Episodes
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#207 - Living Water: The True Meaning of God's Grace - John pt. 38
Most Christians understand grace as "unmerited favor." But the Hebrew Scriptures reveal a richer picture: God's favor can be merited through faithfulness and generously extended to others. Just as Israel benefited from Moses finding favor with God (Exodus 33:17), those who attach themselves to...
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#206 - The Triennial Torah Cycle: A Hidden Key to the Gospel of John - John (pt. 37)
What if some of the details in the Gospel of John were designed to remind its original audience of the Scriptures they had recently heard read in the synagogue? Today, Jewish communities read through the Torah on an annual cycle, beginning each year again in the seventh month of Tishri. But…
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#205 - Hidden Meaning of John 4 - Samaritan Woman at the Well - John (pt. 36)
John 4 is one of the most beloved stories in the Gospels—but what if it is about far more than a private conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman? In this lesson, we explore John chapter 4 through the symbolic world of the Bible, uncovering how John's Gospel presents Jesus as the divine...
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#204 - History of Samaria and the Samaritans - John (pt. 35)
Before we can fully appreciate Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4, we must first understand the long and painful history between the Jewish people and the Samaritans. In this lesson, we trace the history of the northern kingdom of Israel—from its division after Solomon, through…
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#203 - Jesus and the Renewal of Humanity - John (pt. 34)
What does the death of Jesus actually accomplish? Throughout church history, Christians have proposed numerous theories of atonement to explain how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus reconcile humanity to God. In this lesson, we examine the major atonement theories before turning our...
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#202 - Old Testament Background to Baptism - John (pt. 33)
In this lesson, we explore the Old Testament background to baptism and the long biblical journey that led to the practice of water immersion in the time of Jesus. The story begins with the priests of Israel, who were commanded to wash with water before entering the Tabernacle and serving in the...
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#201 - Introduction to Baptism - John (pt. 32)
In this lesson, we explore immersion and the symbolism of water as one of humanity’s oldest and most universal rituals. Drawing from ancient Near Eastern thought, the book of Genesis, and the writings of the New Testament, we trace how water represents chaos, creation, death, and rebirth across...
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#200 - John 3:16 Explained Through Genesis 22 - John (pt. 31)
In this lesson, we explore the powerful connection between John 3:16 and Genesis 22, the story known in Jewish tradition as The Binding of Isaac (the Akedah). While John 3:16 is one of the most quoted verses in all of Scripture—"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son"—its language…
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#199 - Spiritual Geography - The God Who Comes Down - John (pt. 30)
What does it mean when Jesus says He has “come down from heaven” (John 3:13)? In this full-length teaching, we explore the rich biblical imagery behind God’s descent into the world—a pattern rooted in Creation, the Exodus, and ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. We’ll unpack the spiritual metaphor of...
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#198 - The Good Samaritan Parable Explained - Who is My Neighbor? (Part 2 of 2)
In this second part of our study on the Parable of the Good Samaritan—what I call the Parable of “Who Is My Neighbor?”—we slow down and walk carefully through the full passage of Luke 10:25–37. Too often, we read this story quickly and miss the powerful dialogue unfolding between Jesus and the...
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#197 - Who Is My Neighbor? Understanding the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Part 1)
In this first part of our two-part study on the Parable of the Good Samaritan—what I’m calling the Parable of “Who Is My Neighbor?”—we explore how parables function as teaching tools in the first-century Jewish world. Too often, we pull this parable out of its surrounding dialogue and treat it as...
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#196 - Redeeming Nicodemus - Gospel of John (pt. 29d)
In this concluding lesson of our John 3 introduction series, we trace the remarkable journey of Nicodemus—one of the most overlooked redemption stories in the New Testament. Most readers know Nicodemus from John 3, where he comes to Jesus at night, symbolizing spiritual darkness. But John doesn’t...
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#195 - Breaking Free of Literalism in John's Gospel - Gospel of John (pt. 29c)
In this third lesson of our John 3 introduction, we shift from John’s rhetorical device to the rich symbolism and character development woven throughout his Gospel. 📖 In this lesson, we cover: Major Symbolism in John’s Gospel – We explore recurring images such as light and darkness, water and...
