The Bible in Context

Eph 6 is a popular passage for Paul's metaphor of the armor of God. How should we understand this metaphor according to Paul's intention? And as we finish the letter to the Ephesians, what is its main focus? Email us your questions and comments! ⁠[email protected]⁠⁠YouTube - The Bible in Context Podcast⁠⁠Spotify - The Bible in Context Podcast⁠⁠Apple Podcasts - The Bible in Context Podcast⁠Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Continuing his instructions of mutual service, Paul tackles more difficult household relationships. In both his culture and ours, relationships that have a hierarchy can breed resentment, entitlement, and disunity. What Paul says is directly applicable to the unity of our churches and families today.Email us your questions and comments! ⁠[email protected]⁠⁠YouTube - The Bible in Context Podcast⁠⁠Spotify - The Bible in Context Podcast⁠⁠Apple Podcasts - The Bible in Context Podcast⁠Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

The last half of Eph 5 has produced a lot of tension within the church. However, factoring in the Biblical and cultural context can provide clarity to what Paul says about men and women in this passage. And we can do so in a way that recognizes that there are members of Jesus' family on both sides of the debate.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] - The Bible in Context PodcastSpotify - The Bible in Context PodcastApple Podcasts - The Bible in Context PodcastPassages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Ephesians 4 iss filled with instructions on how to live as God’s kingdom. The first 21 verses of chapter 5 are filled with warnings of dangers to God’s kingdom.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Ephesians 4 begins Paul’s practical instruction based on the unification of Jew and Gentile seen in the first chapters. Unity is at the center of his instructions.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

We have been studying Paul’s original message in its original context. It’s time to take a step back and ask how our study applies to our own time and place.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

In Paul’s famous prayer, he continues a thought from 14 verses earlier. How does this passage function in Paul’s larger purpose? How do we handle some of Paul’s elevated and confusing language?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

In Ephesians 3, Paul addresses the fact that he is a lowly person in the eyes of his culture, but he derives his authority and purpose from his commission from God.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Many Christians have been introduced to one way to view God and time. The question of whether God is temporal or timeless has massive implications for the way God interacts with creation and his ability to be with his people. RT Mullins has spent much of his scholarly career exploring this very question.Be sure to check out his podcast (The Reluctant Theologian) and many publications. You can follow RT Mullins’ work here: https://www.rtmullins.com/publicationsEmail us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

The doctrine of Divine Impassibility can raise fundamental questions about the way God interacts with us. Does God care about us? Can God react to the needs of his people? Theologian RT Mullins lends his expertise to give Biblically grounded answers.Be sure to check out his podcast (The Reluctant Theologian) and many publications. You can follow RT Mullins’ work here: https://www.rtmullins.com/publicationsEmail us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

We have a tendency to spiritualize the language of Eph 2, but Paul has something very concrete in mind. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Paul reiterates his points from Ch 1, but with a new angle that sheds new light on his view of the Jew-Gentile relationship.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

This time, we look at the loaded phrases found throughout the first chapter in Ephesians, such as “redeemed by the blood,” “Sealed by the Spirit,” and “[Jesus] fills all in all.”Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

God getting glory is a theme running throughout the Old Testament. God’s glory can only be understood in light of God’s purposes with Israel.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Paul saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel’s story. How does that influence his view of predestination and election? How does he see the Gentiles factoring into Israel’s story?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Before jumping into Chapter 1, there are several words in the first sentences in Ephesians that we often misunderstand. A brief discussion of those words will better prepare us for Ephesians and the rest of our New Testament. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

We begin our series on the book of Ephesians. This book is loaded in terms of Paul’s meaning and in terms of the preconceptions we bring to it. This episode will help us get off on the right foot with this weighty book. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

This is Part 3 of 3 of our discussion with Phil Bray on Jesus’ relationship to the Two Goats motif and the Levitical system. Check out Phil’s book Leviticus on the Butcher's Block!Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

This is Part 2 of 3 of our discussion with Phil Bray on Jesus’ relationship to the Two Goats motif and the Levitical system. Check out Phil’s book Leviticus on the Butcher's Block!Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

This is Part 1 of 3 of our discussion with Phil Bray on Jesus’ relationship to the Two Goats motif and the Levitical system. Check out Phil’s book Leviticus on the Butcher's Block!Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

How should we read and preach the book of Galatians as 21st-century Christians?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Before ending his letter, Paul gives practical instruction to the Galatian church. These instructions are likely not abstractions or random, but are directly intended to correct the specific problem of disunity found in this church.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Paul’s ‘allegory’ to Sarah and Hagar and his list of the fruits of the Spirit are set in very specific contexts. Looking at how Paul uses these stories and images helps us understand Paul’s intentions. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Paul uses language in this section that has acquired a lot of theological baggage in the history of interpretation. