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This is part 16 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Revelation is a complicated book of the Bible. It contains some of the most incredible and awe-inspiring descriptions of God's throne room and the final paradise on earth. It also describes sinister mayhem, wanton destruction, and toe-curling persecution. How can we make sense of it? In today's episode we'll go over the basics of authorship, audience, occasion, and purpose. Then we'll explore how Revelation uses visionary symbols to convey truth. Lastly, we'll go over five interpretive lenses through which you can understand the timing of the events in Revelation. We may not settle every issue, but my hope is that this overview will at least prepare you to read Revelation for yourself.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/98OFG5OSjNE?si=jcN6wZnbeqavNFRi
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See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
How to Read Revelation
Authorship
John is the author. (Rev 1:1-2)It is hard to say if this was the same John who wrote the Gospel of John and the Epistles.Later Christians generally believed Revelation was by the same John.The style, vocabulary, and themes are completely different.John was exiled to the island of Patmos because of his faith. (Rev 1:9)“The Roman government, beginning with the emperor Nero, no longer considered Christianity as a sect of Judaism, which was a legal religion in the empire. Instead, Rome began to view it as an undesirable foreign cult that was a menace to society. John’s testimony about Jesus Christ was viewed as a political crime and hence punishable under Roman law. His suffering was the price paid for obeying a different King and testifying to a different Lord.”[1]Audience
Rev 1:10 says John wrote to seven churches in the province of Asia Minor (western Turkey).These churches were in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.Occasion
Ephesus: enduring well, not growing weary, having discerned false apostles well, not lovingSmyrna: afflicted, in poverty, slandered by Jews, facing imprisonment, and martyrdomPergamum: holding fast, though Antipas martyred, tempted with sexual immorality and idolatryThyatira: loving, faithful, serving, enduring, tempted with sexual immorality and idolatrySardis: spiritually lethargic, lack vigilancePhiladelphia: keeping faithful despite oppositionLaodicea: arrogant, wealthy, complacentDid John learn what was going on in these churches? Was that why he wrote?Revelation is so visionary, it’s more likely that God prompted John by giving him these visions than that he wrote to detail with specific situations like many of Paul’s epistles.Purpose
Encourage churches to endure through persecution as well as to correct themRevelation both threatens and encourages.Mode
Symbols dominate the visions in Revelation (Rev 1:12-20)The seven golden lampstands = the seven churches (Rev 1:12, 20)The great red dragon = the devil = Satan = the ancient serpent (Rev 12:3, 9)Lake of fire that torments day and night = the second death (Rev 20:10; 21:8)The symbols in John’s visions are like political cartoons.“Someone has drawn an analogy between the symbolism of Revelation and political cartoons in our culture, in which pictures represent a reality. They are not to be taken literally, but they are to be taken as pointing to a reality. …So, for instance, I ask my student to imagine a political cartoon in which there is a wagon full of money with ropes tied to both ends of the wagon. An elephant is pulling in one direction, and a donkey is pulling in another. I ask them, ‘Who in the room thinks that somewhere in America there is a literal elephant and a literal donkey fighting over a wagon full of money?’ No one does, and I ask them, ‘What does this represent?’ and they all know exactly what it represents because they are familiar with Republicans and Democrats in our political system. The picture is symbolic, but it points to a real situation in the world.”[2]The seven heads = seven mountains (Rev 17:9)“At the outset, the angel identifies the seven heads with “seven mountains,” a phrase often used for Rome in the ancient world because it was built on seven hills (see Cicero, 6.5; Pliny, Nat. Hist. 3.66–67; et al.; see Swete 1911: 220 for others). The city began with an amalgamation of groups living on the seven hills (Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Equiline, Palatine, Quirinal, Viminal), and during Domitian’s reign a festival (the Septimontium) celebrated it. ”[3]Genre
Revelation is an apocalypse, an unveiling.It peels back the curtain of reality to reveal God’s perspective.Apocalyptic literature employs fantasy imagery to reveal truths about current and future realities.Structure
Ch 1 IntroCh 2-3 Seven letters to seven churchesCh 4-5 Throne roomCh 6-7 Seven sealsCh 8-11 Seven trumpetsCh 12-13 Dragon and the beastCh 14 The 144,000Ch 15-16 Seven bowls of wrathCh 17-18 Judgement on BabylonCh 19 Coming of Christ; ArmageddonCh 20 MillenniumCh 21-22:5 Paradise on earthCh 22:6-21 Final exhortationsInterpretive lenses
Roman Empire (preterist): the visions have already all or partially been fulfilled in the past.“Our difficulties lie with that other phenomenon of prophecy, namely that the “temporal” word is often so closely tied to the final eschatological realities. This is especially true in the book of Revelation. The fall of Rome in chapter 18 seems to appear as the first chapter in the final wrap-up, and many of the pictures of “temporal” judgment are interlaced with words or ideas that also imply the final end as part of the picture. There seems to be no way one can deny the reality of this.”[4]Church History (historicist): Looks for fulfillment in the history of the church during the Roman Empire and afterwardsFuture Empire (futurist): Sees visions as pertaining to the futureStruggles with timing statements“The time is near” (Rev 1:3)“I am coming soon” (Rev 3:11)“He knows that his time is short” (Rev 12:12)“See, I am coming soon” (Rev 22:7)“Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near” (Rev 22:10)“See, I am coming soon” (Rev 22:12)“Surely I am coming soon” (Rev 22:20)Allegory: Interprets allegorically as the ongoing struggle between good and evilTwo Horizons: Combine both Roman Empire and future empire viewsEncouragement
Revelation contains a blessing for readers. (Rev 1:3)In the end, God wins. (Rev 21:3-4; 22:3-5)Review
It's important to remember that John wrote Revelation within the realm of the Roman Empire when persecution from the government was a real threat. He was likely in exile on Patmos.John addressed the churches in Asia Minor, a province of the Roman Empire in western Turkey.Much like political cartoons, it is essential to recognize the distinction between the symbols in Revelation and the reality to which they point.Revelation is an apocalypse or an unveiling of God's perspective on current and future events.Preterists teach that the visions of Revelation, such as the seals, trumpets, and bowls refer to events that took place in the Roman Empire.Historicists see these same visions unfolding throughout the history of the church.Futurists believe these visions pertain to a future time when they will play out as described in Revelation.The two horizons view sees fulfillment in the Roman Empire, which foreshadows the future fulfillment at the end, just prior to Christ’s return.Revelation contains many terrifying visions of human suffering and death, but also it has hope for the future when God makes everything wrong with the world right.[1] Mark L. Wilson, Revelation, vol. 4, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, vol. Hebrews to Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002).
[2] George H. Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2011), 207.
[3]Osborne, Grant R. Revelation Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament Accordance electronic edition, version 1.0. Baker Academic: 2002, Grand Rapids.
[4] Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 271-2.
