Biblical Literacy Podcast

Mark taught this week’s online class, Lesson 2 of Biblical Study While Living with the Coronavirus, from The Stone Chapel at The Lanier Theological Library. The number one issue facing most people during the worldwide pandemic is fear and uncertainty. The Bible speaks about these concerns. Those in biblical times shared similar anxieties: life, health, loved ones, jobs/finances, economy, life chan...

Mark taught this week’s class titled: The Time of the Season -The Church During Times of Crisis and Change. God is sovereign, but we are to take precaution for thewelfare of others. Throughout time, the church has faced challenges in meeting for worship. The church has always and continues to figure out ways to adjust. The church knows God is in control. According to the church’s liturgical calend...

David Capes, the Senior Research Fellow at the Lanier Theological Library, taught this week’s classes. He continued with the series: Passages Worth the Dig with the topic, “Judge not lest ye be judged” from Matthew 7:1-5. The question arises: What did Jesus mean in this passage? Today’s stats show many view Christians as judgmental. Jesus did not say to be neutral, form an opinion, or express an o...

Listen as Brent Johnson, Associate Pastor of Senior Adults, continues in the series Passages Worth the Dig focusingon “How to Pick a Pastor.”Brent shares common approaches to selecting a pastor todaybycomparing practices between various denominations. He then reviews God’s approach in choosing leaders throughout the Old and New Testament showing how He many times uses the unconventional. Brent con...

Mark continued with the series, Passages Worth the Dig, Part 3 with a further study into Romans 1:16-17. Paul writes he is not “ashamed” of the Gospel. The translation of the Greek word for “ashamed” shows us Paul did not "experience a sense of loss of status” because of his belief in the Gospel. He preached Jesus died for our sins. Mark refers to other New Testament passages that point to Jesus c...

This week, with the help of Scott Sager from Lipscomb University, Mark interviewed Joseph Shulam, a highly respected Hebrew scholar and Christian Minister. He was born in Bulgaria and his family moved to Jereusalem. Shulambecame a Christian in 1962 and was rejected by his family. His powerful testimony is an inspiration for every believer. He holds several degrees and speaks seven languages. Liste...

Now that Mark had described the power of the good news, an actual historical event that Paul wants everyone to know about, Paul continues with the statement that “for in this the righteousness of God is revealed”. One has to wonder what Paul meant by that word!!! Part 2 of last week’s Romans passage concentrates on the word “righteousness". Using a quote from N.T. Wright to start the conversation,...

Guest teacher Dr. David Capes, Senior Research Fellow at The Lanier Theological Library, continued the series, Digging Deeper - Passages Worth the Dig. Dr. Capes’ lesson “The Devil Didn't Make Me Do It” used an excerpt from Matthew 4 that records the testing/temptation of Jesus. The Old Testament records Abraham’s testing regarding the sacrifice of his only son Isaac, and Jesus is the singular off...

Mark continues with a third lesson in the series Passages Worth the Dig focusing on Romans 1:16-17 and a key word of “gospel”. The book Paul wrote to the church in Rome can be summarized in these two verses. Mark shares how numerous English words come from Greek roots. Translating takes work. We must use the language tools now available to have enhanced understanding of the vocabulary - 1) Look it...

Mark, continues in the series Passages Worth the Dig with a focus on Jude. This short book was authored by Judas, a brother to Jesus. Mark contextually shows how Judas took writings current at the time to help make his point. Mark digs into verse 5 specifically and shows how different English translations based their source of original Greek New Testament writings found on either parchment or papy...

Mark began 2020 with a series titled Digging Deeply into God’s Word - Passages Worth the Dig. Mark begins with how people who don’t have a relationship with the Creator have a restless desire to fill their emptiness. Mark used Joshua 24:23 to show the challenge presented to people of Israel. Whom will they serve? Who will fill their needs? Mark discussed the writings throughout history of those wh...

