Simpler Bible

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

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Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

We've talked about Judas quite a few times already, starting with the OT references to him in the Psalms. One of the things I didn't address was the differences between the two accounts of his death. In Matthew, we are told that he hanged himself, while here in Acts, we are told that he fell headlong into a field and burst open with his bowels gushing out. If Luke wrote Acts, and if this is Luke, who was Paul's friend, and if Luke was a physician in the way we understand him to be, then he seems to speak very detailed about nearly everything. So maybe Judas hanged himself. Maybe the body was left there to rot. Maybe the body fell down into the field and burst open. Maybe, like the other eyewitness accounts of literally every single event in human history, the witnesses told the part of the story that was relevant to them. Could Judas have hung himself and then had his body fall into a field and split open? Sure. Either way, Judas is dead as the prophesies said he would be; his wife is a widow, and his children are orphans.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

I know that whether the high Sabbath corresponded to the weekly Sabbath or just bumped up next to it will not change a single thing about the death and resurrection of Jesus. I'll just say that i really enjoy the details and I think the Sabbath that corresponds to the Passover ought to be considered.

But there are countless people much smarter than me that seem to disagree with this assesment and only a few, it seems, that land where I am leaning. Either way, don't let it get you down or puff you up, but maybe just think about it over your next bowl of fruity pebbles.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Even at this point, the week Jesus was going to die, the "Disciples did not understand" what was going on. They still expected Jesus to be an earthly King. The people celebrated with shouts, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel." And there it was, "The King of Israel." The crowds were still expecting a man of the line of David to come and sit on the throne in Jerusalem and route the enemy that oppressed them. Little did they know he left a throne and was returning to one. Little did they understand he came to set them free from the enemies of sin, death, and the Devil. At this moment, they are celebrating him but mostly missing who he was and where he had come from. For the gospel to bear fruit, Jesus would have to die. For, "unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

This is also the third instance of God speaking from heaven to or about Jesus. The first was at his baptism, the second on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the third, here, on the week he would die. But, "Though he had done many signs before them, they still did not believe him." This was the future fulfillment of Isaiah 53, "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us." And Isaiah 6, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart."

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

There are a few key things to notice in this chapter. Near the top of the list has to be, "This illness does not lead to death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Lazarus's death, yes, he did die, and no, Jesus didn't get it wrong, led to people putting their faith in Jesus. See John 12:9-11. God used Lazarus's suffering, death, and resurrection to bring glory to himself and to Jesus. In John 21, Peter is told about "The kind of death by which he would glorify God." We will see tomorrow that Jesus's death was for the glory of God. Paul says in Philippians that his desire is to honor God in life or death. What if we thought so highly of Jesus, so highly of the Father in heaven who loves us, that we would be willing to die for the glory of God. Not just willing but pleased. What if the glory of God weighed more in our personal economy than all the other things we might love or cling to in this temporary world?

Second, Jesus "Is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in [him], though he dies, yet shall he live." Death is NOT the end of the story for us. This world is not our home. We are Kingdom people, citizens of heaven, waiting for the return of our King, who will come and make all things new. If we had a view that rested on the eternal more than the temporal it would not put an end to our sorrow and grief, but it would temper it. We would grieve, knowing that it is a temporary grief. We'd suffer in our loss all the while knowing the loss was just a momentary one. Every aspect of our lives would be better if, as Peter instructed we, "Set all of your hope on the day Christ Jesus will be revealed." (1 Peter 1:13-16)

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Of course, I also grew up reading John 10 as though Jesus was speaking directly to me rather than realizing he was a Jew who came to the Jews to show himself the fulfillment of the OT prophecies. There was a framework by which the Jews in the audience would have understood these words of Jesus that was completely different than the framework I had formed about the text. I wish I had started examining the Scripture more honestly in my youth, but I am thankful today for the perspective that the Bible is a single narrative of redemption and that Jesus very likely had an intent in everything he said and did.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Jesus made mud from spit and dirt and wiped it on the blind man's eyes, instructing him to wash his eyes. When the man obeyed, his eyes were opened, and by the end of the day, his spiritual eyes would be opened to the Messiah.

During the day, the blind man loses his relationship with his family, loses his welcome in the synagogue, and finds himself without a place or a people of his own. To him, Jesus was a good man, a prophet, a man from God, and finally, "Lord." He started the morning as a beggar and ended it as a saint worshipping his creator and King.

I imagine he had no regrets about what he lost that day because he gained life. I wonder why we so often find our pleasure in the temporary things of this world. Further, would we see more clearly who Christ was if we recognized how truly destitute we were before he came into and changed our lives?

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

"As he was saying these things, many believed in him." However, we have already seen that just because people believed in Jesus did not mean that Jesus entrusted himself to them. Many people have, and will, believe in Jesus and still miss the truth of who he is. They will stop short of him being Savior and land on the idea that he is a prophet or a good man.

From verse 31 to the end of the chapter, Jesus dismantles the Jewish perspective of who they are and who he is. "If you abide in my word (read that as message) you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." We don't take issue with these words of Jesus, but the implication angered the Jews in attendance that they were in slavery. Jesus goes so far as to compare his audience to Ishmael as an illegitmate son. In other words, Jesus tells the Jews that they are like Ishmael, the slave son of Abraham and not heirs of Abraham, not true sons and daughters of God. Jesus doesn't pull any punches and tells them that not only are they not of Abraham, they aren't of God either. Then, to deliver the knockout blow, he tells them, "You are of your father the devil." Now remember, these are the people who had "believed" in him.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

Even the people knew that the Jewish leadership wanted to arrest and put Jesus to death, so their question made sense. If the leaders aren't arresting him they must know that he is the Christ. Furthermore, the crowds were astonished at the signs and miracles Jesus did, and they asked, "When Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?"

The Pharisees and the chief priests had enough of the crowds going after Jesus, so they finally sent soldiers to arrest him, but it was not yet the hour for Jesus to die, so they would not arrest him. Of course Jesus couldn't die before the time. We already know how his death would unfold and that it had to coincide with the Passover. There were still a lot of Scriptures to fulfill. It would be time for death soon enough.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes

Welcome to Simpler Bible, your daily path to biblical understanding.

What's in Store: Daily podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts – everything you need to make your Bible study a breeze, no matter where you are on your faith journey.

Connect with Us:

Don't Miss Out: Hit subscribe for a daily dose of Bible wisdom. Let's explore the Scriptures together, connect the dots, and uncover the major themes of redemption.

Join us in making Bible study Simpler!

Here’s an excerpt from the blog post.

John the Baptist bore witness about Jesus. We've already seen that early in the book of John. John the Baptist testified that Jesus was the Messiah and that Jesus was "the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world."

The works that Jesus did bore witness to who he was. Remember in Matthew 8 that Jesus healing the sick and demon-oppressed was to fulfill Isaiah 53. Jesus proved over and over by the works he was doing that he was the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies. In fact, the crowds said, "We have never seen anyone do these things."

God the Father bore witness about Jesus. God spoke audibly from heaven three times to bear witness about who Christ was: once at the baptism, once at the Mount of Transfiguration, and again the week before Jesus was crucified.

For more visit http://simplerbible.com/episodes