What in the Word?

Does human unbelief have the power to limit the all-powerful God? In this episode of  What in the Word? , Kirk E. Miller sits down with theologian Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen to tackle the startling claim in Mark 6:1–6 that Jesus “could do no mighty work” in his hometown. They explore the relationship between human faith and divine action and raise the practical question:  What does this story mean for...

Since we no longer have the original manuscripts, is our text of the New Testament reliable? Given the magnitude of variations among manuscripts, can we reliably reconstruct the original? Premier New Testament text critic Daniel B. Wallace joins Kirk E. Miller on  What in the Word?   to discuss. Dan provides an overview of discipline of textual criticism and explains the methods text critics use t...

Does Paul prefer Christians remain single, despite the rest of the Bible's positive portrayal of marriage? In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller sits down with Dr. Danielle Trewick to walk through numerous difficulties in 1 Corinthians 7. For instance, does Paul teach that some receive a special Spirit-empowerment to remain single? What is the "present distress"? And w...

Psalm 137 ends with one of the Bible's most scandalizing lines: a prayer that an enemy's infants would be dashed against rocks. It understandably troubles believers, and for skeptics, it's a classic case against the Bible's goodness. Does this cry for violence—especially against innocent babies—belong in what is supposed to be a sacred hymn book? On this episode of What in the Word...

Kirk E. Miller welcomes New Testament scholar Patrick Schreiner on to What in the Word? to tackle the question: Why was Jesus baptized? John’s baptism was for repentant sinners, yet Jesus was without sin. They discuss the different interpretations of Matthew 3:13–17, focusing on what it means for Jesus to “fulfill all righteousness.” What is meant by “righteousness,” and how does Jesus’s baptism “...

Jonathan Akin joins Kirk E. Miller on What in the Word? to discuss one of the Bible's most infamous passages, Elisha's curse that led to two she-bears mauling forty-two "youths" in 2 Kings 2:23-24. Was Elisha simply an irritable old man who couldn’t take a joke? How old were these “youths”? And what exactly does their jeer, “Go up, baldhead!” mean? This episode examines these mat...

If the Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God, why does the Bible seem to allow their enslavement? It’s a question that often troubles believers and serves as an objection for skeptics. Kirk E. Miller sits down with author and apologist Rebecca McLaughlin to work through the issue historically, biblically, and theologically. As we’ll see, those passages that often seem like r...

Luke records that the early Jesus followers in Jerusalem “held everything in common” (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–37). Does this mean the early church abolished private property and embraced a sort of communalism? Luke-Acts scholar Darrell L. Bock joins Kirk E. Miller on this episode of What in the Word? to discuss these texts and what they might mean for us today. Get a free Mobile Ed course when you star...

When Paul says that gentiles “do what the law requires” (Rom 2:14) and have “the work of the law written on their hearts” (Rom 2:15), is he describing morally conscious pagans who have God’s natural law or believing gentiles who experience the inward transformation of the new covenant? And how does this inform our reading of Paul’s teachings on judgment according to works just prior (Rom 2:6–11)?...

Join Kirk E. Miller and Old Testament scholar Chad Bird as they discuss the so-called "Curse of Ham" in one of the Bible's most cryptic and infamously abused passages: Genesis 9:18–29. Discover the different views on the nature of Ham's sin, why Noah curses his son Canaan instead of Ham, and how to properly interpret and apply this passage. Get a free Mobile Ed course when you st...

In Galatians 4:21–31, the Apostle Paul refers to the story of Sarah and Hagar as an allegory. But what does he mean by that? Does he impose foreign ideas onto the Genesis account? Join host Kirk E. Miller and New Testament scholar David deSilva as they tackle this difficult passage, exploring how Paul’s use of the Old Testament is a powerful and sophisticated defense of God’s redemptive promises t...

Why did God forbid Moses, the great leader whom God used to lead Israel out of Egypt, from entering the Promised Land? In this episode of What in the Word? Michael Morales joins Kirk E. Miller to tackle one of the more perplexing passages in the Old Testament: Numbers 20. Together they unpack the text's rich theological layers, explaining how Moses's failure to "sanctify" God by...

Melchizedek is one of the most mysterious figures in the Bible, with only two incredibly brief mentions in the Old Testament. Yet, in Hebrews 7, the author makes the astounding argument that this fleeting character from Genesis anticipates the end of the Levitical priesthood and the establishment of Christ's eternal role. Join Kirk E. Miller and Dr. Madison Pierce on What in the Word? as they...

In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller talks with Richard Middleton about one of the Christian theology's most foundational and widely discussed ideas: humanity as the image of God (imago dei). Yet despite how important this concept is, its meaning has long been debated. Does the image of God refer to some special human trait like reason? Does it describe our capacity for relationshi...

In this episode of What in the Word?, Thomas H. McCall joins Kirk E. Miller to discuss Jesus’s cry of dereliction from the cross (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34), a remark that has often played an important role in Christians' understanding of the atonement. Together they explore different historical interpretations and viewpoints on what it meant for Christ to cry, “My God, my God, why have you...

Did the apostle Paul allow for divorce and remarriage? In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller sits down with renowned New Testament scholar Craig Keener to navigate the challenging and often debated passage of 1 Corinthians 7:12–16. They explore its historical context, dissect key Greek terms like "leave" and "not bound," and survey the different interpretive view...

Genesis 6:6–7 says that God “regretted” making humanity. This seems to imply divine change, sorrow, or even error. But how can God regret anything if he is all-knowing, unchanging, and perfectly wise? In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller is joined by Wyatt Graham to unpack the theological and interpretive challenges of Genesis 6:5–8. Together, they explore role of anthropopathism i...

Jude 14–15 appears to quote directly from the non-canonical book of 1 Enoch and attribute it to Enoch. What are we to make of this? In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller welcomes Wes Huff. They discuss the background of 1 Enoch and whether Jude's citation of means he considered the pseudepigraphal book to be authentic prophecy. Get a free Mobile Ed course when you start a free t...

What in the Word? wraps up a rich and thought-provoking first season. In this special finale, host Kirk E. Miller turns the mic on himself, as Matt Barrios, the show’s producer, leads a reflective interview covering lessons learned, favorite passages, surprising insights, and behind-the-scenes moments. From tackling tough texts like Genesis 6, 1 Corinthians 15, and the Canaanite conquest to unforg...

What’s the Song of Solomon really about? Is the Song a literal love poem, an allegory of God’s love, or something in between In this episode of What in the Word? , Kirk E. Miller is joined by Fellipe do Vale to explore the interpretive challenges of one of the Bible’s more difficult books. They examine the Song of Song's character dynamics, imagery, and theological purpose as wisdom literature...

In this episode of What in the Word?, Lynn H. Cohick joins Kirk E. Miller to unpack Paul's exhortation in Philippians 2:12–13. What does it mean to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”? Does this imply salvation is earned? How do we reconcile Paul’s call to action with his insistence elsewhere that salvation is not by works? Together, Kirk and Lynn explore the passage’s literary a...

In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller is joined by New Testament scholar Jeannine Brown to explore one of Scripture’s most challenging passages: Matthew 16:28. Did Jesus mistakenly predict his return? Together, they examine various interpretations—such as the transfiguration, the resurrection, Pentecost, the fall of Jerusalem, and the second coming—and discuss the most compelling un...

If God is good and created all things good, where did evil come from? In this episode of What in the Word?, Phillip Cary joins Kirk E. Miller to explore Genesis 3 and the origins of evil. Where did the serpent—this cunning adversary and deceiver—come from? And how could Adam and Eve, who created good and without sin, fall into its temptation? What does the Bible teach about God’s relationship to e...

How should we understand the Bible’s Creation story in Genesis 1:1–2:3? In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller is joined by Vern Poythress to explore the genre, interpretation, and theological intent of Genesis 1:1–2:3. They discuss various interpretive models—such as literal 24-hour days, the literary framework view, day age theory, and more—while addressing questions of history, sc...

In this episode of What in the Word?, Malcolm Foley joins Kirk E. Miller to discuss the challenging passage of 1 Timothy 6:6–10. Together, they unpack Paul’s warnings about the desire for wealth and consider how the love of money is described as a root of all kinds of evil. Dr. Foley—pastor, scholar, and author—helps us think biblically about wealth, contentment, and how the church can resist the...