The New Testament authors assume their readers are familiar with the Jewish culture in their day. Here are some of the basics
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Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
10 Living Water: The Woman at the Well, Part 1 (John 4)
John adds a new twist to his theme of testimony and belief: this time the believers are the hated Samaritans. John explores three themes this chapter. We examine the first theme in this podcast.
Introduction to the Jewish Feasts
In Exodus, God tells the Israelites to keep the Feasts twice: once before the episode with the golden calf and once after. Here’s a summary of the 7 feasts.
09 John the Baptist: Forerunner to Follower (John 3:22-36)
John the Baptist decreases: In this narrative, John affirms his contentment and joy with following God’s plan for him.
Introduction to the Trinity
The early church struggled for centuries to understand the doctrine of the Trinity before landing on 3 statements.
08 Nicodemus: For God so loved the world (John 3:14-21)
Nicodemus approaches Jesus as a truth-seeker who acknowledges Jesus is a teacher from God. Jesus warns him four ways that’s not enough to gain eternal life.
Dealing with Loss
Dealing with Loss: Lessons from Haggai
07 Nicodemus: You must be born again (John 3:1-13)
Jesus challenges Nicodemus four ways. First, he tells Nicodemus seeking truth and responding to miracles are not enough to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Understanding the Hebrew Calendar
When studying the Old Testament, dates can be a source of confusion, especially when they switch between the Jewish name and the Babylonian name in the same story. Here are my reference tables.
September 2024 Reflections
Have you noticed the upgraded audio player on this website? Not only is it easier on the eyes, it has new features.
06 Jesus Cleanses the Temple: Understanding His Authority (John 2:13-25)
Jesus cleanses the temple, provoking the leaders to demand a sign of his authority. No one understood his answer until later.
Servant Leadership in Practice
Putting servant leadership into practice: thoughts on leading from moral authority rather than hierarchy.