Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
Despite the popularity of podcasts today, many people don’t know how to get started listening. Don’t be embarrassed! Ironically, because there are so many different ways to listen, getting started is confusing. Anyone can click on a YouTube video or google a website, but where do you find podcasts? Here are some tutorials.
Israel had 3 temples during its Old & New Testament time period. The original temple was built by Solomon. After the exile, a second temple was built under Zerubbabel. Finally, Herod the Great expanded and enlarged the temple during his reign.
A list of the Kings of Persia in biblical times and where they appear in Scripture.
Before we look at the beatitudes, we need to understand what it means to be blessed, the nature of a beatitudes (Jesus wasn’t the first to employ them) and how Jesus expects us to understand them.
Here’s my collection of Bible charts, lists, chronologies and outlines.
Approximate distances from Jerusalem to key cities and sites in biblical times.
The Babylonian Empire became a world power in 625 BC after the fall of Assyria. Babylon continued its reign until 536 BC. Nebuchadnezzar, its greatest king, reigned in the days of Daniel and took the southern Kingdom of Judah into captivity after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Babylon was finally captured by the Medes and Persians under Cyrus as predicted by the prophet Daniel, and the Babylonian Empire came to an end in 536 BC.
The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most important passages in Scripture, as it is a profound and unique body of teaching from the Messiah himself. Yet throughout church history, believers have found it difficult to agree on what this sermon means and how it is to be applied to our lives. In this introduction, I’ll contrast the different approaches to the Sermon on the Mount and explain which approach I take.
Learning biblical Greek can enrich your Bible study. Even a little knowledge of biblical Greek can help. Check out these tools and tips.
What does the first watch mean? What is the “third hour”? The Jewish day ran from sunset to sunset and was divided in 8 equal parts called watches and hours. Here’s what they mean.
The Assyrian Empire is important to biblical history for devastation the kingdom of Israel and taking the 10 northern tribes into captivity in 722 BC.
As Matthew closes this first section of his gospel, he highlights the Galilean nature of Jesus’ early ministry. Matthew summarizes Jesus’ early ministry as marked by healing and teaching.
Greek Word Studies: Tools to help you study the Greek words in the New Testament from Wednesday in the Word
Contrasting the way of the wicked and the righteous is a very common theme in the Old Testament. Here are a few Psalms where we find this theme.
In May, we’ll start the beatitudes from the Sermon on the mount. We’ll talk about what they mean and how Jesus expects us to respond.
Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to gaining the blessings God has promised him. But idolatry is looking to someone or something other than God to grant us Life. For each of the temptations, we’ll answer 3 questions: Why is the choice wrong? Why is the choice attractive?...
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for righteousness: dikaiosunē
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for righteous: dikaios
While the temptation to jump to from the top of a high mountain may not appear very enticing at first glance, it’s a temptation we all face today. When life gets hard or overwhelming, like Jesus, we’re very tempted to believe God has ceased to take care of us and we need to take a “leap of faith” to get back in His good graces.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Biblical Greek word for meek or gentle, praus, G4329
One of the basic parts of a word study is finding and comparing the uses of the word in the rest of Scripture. Before the internet, we used a physical concordance. Here’s how to locate quickly accomplish this task using my favorite Bible study software: e-sword.
In the temptations, Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as the Messiah while God wants to demonstrate that Jesus is worthy to be the Messiah. We’ll look how how Jesus responds when he’s tempted to believe God is no longer taking care of him. For each of the temptations...
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for blessed makarios 63017.
Geography of the New Testament: Learn the important cities, regions, provinces, and lakes of New Testament Israel from Wednesday in the Word.
At his baptism, God confirms that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who will rule on David’s throne forever. We also see what kind of king he is: humble and willing to serve.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for test, try, or tempt: peirazō.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Biblical Greek word for baptism baptizō G907.
In April, we’ll study the temptations of Jesus from Matthew’s gospel. While I’ve taught this passage many times, the podcast gives me the ability to teach it without a time constraint for the first time! I will finally be able to really explain the Old Testament background, the parallels to the Exodus, and how Jesus fulfills God’s promises to the children of Israel.
A comparison of the miracles of Elijah and Elisha recorded in 1&2 Kings.
John the Baptist was the herald who announced the coming of the King. His message had two parts: repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. The king is coming. It is time to turn back to God and follow his Messiah.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for repent: metanoeo.
This quotation presents the hardest challenge because no passage in the Old Testament says the Messiah will be called a Nazarene. Instead Matthew is summarizing an idea taught in the prophets. We need both grammar and historical background to understand him.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for love: agape.
In this third fulfillment passage, Matthew compares the murder of the young boys in Bethlehem to the Rachel weeping in her tomb for the captives about to be deported to Babylon. In both events, all hope seems lost.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Biblical Greek word for fulfill, pleroo, G5137.
Matthew tells us the life of Jesus “fulfills” something spoken by the prophet Hosea. Yet Hosea is not “predicting” anything; Hosea is looking backward to the Exodus. What is Matthew doing? He’s pointing out the theological connection between Israel as God’s son and the Messiah, God’s son.