Maranatha Teachings

To fully appreciated books like Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes it is vital to have an understanding of wisdom literature and how the genre works. But above that, one must have a clear understanding of what wisdom is. Join on us on this powerful ride into Scripture as we examine the wisdom from the Garden of Eden to the throne of God.

In gathering together the songs of Zion, the compilers did so purposefully. Join us as we examine the first three Psalms and how they together form the introduction to the whole book of Psalms.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" is arguably the most heart-rending cry in all of the New Testament. Mark and Matthew both record these words from our Lord's lips. But what was the fullness of Jesus's expression and expectation? Join us as we journey through Psalms 22-24 and discover how the Psalms, along with being prayers and praises, are also prophecies.

Though David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, did not compose all the Psalms, no other person in Scripture bears a stronger association with them than he. Join us as we momentarily step away from the psalms themselves to review David's role in establishing what would become the music service of the temple worship and how the apostles used the promise of the psalms in their evangelistic preaching...

In the life of Israel, songs and prayers were composed and collected to offer praise, give hope, and document the honesty of hearts seeking God. These are the Psalms, treasures of devotion that have stood the test of time. Join us as we examine the collection as a whole, their poetic form, arrangement, and the various types in which they appear.

Psalms is the prayer and hymn book of the Judeo-Christian faith. Join us in this introductory sharing on Psalms as we explore the features of Hebraic poetry and examine the power of poetic language.

Aside from long-standing controversies about which Old Testament laws a New Testament saint is bound to observe, the Pentateuch has many decrees that and demands that to modern ears sound criminal. How are we to understand these laws? How is a Christian supposed to apply them? Join us as we delve into the Law to find the love and grace codified therein.

Parables are a unique genre in the Bible and particularly in the Gospels. In this episode, we examine the history of their interpretation, how Jesus used them, and the surprising characteristics story parables share with well-told jokes. While the surprise ending in jokes are tailored to make us laugh, parables are intended to make us respond to the King's invitation into His kingdom.

Justin Martyr referred to the Gospels as "the memoirs of the apostles." Join us as we examine how the different Gospel writers published the life and message of Jesus to bring to the communities they were serving what the Holy Spirit needed them hear.

In this episode, we explore the different literary structures and sources of the four Gospels to see the coordinating work of the Holy Spirit in His delivery of the canon of Scripture to us. Join us in this powerful examination as we compare the Evangelists' work and hear the testimonies of the early church fathers on the production and reception of the Gospels.

In this lively and powerful episode, we begin our examination of the gospel genre and the unique contribution the Evangelists made to the canon under the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In our capstone episode examining Hebrew narrative genre, we take a wide view of the Joseph story to see its structure and conclusion and how biblical historic narrative helps us navigate our lives in the present. Join us in this lively and powerful discussion as we look at the rest of the story.

In this episode, we compare Scripture's treatment of Joseph in narrative with his appearance in Psalm 105 to illustrate the differences in genre between narratives and psalms. Join us in this lively discussion as we see some of the ways Hebrew narratives were crafted and how knowing their structure helps us understand and apply Scripture better. Though this episode stands mostly on its own, be...

In this episode, we begin our focused examination of how Hebrew narrative works to better appreciate the message the inspired writer is giving. Join us in this lively conversation as we dip our toes into the beginning of the Joseph narrative, the longest single-focused narrative in the Bible.

In this introductory session of the various genres in Scripture, we discuss the different kinds of books and writings found in the Bible and how understanding their literary forms helps us receive their intended message. Included in this episode is a cautionary tale on how not to read narrative history.

In this episode, we take a fresh look at the three parables recorded in Luke 15: the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost son. Taking into account the purpose and form of story parables along with the cultural context within which they were told allows us to see the point Jesus was driving home and the expected response from his declaration. Join us...

In this episode, we look at the political and cultural context surrounding the birth of Messiah and contrast the King of kings' arrival and promise with the prominence of Caesar Augustus and Herod the Great.

"I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse," the Lord said to Abram. Join us as we journey with the patriarch from Haran to Shechem and learn what this calling meant and what was its ultimate outcome.

Considering that the Scriptures were written and edited by approximately thirty-five different writers and other unknown persons under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over the course of roughly 1600 years, familiarity with the biblical background of the text is crucial to our understanding and interpretation of it. We introduce the subject in this episode and discuss methods of discovering and...

Have you ever heard that "apostle" means "sent one"? How about "the church are the 'called our' or agape is the highest form of love? These were understandings that I carried for decades, not knowing that their conclusions came to me via a faulty road. In this episode, we discuss common ways of examining Scriptures that pull them out of context and thus from their intended meaning. Join us for thi...

In this episode, we examine how reviewing words and ideas across the body of work of a particular author in Scripture can help us understand their meaning. In this sharing, we put a spotlight on Paul's use of "wrath" in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and John's use of "life" in John 10:10.

Like any skilled writer, Matthew finishes his book in a way that capstones all that he told before. In this episode, we explore the solid bullet points in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) in light of Matthew's entire Gospel. If you are not accustomed to (and even if you are) reading Matthew as an independent book, the consistency of the themes may surprise you. Join us as we launch down this...

John 3:16 is perhaps the most widely used evangelistic verse in the New Testament. In light of John's entire Gospel, what does it mean to believe in Jesus? Join us as we examine John's exposition of faith and the various types of "believers" Jesus encountered and what he required of them and ultimately of us.

In this dynamic episode, we examine who "the least of these my brothers" (Matt. 25:40) are in light of the context of the entire book of Matthew. Give a listen as we discuss the benefits of reading aloud, review some of the history of how Scripture was published, and gain clarified insight into the meaning of Jesus's prophetic Olivet Discourse as recorded by Matthew.

In this dynamic session, we grapple with three very familiar verses and concepts: the fire baptism in Matt. 3:11, the cattle on a thousand hills in Ps. 50:10, and the thief in John 10:10. What do these verses mean in the paragraph and portion context of where they appear. If you like me learned these verses as proof texts of particular ideas, the answers may surprise you.