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#194 - Breaking Free of Literalism in John's Gospel - Gospel of John (pt. 29b)
#194 - Breaking Free of Literalism in John's Gospel - Gospel of John (pt. 29b) by Scott Broberg
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#193 - Inspiration, Rhetoric, & John 3 - Gospel of John (pt. 29a)
Before diving into John’s unique rhetorical device—where Jesus makes a statement, the listener misunderstands it literally, and then Jesus explains the deeper meaning—we first need to step back and ask: What do we mean by inspiration? For many modern Christians, the word “inspiration” often...
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#192 - Becoming the Offering: Zeal, Sacrifice, & Inner Change - Gospel of John (pt. 28b)
In Part 2 of our deep dive into John chapter 2, we explore the process of transformation—and why it’s so difficult. Transformation isn’t instant. It’s painful. And that’s why John frames his Gospel with a call to zeal—a passionate commitment that carries us through the soul-wrenching work of...
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From the Deep
Music based on Genesis 1. God brings order and beauty From the Deep.
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#191 - John 2 and the Mystery of Three: Blueprint for Spiritual Renewal - Gospel of John (pt. 28a)
In this first of a two-part series on John chapter 2, we uncover the brilliant literary and symbolic structure that John uses to communicate a deeper message—transformation through divine grace requires zeal. John brackets the chapter with key references to the number three, ritual, and zeal,...
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#190 - Destroy This Temple and I will Raise It Up - Gospel of John (pt. 27b)
In the second half of our study of John chapter 2, we explore the Jewish expectation of a rebuilt Temple—one that would surpass even the glory of Solomon’s Temple. Throughout the Second Temple period, Jewish writings imagined different scenarios: Some believed God Himself would rebuild it. Others...
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#189 - Dividing Wall of Hostility: Jesus, the Temple, and the Soreg - Gospel of John (pt. 27a)
In this lesson, we explore the dramatic moment in John chapter 2 when Jesus clears the Temple courts. What provoked such zeal from the Prince of Peace? One possible answer lies in something called the Soreg—a dividing wall in the Second Temple that separated Gentiles from the inner courts of...
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#188 - Inner Essence of Man, Quantum, & Telepathy Tapes - Gospel of John (pt. 26b)
In Part 2 of our Rethinking Spirituality series, we explore the deep wisdom of the Hebrew Bible and the ancient rabbis on the nature of the human soul. Scripture uses three distinct Hebrew words to describe the inner essence of a person—each pointing to a different layer of our spiritual being.…
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#187 - The Kingdom Within - Why Our View of the Universe is Wrong - Gospel of John (pt. 26a)
In this two-part series, we begin by challenging the modern assumptions that shape how we think about spirituality, God, and the universe. In Part One, we explore the Greek word kosmos—a word that, to the ancient mind, signified an ordered, vibrant, and meaningful creation, infused with divine...
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O Last Adam
[Verse 1] In the garden long ago Dust was shaped and breathed to life Adam stood with open eyes In the image of the Light But he reached for what was not his Turned away from holy flame And through one man came the shadow And the world was clothed in shame [Chorus] But You came O Last Adam Full…
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#186 - The Faith of God: Rethinking the Source of Our Faith - Gospel of John (pt. 25b)
In this lesson, we continue our exploration of the Hebrew concept of faith—one that goes far beyond mere intellectual assent to a set of beliefs. Biblical faith is not just believing that something is true; it is a movement of the soul into the living reality of God through Jesus. One of the more...
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#185 - Is Your Faith Just Belief? That’s Not Biblical - Gospel of John (pt. 25a)
Over the centuries, the word faith has accumulated layers of meaning—some helpful, others deeply misleading. In this first of two lessons, we begin to peel back those layers and rediscover what faith meant in the biblical world. Today, many view faith as blind belief or intellectual agreement…
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#184 - Eat My Flesh, Drink My Blood: Jesus or Dionysus? - Gospel of John (pt. 24c)
In this final installment of our three-part series on the Greek god Dionysus, we journey to the influential city of Ephesus—home to the community John was writing to—to examine just how prominent Dionysus worship was in the cultural fabric of this Greek world. John's audience knew Dionysus well....
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#183 - From Dionysus to Jesus: Who Offers the Real Transformation? - Gospel of John (pt. 24 b)
This lesson continues our exploration of the striking contrast between Jesus turning water into wine at Cana and the worship of the Greek god Dionysus. We begin by examining key passages from the Old Testament where the vine plays a central role—including Israel itself being portrayed as God's...
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#182 - Water to Wine - Jesus is Greater Than Dionysus - Gospel of John (pt. 24a)
This is Part 1 of a series that will explore the Greek god Dionysus and how John's audience in Ephesus would have understood the Water to Wine miracle. Dionysus was well known in both Asia Minor, where John was writing, and in the land of Israel. The Greeks had brought Dionysus to Israel hundreds...
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#181 - The Hidden Connection in Jesus' Greatest Commandment
This lesson is a section of a teaching from 2021. Here is the original lesson: https://youtu.be/tgql4_1Qwko When asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus responds not with one—but two. He quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5, the Shema: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart…”—and then adds...
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#180 - Hidden Meaning of the Wedding at Cana - Gospel of John (pt. 23b)
In this follow-up to our previous lesson on the symbolism of John Chapter 2, we examine the rich cultural and spiritual backdrop of the Wedding at Cana. What did John mean when he said it was the “third day”? At first glance, this might seem like a small detail, but when viewed through the lens…
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#179 - Zeal, Signs, & Transformation - John Chapter 2 - Gospel of John (pt. 23a)
I invite you to join me for a special journey through John Chapter 2, a remarkable section of Scripture that contains two profound events: the Wedding at Cana and Jesus' cleansing of the Temple courts. Though seemingly unrelated, these stories are deeply connected—and together, they reveal…
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#178 - Rethinking Jacob - A Righteous Deceiver - Gospel of John (pt. 22)
When most people think of Jacob, one word often comes to mind: deceiver. We’ve been told he tricked his brother out of his birthright and deceived his father Isaac—but is that really what the text says? In this lesson, we take a fresh look at the story of Jacob through the lens of the biblical...
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#177 - Revealing the Symbolism of Rabbi as a Fig Tree - Gospel of John (pt. 21b)
In this lesson, we explore the rich Hebrew idiom “to sit under a fig tree”—a phrase that, in ancient Jewish culture, came to mean sitting under the teaching of a Rabbi. But how did a fig tree come to symbolize a Rabbi? We begin with Proverbs 27:18, which compares tending a fig tree to attending…
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#176 - Biblical Meditation: What it means to "Hagah" the Text - Gospel of John (pt. 21a)
In this two-part series, we begin by diving deep into the Hebrew concept of meditation—a practice that is far more active and engaged than what most of us imagine today. In the modern Western world, "meditation" often conjures images of stillness, silence, and mental detachment—emptying the mind…
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#175 - Nathanael, Fig Trees & Jacob's Ladder - Gospel of John (pt. 20)
In this lesson, we explore the rich and multi-layered dialogue between Jesus and Nathanael in John 1:47–51. What begins with a curious statement about a man “under the fig tree” ends with a stunning reference to Jacob’s dream—the vision of angels ascending and descending from Genesis 28:10–15.…
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#174 - Why Did They Try to Stone Jesus? - Death Penalty and Group Dynamics - Gospel of John (#19-b)
In today’s lesson, we continue our deep dive into the story of Jesus at the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4). If you haven’t seen the previous teaching, we highly recommend watching that first to catch the full context of today’s discussion. At the end of the last lesson, we saw how the crowd in…
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#173 - Nazareth Synagogue: Uncovering Hidden Meaning in Isaiah and Luke - Gospel of John (#19-a)
Join us in this deep dive as we re-examine a pivotal moment in Luke 4 and uncover hidden layers in the familiar narrative. In this lesson, we explore three key insights: 1. The Hidden "Ntzer" Connection - Our modern chapter and verse numbering can obscure important details. Discover how the word...
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#172 - "Can Anything Good Come from Nazareth?" - Gospel of John (#18)
In this lesson, we explore the village of Nazareth and the famous question from Nathanael, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Together, we’ll journey through the historical and spiritual context of this seemingly humble village—where the people, passionate about God’s Word and descended from...
