BibleProject

By BibleProject PodcastReligion & Spirituality Christianity

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BibleProject episodes

January 22, 2018Nephesh/Soul Q+R
Here is our Nephesh/Soul Q+R! Thank you to everyone who sent in questions! We love doing these and hearing what others are thinking.
Q’s and Timestamps:
(7:19) Sam: Why did Paul write that each of us has a soul, spirit and body in 1 Thessalonians 5?
(18:57) Johnny: In Hebrews 4:12, it seems man is dual natured, physical and spirit, but how can we reconcile this by understanding man as a single natured being, meaning that man is a soul?
(24:45) Daniel: In Psalm 63 it says that David’s Nephesh/Soul thirsts after God. What does that mean practically?
(33:20) Kevin: What’s the biblical writers perspective on the future state of being? And how does that relate to burial practices like cremation?
(45:47) Natalia: What do we actually know from the biblical writers and first century believers saying what our bodies will be like in the new creation?
Resources / Books:
John Cooper: Body, Soul and Life Everlasting: Biblical Anthropology and the Monism/ Dualism Debate
Joel Green: Body, Soul and Human Life: The Nature of Humanity in the Bible
Ronald Rolheiser: The Holy Longing
Ronald Rolheiser: Against An Infinite Horizon
The Bible Project Video on Nephesh/Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_igCcWAMAM
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
Show Produced by:
Dan Gummel and Jon Collins.

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56 min
January 15, 2018 Characters In The Bible
Have you ever wondered what Jesus looked like? Or maybe why the Bible rarely tells us what a person what thinking? Characters in Bible stories are described and portrayed very differently compared to characters in modern stories.
In this episode Tim and Jon discuss character design in the Bible.
The guys start out (0-9:50) showing how our modern tradition of telling every detail about a character in a story, where they are from, what they look like, what their inner thoughts are, comes from Greek story telling tradition. This is the exact opposite of ancient Jewish storytelling. The biblical authors didn’t rely on telling you about a character, instead, they would tell you what they did. The characters themselves remain very mysterious. Tim says this lack of detail is done intentionally so the reader has to work for an interpretation.
In the second part of the episode (9:50-21:13), Tim explains the two ways biblical authors use character details. One, a narrator will use “direct characterization.” A specific detail will be given because it is useful in the story. We are told Saul is tall because later, we find out that David is short. We are told Joseph is handsome because later, Potiphar’s wife attempts to seduce him. Jon asks if this technique is used because the of the constraints of passing stories on pre printing press.
The second way is the names of characters. In Hebrew literature, a character’s name represents the very essence of their being and shows their role in the story. Saul means “The one who was asked for” because Israel asked him to be king. The two sons of Naomi in the book of Ruth, their names are Mahlon and Chilion mean “one who is sick” and “to die”. Their only role in the story is to die and set up the plot conflict.
In the third part of the episode, (21:13-25:56) Tim explains that just because a character does something in a story, doesn’t mean the author is endorsing the action. Many authors use a minimalist technique of telling the reader the character’s choices but not saying why the character made these choices. A famous is example is when Moses kills the Egyptian who was beating the Hebrew. We don’t know why Moses killed him, we only know that he did. Biblical narrators refuse to tell us if a character is “good” or “evil” instead they let us decide for ourselves.
In the fourth part of the episode (25:56-end) Jon asks why. Why would biblical authors take the risk of their work being misinterpreted? Tim says the Biblical authors want readers to puzzle over the ambiguities of their stories because it is meant to represent the ambiguities that are inherent in life. The big narrative of the Bible puts meaning and purpose in the world, but individual stories are meant to create a feeling of opaqueness and mystery.
More Bible Project resources are here on the website: thebibleproject.com
Watch the accompanying video to this content here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EQDGax19xk
Thank you to all our supporters!
Show Resources:
Shimon Bar-Efrat, Narrative Art in the Bible
Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative
Meir Sternberg, The Poetics of Biblical Narrative: Ideological Literature and the Drama of Reading
Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative
Yairah Amit, Reading Biblical Narrative
Cormac McCarthy, The Road and The Border Trilogy: (1) All the Pretty Horses, (2) The Crossing, (3) Cities of the Plain.
Music Credits:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
Educated Fool: Jackie Hill Perry
Ruby: CJBeards
Flooded Meadows: Unwritten Stories
Produced By:
Dan Gummel. Jon Collins. Matthew Halbert Howen.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
49 min
December 18, 2017 Justice Q + R
This is our last episode for 2017! Thank you to all our supporters! All of this is because of you. We’ll be back in 2018 with a full slate of exciting podcast episodes, videos, and some surprises as well!
We discussed four questions in this episode:
Questions:
Jenn (3:25): “How does Jesus’ death work to satisfy God’s ‘justice’?
Corey (23:08): “How do we distinguish ‘doing justice’ from being an issue of the church or the state to address?
Logan (39:05): “How do we determine who is oppressed and who isn’t? And how do we stand up against people who refuse to see the oppressed? Also, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 has been used as a case against helping the homeless… is this correct?”
Vic (57:15): “What’s the relationship in the Bible between justice and power?”
Resources:
Michael Sandel: Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
You can check out our video on Justice here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A14THPoc4-4
More resources are at: thebibleproject.com
Music:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
Show Produced by:
Jon Collins, Dan Gummel and Matthew Halbert-Howen

