BibleProject

BibleProject Podcast

The creators of BibleProject have in-depth conversations about the Bible and theology. A companion podcast to BibleProject videos found at bibleproject.com

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534 episodes
Updated Monday

Episodes534

Newest first

Monday · 52 min
The Spirit of Life and Death
Spirit of God E2 — The word we translate in English as “spirit” is ruakh in the Hebrew Bible, and it can mean spirit, wind, breath, and mind. In multiple passages where ruakh functions as “breath,” the biblical authors invite us to reflect on God’s life-giving power and also on our own frailty. Why are these two ideas so closely tied together? In this episode, Jon and Tim reflect on God’s divine breath that creates and sustains all living things, including mortal human beings from the dust.
July 20 · 53 min
The Spirit, Breath, and Wind Behind Everything
Spirit of God E1 — In 2017, we released a 3-episode series on the theme of the Holy Spirit. And now eight years later, we’ve decided there’s still a lot more to reflect on and explore! The word we translate in English as “spirit” is ruakh in the Hebrew Bible and pneuma in the Greek New Testament. The word refers to God’s personal presence, but it also often refers to wind, breath, and a human’s mind. So how can this word refer to God’s manifest presence and energy, but also created things? In th
July 13 · 44 min
How We Made the 10 Commandments Video Series
The 10 Commandments E17 — We just finished exploring the 10 Commandments, or the 10 Words as they’re called in the Bible. In community, we’ve sought God’s wisdom in these 10 Words, first through Jon and Tim’s conversations and then with your questions in the Q+R episode! And this communal reading approach also extends to how we make videos with our animation studio. The artists start with a blank slate, wrestle with ideas from the podcast recordings, and then formulate a plan for how to make it
July 6 · 1 hr 1 min
How Does the 6th Commandment Apply to Killing in Military Combat?
The 10 Commandments Q+R (E16) — How do modern artistic depictions of God and Jesus relate to the 2nd Commandment? How do we honor aging parents well or honor abusive and dangerous parents? And how do the 10 Commandments stand apart from other ancient Near Eastern law codes? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from the 10 Commandments series. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions to this episode!
June 29 · 47 min
Will We Trust God’s Wisdom or Our Own?
The 10 Commandments Hyperlink Episode (E15) — Sometimes at the close of a series, we’ll dig through the podcast archives to find clips that discuss similar ideas from a different perspective. In this 10 Commandments series, we explored how trusting in God's wisdom leads to true life and flourishing, while building lives on our own terms often leads to pain. So in this hyperlink episode, we’ll listen to three clips that explore this theme further. First, Jon and Tim break down the literary struct
June 22 · 50 min
Weightier Matters Beneath the 10 Commandments
The 10 Commandments E14 — We’ve come to the end of our series on the 10 Commandments, which are known in the Bible as the 10 Words. All throughout this series, we’ve returned to the idea that these commands are not rules to check off a list, but rather God’s wisdom that leads to true life and flourishing. In this episode, Jon and Tim reflect on some final insights about how to approach the 10 Words (and all of biblical law) as wisdom literature, just as Jesus did.
June 15 · 59 min
10th Commandment: Do Not Desire Your Neighbor’s Possessions
The 10 Commandments E13 — We’ve arrived at the 10th and final commandment, which feels very different from all the ones that came before it: “Do not desire … anything that belongs to your neighbor.” While most translations use the word “covet,” we simply find khamad, which is the general Hebrew word for desire. All the other commandments involve observable actions, but desire is entirely internal. So why does God warn us about desiring things that belong to our neighbor? In this episode, Jon and
June 8 · 49 min
9th Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness
The 10 Commandments E12 — The common summary of the 9th Commandment is “Do not lie,” a generic prohibition against all kinds of fibs. But the commandment actually reads “Do not bear false witness,” drawing attention to a very specific kind of lying in a communal, legal setting. Many of the other commandments are more general. So why does the 9th Commandment zoom in on truth telling in public, legal settings? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 9th Commandment, discovering its underlying val
June 1 · 52 min
8th Commandment: Do Not Steal
The 10 Commandments E11 — The 8th Commandment, “Do not steal,” seems straightforward enough. But why does God forbid theft in ancient Israel? What harm can come to a community where people’s property is always vulnerable? And what lies beneath the surface of our desire to take from our neighbor what doesn’t belong to us? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the eighth command, discovering its deeper invitations to contentment, generosity, and stewardship.
May 25 · 1 hr 7 min
7th Commandment: Do Not Commit Adultery
The 10 Commandments E10 — The short commandment, “Do not commit adultery,” assumes that every marriage is vitally important and just as worth protecting as a human life. But why is a marriage covenant so important in the Bible? The biblical authors consider marriage to be a great mystery that points to something cosmic: God’s faithful commitment to humanity. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the meaning of marriage in the Bible, and how its deeper values are relevant to both married and unmar
May 18 · 1 hr
6th Commandment: Do Not Kill
