metacast At the center of the center of the Torah is the Day of Atonement. What is the significance of this day the biblical authors have placed at the heart of the Torah? What does this day accomplish? And what’s with the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the Day of Atonement and the ultimate atonement accomplished by Jesus on the cross. View full show notes from this episode → Timestamps Part one (00:00-20:20) Part two (20:20-37:53) Part three (37:53-51:08) Part f...
Jul 04, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep 310•Transcript available on Metacast 