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
1 hr 6 min
December 12, 2017 What Happens After We Die?
Want to participate in our Nephesh Q+R? Have a question about your “soul”? Send us your question [email protected]. Don’t forget to tell us your name and where you’re from!
What happens to our souls after we die?
This is our third episode on the Hebrew word “Nephesh”. It usually gets translated as “soul” in modern bibles. But to the hebrews the word often meant “throat”. This episode Tim and Jon discuss the Hebrew concepts of an afterlife. The Hebrews would often use the word “Nephesh” when talking about eternal life in the Scriptures.
In part 1 (0-7:00), the guys talk about the difficulty of getting the nephesh concept across in a short video. They discuss the possible gradients of ways to read the Shema.
In part 2 (7:00-17:30), Jon asks “Isn’t there some sort of non material part of me that survives death?” To which Tim replies “Yes.” But it’s not necessarily what you think. Tim says the biblical authors refuse to speculate about what happens after death, only that the authors say we are “with the Lord.”
He uses Psalm 16 and Psalm 49 as an example.
Psalm 16:8-10:
I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my nephesh to the grave;
Nor will You ballow Your Holy One to see the pit.
You will make known to me the path of life;
Tim says Bible scholar NT Wright calls it “life after life after death.”
In part 3 (17:30-end), the guys discuss the concept of Nephesh in the New Testament. Nephesh is translated with the Greek word “psuche.”
It’s often used to describe a person as an embodied, living organism.
A few of Jesus’ famous sayings with the word “psuche” include:
Matthew 6:25
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your psuche, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Luke 17:33
Whoever tries to save their psuche will lose it, and whoever loses their psuche will preserve it.
Psuche can also be used to describe the animating life-energy of a person (very similar to pneuma/ruakh)
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of psuche and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, psuche and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you to all our supporters!
Show Resources:
Our video on the word Nephesh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_igCcWAMAM
More resources on our website www.thebibleproject.com
N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God.
Music Credits:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn
Scream Pilots: Moby
Boost: Joakim Karud
Back To Life: Soul II Soul: Non-Profit and Educational Fair Use
Produced by:
Jon Collins and Dan Gummel

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
32 min
November 22, 2017 Let's Get Physical
According to the Bible, we don’t have souls, we are souls. And people will live forever not in a disembodied existence as a soul, but in an embodied existence. So what do we do with physical/body desires like hunger and sex?
In part 1 (0-9:00) Tim outlines some other uses of the word "nephesh" in the Old Testament including translating the word as “person” or “people” and calling kidnappers and murderers “nephesh thief” and “nephesh slayer.”
In part 2 (9:00-17:25) the guys discuss the uses of “nephesh” when referring to the human physical desires for food or water (like in Psalm 42) and sex. In Song of Solomon, the erotic love poetry book in the Old Testament, in the original Hebrew, the writer expresses physical desire for their lover using the word “nephesh.” Tim and Jon discuss why we’ve spiritualized the physical sexual desires of people.
In the third part (17:25-end) of the episode, Tim explains that animals and immigrants are described as “nephesh” in the Bible and the “righteous” people are called to respect their “nephesh.” Tim outlines Psalm 35 and explains that the author uses the word “nephesh” in seven different ways in this Psalm. Tim says it’s a great example of the diversity and depth of the word.
You can view our video on the word Nephesh here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_igCcWAMAM&index=5&list=PLH0Szn1yYNeclOdfwWBawnNT5ZkGFHxBf
Thank you to all our supporters! Check out more free resources on our website: www.thebibleproject.com
Produced by:
Jon Collins and Dan Gummel
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental- Rosasharn Music
The Darkest Night - Alert 312
Pop Romantic - The Bluest Star

