You Can Read the Bible Guided Podcast

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”  - Revelation 1:3

Today’s opening chapter continues the messages to specific churches in Asia Minor.   To Sardis, “I know your works: You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  Wake up, and strengthen what remains…”  To Philadelphia: “I know your works: Because you have kept My word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world…” To Laodicea: “I know your works: Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth… He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

“After this I looked,” John continues, “and behold, a door standing open in heaven!”  Through this door is the Revelation’s second Act, the vision of “what must take place after this.”  John sees a throne in heaven, and One seated on it.  Around this throne were twenty-four elders, with thrones and crowns of their own.  “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” 

Then in “the right hand of him who was seated on the throne,” John sees a scroll, “sealed with seven seals,” six of which will be opened today.  “Who is worthy to open the seals?”  Only “The Lamb who was slain, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David…” The first four seals reveal four horses, with riders sent to conquer, to confiscate peace, to judge, and to kill.  The fifth seal reveals the altar, under which reside “the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God.”  And behind the sixth, an earthquake, darkness, upheaval, “the great day of their wrath.” 

See what John sees through his vivid descriptors: not just nouns and verbs but adjectives and adverbs, similes and metaphors: the strong angel, the right hand, the loud voice, the white, red, black, and pale horses, the white robe.  Close your eyes and picture a rainbow with the appearance of an emerald, an eagle in flight, a scroll being rolled up, a fig tree shedding its fruit in a gale.  Pay attention not just to the details, but to the manner in which they are conveyed: what does this vision, and its form, teach us about its source, Jesus Christ?    

Our verse for this week is Deuteronomy 15:11: For there will never cease to be poor in the land.  Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Revelation 3 through 6.  Now let’s read it!

The Revelation of Jesus Christ does not intend to be simple.  It is a continuous oracle: no breaks, no pauses, only benchmarks that make you aware you’ve been carried deeper into the spiral.  It is best read through at a steady pace – at least when doing so for the first time – without riding individual details to their potential conclusions.  There is a story here with a beginning and an end; its distinct elements are a part of that story, and derive their meaning from it.     

The revelation, or apocalypse, is given “to show to [the Lord’s] servants the things that must soon take place.”  Its conduit is John, in exile “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,” on the Island of Patmos, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean.  You’ll notice his style, but you’ll also (unsurprisingly) hear echoes of Ezekiel, Daniel, and other Jewish prophets. 

The seven churches to whom this is addressed are located in Western Asia Minor, and distinct messages to each of them are ordered in the second and third chapters.  Most receive some form of commendation; most also hear a challenge, even rebuke.  You’ll notice the cadence: “To the angel of the church… the words of the Son of God, the Holy One, the Amen… He who has an ear, let him hear.”   

I’ll let you dive into these chapters with no more than this single observation.  In John’s Gospel the “I am” statements of Jesus flow off the pages: “I am the bread of life… the living bread that comes down from heaven… the light of the world… the One who bears witness about myself… I am from above… before Abraham was… the light of the world…  the door of the sheep… the good shepherd… the Son of God… the resurrection and the life… the way, the truth, and the life… the vine… I am going to Him who sent Me… I am not of the world…” 

Today hear the Lord append: "I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Our verse for this week is Deuteronomy 15:11: For there will never cease to be poor in the land.  Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Revelation 1 and 2.  Now let’s read it!

2 Peter and both of John’s first two letters have been concerned with the infiltration of false teachers into the church – “antichrists,” as John calls them.  There’s a feeling that, as the distance from those first Witnesses grows, the danger of heresy gaining a foothold has grown as well.  It’s hard to imagine that any teacher who denies “the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh” would ever have gained a hearing while Paul and James were within a letter’s reach; but such was the concern of Peter and John as they watched the second and third post-resurrection generations. 

This final letter from John is addressed to his friend Gaius, whom John refers to as one of his “children.”  The purposes are twofold: to commend Gaius on his faithfulness, and to warn him against a certain Diotrephes, “who likes to put himself first…”  Pay attention to both John’s charges against him, and the appeals he makes to Gaius. 

The second epistle we’ll read today is from “a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James” named Jude.  As “Jude” was a form of “Judas,” a name that appears along with James’s among Jesus’ brothers, it’s possible that this author is, like James, a brother (or half-brother, if you will), of Jesus. 

He too is concerned about “certain people [who] have crept in unnoticed” and warns that they are “designated for this condemnation,” just as God destroyed those whom He rescued out of Egypt for their unbelief… as He condemned the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority… and as He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for pursuing sexual immorality and unnatural desire… Notice how Jude refers to these people as blemishes on your love feasts and warns that Jesus Himself had predicted their appearance. 

There are interesting allusions to Cain and Enoch, Korah and Balaam, and to an otherwise unrecorded battle between Michael and the devil.  Pay close attention to the connection of Jesus’ name with the Exodus generation – how Jude affirms John’s revelation that Jesus was with God, and was God.  Consider how this subtle assertion – and others like it – restate his belief of who Jesus is to those who might be wavering.   

Jude’s closing instructions are a fitting conclusion to these letters about false teachers.  Reminding his readers of their higher calling, he explains, “you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the Apostles: [that] in the last days there will be scoffers…who cause divisions.”  However, “You… keep yourselves in the love of God… and have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” 

Our verse for this week is Deuteronomy 15:11: For there will never cease to be poor in the land.  Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

The Epistles of 3 John and Jude.  Now let’s read them!

As today’s is a short reading, my comments will be briefer than usual, so as to not overwhelm the passage.  The introduction is fun and beautiful: “The elder to the elect lady and her children…”  No doubt this is a veiled reference to the church – the bride of Christ – and to her dispersed congregations.  This not only grants the letter a lyrical quality, but encrypts its author and recipients should it fall into the wrong hands. 

There is a central concern here for the readers to “Watch [themselves], so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”  This is in response to the “…many deceivers who have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.”  John does not write to these false teachers, but to the faithful, reminding them to “walk in the truth” and equipping them to stand up to the deceivers.  He holds back nothing: anyone who denies the coming of Christ “is the deceiver and the antichrist.”  Therefore, “If anyone [such as this] comes to you, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting…”

Such strong words are reminiscent of John’s treatment of Judas Iscariot, whom he never names without reminding us that he betrayed Jesus.  Meditate on his instructions, on his attitude, and discern their implications for the “children of the elect lady” who will read them. 

Our verse for this week is Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

The Epistle of 2 John.  Now let’s read it!

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  – The Gospel of John 1:9-13

You’ll hear many phrases and ideas that echo John’s Gospel today, but the most noticeable resonance is in the tone.  If you read too quickly you can get lost – awaking from a trance after a chapter or two without remembering what you read.  Slowing down, meditating on a passage, allows John’s inspired perspective to unfold.   

You can choose from a few different threads to follow in this letter.  You’ll not be mistaken if you think you hear the word “love” a lot – a form of it appears four dozen times.  Pay attention to where John uses it as a verb as well as a noun.  When he says, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” in chapter 4, how does the context fill this with meaning?  When he later explains that “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar;” how does he support this? 

The subject of “sin” receives a lot of attention as well.  In chapter 5, John discusses sins that lead to death and sins that do not.  Does the context help illuminate this?  What does he mean a verse later by proclaiming: “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”  These are among many passages that require more than a quick, surface reading. 

But while John’s prose might feel dense and elusive, he is direct in his assessment of people.  He warns against imitating Cain, “who was of the evil one,” and “that every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist…”  But his rebuke of false teachers and evil spirits is matched by his expression of love for his hearers, affectionately calling them “beloved” and “little children.”  I encourage you to take notes not only from the words, but also of the demeanor, the combination of gentleness and boldness and mystery, that fills the pen of “The One Whom Jesus Loved.” 

Our verse for this week is Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

1 John 3 through 5.  Now let’s read it!

If you remember the opening chapter of John’s gospel, you’ll recognize his hand immediately in this unusual letter.  As distinct from other New Testament letters as his gospel is from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John’s first letter contains no name, historical referent or personal acknowledgement.  The only indicators that this is directed from author to recipient are the uses of the first- and second-person throughout, as the author addresses his concerns to his “little children.” 

However, there is a personal and situational concern that John seeks to address.  He’s writing, as he begins chapter 2, “so that you may not sin.”   But he is equally concerned that his readers will know that if they do sin, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 

Pay attention to John’s allusions to “light” and to “truth” throughout these chapters… to the sandwich about sin, deception, and forgiveness at the end of chapter 1… and to the lecture about “commandments” in chapter 2.  Also, in the middle of chapter 2, there is a rhythmic section addressed to children, fathers, and young men that you can choose to absorb, analyze, or simply marvel at. 

Today you’ll be introduced to a term that is exclusive to John’s letters: “antichrist.”  “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”  How John identifies someone as antichrist is revealed a few verses later:  “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.”  You’re allowed to pay attention to the context and consider what John wants his readers to understand. 

Our verse for this week is Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

1 John 1 and 2.  Now let’s read it!

Though personal greetings are dispensed with in this letter, the writer – whose name is recorded in varying manuscripts as either “Simeon Peter” or “Simon Peter” – addresses it “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.”  Pay close attention to how this introduction is reinforced by Peter’s instructions throughout the letter. 

The letter’s central purpose emerges at the end of chapter 1: For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses to His majesty.  And not only were they privileged as witnesses, but they were given “something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” 

Notice throughout the letter how the concept of “knowledge” is discussed and employed as a defense against false witness.  Most of chapter 2 is devoted to equipping the reader to identify these false prophets, and connecting them with the false prophets of the Old Testament: “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” 

This sermon culminates in discussion of the return of Christ in chapter 3.  Even though there is a break at the beginning of the last chapter, this discussion is not an addendum; it’s both a significant issue for his readers and yet another refutation of false prophets who say, “Where is the promise of His coming?”   Peter’s readers are reminded that the Lord’s patience is their salvation.  This is Peter's hammer: when Jesus returns, will they “be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace?”

This letter is different from 1 Peter in many ways.  There is neither a stated point of origin nor a destination.  There are no personal greetings, save the author’s introduction.  Furthermore, the style and tone are different from its predecessor, looking backward and forward in ways foreign to the first letter.  However, as Peter could easily have dictated this letter to a different hand than the first, and as the situation in Rome certainly deteriorated while Peter was there, these differences can be reconciled.  “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ…” may be among the final words this Apostle composed.  “…To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.”

Our verse for this week is Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

The Epistle of 2 Peter.  Now let’s read it!

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—  this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it.  – Acts 2:22-24

This proposition was central to Peter’s first sermon at Pentecost, and it threads its way throughout this letter.  Remember Peter’s story: he was the first to publicly acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  He blustered his way into embarrassment on the night Jesus was betrayed, and his understanding of Jesus’ forgiveness, and of the truth and power of the Holy Spirit, is evidenced in this sermon and the faith-filled actions that follow.  The second half of Acts belongs to Paul; the first half, arguably, is Peter’s.  

In the opening greeting Peter addresses churches in five adjoining provinces in Asia Minor.  At the end of the letter, he acknowledges Silvanus as his co-writer, or possibly his secretary, and sends greetings from the church at Babylon – most likely referring to Rome – and from Mark.  Of note is that, like James, Peter calls his audience “Elect exiles of the Dispersion,” again connecting Christians scattered throughout the Mediterranean with the dispersed tribes of Israel. 

The occasion that stimulates the letter seems to be an outbreak of persecution among these churches, as you’ll notice over a dozen times that “suffering” is mentioned.  Unlike in future moments, this was likely not yet a formal Roman policy, but rather a localized issue in Asia Minor.  As we saw throughout Acts, however, there were many factions who sought to do Christians harm.  This suffering “for the name” should not be considered unusual: “Don't be surprised…” he warns, “But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” 

But this is not simply a motivational speech to put on a brave face while under trial.  Peter’s concern is that their lives would reflect their status as “…a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession…”: “Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance… put away malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander… Be subject to every human institution… have unity of mind, sympathy, a tender heart, and a humble mind… Be self-controlled and sober-minded, for the sake of your prayers… Love one another earnestly… Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God….   

Our verse for this week is Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

The Epistle of 1 Peter.  Now let’s read it!

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 

The James who wrote this letter is traditionally understood to be the brother of Jesus.  This is not because of any indicators in the text, but through deduction: James, the brother of John, was killed by Herod in Acts 12.  James, the son of Alpheus, is unknown outside of being listed among Jesus’ twelve disciples.  Which leaves Jesus’ brother, who presided over the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, and is acknowledged as a leader in the Jerusalem church throughout the New Testament.  While another James could be the possible author, none is known to have apostolic authority. 

“The twelve tribes in the Dispersion” is likewise an elusive recipient.  Jews had been “dispersed” throughout the Mediterranean for centuries, as you saw in Acts, but a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ would not be writing to purely Jewish audiences.  However, this description of the church is unknown outside of this reference, so we’re left to simply read the letter to deduce the audience in James’s mind.

The concern that energizes this letter is the connection between faith and works.  Consider the contrast in the final verses of chapter 1: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”  James puts this more succinctly in the next chapter, simply stating: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” 

A theme that lies under the interplay between faith and works is that of pride.  It’s behind the discussion about distinctions in chapter 2, and it drives the caution about ambition and, later, about wisdom, in chapter 3.  Late in chapter 4 there is a lengthy discussion about setting plans, again, without considering the Lord’s ultimate sovereignty; and finally, it seems to lurk behind the attitudes of the rich in chapter 5. 

Though James doesn’t give us many historical markers, he is direct about his concerns all the way to the end.  While you’re reading his letter, remember where he’s headed: “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Our verse for this week is Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

The Epistle of James.  Now let’s read it!

As we come down the home stretch of this letter the question of author and recipient should quickly be addressed.  The title “To the Hebrews” appears in the earliest times but is found nowhere in the letter.  It is possible this is original; it is also possible that it was appended as an appropriate representation of its original audience.  The term “Hebrew” is rarely heard in the Bible, and when it is used it is most often being spoken by, or around, foreigners.  It is found twice in Paul’s writings, but interestingly it is found alongside, rather than instead of, “Israelite,” as though the terms were not entirely synonymous. 

We do receive hints that there is a specific group of believers in mind, as when in chapter 5 the author accuses his readers of having “become dull of hearing.”  There is also the historical referent in chapter 13 that “our brother Timothy has been released.”  The author expresses familiarity with his audience, but outside of the closing paragraph, and occasional uses of “we,” he only refers to himself once.  That the church counted this as part of the Scriptures points to an apostolic author, but none is affirmed with certainty.  Paul is possible based on feel and content, but the text does not insist upon it. 

Chapter 12 acknowledges “the great cloud of witnesses” that precedes it, and it opens a sequence of exhortations that will conclude the letter.  There is too much here to highlight, and calling attention to a few expressions might seem to be elevating them above the rest.  These are not presented in an optional tone, but rather as commands to those who should “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and… run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Throughout these various commands, encouragements, and challenges, I hope you’ll pick up on how the author grounds his readers: with statements about the very nature of Jesus Christ: “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith… the mediator of a new covenant… ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’… the same yesterday, today, and forever… the great Shepherd of the sheep.” 

Our verse for this week is Psalm 71:3: Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I continually come; You have given the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. 

Hebrews 12 and 13.  Now let’s read it!