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#171 - Understanding the Theories of Biblical Inspiration - Fig Tree Five
In this lesson, we explore five key theories of biblical inspiration—intuition, illumination, dynamic, verbal, and dictation—as outlined by theologian Millard Erickson. We'll discuss how divine truth and human authorship interact in Scripture, the challenges of interpretation across…
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#170 - Messiah Son of Joseph: The Suffering Servant In Jewish Thought - Gospel of John (pt. 17)
The Hebrew Bible presents two distinct pictures of the Messiah—one as a righteous king and the other as a suffering servant. Isaiah 11 describes a Davidic ruler, the "Messiah Son of David," who will judge righteously and establish a reign of peace. But Isaiah 53 speaks of a suffering servant, one...
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#169 - "The Jews" or "Judeans?" - Who Opposed Jesus? - Gospel of John (pt. 16)
The geography of first-century Israel plays a crucial role in understanding Jesus's ministry and the biblical text's context. When John writes that "Jesus went into Galilee," have you ever wondered where Jesus was before that? What was happening geographically when John the Baptist was baptizing...
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#168 - Seeing and Seeking: The Spiritual Call of Discipleship - Gospel of John (pt. 15)
In this lesson, we explore John 1:35-42, where we witness the moment when two of John the Baptist’s disciples leave him to follow Jesus. This passage holds profound spiritual insight, revealed through the exploration of two significant Greek words: horao (ὁράω) and zeteo (ζητέω). Horao, often...
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#167 - Baptism, Midrash, and the Spirit: Revealing Jesus as Messiah - Gospel of John (pt. 14)
When John the Baptist recounts the baptism of Jesus, he emphasizes two key details: the Spirit descending upon Jesus and the Spirit remaining on Him. But why are these details repeated? What message is being conveyed? In this lesson, we uncover the profound meaning behind these words by diving…
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#166 - John the Baptist, Isaiah 40, and the Wilderness - Gospel of John (pt. 13)
Who exactly did John the Baptist claim to be, and why did he respond cryptically to the religious leaders questioning him? In this video, we explore John's reference to Isaiah 40:3, where he declares himself as "the voice of one crying in the wilderness." However, John does more than just quote…
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#165 -Testimony vs Proof - Speaking to the Soul - Gospel of John (pt. 12)
In this lesson from the Gospel of John, we examine the theme of testimony, a central concept throughout John's writing. John's gospel is not merely a historical record but a testimony for his community in Ephesus and, by extension, a testimony for us today. In our modern world, many of us are...
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#164 - Jesus Did NOT Sweat Blood (Luke 22:44) - Fig Tree Five
This lesson delves into the profound meaning behind Luke 22:44, where Jesus' sweat is compared to "great drops of blood." A common misunderstanding of this verse suggests that Jesus was literally sweating blood, but a closer look reveals something different. The verse vividly compares two bodily...
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#163 - Mountains and Mustard Seeds - Fig Tree Five (Matthew 17:20)
Join us in today's lesson as we delve into the rich cultural background of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 17:20, where He declares that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. This well-known saying gains profound significance when we explore its origins in first-century Judaism. In this...
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#162 - 'The Word Became Flesh' - Gospel of John (pt. 11)
In this lesson, we delve into the profound significance of John 1:14, a verse that stands at the heart of Christian belief. "The Word (Logos) became flesh (Sarx) and dwelt (tabernacled) among us." But what does this truly mean? How can the eternal Logos, the Word of God, take on the form of...
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#161 - Logos and the Heavenly Man - Gospel of John (pt. 10)
This week's lesson delves into the fascinating concept of the "Heavenly Man," a profound aspect of the mystery of the Logos. The phrase “Heavenly Man” is found in the writings of Philo of Alexandria and is later used by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:44-49). Genesis 1:26 tells…
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#160 - Gospel of the Memra - Gospel of John (pt. 9)
Today's lesson delves into the fascinating connection between John's use of "the Word" and the Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible, known as Targum. Scholars have long interpreted the Gospel of John through a Greek philosophical lens due to its Greek composition and the term "Logos" used for...
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Fig Tree Podcast's mission is to help you understand the Bible through the lens of first-century cultural context.
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