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This is part 15 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
In previous episodes, we've looked at Paul's church epistles and pastoral epistles. Today we move into the third section of epistles in the New Testament--the general epistles. Instead of surveying each of the eight general epistles, we'll just focus on two: Hebrews and 1 John. We'll ask about author, audience, occasion, purpose, and mode for each. Going through these two will hopefully provide you with helpful examples to enable you to read these epistles more fruitfully on your own.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/alXkHkkhn_w
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See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
The General Epistles
Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, JudeSome consider Hebrews to be Pauline, but even if Paul wrote it, it’s not to a church or a pastor, so it still fits as a general epistle2 John and 3 John are technical to specific individuals and thus not general epistlesHebrews
AuthorshipEvidence for PaulAssociated with Timothy and Rome (Heb 13:23-24)Pauline themesEvidence against PaulNon-Pauline themesAncient uncertainty (Origen, Eusebius, etc.)Non-standard openingNot an eyewitness (Heb 2:3)Daniel Wallace suggested Barnabas with help from Apollos.AudienceAs title indicates, the audience was Jewish.Persecuted (Heb 10:32-36)OccasionBecame aware of some falling away from faith (Heb 3:6; 4:14; 6:4-6; 10:23, 26-27)Concern that they will return to JudaismPurposeConvince Jewish Christians to endure in the faith instead of falling away (presumably back into Judaism)ModeShow that Jesus is betterCh 1: Jesus as God’s promised Messiah is better than the angels who gave the Law.Ch 2: Jesus’ salvation is better b/c he is human.Ch 3: Jesus is better than Moses.Ch 7: Jesus’ priesthood is better than Aaron’s.Ch 8: Jesus’ covenant is better than the old covenant b/c it has better promises.Ch 9: Jesus’ heavenly priestly service is better than the priests serving at the temple on earth.Ch 10: Jesus’ sacrifice is better than animal sacrifices.Ch 11: The unshakable Mt. Zion covenant is better than the covenant at Mt. Sinai.Overall rhetorical effect to ask, “Why in the world would Christ-followers want to downgrade to Judaism after they’ve tasted something so much better?”1 John
AuthorshipNo author in the document itself (1 John 1:1)Early Christians refer to this letter as written by JohnIrenaeus (a.d. 180) attributed the Gospel of John and 1 John to “John, the disciple of the Lord”[1]Later Christians agreed, including Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and the Muratorian CanonEusebius says, “But of John’s writings, in addition to the Gospel, the first of the letters is unambiguously accepted [as genuine] both by people today and by the ancients” (H.E. 3.24.17)[2]Definitely the same John who wrote the Gospel of John (John the Apostle)Same vocabulary and writing styleAudienceChristians that John is worried aboutOccasion: concern over rogue Christians“They went out from us, but they did not belong to us” (1 John 2:19).They are trying to deceive the regular Christians (2:26; 3:7).Many false prophets have gone out (4:1).They are denying that Jesus is the Christ (2:22).They may have been teaching that sin is ok (3:7-10).PurposeEquip Christians to discern and resist false teachingsEncourage them toLive righteouslyBelieve correctly about JesusLove one anotherModeChristology“Confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (4:2)“Testify that the Father has sent his son as the savior of the world” (4:14).“Confess that Jesus is the son of God” (4:15)“Believes that Jesus is the Christ” (5:1)“Believes that Jesus is the son of God” (5:5)“Believes in the son of God” (5:10)“Life is in his son” (5:11)“Believe in the name of the son of God” (5:13)Behavior (1 John 3:7-10)“It is unlikely that John has in mind absolute sinless perfection, since earlier he has denounced those who say they are without sin (1:8, 10). Rather, John has in mind the blatant sinning to which those who have left the community have fallen prey (2:19). In view of the letter as a whole, such sinning probably involves denial of Christ’s human nature (4:2-3; theological lapse), flaunting of God’s (or Christ’s) commands (2:4; ethical lapse), failure to love (4:20; relational lapse), or some combination of these grave errors.”[3]Many appeals to live righteously (1 John 1:.5-6; 2:1-6; 3:4-10, 23-24; 5:18)Live differently than the world (1 John 2:15-17; 3:1, 13; 4:4-6; 5:4-5, 19)Love your brother/sister in Christ (1 John 2:10-11; 3:11, 14-18; 4:7-12, 16-21; 5:1-3)Review
General epistles are for Christians in general rather than a specific church or person.In order to understand the general epistles, it's helpful to figure out authorship, audience, occasion, purpose, and mode.Authorship is explicit for James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude, but takes some work to figure out for Hebrews and 1-3 John.Hebrews was probably not written by Paul but by someone who spent time with him like Priscilla, Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos.Audience and occasion are often intertwined and determinable by gleaning bits of historical information from the epistles themselves. As you read, ask yourself, "Who was the original audience?" and "What was going on with them?"To discern the purpose, ask, "What is the author's main goal in this epistle?"Mode is answering the question, "How does the author go about achieving his purpose?"Once you've figured out the author, audience, occasion, purpose, and mode, understanding the rest of the epistle's particulars is much easier.[1] Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.16.5, 8. ANF translation.
[2] Eusebius, 148.
[3] Yarbrough, Robert. “1 John” in Hebrews to Revelation, vol 4 of ZIBBCNT, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 176-212.
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This is part 14 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
The Pastoral Epistles are letters to church leaders, instructing them how churches should function. Though they are not well read by most Christians today, they remain authoritative for pastors, elders, and deacons. Today we'll cover 1-2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. We'll explore the major theme of how the church should be a well-run household where godliness prevails. Additionally, we'll consider qualifications for leadership, warnings against false teachers, and the incredible importance of sound teaching.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-zdww6-Udk&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2TrdUEDtAipF3jy4qYspM_&index=14&t=1004s&pp=iAQB
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See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
The Pastoral Epistles
1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, PhilemonPhilemon is not always included as a pastoral Epistle since it only deals with a specific issue regarding a single person.Household
Paul employs the metaphor of a household in the pastorals to illustrate the order he’d like to see in the churches (1 Tim 3:14-15).ZIBBC: “In Xenophon’s essay, the husband instructs his fourteen-year-old bride (the average age for marriage among Greek and Roman girls was fourteen to sixteen) on her vital role in managing the household resources, including the care and supervision of household slaves, while he supervised the gathering of produce from the farms. Because of the presence of slaves and freedmen in an average ancient household, management of sometimes large households could be demanding.”[1]Lynn Cohick: “The family in the Greco-Roman world valued the community over the individual and promoted corporate honor and fortune. Those living in the domus (“home”) included parents and children, and perhaps extended family, such as adult siblings, cousins, and grandparents, as well as slaves, freedmen, and freedwomen. Each individual had a specific status within the home, and each family member deemed the social status of the family, including its wealth and social prestige, as of equal or greater value than their personal happiness.”[2]Paul is concerned for how outsiders will perceive the churches (1 Tim 3:7).Everyone has a place and a role.Men's role (1 Tim 2:8), older men (Tit 2:2), younger men (Tit 2:6-8).Women's role (1 Tim 2:9-15), older women (Tit 2:3), younger (Tit 2:4-5)Respect elders (1 Tim 5:1-2, 17-19).Young widows should marry (1 Tim 5:11-15).Take care of your own family (1 Tim 5:7-8, 16).Support real widows (1 Tim 5:3-6, 9-10).Slaves obey & submit (1 Tim 6:2; T 2:9-10)Rich be humble/generous (1 Tim 6:18-19)Godliness (Eusebia)
1 Tim 4:7-8; Tit 2:11-12 (See also 1 Tim 2:1-2; 5:4.)Translated “godliness” but has nothing to do with being like God or imitating God.Showing expected reverencePiety (Latin = pietas)Pious, reverent, dutifulShown not just to God (or gods) but also to the city and to one’s householdChurch Leadership
Overseer’s qualifications (1 Tim 3:2-7; T 1:7-9)
Elders’ qualifications (Tit 1:6)Deacon's qualifications (1 Tim 3:8-13)Standards are high for service in the church.Overseers must manage their own households well (1 Tim 3:4-5).Warnings Against False Teachers
Some strange Jewish teachings (1 Tim 1:4, 6-7; Tit 1:10-11, 14)Asceticism (1 Tim 4:1, 3)Proto-gnostics (1 Tim 6:20)Unlabeled false teachings (2 Tim 2:14, 16, 23, 25; Tit 3:9)Warn those who cause divisions (twice), then have nothing more to do with them (Tit 3:10-11)Names individuals: Hymenaeus & Alexander (1 Tim 1:20), Phygelus & Hermogenes (2 Tim 1:15), Hymenaeus & Philetus (2 Tim 2:17-18), Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim 4:14)Sound Teaching (Healthy Doctrine)
Sin is when you live contrary to healthy doctrine (ὑγιαινούση διδασκαλία) (1 Tim 1:10).Sound teaching nourishes you (1 Tim 4:6).Encouraged to hold the standard of sound teaching (2 Tim 1:13)“People will not put up with sound teaching” (2 Tim 4:3).“Rebuke them sharply, so that they become sound in the faith” (Tit 1:14).“Teach what is consistent with sound instruction” (Tit 2:1).Reading the Pastoral Epistles
Mostly focused on church leadershipChurch leaders NEED to read them.The pastorals tell us who is qualified and who is disqualified for church leadership.It’s good for everyone to know what they say so you can hold your leaders accountable.Philemon
Philemon was a wealthy Christian leader who had a house church.His slave, Onesimus, ran away and later became a Christian.Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon, asking Philemon to treat him as a brother.This Epistle is a masterful piece of rhetoric, Paul at his finest.Ben Witherington III calls Philemon the emancipation proclamation of the NT.Review
Paul wrote the pastoral Epistles toward the end of his life.The metaphor of a household illustrates how the churches should function.Everyone should play their role according to their duty, whether men or women or elderly or young.Godliness is a major concept in the pastoral Epistles. It refers to performing your duty with proper honor. It's important that Christians live respectfully and with proper dignity before a watching and suspicious world.The pastoral Epistles include clear qualifications for church leaders, including that they manage their own households well.The churches in Ephesus and Crete were beset with false teachers from both Jewish and Greco-Roman sources.Paul encourages Timothy and Titus to adhere to sound teaching (healthy doctrine), so that people will escape the dangers of false teachers.Philemon was a wealthy church leader who managed a household that included slaves.Paul sent Philemon his runaway slave, instructing him to accept Onesimus as a brother.Paul told Philemon to charge any debt Onesimus owed him to his account.Such a request radically reconfigured social norms in a way that undermined the system of slavery.[1]Baugh, S. M. “1 Timothy” in Romans to Philemon, vol. 3 of ZIBBCNT-5, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 444-478.
[2] Lynn H. Cohick, "Women, Children, and Families in the Greco-Roman World," in The World of the New Testament, ed. Lee McDonald Joel Green (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013), 179.
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This is part 13 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Before getting to the Church Epistles, we'll begin with an overview of how letters were written, read, and performed. Then we'll see how they are arranged in our Bibles. We'll spend a good deal of time talking about occasion. Why did Paul write each letter? What was going on that prompted him to initiate the expensive and elaborate process of writing to them? Lastly, we'll briefly consider how to apply what we read to our lives.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg3tInZU9JY&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2TrdUEDtAipF3jy4qYspM_&index=13&pp=iAQB
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See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Letters in the First Century
Letters written on papyrus with ink by a professional scribe (amanuensis)Though most letters that have survived from the ancient world were short and to the point, Paul’s Epistles are extremely long.Because there was no postal system, someone had to carry the letter to its destination.Upon arrival, most people couldn’t read, so a professional would need to read it aloud.This was difficult because there were no chapters, verses, paragraphs, punctuation, or spaces between words (scriptio continua).Name
Greek Words
English Words
Verses
Chapters
Romans
7113
9506
432
16
1 Corinthians
6832
9532
437
16
2 Corinthians
4480
6160
257
13
Galatians
2232
3227
149
6
Ephesians
2424
3047
155
6
Philippians
1631
2261
104
4
Colossians
1583
1993
95
4
1 Thessalonians
1484
1908
89
5
2 Thessalonians
826
1065
47
3
Church Epistles in Chronological Order
Galatians 481 Thessalonians 49-512 Thessalonians 49-511 Corinthians 53-552 Corinthians 53-55Romans 57Philippians 62Colossians 62Ephesians 62Developing Your Knowledge of the Greco-Roman World
Get background books like The World of the New Testament by Green and McDonald and Zondervan’s Illustrated Bible Background Commentary by Clinton Arnold.Read the literature that has survived. Hundreds of volumes are available in the Loeb Classical Library.Learn about archeology in the Mediterranean world around the time of Christ (Biblical Archeological Review).Take a tour to visit the sites in Greece and Turkey (Spirit and Truth International).Study the geography of the region on maps that show the correct place names for the first century.Deciphering the Occasion
Each letter arose out of a specific circumstance. What was going on among the Christians in that city that caused Paul to write?Galatians: Judaizers had visited churches Paul founded, telling people they needed to follow the law of Moses.1 Corinthians: Chloe sent word of divisions in Corinth; Paul also received a letter asking specific questions.2 Corinthians: false teachers had ensconced themselves in Corinth who criticized and undermined Paul.Philippians: Epaphroditus brought Paul financial assistance from Philippi.Reading the Church Epistles
The first time through, just get your bearings. Read for scope.What’s going on in that church? What’s going on in that city? What are their concerns? What are the doctrinal errors that Paul is correcting?The second time through, read more slowly, paying attention to major units of thought (usually paragraphs). Ask yourself how each section contributes to the whole.Sometimes it is difficult to understand a particular sentence or phrase.1 Cor 15:29 “baptism on behalf of the dead”1 Cor 11:10 “because of the angels”No one understands everything. It’s more important to get the main point than understand every little nuance.Form of ancient letters[1]
Author(s)Recipient(s)GreetingPrayer/thanksgivingContentFinal greeting(s) and farewellContent Section
These Epistles are loaded with theology and practical application.Not systematic theologies, neatly organizedRather, they move from topic to topic based on the need of the congregation, oftentimes based on a previous (now lost) letter or communication they made to Paul.Romans and Ephesians come closest to laying out a theological system.Application
What is Paul asking them to do?Are my particulars similar enough to say this instruction applies to me as well?How much of what he said is culturally conditioned?Can I derive a principle that applies in general today?Review
Sending long letters in the Roman world was expensive and difficult due to the cost of materials, the skill required to write, and the need to have someone carry and read your letter aloud to the recipients.Paul sent the Church Epistles to Christian churches living in major Greco-Roman cities.We know much about the culture, politics, and geography of these cities due to surviving literature, archeological discoveries, and the ability to travel to them.Deciphering the occasion for which Paul wrote is the single most beneficial piece of information to help you understand an Epistle’s overarching purpose.As you read through an Epistle for the first time, try to get the big picture. Then as you read through it again, try to figure out how each section relates to the whole.It's ok not to understand a particular verse. It's more important to understand the point Paul is making rather than the particulars.When applying the Epistles to your life, look for comparable circumstances and general principles.[1] See Fee & Stuart, p. 59
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This is part 12 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Acts is an action-packed book full of excitement and wonder. We learn about the early expansion of the Church from a small group of ragged Christ-followers to dozens of house churches throughout major cities in the Mediterranean world. How did Christianity "go public"? The book of Acts tells that story. In this episode you'll learn four major emphases in Acts as well as how to think through application for us today.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TIzpc3mfOg&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2TrdUEDtAipF3jy4qYspM_&index=12&pp=iAQB
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For more about Family Camp visit LHIMCheck out the UCA conferences for USA, UK, and NZ hereSee other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Luke wrote Acts.
Acts 1:1-2Acts is the second volume.Luke is about the life of Christ.Acts is about the early expansion of the church.Major events of Acts
1:1-11 Jesus commissions and ascends.1:12-27 Peter initiates replacing Judas.2:1-47 Spirit is poured out, and Peter preaches.3:1-26 Peter heals lame man and preaches.4:1-6:7 Communal living in Jerusalem6:8-7:60 Stephen’s martyrdom8:1-40 Philip’s expansion to Samaria, Ethiopia9:1-31 Paul’s conversion, expansion to Damascus9:32-9:43 Peter’s mission to Lydda and Joppa10:1-11:18 Peter converts Cornelius in Caesarea.11:19-30 Barnabas brings Paul to Antioch.12:1-24 Peter’s arrest and miraculous escape12:25-16:5 Paul’s 1st missionary journey16:6-19:20 Paul’s 2nd missionary journey19:21-21:17 Paul’s 3rd missionary journey21:18-28:31 Paul’s arrest and trip to RomeOrganization of the book
The first half is about Peter (1-12).The second half is about Paul (13-28).Acts 1:8 outlines the book: they expanded from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth.Leading and experience of God’s spirit
Baptized with the spirit, filled with the spirit, pour out the spirit, receive the spirit, spirit fell upon: 1:5, 8; 2:4, 17; 4:31; 8:17; 9:17; 10:44-45; 11:15-16; 13:52Speaking in tongues; prophecy: 2:4, 17-18; 10:46; 11:28; 19:6; 20:22-23; 27:21-22Exorcisms: 5:16; 8:7; 16:18; 19:12-16Healing and miracles: 3:6-7; 5:12, 15-16; 8:39; 9:17-18, 34-35; 12:7-10; 13:11; 14:10; 19:11; 20:9-10; 28:3-6, 8-9Supernatural direction: 1:16, 26; 8:26, 29; 9:10-16; 13:2; 15:28; 16:7; 18:9-10; 20:28; 21:11; 23:11; 27:23-24Rapid expansion through conversion
Convert 3,000 on day of Pentecost (2:41)5,000 after healing lame man at the temple (4:4)Conversions of whole towns: Samaria (8), Lydda, and Joppa (9)Conversions of key people: Ethiopian treasurer (8); Paul of Tarsus (9); Cornelius the centurion (10); Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus, (13); Lydia, a wealthy Philippian merchant, (16); Crispus, a synagogue leader in Corinth, (18); Publius of Malta (28)Perseverance through persecution
Sadducees arrest Peter and John (4).Sadducees arrest apostles (5).A mob stones Stephen (7).Paul leads persecution in Jerusalem (8).King Herod executes James (12).King Herod imprisons Peter (12).Jewish leaders expel Paul and Barnabas from Pisidian Antioch (13).Jewish leaders stone Paul at Lystra (14).City magistrates arrest Paul and Silas at Philippi (16).Jewish mob attacks Jason at Thessalonica (17).Jewish leaders accuse Paul before Proconsul Gallio at Corinth (18).Demetrius instigates riot against Paul at Ephesus (19).Jewish mob attacks Paul at Jerusalem (21).Plot of Jewish leaders to murder Paul (23)Paul’s trial before Felix (24)Paul’s trial before Festus (25)Paul’s defense before King Agrippa (26)Paul’s shipwreck (27)Paul’s house arrest at Rome (28)Respectful of Roman authorities
Paul is respectful to his arresting officer, Claudius, (21:33, 37-40).He asserts his Roman citizenship (22:24-29).He cordially converses with Felix, Roman governor of Judea, (24).Paul appeals to have a trial before Caesar in Rome b/c he’s afraid he won’t get a fair hearing in Judea.Paul interacts respectfully with Festus and King Agrippa.King Agrippa says Paul should’ve been set free (26:31-32).Paul complies on the whole journey while under arrest.Including the Gentiles
Originally, Christianity was 100% Jewish.Gentiles (non-Jews) began believing in Jesus, and God demonstrated his acceptance through his spirit (see Acts 10:44-45).Both Peter and Paul preached to Gentiles and accepted them as part of God’s family.After a disagreement broke out over the Gentiles (Acts 15:1-2), the disciples decided Gentiles could be part of the church without keeping the law.Acts is the historical spine of the NT
Acts tells you about how Christianity came to many places mentioned in other parts of the NT.On Paul’s second missionary journey, he visited Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus. These are all places to which he wrote Epistles.Prescriptive vs. descriptive
Does Acts prescribe how we should live or describe what they did?Acts 2:44-46 talks about sharing all our possessions. Is this normative for all Christians for all time?Fee & Stuart: “Unless Scripture explicitly tells us we must do something, what is only narrated or described does not function in a normative (i.e. obligatory) way—unless it can be demonstrated on other grounds that the author intended it to function in this way.”[1]Review
Acts is a history of the church that Luke wrote to follow his biography of Christ.Acts describes the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth (i.e. the Mediterranean world).In Acts, Luke is interested in the activity of God's spirit, missionary activity resulting in conversions, and how Christians are respectful to Roman authorities.The inclusion of Gentiles into the early Christian movement caused a significant controversy, resulting in the decision that they did not need to keep the law.Acts provides the historical backbone into which fit many of the Epistles of the NT.Luke tells of Paul's three missionary journeys, as well as his final treacherous journey to Rome under arrest.Although Acts shows us what is possible as we walk with God, it does not prescribe that Christians today must do everything the way they did it (descriptive not prescriptive).[1] Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 124.
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This is part 11 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
The Gospels are evangelistic biographies of Jesus. In today's episode you'll learn the basic storyline of the four biblical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Then we'll go through them from shortest to longest to see how each brings a unique and helpful perspective in telling the life of Christ. We'll also hit some important concepts like the kingdom of God, parables, and the word of God. Lastly, we'll ask about application. How can you figure out which sayings of Christ apply to you today and which ones do not?
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/0iHhidbL4e8?si=3rs4fGGtQjsJAObB
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
The Four Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and JohnGospel = good newsThe Gospels are biographies about Jesus which seek to convince readers about the good news that he is the Messiah.Basic Storyline of the Gospels
Birth narrativesJohn’s ministryJohn baptizes Jesus.Jesus calls the twelve.Teachings of JesusMiracles of JesusConflict with criticsTriumphal entryIntensified conflictLast supperArrest, trial, executionResurrection appearancesGreat commissionMark (11,305 words)
Papias: “And the elder used to say this: ‘Mark, having become Peter’s interpreter, wrote down accurately everything he remembered, though not in order, of the things either said or done by Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but afterward, as I said, followed Peter, who adapted his teachings as needed but had no intention of giving an ordered account of the Lord’s sayings. Consequently Mark did nothing wrong in writing down some things as he remembered them, for he made it his one concern not to omit anything that he heard or to make any false statement in them.’”[1]John (15,633 words)
Purpose statement: John 20:30-3130 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.Matthew (18,348 words)
Five blocks of teaching5-7 Sermon on the Mount10 Missionary Instruction13 Parables of the Kingdom18 Discourse on the Church24-25 Olivet DiscourseLuke (19,483 words)
Luke’s method: Luke 1:1-41 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I, too, decided, as one having a grasp of everything from the start, to write a well-ordered account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may have a firm grasp of the words in which you have been instructed.Luke’s historical precision: Luke 3:1-21 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.The Synoptic Gospels
Matthew, Mark, and LukeMatthew and Luke quote Mark extensively.Both quote another source of sayings as well.Still, much of Matthew and Luke is unique to them.Fee & Stuart: “Take, for example, the fact that there is such a high degree of verbal similarity among Matthew, Mark, and Luke in their narratives, as well as in their recording of the sayings of Jesus. Remarkable verbal similarities should not surprise us about the sayings of the one who spoke as no one ever did (John 7:46). But for this to carry over to the narratives is something else again—especially so when one considers (1) that these stories were first told in Aramaic, yet we are talking about the use of Greek words; (2) that Greek word order is extremely free, yet often the similarities extend even to precise word order; and (3) that it is highly unlikely that three people in three different parts of the Roman Empire would tell the same story with the same words—even to such minor points of individual style as prepositions and conjunctions.”[2]Fee & Stuart: “The best explanation of all the data is …that Mark wrote his gospel first, probably in part at least from his recollection of Peter’s preaching and teaching. Luke and Matthew had access to Mark’s gospel and independently used it as the basic source for their own. But they also had access to all kinds of other material about Jesus, some of which they had in common. This common material, however, is scarcely ever presented in the same order in the two gospels, a fact suggesting that neither one had access to the other’s writing. Finally, John wrote independently of the other three, and thus his gospel has little material in common with them. This, we would note, is how the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Gospels. …[W]ith the Spirit’s help, they creatively structured and rewrote the materials to meet the needs of their readers.”[3]Kingdom of God
Understanding what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God is criticalFee & Stuart: “[T]he major hermeneutical difficulty lies with understanding “the kingdom of God,” a term that is absolutely crucial to the whole of Jesus’ ministry…”[4]Likely, Jesus was pulling from Daniel who prophesies extensively about God’s kingdom coming to earth (Dan 2:44; 7:26-27)Parables
Short fictional stories that make a pointGet the main point; don’t get lost in trying to find a meaning for every aspect of the story.Jesus told some parables to hide truth from those who didn’t want it.He told others to teach his disciples important truth simply and effectively.Still others, he told as zingers to confront his critics.Word of God
The Bible does not typically call itself “the word”.“The word” is the message Jesus preached to repent due to the coming Kingdom.He wasn’t telling his Jewish listeners to repent and believe in the Bible, since they already believed in it.Compare Mark 4:13-15; Luke 8:11-12; Mat 13:19Word = word of God = word of the KingdomApplication
Must discern between the sayings Jesus limited to the people in front of him at that time and those that remain applicable to all his followers todayMat 10:9-11 tells his disciples not to carry any money with them. Does that mean true Christians don’t use money and just mooch off their neighbors?Luke 6:27-28 tells us to love our enemies, a commandment repeated in Mat 5:43-48; Rom 12:17-21; 1 Pet 3:9-11 and exemplified by Jesus’ actions.Review
The NT begins with four evangelistic biographies of Jesus called Gospels.Mark is the shortest Gospel. Its action-packed narrative is probably derived from Peter's recollections as well as God's direction via his spirit.John is the most theologically developed, and it contains monologues where Jesus talks about himself and his relationship to his Father.Matthew showcases Jesus as a Rabbi who teaches his followers how to live in light of the Kingdom of God.Luke was a careful historian who made an effort to present a "well-ordered account" to present the life of Christ to a noble Roman audience.The Kingdom of God is the core of Jesus' message and ministry. It refers to a coming age when God sets everything wrong with the world right.Jesus' favorite self-title was "Son of Man," which could either mean a human being or the ruler of the coming Kingdom.Parables are short fictional stories told to make a point.In the Gospels, the "word" refers to the message Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God, not the Bible in general.Although it's hard to be sure, most think Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source as well as another sayings source.In order to discern what sayings of Jesus apply to you, consider the circumstances in which they were given, whether other parts of the NT repeat the statement, and what Jesus' example can tell you.[1] Fragments of Papias 3.15 in Apostolic Fathers, trans. Michael Holmes, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2007).
[2] Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 141.
[3] Stuart, 142.
[4] Stuart, 132.
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This is part 10 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
We've taken our time working through the Old Testament, section by section. Before we tackle the New Testament and look at the Gospels, we need to talk about the time between the Old and New Testaments. In the gap of roughly four hundred years, massive political and cultural changes occurred. Nowhere in the Old Testament do we see anything about the Romans, Pharisees, Sadducees, or the Sanhedrin. In today's episode I'll catch you up on what happened after the OT and before the NT so you can better understand the world in which Jesus functioned.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3humYIVYho&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2TrdUEDtAipF3jy4qYspM_&index=10
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Recent History
Persians: Cyrus the GreatGreeks: Alexander the Great, Antiochus EpiphanesHellenization (2 Maccabees 4.7, 10-15; 1 Maccabees 1.41-53)Maccabean Revolution: Mattathias, Judah the Maccabee, Jonathan Apphus, Simon Thassi, John Hyrcanus, Aristobulus I, Alexander Jannaeus, Salome Alexandra, Hyrcanus II, Aristobulus IIRomans: Pompey the Great annexed Judea in 63bcHerodian Dynasty: Herod the Great and his descendantsGeographical and Political Setting
Roman Empire: Augustus (27bc-ad14), Tiberius (14-37), Caligula (37-41), Claudius (41-54), Nero (54-68)Provinces: every region outside of ItalyGalilee: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Antipas (4bc-ad39), Herod Agrippa I (37-44)Judea: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Archelaus (4bc-ad6), Coponius (6-9), Marcus Ambivulus (9-12), Annius Rufus (12-15), Valerius Gratus (15-26), Pontius Pilate (26-36), Marcellus (36-37), Marullus (37-41), Herod Agrippa I (41-44)Samaria: under Judean jurisdiction; Samaritans and Jews conflicted with each otherJewish Groups
Sadduceescontrolled the templepartners with Roman governorswealthy aristocratschief priests were the leadersonly accepted the Torah as scripturedidn’t believe in resurrection or angelsPhariseesfocused on obedience to Torahaccepted the law (Torah), prophets (Nevi’im), and writings (Kethuvim)oral tradition & fence lawsnot in power at the time of Jesus, except those in the SanhedrinSanhedrinRomans established 5 councils over 5 districtsmost important council was in Jerusalemhad temple police at their disposal to arrest peoplecould meet out punishments except capital punishment, which was reserved for the Roman governorScribesevery group had scribeseven Paul used scribes to write his letters (Tertius in Rom 16.22)writing was a skillcopy scripture to preserve itcalled lawyers or experts in the lawRevolutionarieswanted to overthrow Roman occupationJosephus, Antiquities of the Jews23 “But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy, Judas the Galilean was the author. These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty; and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. They also do not value dying any kind of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man Lord”John’s Renewal Movementcalled people to repentbaptized them in the Jordan Riverpossible connection with the EssenesImportant Issues
