Unbinding the Bible

In this episode, we'll take a look at the first 5 chapters of Matthew's gospel, paying particular attention to the way Matthew tells the story of Jesus. For many modern readers of the Bible, these subtle connections are easily missed, but powerfully illuminating once you know what you're looking for. Through this episode, I hope you'll come to see how much meaning is packed not only into what Jesu...

In this episode, we'll continue looking at Jesus' temptation in the wilderness from Matthew 4:1-11, paying particular attention to the connection his temptations have with Israel's temptations in their wilderness experience. What we learn from this recapitulation will help shape vast portions of the Bible, especially how we read the OT as faithful Christ followers. 

In this episode, we'll look at the meaning of the word "recapitulation" and the significance understanding it has on our lives. We'll look primarily at Jesus' wilderness temptation from Matthew 3:16-4:11 and dig into just what is taking place there.  Unbinding the Bible Video

This episode is a sermon I preached June 24, 2018 from Mark 4:35-41. I'm inserting it here because of its helpful connection with the "representative head" idea introduced in episode 027. This sermon had a profound impact on me, particularly as it related to a passage from Isaiah 17 that I will reference during the message. Jesus invites us to see him as the world's true representative head and al...

In this episode, we'll take a look at Exodus 32 - the creation and worship of the golden calf - and what it shows us about Israel's need for a priest. We'll compare the way Moses and Aaron act as priests and what that teaches us about God and his covenant people, considering the fact that they are called to be a "kingdom of priests." We'll end the episode pondering the kind of priest we would want...

In this episode, we'll tackle the opening chapter in Thomas Foster's fantastic little book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor: For Kids. Through the recognition that the Bible is the greatest piece of literature ever written, we can adopt Foster's observations about "Quest" stories in how we read and understand the Bible, helping us to understand that the revelation of self-knowledge is one...

In this episode, we'll talk about what it means to say that the Bible is "relevant"? We'll use The Karate Kid to help us answer that question. In the second half of the episode, we'll look at how reading Scripture at not just one but on three levels simultaneously will enable us to understand it's message much clearer. The principles shared in this episode are crucial to any good work of biblical...

In this episode, we’ll take a look at the Bible’s storyline from 30,000 feet. We’ll trace the theme of the kingdom of God as one of the clearest ways of understanding the Bible’s message as well as Jesus’ entire ministry. By reading Scripture through this lens, you’ll have a helpful framework for understanding passages from every part of the Bible. 

This episode is a sermon I preached September 17, 2017 while working through the gospel of Matthew (18:21-35). I’m inserting it here because of its connection between Lamech’s seventy times seven justification for revenge in Genesis 4 and Jesus’ words to Peter to forgive seventy times seven. The single greatest antidote to sin ruling over you is to forgive when others sin against you. This sermon...

In this episode, we'll look at sin's trajectory and how easily mankind finds himself justifying the worst of behaviors. We'll compare this way of living to "walking with God," which will take us one step closer to understanding the way the biblical story takes shape. 

In this episode, we'll take a look at life outside the garden (Genesis 4:1-16), paying particular attention to how sin continues its destruction of God's good world. We'll see that, according to the LORD, sin actually takes on the characteristics of a player in the narrative, one that works hard to undo the goodness of God's intentions for his world. We'll end our episode focusing on the mercy and...

This episode is a sermon I preached September 24, 2017 while working through the gospel of Matthew. My primary text is Matthew 20:1-16, the parable of the workers in the vineyard. I'm inserting it here because of its close connection to deciding for ourselves what is good and what is evil. The challenge to my congregation was to recognize that good and evil, right and wrong exist as categories out...

In this episode, we'll look at how sin brings about a reversal of creation's ordered blessings. We'll give particular attention to how God's goodness and mercy influence his judgment and why it is actually kind of him to drive Adam and Eve out of the garden.  If you have any questions or comments, please email them to me at: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you! 

In this episode, we'll look closely at the LORD God's response to the first man and woman's fall into sin. We'll see what happened to each of mankind's fundamental relationships within a good creation and how the LORD, in his kindness and goodness, deals with them (and us).  Unbinding the Bible Video Email questions/comments to UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com

In this episode, we'll look closely at shame and why it is that we hide from God (and others) when we've done what we know is wrong. We'll also look at the pattern that the first man and woman established when committing the first sin and how that pattern still plays itself out in people's lives today.  Unbinding the Bible Video Email questions/comments to UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com

In this episode, we'll take a close look at Genesis 3:1-7. Taking our cues from many of the themes already explored in Genesis 1-2, we'll discover just what sin is as well as how temptation works. This topic is incredibly relevant in making sense of every one of our lives today, as these same temptations are alive and well still. Unbinding the Bible Video Email questions/comments to UnbindingTheBi...

In this episode, we'll conclude our look at God's good world in the garden from Genesis 1-2. We'll take a close look at marriage, man's perfect relationships with God, creation, one another, and himself, and how the metaphor of marriage perfectly describes God's relationship with his people. We'll finish up by examining shame, and trying to imagine a time when it didn't exist. People to be Loved:...

In this episode, we'll look at Genesis 2:18-23, paying particular attention to what "a helper fit for him" means. We'll look at a few of the places where the LORD God himself is said to be a "help" to man, giving us insight into why the man being alone was considered "not good". We'll wrap things up by focusing on the significance of naming things (people, places, even God) in the Bible. As always...

This episode is a sermon I preached July 22, 2018 while working through the gospel of Mark. The primary passage is Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, but 2 Samuel 7 gets attention as well. I've inserted it here because of how succinctly it ties together many of the garden, temple, priestly, and rest themes from previous episodes. The sermon ends in Ephesians 2, which I hope will allow you to see the Church in a...

In this episode, we'll pull together some of the themes already mentioned to highlight the fact that the garden in Eden was the first temple. And then we'll see why knowing this matters and how it helps shape the way we think about the church's role in the world. I'd love to hear from you! Please email your questions or comments to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.

In this episode, we'll focus in on Genesis 2:15-17 and the task the LORD gives to man in the garden. We'll see that man's purpose is both to expand and to cultivate the garden as well as maintain and preserve the good already inherent in it. Please email me any questions or comments you have to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.

In this episode, we'll look at Genesis 2:8-14 - the description of a garden in Eden. We'll talk about good and evil, beauty, trees, the book of Psalms, and the significance of four rivers flowing out of the garden. These verses will even help clarify for us the way the rest of the Bible speaks about dwelling in the presence of God. Please email any questions you have to UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com...

In this episode, we'll look closely at Genesis 2:7 - the creation of man - focusing specifically on what becoming a "living creature" actually means. The word itself is "nephesh", and we'll look at many of the places throughout the OT where the term is used. What we discover may surprise you.

In this episode, we'll look at Genesis 2:4, the first verse in the Bible that uses "LORD" in connection with "God". We'll look at the book of Exodus to understand the word's meaning and how its insertion in Genesis 2 helps tie together Genesis 1 with Genesis 2.

In this episode, we're going to answer some of the questions that listeners have sent in. My good friend, Corey Reeder, will be joining us and will help keep me on track. I'd love to hear even more questions! If you would like to have some of your questions answered in a future episode, please email them to me at UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.