12-year-old Jesus and his parents go to Jerusalem for Passover only for Jesus to stay behind for three days listening and asking questions of the Rabbis of the temple. 

In this week's conversation, Dr. Steven Paulson teaches Adam, Kiri and I what's the law and what's the gospel in this week's lectionary text. Specifically, he explains Jesus' relationship to the law and how that impacts his favor with God. 

Questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• What's the significance of Jesus being 12?
• How did Mary and Joseph lose Jesus for several days?
• Why was Jesus in the Temple?

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Pregnant with Jesus, Mary hurries to the hill country to visit her aunt Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist. When John hears Mary's voice, he leaps in Elizabeth's womb. 

As you'll hear in this week's lectionary text: Elizabeth says to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."

Luther House of Study's co-directors, Sarah Stenson and Dr. Chris Croghan teach Adam, Kiri and I that Mary is blessed because of Christ. Mary tells us that she'll be remembered for having God's face shown upon her.

Interested in supporting Luther House of Study? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 

Sarah Stenson joins the podcast to talk about John the Baptist naming peoples' sin and taking away their claim to righteousness through their lineage to Abraham. 

Naturally, when we're called sinners and it turns out that the thing we think we're doing that makes us worthy of salvation isn't enough, we respond the same way the crowd responded to John: What then should we do? 

John gives us the answer and points his long bony finger right at Jesus. 

This week's conversation is all about what repentance is and what it isn't, why we shouldn't feel threatened by a passage saying those will be thrown into the fire, and how to proclaim the good news.

Here are the questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• Where is Jesus at this moment?
• What then should we do?
• If it's not up to me, why do they get thrown into the fire? 

Interested in sponsoring Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Advent is not a preparation for Jesus to come, it's a remembrance that he already came. 

This week, on Scripture First, Dr. Chris Croghan teaches us about why God gave His word to John in the wilderness. 

Not the powerful political actors.

Not the religious elite.

But John. 

Here are the questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• Who are all of the people Luke lists at the beginning of chapter 3?
• Does proclamation always come before repentance?
• How do you prepare the way of the Lord?

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Why does the first text in a new lectionary year begin with the end times? 

As you'll Dr. Paulson teach us, in order to understand the gospel, you have to start at the end. 

In this week's text, we discuss the text at the end of the Gospel of Luke where Jesus is telling us about the end times. Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." 

Here are the questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• When is the end?
• How do we know that this is what the end will be like? 
• What power and glory is Jesus using?

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Pontius Pilate asks Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

In this week's podcast episode, Dr. Croghan and Sarah teach us what it means to call Jesus a king and the political and religious ramifications this has between Jesus, Pilate and the government, and the Jewish community. 

Here are the questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• What truth is Jesus testifying to?
• Why do we call Jesus a king?
• Who was Pontius Pilate?

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Jesus and the end times. God's wrath vs God's mercy. Wars and earthquakes. 

Sarah Stenson joins Scripture First to discuss this week's lectionary text: Mark 13:1-8 where Jesus reviews the end times and his disciples ask for a sign of when they're coming. 

Here are the questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• What are the birth pangs?
• Why does Jesus predict there will be people leading astray?
• Why are the disciples impressed with large buildings?

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

All Saints Sunday. Jesus raises Lazarus. God's promise in death. 

Dr. Chris Croghan is back on Scripture First to talk about John 11:32-44 and what it means that God's glory is going from death to life in an incredible promise. 

Here are the questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask:

• What is a saint and why do we celebrate them?
• What does it mean that Jesus was deeply moved?
• How is God's glory going from death to life?

Interested in sponsoring Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Dr. Steven Paulson is back on Scripture First to talk about Jesus' sermon where he promises, "I will set you free," in John chapter 8 for this Reformation Sunday. 

In this week's text, we hear Jesus say to Jews who no longer believed in him that listening to his word will let them know the truth and the truth will make you free. As you'll hear Dr. Paulson teach us: the Jews in this text, and people today, are surprised and upset to be told they aren't free. 

In fact, they're slaves to their sin. But Jesus doesn't leave them there. He promises us that he will make us free. 

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Right before Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, a blind man hears that Jesus is coming down the road and shouts, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" He throws off his cloak to meet Jesus and Jesus asks him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

The blind man says he wants to see again and Jesus replies,  "Go; your faith has made you well."

This week, Luther House of Study's co-director, Sarah Stenson, breaks down this text to reveal the significance of this blind man calling Jesus Son of David, the implication behind him throwing off his cloak, and what exactly it means that his faith made him well. 

Questions Kiri and Mason ask Sarah:

• Why do they try to make the blind man be quiet?
• Why does the blind man need to take courage?
• What does it mean that our faith makes us well? 

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: [email protected]

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at [email protected] or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate