Reasoning Through the Bible

John the Baptist was not impressed by outward religion, family heritage, or public appearances. When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, he challenged them to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” In this session, Glenn and Steve examine what genuine repentance means and why changed thinking should eventually produce changed actions. 

John’s message also contains strong warnings of coming judgment: the axe at the root, the winnowing fork, the chaff, and unquenchable fire. We discuss the difference between baptism with the Holy Spirit and baptism with fire, why religious heritage cannot substitute for faith, and how John’s warning fits with both the justice and love of God.

The session then moves to the baptism of Jesus. Why was a sinless Savior baptized? We consider how Jesus identified with humanity, how baptism points toward death and resurrection, and how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all revealed together at the Jordan River.

Matthew 3:7–17 | The Book of Matthew — Session 4

  Questions discussed in this session include:

• Are there modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees?
• Can someone be a true Christian without showing the fruit of repentance? 
• Does Jesus ever do unpleasant and violent things? 
• Is the doctrine of Hell found in the Old Testament? 
• When will be the baptisms of the Holy Spirit and Fire?

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

 God repeatedly guides Joseph during the dangerous early years of Jesus’ life. When Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt, he obeys immediately. Later, God directs him back to Israel and then to Galilee. In this session, Glenn and Steve discuss how Christians should think about dreams and spiritual experiences today and why every claimed message must ultimately be tested against Scripture. 

Matthew also continues emphasizing fulfilled prophecy. Jesus is born in Bethlehem, comes out of Egypt, and grows up in Nazareth—three very different locations that come together in the life of the Messiah. The discussion also examines Herod’s killing of the children in Bethlehem and why the event’s absence from surviving secular history is not especially surprising.

Then Matthew 3 introduces John the Baptist, a rough wilderness prophet with a simple message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We consider what repentance means, why John baptized in the Jordan, and how Isaiah’s prophecy identifies John as the herald preparing the way for the coming King.

Matthew 2:13–3:6 | The Book of Matthew - Session 3

Questions discussed in this session include: 

• Does God speak to people in dreams today? 
•  What about the modern messages people get from Mary? 
•  Were the accounts around Jesus’ birth accurate historically? 
• Does God provide guidance to those who follow Him? 

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Why does the virgin birth of Jesus matter? Matthew 1 does much more than tell us the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth. It identifies Him as the Savior who will save His people from their sins and as Emmanuel - “God with us.”

In this session, Glenn and Steve examine Joseph’s difficult situation when he learns Mary is pregnant, the angel’s explanation that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and the textual evidence supporting the virgin birth. They also discuss why the virgin birth is theologically important to understanding both the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ.

Then Matthew 2 introduces the Magi, who travel in search of the newborn King of the Jews. We consider what the Bible actually tells us about these wise men, why the star appears to be a supernatural act of God rather than an ordinary astronomical event, and the striking contrast between outsiders who travel to worship Christ and religious leaders who know the prophecy but never go to Bethlehem. 

The session closes by examining Herod’s hostility, the Magi’s worship of Jesus, and the significance of their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 1:18–2:12 | The Book of Matthew — Session 2

 Questions discussed in this session include:

• What is the main reason Jesus came to earth?
• What is the importance of the virgin birth? 
•  Who were the Magi (Wise Men)?
• What does fulfilled prophecy tell us about the messiah? 

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Why would Matthew begin his Gospel with a genealogy? In the very first verse, Matthew identifies Jesus as the Messiah, the son of David, and the son of Abraham. Those names are not accidental. They connect Jesus directly to two of the great unconditional covenant promises God made in the Old Testament. 

In this first session of our verse-by-verse study through Matthew, Glenn and Steve examine the Davidic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, and why Jesus’ ancestry establishes His right to the promised kingdom. We also look at some of the unexpected people Matthew includes—such as Ruth, Rahab, and Bathsheba—and what their presence reveals about God’s grace and faithfulness.

Finally, we examine the structure of Matthew’s genealogy, including the three groups of fourteen generations, why generations can be omitted in biblical genealogies, and why these lists should be used for their intended purpose rather than as a precise method for calculating historical dates.

Matthew 1:1–17 | The Book of Matthew — Session 1

Questions discussed in this session include:

• How did Jesus fulfill the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants?
•  What are the purposes for the genealogy and what can it tell us? 
•  Can we trust God to keep His promises? 
•  Are God’s promises to Israel still in place? 
• Can we use the Biblical genealogies to calculate the age of the earth? 