Mark taught the 2019 Christmas lesson from Luke. We are in the season of Advent. During this time, we celebrate the arrival/coming/approach of Jesus. The lesson shows three veins of thought: the incarnation, the arrival of Jesus in our lives, and His second coming. The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word meaning “someone has poured oil on their heads anointing them. Prophets, Priests, and King...

Mark Lanier interviews Dr. Michael Lloyd, the Principal of Wycliffe Hall at the University of Oxford. Watch as this fascinating banter as Mark and his guest reveal Dr. Lloyd's background, his spiritual path, and his theological ideas. Listen as he explains his current interest in the the problem of evil, including that which is caused by sinful man, and that which has no root in human behavior.

Mark continues his series: Finding the Old Testament in the Gospel of John. This week Mark taught on the passage of John 7:53 through 8:11. Not every version of the Bible has this story or this placement where Jesus interacts with the woman caught in adultery. The Scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus to condemn her. Should we question if John authored this passage, we need to remember original manus...

Mark continues the series: Reading the Old Testament Through the Gospel of John. This week’s lesson shares insights into John 6. In this passage, John wantsreaders to think about the Passover while he relays how Jesus fed the crowd from five barley loaves and 2 fishes. From the leftovers, He filled twelve baskets. John wants us to understand that Jesus is Moses on steroids. Jesus is greater than M...

The Biblical Literacy class today celebrated Mark’s birthday with a production drama of C.S. Lewis by Steven Fenley. Fenley shared Lewis’s thoughts of love, pain, and suffering through the dramatization of several of Lewis’s books.

Mark continued The Gospel of John series with a focus on getting into the mind of John as the author of John 5:2-16 -the healing of a crippled man on the sabbath. John is consistent throughout his writings to use spiritual feasts of the Jews to highlight specific details in Jesus’ life. This passage does not name which feast. Mark shows that nothing in the feasts, Bethesda, the pool, the Torah, or...

Mission Sunday emphasis/focus. Listen first to Gordon Fort a missionary from the International Mission Board as he shares his testimony of God's promises at work in his life and others from all over the world who followed God in obedience to missions. God is moving in the world in an unprecedented way. Brent Johnson then teaches from Ephesians 4. We should all be on mission for God, called out to...

Mark continued with his series: Finding the Old Testament in the Gospel of John with a focus on John 4:43-54. Do you ever struggle to untangle a Bible passage? An example is found in verses 43-45. Doesn't make sense? Confusing? Watch as Mark reviews this passage for context, sharing the experiences Jesus had in Jerusalem and Samaria, and how that influenced John’s writing. Various techniques Mark...

Mark continued his series of Reading the Old Testament Through John by focusing on John 4: The Woman at the Well. This passage shows how Jesus' life experiences relate to us. Jesus was also man, thirsty and weary from the walking. The Samaritan woman at the well wasn't supposed to be drawing water in the heat of the day. Jews and Samaritans disliked each other, and yet Jesus engaged in conversatio...

Melvin Tinker, prolific author and Vicar of St. John Newland stops by from Hull England to share a type of Bible GPS. He examines whether certain numbers mentioned in the gospel of John contain hidden meanings.

Mark continues with Lesson 7  in the series: Finding the Old Testament in the Gospel of John, In chapter 3, John writes of Jesus and others on a series of journeys. Mark looks at three distinct journeys: the journey of night to light, an empowering journey, an expectant journey. Mark begins with the story of Nicodemus. #love #Christianity #hope #mentalfitness #truth #spirituality #biblicalliteracy...

Mark continues the series: Finding the Old Testament in the Gospel of John. He moves into Chapter 2, where John is teaching a commentary from the Torah, laying out the themes: 1) Jesus the "greater" than Moses; 2) Jesus: where God meets with us; 3) Jesus: the source of life. Listen as Mark discusses the themes as they appear in The Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11), and Jesus cleanses the Temple (Jn 2:...