Fig Tree Ministries Podcast

n this week's lesson, we begin an exploration of the details and sequence of the crucifixion as presented in Mark - chapter 15. Each of the Gospel writers presents the narrative with slight differences. Mark's description of the procession to the cross is tightly worded with specific details. The question we will be asking is, why? Why those details in that order? As we will see, the details in Ma...

This week we complete our lesson on the Zealot movement and the impact it had on first-century Israel. By 66 AD, the Zealots had pushed the nation into an all-out war with Rome. The result of that war was that in 70 AD, Jerusalem and God's temple were destroyed. Why was it that the second temple was destroyed? Join us as we explore the reason provided by the Rabbis and how that compares to Jesus'...

We know from Paul's statements that he acted 'zealously' regarding the Torah and resorted to violence against the early Christians. But what about Paul's upbringing? What are the factors in his upbringing that would have led to this type of behavior? In this video, we explore some of the factors in Paul's background. In particular, we look at his parents and a comment about Paul's parents from the...

In today's lesson, we explore how the mindset of the Zealot movement likely influenced some of the attitudes and actions of the disciples. Jesus called disciples who were 'zealous' about the word of God and then had to channel that passion in the right direction: loving their neighbor and serving those who were on the margins of the Greco-Roman world. Finally, we look at Judas Iscariot - was this...

This week's video brings the history of the Zealots closer to Jesus' ministry. We explore some of the political events - leading up to the time of Jesus' birth - in the region of Galilee that involved the zealots and set the stage for the movement in the first century. We briefly explore the city of Sepphoris which was the administrative center of Galilee and how this city intersects with the zeal...

Today's lesson begins a short series that focuses on the Zealots and the Zealot movement in first-century Israel. The headquarters for the Zealot movement was located in a city near the Sea of Galilee called Gamla (see the links below to read more about Gamla). Jesus continually interacts with the Zealots or those whose thinking had been influenced by the Zealots. He even has a disciple named Simo...

The number three carries significant meaning in the Biblical narrative, Judaism, and Christianity. This lesson explores the significance of the number three and its inference toward a spiritual journey toward restoration. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and Jesus have a "three" or "third day" associated with their spiritual journey. This lesson will help raise your awareness of how this number is used thr...

The stories of Jesus feeding the 5000 and the 4000 are full of details that help us understand the overall message of what the miracles are telling us - that Jesus is the "bread" for the whole world. Each story contains a different set of numbers. The details of the numbers are essential for us to understand the overall message as they apply to the audience that is specific to each miracle. Join u...

This week we begin a two-part mini-series on Jesus' feeding miracles - the Feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6:30-44) and the Feeding of the 4000 (Mark 8:1-9). Our first step is to look at two aspects of Biblical studies: reading narrative and High-Context communication. The majority of the Bible is written in narrative form. Narrative is a very powerful way of communicating information because we - as th...

This video is part of a series on the Sea of Galilee but we are taking a detour to talk about another "triangle number" found in the book of Acts. For more on triangle numbers - like 153 fish in John 21 - see Sea of Galilee part 8 and 9: part 8: https://youtu.be/j2fZX1ZQp8Q part 9: https://youtu.be/rNkc1AZgEV4 Why does Luke include the number of crew members (276) aboard the ship that he and Paul...

today's video is an extension of Sea of Galilee part 8: In this video, we dig deeper into the number 153 from John 21:11 and how this is connected to two words in Ezekiel 47:10 - Gedi and Eglaim. Finally, we explore another example of 153 and the Hebrew phrase 'Sons of God' and how scholars connect this to the overall message of John's Gospel. Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree...

In today's video, we explore fishing on the Sea of Galilee. In John 21, there is a miraculous catch of fish at a location called Tabgha, where seven warm water springs run into the lake. The warm water attracts Tilapia during the winter and early spring months. The Gospel of John includes a minor detail regarding this miraculous catch of "large" fish. John tells us there were "153 fish." Why inclu...

Why did God lead Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 3) east of the Dead Sea causing them to have to cross the Jordan River at flood stage? Why not lead them directly north along the well-worn highways of their day? In this video, we explore this question and the lesson that emerges out of this event. Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries Class handout: YouTube: https://y...

In today's video, we take a look at the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Sea of Galilee - There is a Jewish legend - Miriam's Well - about a rock that provided water while the Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years. That rock, it is said, eventually makes it into the Sea of Galilee. The Legend of Miriam's Well is referenced by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4. Jordan River - t...

Jesus stilling the sea (Mark 4:35-41) and the story of Jonah are intricately connected. Join us this week as we explore the possible meanings of the phrase "Sign of Jonah" and the connections to Jesus and his ministry. Support Fig Tree Ministries: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries 4:17 Sign of Jonah 7:14 Review 10:31 found 3x in the New Testament 11:54 Matthew 12:38-41 14:08 Luke 11:...

In this lesson, we take a detailed look at Mark 5:1-20 which is the story of the Demon-Possessed Man from the Decapolis. As we fill in the cultural details that help us understand the interactions between Jews and gentiles we gain insight into the actions - or non-actions - of the disciples. Fig Tree Ministries is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational ministry: Support our work: https://donorbox.org/...

This week we continue our look at the Sea of Galilee. Today we will look at the story where Jesus calms the storms but from Mark 4:35-41 and connect this telling to Psalm 107. We also begin to look at the next part of the story (Mark 5:1-20) where Jesus goes across the lake to heal a demon-possessed man. Mark calls this the region of the Gerasenes. We will tackle the difficulties of this word and...

In this video, we explore ancient Near East thought about "the Sea" and all of the symbolism that goes along with it. Once we understand the symbolism of "sea," we can better understand the story of Jesus in Luke 8:22-25. Who has authority over the chaos and the abyss? How is the authority of the Father passed down to the Son? Please support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministrie...

Scholars have noted how important the land is to understand Jesus' message. There has been a phrase coined to describe the life-setting as the "Fifth Gospel." In the series that follows we explore many of the biblical stories while paying particular attention to the context in each situation. We will look at the location of the event, who the intended audience would have been, and the responses of...

In Jewish mystical thought (Lurianic Kabbalah), the human soul's three highest attributes are Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge. These attributes have their counterpart in the "Heavenly Man" (Jesus), a manifestation of God's glory. These three attributes are also associated with God creating the world (Proverbs 3). In this lesson, we explore these attributes from Genesis through to Paul's lette...

this video is the second of two the Heavenly Man. The topic is mystical and difficult to grasp the first time around. This is a review of our previous vid. but will add a few minor details. In 1 Corinthians 15:49, Paul refers to Jesus as the "heavenly man" in a comparison with the "first Adam." The idea of the "heavenly man" was not new to the Jews of the first century. Join us in this video as we...

In 1 Corinthians 15:49, Paul refers to Jesus as the "heavenly man" in a comparison with the "first Adam." The idea of the "heavenly man" was not new to the Jews of the first century. Join us in this video as we explore the background to the concept and how it shows up today within the area of Jewish Mysticism. Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries https://youtu.be/i2LLf...

We explore the idea of what it means to be a Christian. Christ is the Greek word for "the anointed one" and is generally applied to a king. Jesus is the Christ - the King. We then are "little kings" - little Christs - that are maturing in our faith to become "like" the king. How can we conceptualize this for our walk in the world today? In this video, we will explore the idea of becoming or being...

Our second look at the ancient city of Pergamum and John's letter to Pergamum in Revelation 2: 12-17. Why does John refer to Pergamum as Satan's Throne? There are many candidates from the 1st century who qualify. We also explore the expression "hidden manna" to see where the Jewish tradition of "hidden manna" comes from and why John would mention it regarding Jesus in the city of Pergamum.

Meister Eckhart was a 13th-century mystic. He was known for using the Christmas story as a metaphor for our own spiritual journey. Join us as we explore his teaching and how it can be metaphorically applied to our lives. Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries Soul and Psyche - Wayne G. Rollins: https://smile.amazon.com/Soul-Psyche-Bible-Psychological-Perspective/dp/08006...