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Before beginning our verse-by-verse study of the Gospels, we step back and ask some foundational questions about the four Gospels. Why do we have Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Why do they sometimes emphasize different events or arrange their material differently? And can these ancient accounts really be trusted?

In this introductory session, Glenn and Steve examine the distinct audiences and emphases of the four Gospels, with Matthew presenting Jesus to a predominantly Jewish audience and emphasizing Him as the promised King. They also discuss the so-called “synoptic problem,” literary and form criticism, the claim that the Gospels were originally anonymous, and arguments that the accounts were written too late to preserve reliable testimony. 

Most importantly, the discussion considers the eyewitness foundation behind the Gospel accounts and why similarities and differences between them do not require us to treat them as myths or legends. This session provides the foundation for the RTTB verse-by-verse journey through Matthew. 

Matthew Series — Session 1 | Introduction to the Four Gospels

Questions discussed in this session include: 

• What are the distinctions in the gospels? 
• Why are there four gospels instead of just one? 
• Who wrote them and can we trust their writings? 
• What does the term “gospel” mean and why is it important to us? 
• When were the gospels written? 
• How long was it between the events of Jesus and when they were written down?
• Who were the intended audiences for the gospels? 
• Were the gospels anonymous, or how can we be sure who wrote them? 
• Is there a synoptic problem?  

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth chapter 4 brings the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz to its beautiful conclusion.

Boaz goes to the city gate, gathers the elders, and properly follows the law to settle the question of redemption. A closer relative has the first right to redeem Naomi’s land, but when he learns that Ruth must also become part of the family inheritance, he declines. Boaz then steps forward and publicly declares that he will redeem both the land and Ruth.

The transaction illustrates what redemption means. Something has been lost, a legitimate claim exists, and a price must be paid to restore it. Boaz pays that price and gains the legal right to redeem Ruth and restore the family inheritance.

The session connects this with Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that believers were bought with a price. Christ paid the debt of sin in full through His death on the cross. Redemption is not merely forgiveness in the abstract—it is a costly act in which the Redeemer pays what we could not pay for ourselves.

Ruth’s progression throughout the book is remarkable. She begins as a foreigner, then calls herself a maidservant, then becomes Boaz’s maid, and finally becomes his wife. She moves from poverty and exclusion to belonging, inheritance, marriage, and blessing.

Naomi experiences a similar transformation. She once asked to be called Mara because she believed the Lord had dealt bitterly with her. By the end, she holds a grandson in her arms while the women of Bethlehem celebrate with her.

The book closes with the genealogy leading to King David, showing that God’s providential work in the lives of Ruth and Boaz becomes part of the larger story of redemption that ultimately leads to Jesus Christ.

Scripture: Ruth 4:1–22
Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study

Questions discussed in this session include:

• What does it mean when we say Jesus paid for our sins?
• What is redeeming and why is it important to us? 
• How is Jesus our redeemer? 
• What is the state of a person before and after they come to Christ? 

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth chapter 3 brings the Kinsman-Redeemer theme to the center of the story.

The session begins with the law from Deuteronomy 25, which provided for a widow to be cared for by a close family member so that the family name, inheritance, and land could continue. That background becomes essential when Naomi recognizes that Boaz may be able to act as Ruth’s redeemer.

Naomi then sends Ruth to the threshing floor. Ruth approaches Boaz humbly, lies at his feet, and asks him to spread his covering over her because he is a close relative. Her request is essentially a request for Boaz to fulfill the role of kinsman-redeemer.

Boaz responds with kindness and integrity. He praises Ruth’s character, explains that another relative has the first right of redemption, and promises that if that man will not redeem her, he will.

This session explores how Boaz points toward Jesus Christ. A redeemer had to be a true kinsman. In the same way, Christ had to become fully human in order to redeem humanity. He is not a distant Savior—He became one of us so that He could serve as our mediator and Redeemer.

The chapter also emphasizes humility, submission, timing, salvation, waiting on God, and trusting His promises.

Ruth places herself at Boaz’s feet.

Boaz makes a promise.

Then Ruth has to wait.

That same pattern speaks powerfully to the Christian life. Christ has made promises to His people, including the promise that He will return. Until then, believers are called to trust Him while they wait.

Scripture: Ruth 3:1–18
Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study

Some questions discussed in this session include:

• How does God keep families together?
• Can we earn a relationship with Christ? 
• How should we approach God when talking to Him? 
• How should a couple today find a spouse? 
• What time is the best time to settle our relationship with God? 

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth 2 moves fully into the growing relationship between Ruth and Boaz.

