1Corinthians is the textbook case for understanding context. This is a profoundly important claim about the way we approach the Bible.
May 2020 Reflections
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Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
Study break
The podcast is on study break before we start a new series. During my study break, I will randomly offer single podcasts that illustrate good Bible study methodology. Or you can listen to any of over 500 previous episodes.
Scripture Quotes Scripture
The New Testament is our divinely inspired commentary on the Old Testament. When studying a passage, it’s often helpful to see how other biblical authors understood it.
47 How 1 Corinthians Exposes Our Worldliness and Calls Us Back to the Gospel (1 Corinthians 16)
In the business end of the letter, Paul explains his travel plans and gives his final admonitions. We’ll also reflect on two important themes we learned from the letter as a whole.
46 The End of Death: Our Final Transformation (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)
Paul argues that death is a bigger problem than we think because it is more than the end of our earthly life. It is the doorway to judgment. But God will give us mercy in judgment and victory over death because of Jesus Christ.
45 What Will Our Resurrection Bodies Be Like? (1 Corinthians 15:29-49)
Paul answers an objection to the resurrection raised by his opponents with three comparisons: a seed versus the plant it becomes; Adam who brought death versus Christ who brings life; and natural lie now versus transformed life in the kingdom of God.
April 2020 Reflections
Paul’s discussion of the resurrection in 1Corinthians 15 is powerful! Somehow I never seriously studied this chapter before and I can’t believe how profound Paul’s argument is.
44 The Goal of History: Christ’s Reign and the End of Death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)
In correcting the Corinthians’ view that there is no resurrection, Paul argues that resurrection is an essential part of the way God intends to solve the problem of sin and death.
43 Why Christ’s Resurrection Matters (1 Corinthians 15:1-19)
Paul starts correcting the Corinthians view that there is no resurrection from the dead by making two points: 1) Jesus, the man, was resurrected and 2) if Jesus wasn’t resurrected, then his death accomplished nothing and we are still guilty before God.
42 Should Women Keep Silent in Church? (1 Corinthians 14:26-40)
Paul gives the Corinthians a rule for deciding when to speak in their public gatherings: If your speech does not edify the group, keep silent. If your speech does edify the group, take turns in an orderly fashion.
What is Good Friday?
Since churches have had to move their services online, I took advantage of the opportunity to “attend” about 10 different Good Friday services. This was my favorite.
41 Why Some Gifts are Greater (1 Corinthians 14:1-25)
Paul argues that prophesy is a better than tongues because prophesy edifies the larger body while speaking in tongues edifies only the speaker. Implicit in his argument is that we should value truth over emotion.
Ruth Bible Study Resources
Everything you need to kick start your study of the Old Testament book of Ruth
40 Faith, Hope, and Love: Why Love Is the Greatest (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
Before he explains what he means by the greatest gifts, Paul interrupts his argument to explain something more important than all of the individual gifts: love.
March 2020 Reflections
I think 1Corinthians 12-14 are some of the most profound chapters in the letter. In correcting the Corinthians’ view of speaking in tongues, Paul gives us a valuable perspective we can apply to many important issues in life. I’m grateful to finally have a chance to teach through them.
COVID Cville Church Services
Here’s where you can find some of our local churches during the COVID closures. If you visit them online now, when the closures are over, you’ll feel right at home going in person.
39 What Does Real Love Look Like? (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Paul’s famous passage on the attributes of love is part of a 3-chapter argument. In this podcast we focus on what Paul is saying about love and why Paul felt it was important to correct the Corinthians understanding of love. In the next podcast, we’ll examine how this passage fits into the context of his overall argument.
38 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 Understanding the body of Christ
Paul compares the people of God to the unity and diversity of the human body. In this rich analogy, Paul teaches us how we should view ourselves, how we should view each other and where we should find our worth.