TempleTaxesTorahUnrestReview
When the Greeks conquered the world, they made cities adopt their customs, culture, language, and religion.When Antiochus Epiphanes forcibly Hellenized Judah, it resulted in the Maccabean Revolution under Mattathias and his sons.After they won their independence, the Hasmonean Dynasty ruled up until 63bc when Pompey annexed Judea into the Roman Empire.Herod the Great and his descendants ruled over the region for many years, though in Judea the Romans directly ruled through governors.During Jesus' ministry Herod Antipas ruled in Galilee and Pontius Pilate governed Judea and Samaria.Sadducees partnered with the Roman government and controlled the temple.The Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah, according to the traditions of the elders.The Sanhedrin was a council in Jerusalem made of Sadducees and Pharisees that controlled a police force and ruled on legal issues.Scribes copied scripture and had expert knowledge of the Law of Moses.Jesus lived in a time of fragile peace when Roman provocations threatened to light the match of Jewish revolution at any moment. -
This is part 9 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
The 17 books of the prophets comprise 27% of the Old Testament. Although some parts can be difficult to comprehend, they reveal the heart of God with raw pathos and brutal honesty. To read the prophets, then, is to draw near to God. No other section of scripture so beautifully and tragically reveals God's feelings. In this episode you'll learn about the major time periods, how to read the prophets within their context, and some of the major themes. As always, this brief survey should help you read and understand the bible for yourself.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nOkfIUxJJw&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2TrdUEDtAipF3jy4qYspM_&index=9
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Canonical Arrangement
5 Major ProphetsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDaniel12 Minor ProphetsHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiChronological Arrangement
early pre-exilic: Amos, Hosea, Jonah, Micah, Isaiahlate pre-exilic: Nahum, Zephaniah, Obadiah, Joel, Habakkuk, Jeremiahexilic: Ezekiel, Danielpost-exilic: Haggai, Zechariah, MalachiSetting
The historical context is helpfulIn Jer 1.1-3, Jeremiah prophecies during the last days of the kingdom. He’s the last chance for the people to repent. Since they go into exile anyhow, it’s easy to anticipate that the people will not respond to Jeremiah.The Prophet
God calls prophets into his service (Jer 1.4-6)oftentimes, the prophet has access to the king and speaks to himcompetition with false prophets (Jer 28.1-3, 15-17)Acting out prophecies
Ezekielbuilt a model of Jerusalem and acted out a siege against it (Ezek 4.1-3)lay on his side for 390 days (Ezek 4.4-5)cooked his food over animal excrement (Ezek 4.12, 14-15)Jeremiahshattered a piece of pottery (Jer 19.10-11)wore an oxen yoke around (Jer 27.2)bought a property while city is under siege (Jer 32.24-25)Isaiahwalked barefoot and naked for 3 years (Is 20.2-4)Hoseamarried an unfaithful prostitute to illustrate God’s relationship w/ Israel who kept cheating on him with idols (Hos 1.2)Preaching to the People
fidelity to the Torah, the covenantjustice in business dealings and courtstake care of the vulnerable quartet (Jer 22.11-16)practice moral and ritual aspects of religion (Jer 7.4-10)avoid fake righteousness and hypocrisy (Jer 9.8)do not worship idols (Jer 7.16-18)Prophesies of the Future
near judgment or restorationjudgment upon nations (Edom, Egypt, Syria, etc.)use Assyrians/Babylonians to judge Israel/Judahreturn to the land and enjoy covenant blessingsbe faithful or lose the land againeschatological judgment and restorationa Davidic king will rule wisely and execute justicehealing for the lame, deaf, blind, etc.healing for the land, especially the desertsabundance and prosperitypeace among the nationsno need for militaries or even training for warpeace among the animalselimination of death itselfProphets Reveal God’s Heart
God is a loverprophets express God’s emotionslots of colorful languageGod provides hope for the remnantReview
The prophets make up a huge portion of the Old Testament (17 books)Some prophets served before the exile, others during the exile, and others after the exile.Pay attention to the historical context, including who was king and what was happening with Israel or Judah.Prophets are commissioned by God to speak his words to his people and his king.The prophets sometimes had encounters with false prophets who challenged their message and authority.A prophet's predictions served to authenticate or disprove their legitimacy.The prophets fought injustice, especially the exploitation of the quartet of the vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the sojourner, and the poor.The prophets railed against idolatry and hypocrisy.Yet they also prophesied about the coming kingdom judgement and restoration, offering hope for the remnant.Because the prophets were close to God, they reveal his heart in a way no other part of the Bible does. -
This is part 8 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
The Book of Psalms is an eclectic collection of poetry that you can use to connect to God. In today's episode you'll learn about the different kinds of psalms, who wrote them, and how Hebrew poetry works. The goal, as always, is to equip you to read and understand on your own. Whether you've been reading the Psalms for years or are brand new to them, this episode should empower you to get more out of them than ever before. Also, I conclude by recommending a method of reading, called Lectio Divina, which you can use to meditate on the Psalms.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2lJMxFR7n4
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Check out All 150 Psalms CategorizedSee other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Basic Facts
Phenomenal for devotional reading, emotional connection150 total psalmsCalled psalms, not chapters (Psalm 50:4 not Psalms 50:4)Authors: David (73), Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Heman the Ezrahite (1), Ethan the Ezrahite (1), Moses (1), Solomon (2), Anonymous (49)Book 1: 1-41Book 2: 42-72Book 3: 73-89Book 4: 90-106Book 5: 107-150David reassigned the Levites to develop a music ministry to worship God (1 Chron 16:4-6, 41-42).Chesed
כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ (1 Chron 16:41) for his chesed (is) forever.הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה כִּי־טוּב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ (Ps 118:1) O give thanks to Yahweh for (he is) good for his chesed (is) forever.chesed is an extremely important word in the Psalms.“EVV [English versions] translate chesed by expressions such as ‘steadfast love’ and ‘constant love.’ It is sometimes described as covenant love, though in the OT it rarely appears in the company of the word ‘covenant.’ It is used in two connections: when someone makes an act of commitment for which there is no reason in terms of prior relationship, and when someone keeps their commitment when they might be expected to abandon it (e.g., because the other person has done so). It is the Hebrew equivalent to the Greek agape.”[1]Walter Brueggemann’s Three Kinds of Psalms
Orientation: celebrate order in creation and in morality (Psalm 8)Disorientation: complaints about injustice and God’s inactivity (Psalm 88)Reorientation: renewed sense of trust; thanksgiving for deliverance (Psalm 30)The psalms nicely compliment the various types of wisdom literature we covered last time.14 Types of Psalms
Praise PsalmsHistorical PsalmsTorah PsalmsCreation PsalmsRoyal PsalmsEnthronement PsalmsWisdom PsalmsProphecy PsalmsTrust PsalmsPetition PsalmsComplaint PsalmsRepentance PsalmsImprecatory PsalmsThanksgiving PsalmsHebrew Poetry
Word playAcrostic psalmsThought rhyming instead of word rhymingSynonymous parallelismAntithetical parallelismSynthetic parallelismTransliterated Terms
Selah (71x) may mean a pause (perhaps for a musical interlude).Maskil (13x), miktam (6x), gittith (3x), alamoth (1x), higgaion (1x), and shiggaion (1x) were probably musical instructions of some sort.Lectio Divina (Divine Reading)
First readingRead the psalm or a section of it twice.Pause to reflect on what you read.Second readingRead text once.Look for a verse or phrase that sticks out to you.Pause and reflect on that phrase turning it over in your mindThird readingRead text once.Ask God what he wants you to do in relation to the phrase you have been contemplating.Listen for a response.Review
The book of Psalms contains 150 poems, songs, and prayers written by several different authors, divided into five books.More psalms are associated with David than anyone else (73). He was responsible for tasking the Levites with praising God through music.A key reason to praise God in the Psalms is because his chesed (steadfast love) endures forever.Psalms of orientation celebrate the orderliness of creation and the moral universe.Psalms of disorientation cry out for help amidst times of injustice, persecution, and suffering.Psalms of reorientation thank God for his deliverance in a situation.The many kinds of psalms are for you to use when you go through similar blessings, trials, doubts, and deliverances.Lectio Divina is an ancient meditative practice that you can use to get more out of the psalms you read.Appendix: All the psalms categorized by type
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Types
Description
Psalms
1
praise
extolling God for his character and actions
23, 24, 34, 46, 67, 76, 95, 100, 103, 111, 117, 139, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150
2
historical
overviews of interactions between God and his people
78, 81, 89, 105, 106, 114, 132, 135, 136
3
Torah
poems about the Torah and the benefits of obedience
1, 19, 112, 119
4
creation
songs about the well-ordered creation
8, 19, 65, 104, 148
5
royal
poems about the king; messianic psalms
2, 20, 21, 45, 61, 72, 101?, 110, 144?, 149?
