theKindFaith Bible Conversations

What exactly is in the Bible? Jeff and Tyler are breaking down 6 major sections in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament to help us gain clarity when reading this amazing book. Today we turn to the Letters of the New Testament. We answer questions like: How do we read someone else’s mail? And how are these ancient letters God’s Word for us today?

Send questions you have about The Letters (or anything else!) to [email protected]

SHOW NOTES:

[00:12] Introduction: What are the “letters”

[9:14] Pet-peeve time! What exactly is the Gospel? A look at Romans 1:16-18 vs. 1:1-6

[15:30] What makes the Letters unique? How can we best read this part of our Bible?

[23:30] How do our paradigms of “Curiosity, Challenge and Wonder” help us read the Letter?

We get into topics like “The Doctrine of Justification”

More Detail

[00:12] These letters (fancy title “epistles”) are the letters from the apostles to the churches. We are essentially reading someone else’s mail without the other side of the conversation! What should we expect to find in these letters?

When reading these letters, don’t skip the opening address! They are so important! The beginning verses often give you the theme of the whole letter.

The guys discuss Philemon; Romans 1:1-6, 16-17

[09:14] Look at Romans 1. The “gospel” is not verse 16-17, the “gospel” is found in Paul’s introduction in Romans 1:1-4. The guys take aim at the “Romans Road” formula for using Paul’s letter as a formula for salvation.

The “gospel” is not about “me” or “you”... it is the event about Jesus. Now because of that event it changes everything for you and me and the entire world. Romans 1:16-17 is an effect of the gospel, not the gospel itself.

What is revealed by this gospel?

[15:30] What makes the Letters unique? How do we read this part of the Bible differently?

These are one side of a two-sided conversation. We have to fill in the gaps.

We often need to fill in a sort of “narrative” background to imagine the story happening behind these letters.

Example: 1 & 2 Corinthians is likely the 4th or 5th correspondence.

How is the Bible written for “me” when it is clearly written for a church 2,000 years ago?

[23:30] How do our paradigms of “Curiosity, Challenge and Wonder” help us read the Letter?

The Letters all build off the Gospels, and the Hebrew Bible is a story that points us to Jesus. The Gospels are our foundation before reading all the rest.

Paul is not writing a “systematic theology book.” Paul is doing theology to promote unity and holiness. We use theology to divide churches, Paul writes theology to unite!

CORRECTION [29:11]: When talking about Galatians Tyler says that Paul “invents” justification.” That term (Righteousness/Justification) is a major word in both the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. It’s not a brand-new idea, but it is true that Paul takes it to level and in directions never conceived of before.

[32:09] Wrap up. Ask “What’s the Story under this?” How is the Gospel event behind this?

Read the beginning, Read the end, then go back and read through the entire letter.

Fun-Fact: Don’t skip the end of letters either! Romans 16. This is a great chapter to talk about Women in Leadership. Phoebe (16:1) was the one entrusted to bring the letter, read it out loud, and then teach the book of Romans to the church in Rome first!

Resources:

N.T. Wright’s Podcast “Ask NT Wright Anything”

What exactly is in the Bible? Jeff and Tyler are breaking down 6 major sections in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament to help us gain clarity when reading this amazing book. Today we turn to the Gospels and Acts. We answer questions like: Do these Gospels actually give us “the gospel”? And why does that word get so overused in our churches today?

Send questions you have about The Gospels (or anything else!) to [email protected]

SHOW NOTES:

[00:12] Introduction: Overview of our “messy Bible.” Getting into the Gospels.

[1:42] The Gospels are telling us “the gospel.” But that word is so often misused.

[14:00] How should we read the Gospels differently than other sections of our Bible?

[20:15] The importance of the Sermon on the Mount in relationship to the gospel.

[22:30] “Repent” is a term about “allegiance”

[25:32] The Crucifixion was Jesus’ coronation day

[28:31] The inclusion of the Book of Acts

[35:53] wrap up and application

More detail:

[00:12] Overview of the 6 sections of our Bible: Torah, Prophets, Writings, Gospels, Letters, Apocalypse.

[1:42] The “gospel” is news not advice. It is the event of Jesus’ life, death and resurrections that means Jesus is now King.

Hint: it is NOT about “how I get to heaven”!

The Hebrew Bible used the term “good news” to talk about God’s reign (Isaiah 52:7)

The Roman Caesars used the term “good news” to talk about their rule.

Look at the first line of each Gospel to see what story they’re telling.

[14:00] How the Gospels stand out as we read the Bible.

The entire Hebrew Bible is a story leading us to Jesus.

The Letters and all the rest of the New Testament are building on the foundation of the Gospels.

