Discover Your Roots

This stone wall is visited by millions every year, but why? From Solomon’s Temple to the Western Wall at the Temple Mount today, trace the history of this sacred historic site on today’s episode of 5 Minutes in Israel. Explore how the Temple was built, what destroyed it two times, and why this site is still revered today. Let’s dive in! Want to visit the Western Wall for yourself? Check out ...

Wander through the streets of Jerusalem’s Old City in this episode of 5 Minutes in Israel. Explore hidden sites in the four quarters of the Old City (and finally understand how those quarters work!) From the Western Wall to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the Temple Mount, what makes these sites so holy and what do they mean for us today? Want to visit the Old City for yourself? Check out&nbsp...

Wrapping up our time in the Galilee, trace Jesus’ ministry from the Sermon on the Mount to the Great Commission, all in this one region in Israel. Jesus’ work in Galilee fulfills an ancient biblical prophecy but is also connected to the region’s unique geography. (Hint: it has to do with the Via Maris). Tune in to hear why the Galilee is so important!

Discover an ancient mosaic that reveals the place where Jesus fed the 5,000 at Tabgha in today’s episode of 5 Minutes in Israel. Only a short walk away from this small fishing harbor in Galilee lies the beach at the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, where Jesus famously asked Peter, “Do you love me?” The stories and miracles multiply here in Tabgha, leaving us asking: What can these five loaves...

From Abraham to King David to Jesus, explore the layered history of the Temple Mount in today’s episode of 5 Minutes in Israel. This holy site in Jerusalem holds a rich history in its ancient stones. Nearby lie the ruins of King David’s palace and the very same steps that Jesus walked up to the Temple. Tune in to hear how the Temple Mount’s ancient history shows God’s desire to keep meeting his pe...

What do salted fish, a groundbreaking archeology discovery, and demon possession have in common? The answer is found in Magdala, the ancient hometown of Mary Magdalene. Join Mattanah as she explores the recently discovered synagogue where Jesus taught in Magdala and the story of the woman whose life he changed there. Tune in to learn about the church now standing near these ancient ruins to honor...

Why did Jesus choose a grassy hillside to preach a radical message? Join Mattanah as she explores the historical church and gardens at the Mount of Beatitudes along with the meaning of Jesus’ famous sermon. We’ll study together how Matthew 5-7 lays out a new way of life in the Kingdom of God. At this breathtaking view of the Galilee, the Sermon on the Mount comes to life with its timeless message...

Why did Jesus pick Capernaum, a fishing village, for his ministry headquarters?  In today’s episode, join Mattanah as she explores the ruins of ancient Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. At this archeological site, the meaning of Jesus’ call to be “Fishers of Men” comes alive. Learn about the home of Peter and the synagogue of Capernaum where Jesus performed so many mira...

Entropy happens in science (and our personal lives) since all things eventually fall apart unless an outside force acts on them. The same might be said about our societies. Unless we consciously and consistently make positive choices, everything will gradually descend into evil and chaos. The inevitable question is: how do we confront evil and choose the good? In our season finale, Dr. Dru Johnson...

Is it ever okay to lie to protect someone’s feelings? Is it okay to lie to save someone’s life? Should a nation go to war? Is it okay to murder an evil person?  Christians are often faced with tricky ethical dilemmas, but this podcast is here to help! In this week’s podcast, we tackle whether ends justify the means and what the Bible says about these big questions. Take a listen! National Sui...

Humans naturally form institutions and societies. While these can be a major source of blessing, they also cause a lot of harm, resulting in institutional and organizational evil. The Torah has robust guidelines for how people should act—both communally and individually. In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson breaks down the distinction, or lack thereof, in the Hebrew Bible between the personal and the...

Life hurts. It seems like suffering is a universal part of being human, so this has led people across all ages to ask deep existential questions about the meaning and the nature of suffering.  Let’s bring it to our context here in this podcast: How do the biblical authors view suffering? Is suffering the result of sin? What wisdom do they offer us as we come to terms with our own pain? Dr. Dr...

Does God do evil? Verses like Isaiah 31:2 seem to say He does: “Yet [God] also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words” (KJV). If that’s the case, what does this mean and how would Isaiah’s Ancient Hebrew audience have understood this? Dr. Dru Johnson walks through these complex questions and more in today’s episode as we grapple with the relationship between God and evil. N...

There’s a strange sound in the middle of the night. In the dark water, something brushes against your leg…  What goes through your mind?  In this week’s episode, Dr. Dru Johnson explores the psychology and theology behind the fear of the unknown and evil. He gives us a glimpse into how our imaginations have been shaped by popular culture. Dr. Johnson also explains the relationship that A...

Sometimes people do bad things. No one debates that. However, this simple fact cracks open the door to a world of complex moral and theological questions about the nature of evil in the realm of human choice. In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson dives into what Scripture means when it says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. He also talks through whether evil actions are committed voluntarily or involu...

Is there such a thing as a purely good or purely evil person? Can bad people be redeemed? What did the word “satan” originally mean? Join Dr. Dru Johnson on this week’s journey to discover the foundations of our understanding of good and evil. The concepts of good and evil are undeniably fundamental to our experience as humans. However, this struggle has been conceptualized in many ways over the p...

It’s pretty intuitive that evil shouldn’t exist. Things like the Holocaust or kids with cancer just seem wrong. However, some might argue that the fact that good exists is just as philosophically complex as the existence of evil. In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson unpacks the idea of “good” in the Scriptures. Starting right from the beginning of Genesis, he shows us how original readers of the text...

Hitler is evil. Helping an old lady cross the street is good. Simple, right? But there’s an underlying question here: Why? What are good and evil? Biblical scholar, Dr. Dru Johnson is back with us in Season Two of Discover Your Roots to unpack weighty questions about the nature of good and evil. In this episode, Dr. Johnson gives us an overview of the season, walking us through a few common concep...

While our modern method of determining truth is to interpret information as either true or false, the Bible takes into account another side of “truth” that may not be so simple. In our final episode of the season, we discuss the concept of truth in light of the Hebrew word “ emet ” used all throughout the Bible, and how this Hebraic thought pattern enriches the way we view the Word. References &am...

Epistles in the Bible are letters written to God’s people by the apostles and prophets. Similar to the modern-day sermon, they reason with their listeners and offer wisdom for their lives. We’ll be taking a deeper dive into the epistles and how they helped the early church grow their knowledge of God’s word and think and act more like Jesus. References & additional resources: https://passagesi...

So now that we know what stories do, let’s look at how they do it. If you dissect any good story and look at its structure, you’ll get a conflict, tension, rising action, and conclusion. But what does that have to do with reading the Bible? It turns out that knowing a story’s structure is a key aspect in developing Hebraic thought, revealing so much more than just a story. References & additio...

Why are stories so important? Stories, both fictional and non-fictional, have been used since the beginning of time to impart wisdom and reason upon their listeners. We’re discussing what makes up a great story and how biblical authors used stories within their writing to share with us the nature of our worldly and eternal realities. References & additional resources: https://passagesisrael.or...

How is biblical law unique from other legal systems throughout history, or even today? In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at how biblical law is unlike any other—how it functions as a narrative, its communal nature, and what all this means for the law’s followers. References & additional resources: https://passagesisrael.org/story/seeing-beauty-in-the-old-testament-law/ Visit: http...

What do you think of when you hear the word “law”? Does it sound rigid, harsh, or punishing? Contrary to our modern assumptions, biblical law doesn’t work in the ways our law does today. When we look at the law of the Bible through the lens of Hebraic thought, it becomes something that reasons, rather than dictates. In the next two episodes, we’ll be reframing how we think about biblical law and t...

Now that we’ve established how biblical poetry works, it’s time to look at some biblical examples. We'll be reading through Philippians 2 together, giving you tools to interpret it through the lens of Hebraic thought, and discussing how understanding biblical poetry is essential to understanding the rest of the Bible’s message. References & additional resources: https://passagesisrael.org/stor...