The authors of the gospel accounts in the Bible—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—regularly refer to Jesus as the Son of God, a title that’s connected to the theme of the firstborn. In this episode, Tim and Jon explore what it means that Jesus is God’s Son through the stories of his baptism and testing in the wilderness. Listen in to find out how Jesus uses his power in a way we’ve never seen another human do before.

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Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-12:44)
• Part two (12:44-26:31)
• Part three (26:31-40:14)
• Part four (40:14-54:41)

Referenced Resources

• Richard B. Hays
• The Gospel of Mark (The New International Greek Testament Commentary), R.T. France
• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Colors Fade" by Sleepy Fish
• "BreaKmode" by Tyler Bailey
• "Catching the Wave" by Tyler Bailey & Sam Stewart

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Lead Editor Dan Gummel and Editors Tyler Bailey and Frank Garza. Mixed by Tyler Bailey. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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In the scroll of Samuel, Israel demands a king in place of the judges that have been ruling over them. It sounds like a simple enough request, but Yahweh calls it idolatrous. Why? In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the motives behind Israel’s request and the role of Israel’s first kings, Saul and David, in the unfolding theme of the firstborn.

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Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-20:32)
• Part two (20:32-38:25)
• Part three (38:25-48:35)
• Part four (48:35-1:02:35)

Referenced Resources

• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Lotus Tea" by Xihcsr
• "Just Jammin" byTyler Bailey
• Sound design by Tyler Bailey

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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This episode is a special re-release of an interview we did in 2018 with Dr. Michael Heiser. Mike has been a significant influence to Tim’s own scholarship and, by extension, much of BibleProject’s content, as well as to thousands of other people. Mike is in the final stages of his battle with pancreatic cancer, and we want to honor his incredible life by sharing this episode again. 

View the original episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-18:05)
• Part two (18:05- 33:00)
• Part three (33:00-44:30)
• Part four (44:30-59:18)

Referenced Resources

• Old Testament Theology, Gerhard von Rad
• The Genius of John: A Composition-Critical Commentary on the Fourth Gospel, Peter F. Ellis
• The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, Michael S. Heiser
• Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God's Heavenly Host, Michael S. Heiser
• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• “Faith,” “In the Distance,” and “Moments” by Tae the Producer

If you are interested in assisting the Heiser family with meal donations or in donating to help cover expenses in the coming weeks, please use this link. 

If you’d like to send a card to the Heiser family, you can write to the Awakening School of Theology. They will collect all cards and deliver them to the Heiser family.

AWKNG School of Theology
P.O. Box 23621
Jacksonville, FL 32241

If you wish to donate directly to the Heisers via Venmo, search for their account at @Mike-Heiser-4.

Show produced Dan Gummel and Jon Collins. Re-released with assistance from Producer Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder, Lead Editor Dan Gummel, and Editor Tyler Bailey. 

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Hannah was an oppressed woman, scorned by her husband’s rival wife because of her barrenness. But the way she prayed and trusted Yahweh through this hardship became a remarkable example of how God works through the lowly to subvert human notions of power and status. In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they trace the theme of the firstborn in the scroll of Samuel.

View full show notes from this episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-9:59)
• Part two (09:59-27:27)
• Part three (27:27-46:11)
• Part four (46:11-1:03:54)

Referenced Resources

• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Downhill" by Leavv
• "The Birds Will Leave Soon" by fantompower
• "Shakshuka" by Philanthrope & mommy

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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How does the plague of the firstborn from Exodus fit into the biblical theme of the firstborn? And what does it mean when Yahweh calls Israel his firstborn son? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the theme of the firstborn in the Exodus scroll.

View full show notes from this episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-19:23)
• Part two (19:23-37:19)
• Part three (37:19-52:07)
• Part four (52:07-1:11:44)

Referenced Resources

• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Mitigating the Distance" by Xihcsr
• "Enclosed by You" by Liz Vice
• "Fallen Angel" by Tyler Bailey

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Lead Editor Dan Gummel. Edited by Tyler Bailey and Frank Garza. Mixed by Tyler Bailey. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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Early in the story of the Bible, God chooses the family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob as his chosen representatives to bless other peoples. But these families are full of the same rivalry, envy, and division present in any other family. What is God doing with these less-than-ideal candidates? Join Tim and Jon as they trace the theme of the firstborn in the narratives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

View full show notes from this episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-11:35)
• Part two (11:35-26:44)
• Part three (26:44-40:08)
• Part four (40:08-53:40)
• Part five (53:40-1:09:20)

Referenced Resources

• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Chilling at Last" by Emapea
• "Beautifully So" by less.people
• "Bloc" by KV
• Sound design by contributor

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Lead Editor Dan Gummel. Edited by Tyler Bailey and Frank Garza. Mixed by Tyler Bailey. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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Only a few pages into the story of the Bible, the story starts to get really bleak. Cain kills his brother Abel, Cain’s descendants become famous murderers, and Noah’s youngest son violates his father and mother. And all of it happens because humans decide that power is worth the cost of harming others. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the dark side of human nature and the God who favors the powerless—the people who choose to trust him for blessing and exaltation.

View full show notes from this episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-17:05)
• Part two (17:05-32:06)
• Part three (32:06-45:29)
• Part four (45:29-01:08:11)

Referenced Resources

• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience our full library of resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• “Hayride" by Florent Garcia and anbuu
• "Zero Point" by dryhope
• "Indifference" by Magnole & Ben Bada Boom

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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It’s not explicitly stated, but the theme of the firstborn first appears in the opening narratives of the Hebrew Bible. In Genesis 1 and 2, Yahweh elevates humans, the latecomers of creation, to rule the land. In Genesis 3, a snake, who is some kind of spiritual being, tricks the humans despite their authority as God’s image bearers. This story is echoed in other accounts of sibling rivalry that continue throughout the Hebrew Bible. Join Tim and Jon as they discuss the land rulers and sky rulers and the theme of the firstborn in Genesis 1-3.

View full show notes from this episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-14:38)
• Part two (14:38-36:14)
• Part three (36:14-55:26)
• Part four (55:26-01:07:43)

Referenced Resources

• Traditions of the Bible: A Guide to the Bible As It Was at the Start of the Common Era, James L. Kugel
• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Maple Leaves" by Stan Forebee & Inf
• "In Between" by Enluv & Molly McPhaul
• Stem from a license-free music library

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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In ancient Near Eastern societies, firstborn sons were prized above all other children and inherited special privileges and authority simply because of their birth order. In this episode, Tim and Jon start a new theme study covering the theme of the firstborn. Spoiler alert: The God of the Bible opposes lots of human ideas about power, and the privilege of the firstborn is no exception. Again and again, we’ll see Yahweh picking younger siblings and people we wouldn’t expect to be his chosen representatives.

View full show notes from this episode →

Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-21:51)
• Part two (21:51-37:16)
• Part three (37:16-52:27)
• Part four (52:27-1:09:34)

Referenced Resources

• Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Clinton E. Arnold
• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• "Find Yourself" by Blue Wednesday and juniorodeo
• "Green Valley Trail" by Ruck P
• "Passing Storm" by Thomas Prime and Moderator

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We shared a lot of firsts together in 2022—from launching our first app, to reading the Torah movement by movement as an international community, to experiencing the Bible through new classes and videos. In our final episode of 2022, Tim, Jon, and BibleProject CEO, Steve, reflect on the year behind us and look forward to the years ahead.

View full show notes from this episode →

Referenced Resources

• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience all of our resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. 

Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.