In this episode of The Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen are joined by Cindy’s daughter, Caroline Hagedorn, as they explore Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments, and the deeper meaning of God’s covenant with Israel. They discuss how the Torah reveals God’s vision for holiness, justice, and righteousness, examining how covenant faithfulness transforms His people into a treasured possession and a holy nation.

Drawing on biblical scholarship and Jewish perspectives, Susan, Cindy, and Caroline reflect on how God’s commandments shape both spiritual devotion and everyday life. They explore the connection between Old and New Testament teachings, emphasizing that the law is a gift that reveals God’s character, guides His people, and points toward a deeper relationship with Him.


00:00 Introduction
06:50 Worshiping the Lord in Beauty
10:51 Hans Urs von Balthasar
14:40 Beauty as Cosmos Out of Chaos
20:57 Incarnation and the Limits of Scientism
24:59 Beauty Demands Contemplation
30:14 The Marian Dimension of the Church
37:46 Beauty Leads to Truth and Goodness
44:45 Finding Hope and Beauty Amidst Chaos
51:19 Creativity as a Path Through Victimhood
57:09 Beauty in Business and Homemaking
01:00 Beauty in Worship
01:08:03 Creating Beauty on a Budget
01:14:17 The Beauty of Holy Lives

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

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Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Tools, Websites, and Links

Come Follow Me
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/come-follow-me

Smithsonian Open Access
https://www.si.edu/openaccess

Books

The Glory of the Lord by Hans Urs von Balthasar
https://www.ignatius.com/The-Glory-of-the-Lord-Set-P2219.aspx

Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/walking-on-water-madeleine-lengle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250153272/awrinkleintime

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
https://www.tolkien.co.uk/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-boxed-set/

The Messy Middle by Scott Belsky
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/565077/the-messy-middle-by-scott-belsky/

Art + Faith by Makoto Fujimura

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of The Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore how the Torah, the Bible, and the Old Testament reveal what is good, true, and holy. Focusing on God’s covenant with Israel in Exodus, they discuss how obedience and covenant faithfulness transform God’s people into His treasured possession and a kingdom of priests. Drawing on insights from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Rashi, and other scholars, the hosts examine the law’s role in shaping holiness, justice, compassion, and everyday social ethics, showing how God’s presence is found not only in sacred spaces but also in the details of daily life.

Susan and Cindy also highlight the continuity between the Old and New Testaments through Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, exploring themes such as the Golden Rule, righteous judgment, mercy, and covenant love. They encourage listeners to view God’s commandments as a gift rather than a burden, to seek understanding through faithful questions, and to recognize that Christ came not to abolish the law but to fulfill and deepen its divine purpose.


00:00 Introduction
00:41 God's Covenant with Israel
05:30 The Law Teaches Holiness
10:02 Personal Experiences with God
15:32 The Law Belongs to Everyone
19:00 The Law as a Gift
27:58 Jesus's Teachings on Judgment
34:52 The Golden Rule as a Moral Guide
40:10 God's Righteous Judgment
42:39 Submitting to a Righteous King

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

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Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Books and Texts

The Babylonian Talmud
https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Talmud

Proverbs 6:23
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+6%3A23&version=NIV

Psalm 119:19–20
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A19-20&version=NIV

Matthew 5:17
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A17&version=NIV

Doctrine and Covenants 94:10–11
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/94

Videos and Lectures

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
https://rabbisacks.org/videos/

Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (Rashi)
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rashi

Notable Quotes

"The law does not belong to the lawyers alone." — Rashi
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rashi

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be sho

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of The Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore the significance of Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments, and the biblical concept of covenant. Examining the ancient covenant framework of suzerain and vassal, they discuss how God establishes a sacred relationship with Israel and how that pattern continues through modern faith commitments such as baptism and temple ordinances. The hosts also unpack the unique role of the Decalogue, the communal nature of sin and accountability in ancient Israel, and the way biblical law unites both sacred and everyday life.

Drawing on insights from Jewish scholars, C.S. Lewis, and Christian theology, Susan and Cindy examine the relationship between faith, objective moral truth, and God’s divine order. They invite listeners to see God’s commandments not as restrictions, but as expressions of His character and covenant love, offering a deeper understanding of what it means to trust Him and walk the covenant path.


00:00 Introduction to Mount Sinai
02:45 The Nature of God's Covenant
06:37 Covenants in the Ancient World
13:13 The Uniqueness of the Sinai Covenant
16:09 The Ten Commandments as "The Ten Words"
22:03 The Fusion of Sacred and Secular Law
34:24 The Simplicity and Motivation of the Decalogue
37:01 Israel's Acceptance of the Torah
40:37 The Challenge of Belief
44:54 Objective Truth vs. Subjective Feeling
52:48 The Transcendental: The Good, True, and Beautiful
59:00 God as the Source of All Truth and Goodness


Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Manuals and Study Guides

Come, Follow Me Manual
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/come-follow-me

Books

The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-abolition-of-man-c-s-lewis

The Words of Torah by Rabbi Yehoshua Wender
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah

Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas
https://www.newadvent.org/summa/
(Complete online text hosted by New Advent, a long-established Catholic reference site.)

Scholars and Religious Leaders

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
https://rabbisacks.org/

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

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In this episode of The Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen continue their two-part series on the theology of beauty. They explore how Hebrew beauty differs from Greek ideals, emphasizing that true beauty is rooted in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God. Using the Tabernacle's design and priestly garments as examples, they illustrate how Hebrew beauty points inward toward spiritual integrity rather than outward physical display. The episode concludes with a reflection on Revelation's vision of the redeemed, clothed in white, representing ultimate cleansing and eternal communion with God.


00:00 Introduction
01:12 Greek vs. Hebrew Views of Beauty
04:41 The Hebrew Concept of Beauty
08:00 The Tabernacle: An Expression of Hebrew Beauty
18:10 Bringing Your Best Self to the Lord
24:56 Finding Your Spiritual Gifts
29:54 The Literary Structure of Exodus
39:29 The Golden Calf Incident's Significance
43:03 Beauty in Priestly Clothing
54:50 The Day of Atonement Garments
01:02:15 The Multitude in White Robes


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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Books

Art and Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto Fujimura
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300254143/art-and-faith/

The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of The Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore the theology of beauty as an objective, transcendental attribute linked to truth and goodness. Drawing from Gerard Manley Hopkins' poetry, Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, and Christian thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas, they discuss how beauty reflects divine order and harmony. The hosts also examine ancient Near Eastern and biblical perspectives, connecting beauty to holiness, covenant, and God's glory, including the significance of the tabernacle as a reflection of heavenly worship.


00:00 Introduction
01:05 The Theology of Beauty
06:09 The Hebrew Concept of "Tov"
10:59 Objective Beauty vs. Subjective Taste
14:37 Beauty as a Path to Truth and Goodness
19:37 Plato's Philosophy of Beauty
22:17 The Two Kinds of Desire
26:52 The Golden Ratio in Nature and Art
34:38 Thomas Aquinas's Three Conditions for Beauty
38:24 Beauty in the Ancient Near East
43:46 The Tabernacle as a Heavenly Pattern
47:45 Temple Worship: Connecting Heaven and Earth
52:46 Greek vs. Hebrew Views of Beauty


Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Books

Theological Aesthetics: God and Imagination, Beauty and Art
https://www.routledge.com/Theological-Aesthetics-God-in-Imagination-Beauty-and-Art/Begbie/p/book/9781138232439

Beauty for Truth's Sake by Stratford Caldecott
https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Truths-Sake-Re-Enchanting-Education/dp/1586175212

Poems

God's Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44395/gods-grandeur

Concepts and Philosophers

Aristotle
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle

Saint Augustine
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of the Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore the biblical theme of "Out of Egypt," focusing on the Exodus story and its significance throughout Scripture. They discuss the Hebrew phrase yetziat mitzrayim, Egypt's cultural influence, and how Matthew connects Jesus to the Exodus through the prophet Hosea. The hosts examine Israel's struggle to leave Egypt's comfort despite enslavement, the wilderness journey's lessons on trusting God, and the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. They draw parallels to modern life, encouraging listeners to identify their own "Egypt" and embrace God's call to spiritual freedom.


00:00 Introduction to "Out of Egypt"
03:22 The Prophet Hosea and Jesus
06:36 Jesus Called Out of Egypt
14:10 Leaving a Place of Ease
16:05 The Lot Story as Foreshadowing
22:36 Egypt vs. the Promised Land
27:28 The Symbolism of Bread
32:29 The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart


Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Biblical Stories and Concepts

Exodus
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Exodus-Old-Testament

Egypt
https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt

Manna
https://www.britannica.com/topic/manna-food

Books and Authors

Hosea
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hosea-Hebrew-prophet

Yael Ziegler
https://etzion.org.il/en/authors/yael-ziegler

Notable Quotes

Matthew 2:15
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A15&version=NIV

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of the Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore "Exodus theology," examining how the Book of Exodus serves as a foundational theological pattern throughout Scripture. Drawing on scholars like N.T. Wright and Nahum Sarna, they discuss how the Exodus shaped Israel's identity, ethics, and worship. They explore typology, showing how Exodus themes prefigure Christ's life, death, and resurrection as the ultimate new Exodus. Susan Petersen also shares a personal story about forgiveness, illustrating how these ancient narratives remain relevant for believers navigating hardship today.


00:00 Introduction to the Exodus
06:07 The Exodus as Israel's Identity
12:10 The Exodus Pattern in Later History
18:50 Understanding Eschatology and Typology
25:55 Traditional vs. Modern Typology
35:43 Common Examples of Typology
38:20 Theological Themes of the Exodus
46:20 Jesus and the New Exodus
50:50 Christ's Life as an Exodus Reenactment
59:29 The Unfinished Drama of the Exodus

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Scholars and Authors
N.T. Wright
https://www.ntwrightonline.org/

Nahum Sarna
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/sarna-nahum-m

Books
The Past Is Yet to Come by Barbara Isbell
https://www.fontespress.com/product/the-past-is-yet-to-come-exodus-typology-in-revelation/

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of the Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore the powerful symbolism of clothing in the biblical story of Joseph. They examine how Joseph's famous coat, the kito net passim, represented identity, authority, and favoritism, fueling his brothers' jealousy. The hosts discuss how clothing throughout the narrative serves as a tool of deception, vulnerability, and ultimately restoration. Drawing on Midrashic literature, scholarly insights, and broader biblical themes, they connect Joseph's story to the spiritual metaphor of being "clothed in Christ," encouraging listeners to reflect on their own spiritual identity.