We are used to a “didactic” style of teaching. We look for condensed statements of truth, pithy sayings, morals. We lose the brilliance of the narrative of the Gospels if we don’t allow the story to be the point.

[20:15] What was the content of Jesus’ Kingdom-gospel? The importance of the Sermon on the Mount.

Mark 1:15 Jesus says the “gospel” is that the Kingdom of God is at hand, and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is what Jesus taught about when he defined that Kingdom.

[22:30] “repent” is a political term about allegiance. The phrase “repent and believe” would have been heard in the ancient world as a call to change your allegiance to a new king and kingdom in your life.

The ancient historian Josephus used that language with political rebels (Life, 110).

[25:32] The heart of the gospels is crucifixion.

N.T. Wright, How God Became King?

The Gospels are writing the story about how Jesus became King. Jesus’ coronation day is his crucifixion. Completely backwards, upside-down, but it’s true!

If I follow a king who came to power by dying on the cross, then what does that mean for how I pursue power today?

[28:31] Why the Book of Acts is included in the Gospels.

The main character of Acts is Jesus, not Peter, Paul or anyone else. It should be re-titled “The Acts of Jesus and the Spirit” rather than “The Acts of the Apostles.”

Acts ends like a story without an ending… Acts 1:8 tells us that the goal was to reach “the ends of the earth.” But Acts 28 ends with Paul in Rome—which was seen as the gateway but not itself the “end of the earth!” It’s up to us to finish the story!

[35:53] Wrap up and application

Look for the character of God

Read them as a whole.

What exactly is in the Bible? Jeff and Tyler are breaking down 6 major sections in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament to help us gain clarity when reading this amazing book. Today we look at “The Writings”—the rest of the Old Testament. These writings helps us practically and concretely experience God and grow in our faith. Let’s dig in!

Send questions you have about The Writings (or anything else!) to [email protected]

SHOW NOTES:

[00:12]   Introduction. Overview of the TaNaK and the Ketuv’im (the “writings”)

[11:00] Does the order of books in the Bible matter?

Why the Jewish ordering and the Christian ordering of the Old Testament is different.

[14:31] What about the extra books in the Catholic Bible? What should we do about those?

[18:55] Focus on Psalm 1, the first book, first chapter of the Ketuv’im

[25:13] Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) links with Psalm 1. The deeper meaning of “blessedness.”

[28:00] Getting practical! How can the Psalms and all of the Ketuv’im shape our practices as Christians.

[00:12] Overview on the TaNaK (Torah, Prophets, Writing).

Working Metaphor for how to understand the TaNaK:

fine-dining… Torah is the menu; the Prophets are the waiters and the Sommelier telling you what’s on the menu; Writings are the feast.

These books are linked to wisdom and the life of the people. Example: Jeremiah 29 tells the exiles to settle in Babylon and “seek the welfare”... stories like Esther and Daniel show us a clear example of what that looked like.

Psalm. 34:4 “Taste and see that the Lord is good!”

[11:00] Does the Order of the Bible books matter for Christians?

The TaNaK ordering is different from the typical protestant/Christian ordering.

[14:31] The Catholic Bible includes many writings between the Old and New Testament called the Deutero-canonical or apocryphal books. Should Christians read those? (Yes! But they are not on the same level as the rest of the Bible)

[18:55] Focus on the Psalms, Psalm 1 in particular. Psalm 1 links with the entire story of Scripture and sets us on the path of wisdom and pursuit of God.

Challenge: Memorize Psalm 1

[25:13] Jesus links us to Psalm 1 with the “Blesseds” at the start of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5)

[28:00] Wrapping up with some practical take-aways for how to incorporate this section of the Bible into your life.

The Psalms are the prayerbook of the Bible.

Jesus Prayed the Psalms daily.

The Psalms are quoted more throughout the Bible than any other book.

They teach us how to pray.They are also where the New Testament church received much of its theology.

What exactly is in the Bible? Jeff and Tyler are breaking down 6 major sections in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament to help us gain clarity when reading this amazing book. Today we look at the Prophets in a way that many Christians might not expect. These books answer questions like, "where are we as a people?" "where are we going?" and "Who is God?" 

Send questions you have about the prophetic writings (or anything else!) to [email protected]

SHOW NOTES

Nevi’im: What are the prophets and what was their purpose?

Why no “history” like in Christian OT? It’s more about theology:

Why reading the prophets as future telling Jesus is a problem. “Word of God” and yet also the most idiosyncratic and human.

Heavily influenced by Deuteronomy- regular focus on the poor, the orphan, widow, foreigner.