The 10 Commandments E9 — We’re now entering the second half of the 10 Commandments, where God guides Israel in how to relate to one another. The 6th Commandment is often translated “Do not murder.” However, the Hebrew word translated as "murder" can also be translated as "kill," which refers to both the premeditated and the unintentional taking of human life. So is this command saying not to kill at all? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the sixth command, highlighting the Bible’s ideal of val
May 11 · 56 min
5th Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother
The 10 Commandments E8 — The first four commandments focus on relating to God, and the last five focus on relating to other humans. Right in the middle, we find the 5th Commandment, which acts like a hinge between these two sections: “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you.” It’s the only commandment that comes with a promise and invokes both humans and God. So what is this special connection between parents and God? I
May 4 · 52 min
4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath
The 10 Commandments E7 — In the 4th Commandment, Yahweh tells Israel to remember the Sabbath and do no work, just as Yahweh does after creating the skies and the land. What’s going on here? What did this commandment mean to ancient Israel, and what should it mean to Jesus’ followers? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the fourth command’s connections to the seven-day creation narrative and Israel’s liberation from Egyptian slavery, as well as its role in ancient Israel and the modern world.
April 27 · 48 min
3rd Commandment: Do Not Carry the Name in Vain
The 10 Commandments E6 — Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name?” In the Bible, it turns out a lot, actually. The creator God Yahweh is the source of all life and good, so his name is the greatest name. But surprisingly, he attaches his name to Israel, a lowly nation of former slaves, and enters into a covenant with them. The covenant starts with a list of 10 commandments, or 10 words, and following these commandments will lead Israel to life and flourishing. In this episode, T
April 20 · 1 hr 5 min
2nd Commandment: No Idols
The 10 Commandments E5 — In the ancient world, gods (or elohim in Hebrew) were associated with transcendent forces of nature, and humans created statues (mostly of animals) to represent these forces, known as idols. But in Exodus 20:4-6, Yahweh forbids Israel from making idols of himself or any other spiritual being. Why? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 2nd Commandment to discover how idols diminish the identity of both God and humans.
April 13 · 41 min
1st Commandment: No Other Gods
The 10 Commandments E4 — Before Yahweh gives the 10 Commandments to Israel, he reminds them that he is the God who liberated them from slavery and is entering into a covenant with them. So how does this connect with the first commandment, “You will have no other gods before me”? And what does that even mean? In this episode, Jon and Tim walk through the 1st Commandment, exploring how a command about ultimate allegiance can keep the newly liberated people of Israel (and us) free.
April 6 · 56 min
Commands for Life Given to Noah and Abraham
The 10 Commandments E3 — What’s the purpose of God’s commands early in the biblical story? Following the Eden story in Genesis, a pattern develops of God issuing commands that preserve life and release blessing. But the challenge is that often the commands first look like death before they’re revealed to be a pathway to life. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore commands given to Noah and Abraham, discovering the good that comes when humans trust and obey God’s words.
March 30 · 47 min
God’s First Commands in the Bible
The 10 Commandments E2 — Why does God give commands and why is it so hard for humans to follow them? Before digging into the 10 Commandments line by line, we’ll first trace the theme of God’s commands in the Genesis scroll. The first two times God issues commands are on pages one and two of the Bible. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the blessing to “be fruitful and multiply,” as well as the “do not eat from the tree” command in Genesis 1 and 2, highlighting humanity’s folly and foundational
March 23 · 45 min
What Makes the 10 Commandments Special?
The 10 Commandments E1 — What comes to mind when you hear “Thou shalt not”? Probably the 10 Commandments! Even if you know very little about the Bible, you’re probably familiar with “Thou shalt not kill,” “Thou shalt not steal,” “Honor your father and mother,” and many others. They’re all over movies, literature, and even carved into public buildings. In the Exodus scroll, these are the core commands God gives to Israel on tablets of stone at the foot of Mount Sinai. And there’s a lot that sets
March 16 · 1 hr 15 min
Jesus as the Psalm 2 Royal Son of God
Psalms 1 & 2 E4 — The New Testament authors make both subtle and direct claims to Jesus’ divinity, almost exclusively by referencing Israel’s Scriptures. In Psalm 2, one of the most quoted passages from the Hebrew Bible, Yahweh responds to the conspiring, violent nations by installing a king (whom he calls his Son) in Israel. Jesus and the apostles frequently use Psalm 2 language to describe Jesus’ divine identity and unique relationship to God the Father. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore th

BibleProject

The Spirit of Life and Death

The Spirit, Breath, and Wind Behind Everything

How We Made the 10 Commandments Video Series

How Does the 6th Commandment Apply to Killing in Military Combat?

Will We Trust God’s Wisdom or Our Own?

Weightier Matters Beneath the 10 Commandments

10th Commandment: Do Not Desire Your Neighbor’s Possessions

9th Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness

8th Commandment: Do Not Steal

7th Commandment: Do Not Commit Adultery

6th Commandment: Do Not Kill

5th Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother

4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath

3rd Commandment: Do Not Carry the Name in Vain

2nd Commandment: No Idols

1st Commandment: No Other Gods

Commands for Life Given to Noah and Abraham

God’s First Commands in the Bible

What Makes the 10 Commandments Special?

Jesus as the Psalm 2 Royal Son of God