00:00 Introduction
03:40 The Holy Garment
06:06 The Significance of Joseph's Coat
11:05 Translating "Kito Net Passim"
18:03 Midrashic Interpretation of the Coat
25:31 Joseph Stripped of His Coat
30:08 The Development of Joseph's Character
38:03 Jacob's Refusal to Be Comforted
44:55 Clothing, Deception, and Potiphar's Wife
51:27 Putting on Christ and Clothing Others
57:40 Joseph Clothed by Pharaoh
59:06 The Wedding Feast of the Lamb

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Instagram (Susan Petersen)
https://www.instagram.com/susan.m.petersen/

Wearing God by Laura F. Winner
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/wearing-god-lauren-f-winner

The Art of Biblical Narrative by Robert Alter
https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780465022553/the-art-of-biblical-narrative

Covenant and Conversation by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/

How Colorful was Joseph’s Coat? by Sarah Rudolph
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/how-colorful-was-josephs-coat/

Genesis Rabbah
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis_Rabbah

Midrash Aggadah
https://www.sefaria.org/Midrash_Aggadah

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/samson-raphael-hirsch

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

In this episode of the Scripture Study Podcast, hosts Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore the biblical character Jacob, examining his moral complexities and human flaws as portrayed in Genesis. They discuss the Hebrew word "tom," recurring themes of deception, and the principle of divine measure-for-measure justice. The hosts also critique feminist biblical criticism for imposing modern frameworks onto ancient texts, using the story of Dinah and Shechem as an example. Throughout, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen encourage listeners to approach scripture with humility, embracing its complexity while trusting in God's transformative purposes through imperfect people.


00:00 Introduction
00:41 Jacob and the Word "Tom"
04:28 Binary Thinking vs. Biblical Nuance
09:41 Jacob’s Narrative Arc
14:51 Oral Culture and Literary Echoes
19:06 Historical and Legal Context of Birthright
25:04 Spiritual Karma and Redemption
32:02 Jacob’s Deceit and Its Consequences
42:28 Ancient Marriage and Women’s Rights Context
52:21 Power of Scripture and Personal Revelation
56:22 Selective Application and Double Standards
01:02:30 Dinah and Shechem
01:09:57 Outro and Listener Invitation

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Biblical Interpretation and Scholarship

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/samson-raphael-hirsch

Nahum Sarna
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/nahum-m-sarna

Walter Brueggemann
https://www.walterbrueggemann.com/

Claus Westermann
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claus_Westermann

Terence E. Fretheim (likely correct for “Frensham”)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_E._Fretheim

Ancient Literature and Parallels

Epic of Gilgamesh
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Epic-of-Gilgamesh

Isaiah 3:10–11
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/3

Doctrine and Covenants 111:1
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/111

Feminist and Critical Approaches

Feminist Biblical Criticism
https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminist-biblical-criticism

Sam Walter Foss
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/sam-walter-foss

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The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!

 this episode of the Scripture Study Podcast, Susan Petersen and Cindy Madsen explore the theology of food in the biblical story of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25–28). They examine how food and appetite drive key narrative moments, including Esau selling his birthright for stew and Jacob's deceptive meal securing Isaac's blessing. Drawing on rabbinic commentaries and scholars like Gordon Wenham and Norman Wirzba, they highlight parallels with the Garden of Eden and discuss how food symbolizes desire, deception, and spiritual consequence, ultimately reflecting deeper truths about gratitude, community, and humanity's dependence on God.


00:00 Introduction
05:17 Food and Appetite in Genesis 25 & 27
12:02 Meal Scenes as Narrative Structure
16:30 Food’s Symbolic Burden and Obligations
20:19 Theology of Food in Jewish Life
24:43 Parallels with the Garden of Eden
30:25 Food Temptation Pattern in Genesis
36:22 Introduction to Theology of Food
39:40 Esau’s Character and the Birthright
43:41 Rebecca’s Role and Parental Favoritism
47:11 Jacob’s Character Arc and Deceit Motif
53:18 Conclusion: Food, Banquet, and Restoration

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!


Resources

Come Follow Me
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/come-follow-me

Midrash
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/midrash-101/

Biblical Commentary on Genesis by Gordon Wenham
https://www.logos.com/product/208093/genesis-2-vols

Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating by Norman Wirzba
https://archive.org/details/foodfaiththeolog0000wirz

Essays on Agriculture and Food Responsibility by Wendell Berry
https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/34

Join Us

The Scripture Study Podcast is your midweek Bible boost—designed to help you grow in understanding, confidence, and love for God’s word.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!