Bible Study - Sabbath School Podcast

Read for This Week’s Study: Mark 9:42–48; Mal. 4:1; Jude 7; 1 Tim. 2:5; Acts 2:29, 34, 35; 1 John 5:3–12. Memory Text: “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, NKJV). Italian poet Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) wrote his famous work, The Divine Comedy, about a fictional journey of the soul after death. The soul went either to the inferno (hell) within the earth; or to purgator...

Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “ ‘A Great Gulf Fixed,’ ” pp. 260–271, in Christ’s Object Lessons; “Calvary,” pp. 749–752, in The Desire of Ages; and “Teachers as Examples of Christian Integrity,” p. 504, in Fundamentals of Christian Education. “In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Christ shows that in this life men decide their eternal destiny. During probationary time the grace of G...

The Souls Under the Altar Read Revelation 6:9–11. How can the “souls” of the dead martyrs cry “under the altar”? The opening of the fifth Apocalyptic seal reveals an unusual scene. The souls of the martyrs were seen metaphorically “under the altar” crying to God for vengeance (Rev. 6:9–11). Some commentators are inclined to identify this “altar” as the altar of incense mentioned under the seventh...

Preaching to the Spirits in Prison Read 1 Peter 3:13–20. How did Christ preach “to the spirits in prison . . . in the days of Noah”? (See also Gen. 4:10.) Commentators who believe in the natural immortality of the soul usually point out that Christ preached “to the spirits in prison” (1 Pet. 3:19, NKJV) while He was still resting in the tomb. For them, His dis- incarnated spirit went into hell and...

“To Depart and Be With Christ” Read Philippians 1:21–24 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. When did Paul expect to be “with Christ” (Phil. 1:23) and “with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17)? Paul was driven with the passion to live “in Christ” now (2 Cor. 5:17) and “with Christ” after His second coming (see 1 Thess. 4:17). For the apostle, not even death could break the assurance of belonging to his Savior and L...

“ ‘Today . . . With Me in Paradise’ ” One of the Bible passages most widely used to try to prove the immor- tality of the soul is Luke 23:43—“He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise’ ” (NRSV). Almost all Bible versions (with few exceptions) translate this text in a similar way, giving the impression that on the very day Christ died, Christ and the thief would be togeth...

The Rich Man and Lazarus Read Luke 16:19–31. Why is this story not a literal description of the afterlife? Some scholars suggest that Luke 16:19–31 should be interpreted literally, that is, as describing the state of the dead. But this view would lead to several unbiblical conclusions and would contradict many of the passages that we have already looked at. First, we would have to admit that heave...

Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 16:19–31, Luke 23:43, John 20:17, Phil. 1:21–24, 1 Pet. 3:13–20, Rev. 6:9–11. Memory Text: “ ‘You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me’ ” (John 5:39, NKJV). Peter warns us: “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15, NKJV). Paul a...

Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Thessalonian Letters,” pp. 255–268; “Called to Reach a Higher Standard,” pp. 319–321, in The Acts of the Apostles. “The Romans,” writes Stephen Cave, “were well aware of the Christians’ belief that they would one day rise bodily from the grave and did every- thing they could to mock and hinder those hopes. A report of a persecution in Gaul in 177 ce recor...

The Everlasting Encounter Read 1 Corinthians 15:51–55. What “mystery” (1 Cor. 15:51) is Paul explaining? Some popular preachers suggest that this “mystery” (1 Cor. 15:51) is the “secret rapture” of the church, which is to occur seven years prior to Christ’s glorious second coming. In this “secret rapture” faithful Christians are suddenly, quietly, and secretly whisked off to heaven while everyone...

At the Sound of the Trumpet The Thessalonians were convinced that eternal life would be granted exclusively to those who would remain alive until the Second Coming. “They had carefully guarded the lives of their friends, lest they should die and lose the blessing which they looked forward to receiving at the com- ing of their Lord. But one after another their loved ones had been taken from them, a...

“ ‘I Will Raise Him Up’ ” In one of His miracles, Jesus fed 5,000 people with just a small amount of bread and fish (John 6:1–14). Perceiving that the multitude then intended to proclaim Him king (John 6:15), Jesus sailed with His disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. But the next day the multitude followed Him there, where He delivered His powerful ser- mon on the Bread of Life, with...

“I Will Come Again” Read John 14:1–3. It has already been almost 2,000 years since Jesus promised to come again. How can we help others see that, despite the great length of time (which really doesn’t matter), this promise is relevant even to our own generation, so long removed from the time when Jesus spoke it? Four times in the book of Revelation Jesus stated, “ ‘I am coming soon!’ ” (Rev. 3:11;...

Hope Beyond This Life The ancient Greek historian Herodotus (fifth century bc) wrote about a tribe that, at a birth, began a period of mourning because they antici- pated the suffering that the infant would face if it lived to adulthood. However alien to us the ritual might seem, there is some logic to it. Millennia later, an advertisement in America in the early twentieth century read “Why live,...

Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Cor. 15:12–19, John 14:1–3, John 6:26–51, 1 Thess. 4:13–18, 1 Cor. 15:51–55. Memory Text: “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11, 12, NKJV). Though writing in Greek, all the New Testament writers (except Luke) were Jew...

Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “In Joseph’s Tomb,” pp. 769–778; “The Lord Is Risen,” pp. 779–787; “Why Weepest Thou?” pp. 788–794; “The Walk to Emmaus,” pp. 795–801; “Peace Be Unto You,” pp. 802–808, in The Desire of Ages. Modern sentiment doesn’t allow for something like the resurrection of Jesus. However, the historical evidence is so strong that even those who can’t accept the reality of...

“The First Fruits of Those Who Have Died” Read 1 Corinthians 15:20, in light of Deuteronomy 26:1–11. In what sense did Paul refer to the risen Christ as “the first fruits of those who have died” (NRSV)? The offering of “the first fruits” was an ancient Israelite agricultural practice with deep religious significance. It was a sacred recognition of God as the gracious Provider, who had entrusted Hi...

Witnesses of the Risen Christ Read John 20:11–29 and 1 Corinthians 15:5–8. How did the disciples react when they first met the risen Christ? The two angels at the empty tomb told Mary Magdalene and some other women that Jesus had risen (Matt. 28:1, 5–7; Mark 16:1–7; Luke 24:1–11). But soon Jesus Himself appeared to them, and they worshiped Him (Matt. 28:1, 9, 10; John 20:14–18). He appeared also t...

Many Arose With Him “Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matt. 27:51–53, NKJV). What does this incredible account tea...

“ ‘He Is Risen!’ ” The victory of Christ over Satan and his evil powers was secured on the cross and confirmed by the empty tomb. “When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to hope that the Saviour would not take up His life again. He claimed the Lord’s body, and set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a prisoner. He was bitterly angry when his angels fled at the app...

A Sealed Tomb Christ’s mission seemed to have ended (and even failed) with His death on the cross. Satan succeeded in instigating Judas to betray the Savior (Luke 22:3, 4; John 13:26, 27) and the chief priests and elders to demand His death (Matt. 26:59, Matt. 27:20). After Jesus was arrested, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56, NKJV), and Peter denied Him three times (Matt. 26:...

Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 27:62–66; John 10:17, 18; Matt. 27:51–53; John 20:11–29; 1 Cor. 15:5–8. Memory Text: “When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He put his right hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the One who lives; I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to death and to the place of the dead’ ” (...

Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Gethsemane,” pp. 685– 697; “Calvary,” pp. 741–758, in The Desire of Ages; “Repentance,” p. 27, in Steps to Christ. “I saw that all heaven is interested in our salvation; and shall we be indifferent? Shall we be careless, as though it were a small matter whether we are saved or lost? Shall we slight the sacrifice that has been made for us? Some have done this....

The Meaning of the Cross Read 1 Corinthians 1:18–24. What is Paul saying about the Cross, and how does he contrast it with the “wisdom of the world”? Why, even today, when “materialism” (the idea that all reality is only material, which means there is no God or supernatural realm of existence) dominates “the wisdom of the world,” is the message of the Cross so important? The Cross of Christ is the...

He Died for Us Read John 3:14–18 and Romans 6:23. What do these verses teach that Christ’s death has accomplished for us? When Jesus arrived at the Jordan River to be baptized, John the Baptist exclaimed, “ ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ ” (John 1:29, NKJV). This statement acknowledged Christ as the antitypical Lamb of God to whom all true sacrifices of the Old Test...