Incredible that this sort of divergent voice was always valued in Israel. In today’s world we silence all opposition and call it “Fake News!” There were some kings who tried to do that like Ahab, but the Bible continues to promote these prophetic voices who speak truth to power.

Questions about the Bible? email [email protected]

#theKindFaith #Prophets

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We're kicking off 2021 with a new series on what exactly the Bible really is. This episode Jeff and Tyler talk about the Torah, the first 5 books in the Bible, and show how it's really more about wisdom than "rules." 

This series will look at six major section of the Bible—Torah, Prophets, Writings, Gospels, Letters, Apocalypse. Send us your questions this week about the Torah (or anything else) at [email protected]

SHOW NOTES

First, an overview of the six major sections of the Bible. Torah, Prophets, Writings, (see Luke 24:44) Gospels, Letters, Apocalypse.

The “Torah” is a path to life, it is wisdom… How should Christians read those laws? What is their purpose?

First, What is in the “Law” and why do we call it that?

Genesis 2:9,17; 3:5-6 Life and Death; Good and Bad.

Mostly Narrative

Genesis 12

613 laws - think “case study” - not enough to run a government… so what are they?

(Think: marriage covenant with case studies)

Deuteronomy 30 is one of the most important chapters in the entire Law. 

1 Kings 3:16ff - Solomon’s wisdom

email your bible questions to [email protected]

#theKindFaith #Torah 

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Only 4% of the population attends church? 80% of college Christians are leaving the faith behind forever? Shock-and-awe statistics like this abound in ministry circles today, but there's a lot of evidence out there that seems to refute such an extreme outlook. 

This is a bit of a "Bonus Episode" where Jeff & Tyler have an impromptu conversation about how we in the church often misuse statistics and why that matters. What are some ways that we can love others and invite people into conversations about Jesus in a KindFaith sort of way. There is more evidence that many of the people we interact with daily are more open to spiritual conversations and more open to the story of Jesus than we might ever imagine. 

https://thekindfaith.org 

#theKindFaith #evangelism #spirituality #myStory #yourStory #GodsStory

In this episode Jeff and Tyler look at the Christmas story and ask some questions you may never have asked. How exactly does the New Testament use the Old Testament? When Matthew says this "fulfills" something a prophet said, what exactly does that mean? Seeing the Christmas narrative in this context shows the extent Jesus went to connect with our humanity and suffering. The shadow of the cross is revealed even in his birth. 

https://thekindfaith.org

#KindFaith #BibleConversations

SHOW NOTES: 

Main text: Matthew 2:15-18; Hosea 11:1; Jeremiah 31:15

In this ongoing series Jeff and Tyler address some of the harder passages in the Bible and offer some tools and ideas to navigate the minefield while still pointing us to Jesus. This week we're looking at the topic of slavery in the Bible. Does Paul promote slavery? Does God condone it? 

https://thekindfaith.org

#KindFaith #BibleConversations

SHOW NOTES: 

Book quote - Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited, Beacon Press, 1996., page 19-20. 

Main text Ephesians 6:5-9

see also Philemon 16

In this ongoing series Jeff and Tyler address some of the harder passages in the Bible and offer some tools and ideas to navigate the minefield while still pointing us to Jesus. This week we're looking at Deuteronomy 21:10-14. Does God essentially allow rape and conquest in war?

https://thekindfaith.org

#KindFaith #BibleConversations

SHOW NOTES:

Deuteronomy 21:10-14 is awkward, nauseating, infuriating. So how should we read it?

We need to ask if this is a "mountain-top" moment—God showing us his "ideal" for humanity—or a "ground-level" moment—God meeting humanity in its brokenness?

Look to Exodus 1:11 and Isaiah 53:7 the word "afflict" and "humiliate" is the same root word in the Hebrew.

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We begin with a question from a friend about one of those passages in the Bible that many try and skip.

In this ongoing series Jeff and Tyler address some of the harder passages in the Bible and offer some tools and ideas to navigate the minefield while still pointing us to Jesus. This week we're looking at Number 5:11-31. Does God condone magic curses and Jealous husbands? And what's is up with that dusty water?

https://thekindfaith.org

#KindFaith #BibleConversations

SHOW NOTES:

Main Text: Numbers 5:11-31

Jeff's Seminary Professor/Viking: Ray Andersen said that when we approach scripture a question we should ask is: "Is this a Divine Preference?—Is this how God wants things to be? or Is this a moment of Biblical Precedent?—Is this a moment of God meeting humanity where we are?"

Tyler shared the illustration of seeing the Divine Ideal as the "mountain-top" versus the "ground-level" where God meets us where we are.

John 8 was brought up to show an amazing link to Jesus from this passage.