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
28 min
November 13, 2017 You Are A Soul
This is our first episode related to our new word studies video on the Hebrew word “Nephesh” which often gets translated as “soul” in English bibles. In Hebrew the most basic meaning of the word is “throat.” Which seems weird to us. So how did we get “soul” from “throat”? Tim and Jon discuss.
In the first part of the episode (0-12:30), Tim and Jon outline where the word “soul” comes from (Old English), and why most people think that a core teaching of the Bible is people “having souls.” Jon asks how much you can really separate the ideas of a person’s “mind, soul, and body.”
In the second part of the episode (12:30-41:20), Tim explains that the Hebrew word “Nephesh” is an extremely common word in the Hebrew Old Testament. It occurs over 700 times, but less than 10% of the time is it translated as “soul.” It also gets translated as “life”, “heart”, “you”, “people” and several other words.
Tim outlines some famous verses in the Old Testament that use the word soul. Like Psalm 42 “ As the deer pants...My soul thirsts for you” the original meaning is Hebrew is “my throat thirsts for you.”
Tim explains that the word Nephesh is designed to show the essential physicality of a person. Whereas “soul” connotes the non-physicality of a person.
In the third part of the episode (41:20-end), Tim says “Nephesh” isn’t just used to describe humans, but also used to describe animals and what the land produced in Genesis. “And God said ‘Let the waters teem with living Nephesh.’”
The bottom line, biblically, is that people don’t have souls. They are souls. They don’t have “nephesh” they are “nephesh.” And the ultimate hope for Christians is not a disembodied existence living as souls, but an embodied existence living in their Nephesh.
You can check out our new word studies video on Nephesh here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_igCcWAMAM
Thank you to all our supporters! Check out more free resources on our website: www.thebibleproject.com
Show Resources:
The Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Original uses of the word Nephesh meaning throat:
Psalm 23
Psalm 42:1-2
Isaiah 58:11
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
River Deep: Retro Soul (Danya Vodovoz, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B1tVfm832w)
Lotus Lane: The Loyalist
Herbal Tea: Artificial Music
Show Produced By:
Jon Collins and Dan Gummel

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56 min
November 06, 2017Jonah Q + R
This is our final episode in our Youtube Q+R Series. In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to questions on the Old Testament book of Jonah. Below are the questions and time marks they appear.
You can view the original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLIabZc0O4c&t=1s&list=PLH0Szn1yYNeeVFodkI9J_WEATHQCwRZ0u&index=21
Want to learn more about the ancient empire of Assyria and how it impacted the Bible? Tim references the "Lachish Carvings" in the podcast, check out more info here! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachish_reliefs
Thank you to all our supporters!
Learn more about what we're up to and sign up to receive more free resources from us at: www.thebibleproject.com
Jonah Overview - 0-6:30
Is Jonah a real person or a parable? (6:30)
If God is interested in choosing upright people to work with, why would God choose Jonah, who doesn’t seem to be an upright man? (16:10)
Why is Jonah so angry about God showing compassion on Nineveh? (20:00)
Why do we think Jonah’s five word sermon in Jonah 4 is the whole thing? How do we know the rest wasn’t lost? (28:45)
How do you know that Jonah is “angry” with God? (32:55)
What happened between the book of Jonah and Nahum? Was the Nineveh's repentance a fluke? (36:43)
What is Jesus talking about in Matthew 12 and the sign of Jonah? (39:35)
How does Jonah describe God’s character and how does that compare to how Job describes God’s character? (44:25)
Show Resources:
Lachish Carvings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachish_reliefs
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental by Rosasharn Music.
Show Produced by: Jon Collins and Dan Gummel