37 Should Everyone Speak in Tongues? (1 Corinthians 12:11-13)
As Paul continues discussing the unity and diversity of the body of Christ, we pause to consider what that tells us about speaking in tongues today. Should everyone speak in tongues?
Esther Bible Study Resources
Everything you need to kick start your study of the Old Testament book of Esther.
36 What Are Spiritual Gifts? (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
Paul argues that while all believers have the same Spirit, God distributes different gifts to different believers on purpose. Paul’s point in this section is not to give a catalog of gifts, but examples of the diverse ways the Spirit works.
What are spiritual gifts?
Contrary to the popular view, I understand spiritual gifts as roles and opportunities to serve, rather than supernaturally given talents. For example, if I have the “gift of teaching,” the gift is the opportunity to teach, not the talent to teach.
February 2020 Reflections
I hope thinking through the issues surrounding communion has been as meaningful for you as it has been for me. But I’m really looking forward to what’s coming next! 1Corinthians 12-14 has been on my bucket list of “things I want to teach” for a long time!
35 What Is the Mark of True Spirituality? (1 Corinthians 12:1-3)
Paul starts the topic of spiritual gifts in 1Corinthians 12. The Corinthians are confused in thinking that speaking in tongues is the mark of true spirituality and that those who have not spoken in tongues are lesser Christians. Paul lays the foundation in 12:1-3 for his argument which will run through chapter 14.
What is an apostle?
What makes an apostle of Jesus Christ an apostle? There are 4 qualifications.
34 What it Means to Take Communion in an Unworthy Manner (1 Corinthians 11:27-34)
What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner? How are we to examine ourselves before participating? In this podcast, we look at what Paul found wrong with the way the Corinthians were handling the Lord’s Supper and what he wants them to do instead.
33 Why We Take Communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
What’s the connection between Passover and Communion? Why are we suppose to celebrate the Lord’s Supper? In this podcast, we look at how Paul explains the significance of the Lord’s Supper.
Study Tools by Book of the Bible
Have you tried cooking without measuring devices? You may bake an edible cake, but it won’t be your best. Having the right tools makes the job better. On this one page, you’ll find links to the resources for sorted by book of the Bible.
20 Online Resources for Deeper Bible Study
Online resources to help you study: maps, charts, outlines, key words, etc. On this one page, you’ll find links to websites and Bible study software.
How to get a Wednesday in the Word “App”
Did you know you can make an “app” (really a shortcut icon) on your mobile device so you can quickly access all the resources on Wednesday in the Word? It’s quick, easy and will give you a shortcut to all everything on the website. But you’ll still want to subscribe to the podcast for easy listening.
32 What Was Wrong with the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:17-22)
What’s the problem with the way the Corinthians are handling the Lord’s Supper? Some think the key issue is that they were profaning a holy ritual. Others think the key issue is mistreating the poor. I think the key issue is their lack of belief.
January 2020 Reflections
Thanks for the awesome feedback on the 1Corinthians 11 head covering passage! I hesitated to put my views out there given the controversial nature of the passage. But your feedback has been worth it! Now it’s on to the Lord’s Supper and then spiritual gifts. THANKS for listening!
Old Testament Books in Chronological Order
The Old Testament books in chronological order with the traditional dates. Chronological means the events recorded in the books took place during this period and/or the author wrote during this period.
31 What Does ‘Head’ Mean? Ephesians, Christ, the Church, and a Husband’s Responsibility
Most everyone agrees that Paul is speaking metaphorically, but few agree exactly what he means by the metaphor of head. To understand Paul’s use of head in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, we look at Paul’s use of head in all his other letters, particularly in Ephesians.
How is the Old Testament organized?
In the Christian Bible, the Old Testament is divided into 4 main parts based on genre. Within each genre, books are organized by author, chronology and size.
30 What does ‘Head’ in Corinthians? A Genesis-Based Look at Headship
Paul appeals to the creation of Adam and Eve to make his argument. This podcasts examines what Genesis 2 teaches us and why Paul appeals to it.