Biblical Literacy Podcast

This is the second part of the Abraham story which includes the potential sacrificing of Isaac. Do you know the import of Isaac as the lamb to be placed on the altar and Jesus?

This video is about Abraham and is a part 1. This also continues the “Long and Winding Road” series.

This lesson continues the Long and Winding Road series and investigates the flood and Noah as a comparison to Judgement and Salvation.

Mark introduces the series with this first glimpse of Jesus in the Old Testament. Starting with Genesis, we get a look at the how the creation story, Adam and Eve, and Satan, point to the coming Messiah.

Mark Lanier interviewed Dr. Tremper Longman, one of the world’s authorities on the Old Testament, and honed in on questions about the Old Testament image of God as a “warrior God” who instructs Israel to slaughter large groups of people. This is an important dialogue as it is a challenging part of understanding God and His character. It seems at odds with the God we see in Jesus.

This week Mark taught the last lesson in the series: Paul, a Legal Case Study. Mark reviewed the several week study of how he would have prepared a case to defend the Apostle Paul. Today’s class focused on Paul’s motivation as his higher calling. He was progressive in his views of women, slaves, culture, and social status. His imprisonment provided an opportunity to proclaim the truth about Jesus...

Mark focused this week’s class on what motivated Paul. He had a higher calling to talk to high Roman rulers about Jesus as the Messiah. Paul spoke to the epicureans, who were materialists and believed truth came only from reasoning. They also claimed no afterlife. Happiness was life's goal, to be free from pain and fear. Paul also spoke to the stoics, who believed in one God without shape. Their p...

As an attorney when Mark Lanier takes on new clients he has to ask a question: “What do you want”? For most people the driving motivation is selfish intent. It could be for freedom, fame, or fortune… but this wasn't the case with Paul. Together, let’s discover Paul's true motivation.

Mark taught Round Two of why he’s writing devotions based on the Torah, the first five books of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). He began with a review from the previous week showing how the Tanakh is divided into three divisions. He then moved on to share devotions from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Listen to Mark teach from Genesis about Jacob’s journey to God beginning with th...

Mark continued with “Paul, a Legal Case Study” as though he were representing the Apostle Paul. Mark focused on the historical context of Paul's case. During this time, Roman law stated that a defendant must be informed of the crimes he or she is being tried. In Acts 24:9, we read Tertullus charged Paul before the governor Felix of: stirring up riots around the world, being a ringleader of the Naz...

Mark took a break from his series "Paul, a Legal Case Study," to discuss devotions from the Jewish Bible. TaNaKh is the Hebrew word for Old Testament. Each letter stand for a section of Scripture: Torah (the Law), Nevi’im (the Prophets), and Ketuvi (the Writings) Listen to Mark share a few devotionals planned for an upcoming book of devotions that will correspond to the yearly reading of the Torah...

Today Mark taught about the charges brought against the Apostle Paul. At the time of Paul, a Roman trial had a stage of clarifying and documenting the charges to be proven or disproven called - “the formula". In Acts 24, we see Paul was charged with three crimes: 1) stirring up riots, 2) being a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, and 3) trying to profane the temple. Listen to Mark focus and disprove...

Learn what Paul’s message, as noted in Acts 17, meant to the Athenians, especially the Stoics and Epicureans. Although technologies may have changed over the years, ideas haven’t so much. Paul made three main points…1. God created the world, 2. God created man and man needs God, & 3. Man’s attempts to represent God with idols is foolishness. Paul goes on to quote from their own poets, being a mast...

Mark introduced Rabbi Michael Vowell, a Messianic Jew, during today’s class. Michael gave his journey to Yeshua from a drug-dealing teen to an ultimate acceptance of Yeshua’s sacrifice for our sins. Michael shared insight and application from the Old Testament to the Christian perspective. Mark then continued sharing about the credibility of and authenticity of his line-up of witnesses (Ananias, B...

Mark expands on how he'd have had Barnabas as a witness on Paul’s behalf. Barnabas knew first-hand that Synagogues were a place of learning, usually located near a body of water. Barnabas could share how Sabbath services functioned with Paul giving lectures proclaiming the good news to the Jews and those who feared God. Listen to how Mark would have Barnabas share the good and bad situations as no...

Mark continues his discussion "In defense of Paul" Is Paul legit or lunatic? What changed him? What made the Damascus experience unique, and why was he willing to suffer for the Gospel? Listen to Mark’s insightful accounting of Paul’s behavior before and after he traded his old beliefs to follow Jesus, The Way, was a conclusion to his Jewish upbringing and training.

Mark focused this week’s study of Paul, a Legal Case Study, on what it meant to be a citizen of Tarsus and a Roman citizen. Tarsus, located in modern day Turkey, was a Roman naval base, a center of intellectual philosophy, as well as other attractions. Only the wealthy were able to pay for Tarsian citizenship and partake of the community leadership roles, which required wealth. In order for Paul t...

Mark focused this week’s study of Paul, a Legal Case Study, on what it meant to be a citizen of Tarsus and a Roman citizen. Tarsus, located in modern day Turkey, was a Roman naval base, a center of intellectual philosophy, as well as other attractions. Only the wealthy were able to pay for Tarsian citizenship and partake of the community leadership roles, which required wealth. In order for Paul t...

Paul: A legal case study Today's class researches Paul's beliefs by focusing on his mentor Gamaliel. (Acts 22:1-3.) Gamaliel’s less conservative interpretation of the Torah, Mishnah, and the Talmud impacted Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. Listen to Mark explain more of the influences in Paul’s life and the biblical implications of his probable membership in the Sanhedrin.

Mark begins his initial interview of Paul in this 2nd chapter of Paul: a legal case study where Mark is reviewing the life of Paul as a potential new client. In this first part of Mark's interview we obtain Paul’s background including origin of his names, appearance, and family history. We learn Paul/Saul was born a Roman citizen in Tarsus of Clicia. He was not an only child, multilingual, and as...

Paul: a legal case study Do you know Paul? Mark began a new series about the Apostle Paul as if he were asked to represent Paul in a court of law. As a lawyer, Mark approaches the subject of Paul based on his own legal experience. In this introduction, listen to Mark discuss Jerusalem in 57 AD as Paul brought an offering into the temple for the poor.