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
52 min
October 23, 2017 Justice Part 3: Jesus and His Mission of Justice
This is part 3 in our Justice series where we discuss Jesus and his mission for justice. Tim and Jon begin the episode (0-12:30) discussing why its a big deal to think of humanity being made in the “image of God.” Tim and Jon speculate on what separates man from animals. And whether there were vegetarians in the ancient world.
In the second part of the show (12:30-23:40), Jon ponders the juxtaposition of viewing life as a competition vs viewing it as an opportunity to do social justice. Tim discusses the social justice themes of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. Tim also outlines, the unique justice of Jesus dying on the cross.
The final act of the show (23:40-end) the guys discuss what the Christian response is after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Tim says the people of Jesus should be at the forefront of creating and doing social justice to create a better society in which all people are honored as sacred and divine images of God.
Thank you to our supporters!
If you would like to participate in our Justice Q+R episode next week, record your question (keep it less than 15 seconds) and email it to us [email protected] . Deadline: Weds October 25th, 2017. Don’t forget to include your first name and where you’re from.
Show Resources:
Bruce Waltke: Proverbs Commentary
Show Music:
Rosasharn Music: Defender Instrumental
Hang Massive: Once Again
Beautiful Euology: Blessed are the Merciful

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32 min
October 17, 2017 Justice Part 2: What is Social Justice and Righteousness in the Bible?
Show Notes:
This is episode two of our Justice series. Tim and Jon discuss the twin ideas of Justice and Righteousness in the Bible. Those two words are often paired together in the Bible. The guys start the episode (0-18:10) by finishing up the discussion from episode 1 on retributive and restorative justice. Jon shares a story about some of the difficulties in practices community justice.
In the second part (18:10-25:30) of the episode Tim shares a poem in the book of Jeremiah 9 and says it’s ideally captures the biblical vision of justice, mercy and righteousness. Tim and Jon speculate what they would do if they won the lottery.
In the third part of the episode (25:30-end), the guys discuss the word “righteousness” in the Bible. Tim explains that the root word of righteousness is a word that means “to be in right relationship with someone” Tim talks about how Job is described as righteous, and how those descriptions are words that describe his efforts in social justice, defending the poor and the widow.
Thank you to all our supporters!
Show Resources:
Nicholas Wolterstorff: Justice, Rights and Wrongs.
Gustavo Gutierrez: A Liberation Theology
Moshe Weinfeld: “righteousness and justice”
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
Organized Religion: Beautiful Eulogy
According to God: Beautiful Eulogy

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40 min
October 09, 2017 Justice Part 1: What's the Biblical Vision of Justice?
This is our first episode in our new series on the theme of Justice in the Bible. When most of us hear the term "justice" we think of courtrooms, judges and cops. Some of us might think of biblical justice as “God’s Judgement”.
What did the Hebrews believe justice looked like? And what was the biblical vision for a “just society?”
In the first part of the conversation (0-22:50) Tim outlines where the words “Justice” and “Righteousness” come from in the Bible and what they meant in their original context. The guys speculate about why every person seems to have an ingrained idea of “fairness”.
Tim shares three common perspectives of Justice from a Harvard professor (Brian Sandel) book Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
Justice is Maximizing Welfare
Justice is Respect of Individual Freedom
Justice is Promoting Virtue
In the second part of the show (22:51-44:45)
Tim outlines the famous verse in Micah “do justice, love mercy” and what that verse originally meant to Hebrews. The guys talk about the differences between retributive justice and restorative justice.
Tim shares the prophets ideas of the quartet of the vulnerable: widows, orphans, immigrants, the poor.
Finally, (44:50-end) the guys discuss the story of the Hebrew Exodus, and how that story framed many images in the Bible about justice.
Thank you to all our supporters!
You can learn more about the bible project on our website: https://thebibleproject.com/
Resources:
Books:
Annie Dillard: Pilgrim At Tinker Creek
Michael Sandel: Justice: What’s The Right Thing To Do?
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
Flooded Meadows: Unwritten Stories
You Can Save Me: Beautiful Eulogy
Exile Dial Tone: Beautiful Eulogy

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

About BibleProject

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The creators of BibleProject have in-depth conversations about the Bible and theology. A companion podcast to BibleProject videos found at bibleproject.com