6
enthronment
poems about God sitting on his throne and ruling
9, 24, 29, 33, 47, 50?, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 102?, 113, 145, 146
7
wisdom
extolling wisdom and disparanging folly
1, 14, 15, 37, 49, 52, 53, 73, 90, 101, 112, 127, 128,
8
prophecy
words spoken by God to the people
2, 50, 81, 82, 91, 108, 110, 132
9
trust
expressing confidence in what God will do
57, 61, 62, 63, 68, 69, 71, 73, 77, 82, 85, 91, 94, 102, 115, 121, 125, 131
10
petition
asking for deliverance (usually from enemies)
3, 6, 7, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27, 31, 36, 40, 41, 54, 56, 59, 60, 69, 70, 79, 86, 108, 123, 141, 142, 143, 144
11
complaint
complaining, asking "how long?" "why?" etc.
13, 42, 43, 44, 60, 74, 80, 88, 89, 120
12
repentance
repenting from sinful action(s)
32, 38, 39, 51, 130
13
imprecatory
wishing God to harm one's enemies
5, 10, 11, 12, 28, 35, 55, 58, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, 140
14
thanksgiving
thanking God for the deliverance he has provided
4, 16, 18, 30, 40, 64, 65, 66, 75, 92, 107, 116, 118, 124, 138
15
Zion, pilgrimage
songs praising Zion/Jerusalem or talking about going there
48, 84, 87, 122, 125, 126, 128, 129, 133, 134, 147
[1] John Goldingay, Psalms, vol. 3: Psalms 90-150, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms, ed. Tremper Longman III, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), 753. I altered his spelling from hesed to chesed to conform to the actual pronunciation.
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As the dust continues to settle from last week's debate between Dale Tuggy and James White, reviewers are coalescing on a rather exciting conclusion. Tuggy handedly won the debate! Rumor has it that James White has even requested a rematch! We'll have to wait and see if anything happens on that front, but requesting a rematch is not something the winner typically does.
In today's episode, I bring on Dr. Dustin Smith of the biblical unitarian podcast to respond to James White's arguments, not only in his opening statement, but also in his rebuttal, cross-examination time, and conclusion. Yes, he introduced new arguments in every single phase of the debate. One wonders why he didn't respond to any of Tuggy's arguments. Let's see what Dustin Smith has to say.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
Watch the original debate between Dale Tuggy and James WhiteCheck out Dale Tuggy's review of the debateSee Sean Finnegan's paper and video presentation "The Deity of Christ from a Greco-Roman Perspective"See the video responses of Dustin Smith on Hebrews 1.10-12, Sean Finnegan on 1 Peter 3.15, Jerry Wierwille on Philippians 2.6-11, and William Barlow on John 12.41Get the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here -
We're taking a break this week from our class on Reading the Bible for Yourself. By the way, did you know that there's a separate podcast just for classes without any interruptions like this? You can find it if you search your podcast app for Restitutio Classes. Anyhow, I had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Dale Tuggy about his recent debate with Dr. James White and wanted to share that conversation with you now rather than waiting until the end of this class.
On March 9, 2024 in Houston Texas at the First Lutheran Church, Dale Tuggy debated James White on the question, "Is Jesus Yahweh?" White affirmed and Tuggy denied. Just to give you a little background on these two scholars, James White is a professor of Apologetics at Grace Bible Theological Seminary and has a bachelors from Grand Canyon University, a masters from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a doctorate of ministry from Columbia Evangelical Seminary. He has participated in over 180 public moderated debates and has written the book The Forgotten Trinity in which he presented his case that the Trinity is biblical. Dale Tuggy is an Analytic Theologian who has a bachelors from BIOLA, a masters from Claremont School of Theology, and a Ph.D. from Brown University. He's the chair of the Unitarian Christian Alliance and the author of What Is the Trinity?, which explains the major Trinity theories and the problems each faces. In what follows, I ask Tuggy how he thought the debate went.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
The debate lasted over two hours and is accessible on YouTube. The format of the debate was as follows:
Opening Statement (25 min each)Rebuttal (10 min each)Cross Examination (10 min each)Concluding Statement (5 min each)Audience Questions (20 min total)Here's the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky2SaHscSIo
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More interviews with Dale Tuggy hereVisit Tuggy's website at trinities.orgCheck out his books on Amazon, especially -
This is part 7 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
The Bible contains a treasure trove of wisdom literature that can help you navigate the ups and downs of life. Today you'll learn how to read and understand the books of Proverbs, Song of Songs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs and Song of Songs teach us how to handle ourselves when the world is working the way it should while Job and Ecclesiastes address how to think and live when chaos strikes. Taken together these four books offer a full-orbed perspective on practical wisdom that you can incorporate into your life.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZCAxSSNzU
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Proverbs
“[Proverbs] should not be read as promises but as guidelines, as principles for living. They show the way life works best 80 to 95 percent of the time. The Bible is clear throughout Scripture: if you live a life oriented to God, you will tend to have a good life.”[1]Proverbs 14:7: Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not find words of knowledge.The Fool
Mouth of a fool brings ruin near (10:14)Utters slander (10:18)Doing wrong for fun (10:23)Broadcasts folly (12:23)No restraint, careless (14:16)Despises parent's instruction (15:5)Does not receive a rebuke (17:10)Has plenty of personal opinions (18:2)Perverse speech (19:1)Quick to quarrel (20:3)Devours wealth (21:20)Despises wise words (23:9)Vents anger (29:11)Hasty in speech (29:20)The Wise
Honoring your parents (1:8-9; 10:1)Handling money well, avoiding debt (3:9-10; 22:7Discernment between right and wrong (3:21; 10:9; 28:5)Understanding (3:13; 4:7; 18:2)Fidelity in marriage (5:15-19; 6:32-35)Hard work instead of laziness (6:6-11; 15:19)Fearing the LORD (9:10; 24:21; 31:30)Teachability, humility (9:9; 11:2)Controlling what you say (10:19; 21:23)Righ -
This is part 6 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Tragically, many Christians skip over reading the Torah. They focus on the Gospels or Epistles of the New Testament. However, the first five books of the Bible contain many rich insights into God's heart and how he asked Israel to live. In fact, it's impossible to understand the rest of the Bible, or even Jesus, without first becoming familiar with the Law. This episode will provide you an overview of the Torah's instruction about holiness, sacrifice, justice, and sacred time.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/a9wxI1TWBlE
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfCheck out the class New Covenant Theology to learn more about biblical covenants as well as this podcast episode on the New Covenant and this one responding to typical arguments for Torah observance todayOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Reading the Law takes work
Sometimes it’s just weird (Lev 11:20-23)Sometimes it’s tedious (Ex 26:7-9)Important to focus while readingEliminate distractionsRead aloud if you canKeep track of things (underline, highlight, write notes in the margin)The books of the Law (Torah)
GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyFour categories of Law
HolinessSacrificeJusticeSacred timeSinai and the giving of the Law
God came down on the mountain and spoke audibly (Ex 19:16-21)The people agreed to obey and then “stood at a distance” while Moses went up and received the rest of the Law (Ex 20:18-21)Tabernacle
The 2nd half of Exodus contains meticulous instructions on how to build the tabernacle and everything that went outside and inside of it.The tabernacle is where -
This is part 5 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Now we begin the second main part of this class on reading the Bible for yourself. We'll be breaking the Bible into major sections so I can explain how each works. To start we'll consider the first 17 books of the Bible--the books of Old Testament historical narrative. You'll learn what to look for while reading, the major events covered, the various cultural backgrounds of those periods, God's personal name, and why reading OT history is extremely valuable.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtvJv-NfvBU
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Old Testament history includes the following books:
GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherChronology of major OT events:
Creation and EdenRebellions and ConsequencesAbraham & Sarah & DescendantsSojourning in Egypt10 Plagues and ExodusReceiving Torah at Mount Sinai40 Years of WanderingEntering the Promised LandJudgesSamuel (Hinge of History)Kings of the United KingdomSuccession of the Northern TribesAssyrian Deportation of IsraelBabylonian Deportation of Judah 70 Year Exile Return from ExileCultural backgrounds:
Pre-floodPatriarchsEgyptTribes (Judges 17:6)MonarchyEmpiresTheir History vs. Our History:
Real EventsAncient HistoriographyBiased but HonestGenealogiesEtiologiesThe Name of God:
God’s Name is יְהוָהHebrew Letters: yod hey vav hey (YHVH)Pronounced “Yahweh”Typically translated “the LORD”God’s proper name (Ex 20:2-3) -
I've been putting out podcast episodes on Restitutio since 2015. I've interviewed many authors in that time. However, I've never been interviewed as an author. That changed a couple of days ago when Sam Tideman of Transfigured had me on his show to talk about my new book, Kingdom Journey.We discussed the biblical idea of God's kingdom coming to earth for well over an hour. It was an awesome chance to share about the central theme of scripture and the clear emphasis of Jesus's ministry. Although it breaks my heart that so much of Christianity still clings to heaven as their home and destiny, I'm optimistic that the word will get out about the biblical vision of a renewed world with everything wrong with it made right.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/lsykGsETgNw?si=HAxsK7x4W02aqJNp
—— Links ——
Get your copy of Kingdom Journey today! It's available as a hardcover, paperback, and e-book.See these other episodes with Sam TidemanMore episodes about the kingdom of GodGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here -
This is part 4 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Exegesis and application take work. Today you’ll learn how to grasp the content of scripture by asking the question, “What did this text mean to the original audience?” Looking for a book’s author, audience, occasion, and purpose will help you answer that question. Next, we’ll consider application and answering the question, “What does this text mean to me today?” We’ll follow Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart’s application strategy as well as their four warnings about extended application, particulars that are not comparable, cultural relativity, and task theology.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
“If there was one bit of wisdom, one rule of thumb, one single skill I could impart, one useful tip I could leave that would serve you well the rest of your life, what would it be? What is the single most important practical skill I’ve ever learned as a Christian? Here it is: Never read a Bible verse. That’s right, never read a Bible verse. Instead, always read a paragraph at least.”[1]
What to Look For
AuthorAudienceOccasionPurposeTwo Tasks
Figure out what a text meant to its original audience.Figure out what it means to you today.Understand Then Apply
Get the author’s point before asking about application.What’s the author’s train of thought?Do not ask, “How does this affect my life?”Do not ask, “How does this fit into my theology?”Just focus on getting what the author is conveying in his own historical context.Paragraph style Bibles help with this tremendously, whereas verse paragraphs make it hard to see what is connected to what.Look up words and phrases that you don’t understand like a “Sabbath day’s journey”, “high places”, a “talent” or a “mina”.In most cases, a simple internet search will provide the answer.A paper study Bible or some apps will provide footnotes with helpful information.Have an O
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This is part 3 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Today is the first of two episodes on how to understand and apply the Bible. One of the greatest problems facing Bible readers today is the lifted verse. It's so common to see a verse or even half a verse posted on social media or on a sign somewhere. When most people read a random verse, they impose their own modern context and background information on it. As a result, it's easy to accidentally give a scripture new meaning that the original author never intended. How can we overcome this problem? Context. Today you'll learn about the 5 major contexts that are important to keep in mind when reading the Bible.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2UQeDoPKHA
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibleGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
Exegesis: a careful explanation of a text
synonyms: explanation, exposition, elucidationto exegete a text is to understand it correctly so that you can explain itHunger for Scripture
Ask God to give you a desire to read the BibleTwo Questions
What did it mean to the original audience then?What does it mean to you today?Context, Context, Context
Immediate contextCanonical contextHistorical contextGeographical contextCultural contextImmediate Context
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.Putting this verse in context:Philippians 4:10-1410 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.Canonical Context
Leviticus 11:4, 74 But among -
This is part 2 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
As I endeavored to show last time, the Bible is one of a kind. It's the result of dozens of authors, working under God's inspiration to produce scrolls of text over centuries. This process resulted in sixty-six books, including histories, legal texts, poetry, prophetic oracles and much more. Today we'll spend some time just getting oriented. We'll cover which books are in the Bible, the various genres, how references work, and ways that you can access the Bible.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UTTk73BX7E
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfOther classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the BibeGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here—— Notes ——
The Bible is not a single book, but a collection or library of sixty-six books.
GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SolomonIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelationThe Old Testament includes 39 books, written in Hebrew and Aramaic.
History [Torah, Judges, Kings, Exilic]Poetry [Philosophy, Songs, General Wisdom, Subversive Wisdom, Romance]Prophecy [Pre-Exilic, Exilic, Post-Exilic]The New Testament includes 27 books, written in Gre
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This is part 1 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Today we are beginning a new class called Read the Bible for Yourself. Whether you are new to scripture, or you’ve been reading it for years, this class will empower you to read and understand the bible like never before. You’ll gain key insights into the context, content, and application of scripture so you can take your reading and understanding to the next level.Today I want to begin with the question, "Why should you read the bible for yourself?" Why is this book even worth your time? For those of you who have been reading it for years, you get it, but how would you inspire a desire in someone else to go through the hard work of learning to read the bible proficiently? In this episode you'll see why everyone, even non-Christians, should put in the effort to read the good book.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/wXXnD1LLl-A
—— Links ——
See other episodes in Read the Bible For YourselfCheck out the class How We Got the BibleOther classes are available hereCheck out Sean's book, Kingdom Journey Get the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio hereNotes
The Bible survives in more manuscripts than other ancient documents.[1]
The Bible is available in more languages than other books.[2]
The Bible sells more copies than other books.[3]
Which two sayings are in the Bible?
Cleanliness is next to godlinessAm I my brother’s keeper?God helps those who help themselvesThis too shall passA living dog is better than a dead lionGod works in mysterious waysModeration in all things -
Although most often defined as "peace," the Hebrew word "shalom" is much bigger than that. It refers to not only the absence of war, but also the presence of wholeness and safety. In this sermon you'll gain a better understanding of this important biblical word as well as what God's heart is for shalom in the world and in your life. At times we all go through periods of crisis in which we lose our shalom, but thankfully we can return to God over and over and he can cause his face to shine upon us and give us peace.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
See these other posts about shalom and peaceCheck out Sean's brand new book, Kingdom Journey available on Amazon, Walmart, and Wipf and StockGet the transcript of this episodeSupport Restitutio by donating hereJoin our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSFLeave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the airIntro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.Who is Sean Finnegan? Read his bio here - Laat meer zien