Ruth is a widow, a foreigner, and poor. She has no inheritance in Israel and is gathering leftover barley simply to survive. Then Boaz, a wealthy landowner from Bethlehem, notices her.

In this session, Glenn and Steve explore how the romance between Ruth and Boaz also illustrates the believer’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Ruth is the outsider with no ability to change her circumstances, while Boaz is the wealthy kinsman who sees her, protects her, provides for her, and begins drawing her closer.

Boaz tells Ruth to remain in his field, commands his workers not to harm her, gives her access to water, invites her to eat with his servants, personally serves her food, and instructs his workers to intentionally leave extra grain behind for her. Ruth receives far more than the minimum the law required.

The passage also explores Ruth’s status as a foreigner and the biblical truth that God does not show partiality based on race, nationality, social standing, or background.

By the end of the chapter, Naomi recognizes that Boaz is more than simply a generous landowner. He is a close relative and a potential kinsman-redeemer.

The romance is beginning, but so is a much larger picture of redemption.

Scripture: Ruth 2:5–23
Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study

Questions discussed in this session are: 

•  What does the Bible teach about race and nationality? 
• How should we take care of the least advantaged in our midst?
• Can we trust in the providence of the Lord? 
• How much does God notice of our lives?
• What benefits does Christ give us?  

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth 1–2 shows the difference between turning toward God and fully committing to Him.

Orpah begins the journey toward Israel but eventually returns to Moab. Ruth does the opposite. She leaves her homeland, her people, and her former gods behind and tells Naomi, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Her words are more than family loyalty—they represent a wholehearted commitment to Yahweh.

When Ruth and Naomi arrive in Bethlehem, the town is stirred by Naomi’s return. Naomi asks to be called Mara, meaning bitter, because she believes the Lord has afflicted her. Her grief is understandable, but she cannot yet see what God is preparing.

The story then introduces the biblical practice of gleaning. Under the Mosaic Law, landowners were required to leave portions of their harvest for widows, foreigners, travelers, and the poor. This system provided help while still allowing those who were able to work for their food.

Ruth does exactly that. Rather than demanding assistance, she humbly asks permission to glean behind the harvesters.

Then one of the most important statements in the story appears: Ruth “happened” to come to the field belonging to Boaz.

Boaz is wealthy, respected, related to Naomi’s late husband, and positioned to become a kinsman-redeemer. His meeting with Ruth looks accidental from a human perspective, but the story begins revealing God’s providential arrangement of ordinary circumstances.

God’s provision often does not arrive through spectacular miracles. Sometimes it appears through a field, a harvest, a conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time.

Scripture: Ruth 1:14–2:9
Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study

  Questions discussed in this session include:

• Does God always recognize those who turn Him? 
•  What value is there in taking care of the human needs of a loved one?
•  Can we keep one foot in the old life and one foot in the new? 
•  Is there a Biblical way to have welfare?  

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

The Book of Ruth begins during the dark period of the Judges, when Israel was marked by disobedience, idolatry, and judgment. Yet Ruth offers a striking contrast: even in a corrupt culture, individuals can still live faithfully, and God can work quietly through ordinary people and painful circumstances.

In this opening session, Glenn and Steve introduce the major themes of Ruth, including redemption, kindness, rest, providence, love, grief, and restoration. Ruth and Boaz will eventually become the great-grandparents of King David, and Ruth will also appear in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

The story begins with a famine in Bethlehem, whose name means “house of bread.” Elimelech leaves the promised land with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons and travels to Moab. There, Naomi loses her husband and both sons, leaving her in a foreign land with her two daughters-in-law.

The session pauses to consider the deep grief that follows the loss of a spouse and other loved ones. Steve shares personally about the death of his wife and how his relationship with God, his daughters, and other believers helped him continue through sorrow.

When Naomi hears that the Lord has again provided food in Judah, she begins the journey home. She urges Ruth and Orpah to return to their families. Orpah leaves, but Ruth clings to Naomi and makes one of Scripture’s most memorable declarations:

“Where you go, I will go… your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”

At this point, Naomi believes that the Lord has turned against her. She cannot yet see that God is using these very circumstances to bring blessing, redemption, and a future greater than anything she could imagine.

Scripture: Ruth 1:1–18
Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study

  Questions discussed in this session include:

•  If tragedy happens, is God sill working?  
• What does it indicate when the Jews leave a land? 
• Can grief be overwhelming? 
• Can good come out of tragedy? 

Support the show

Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 

You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible

Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 

May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve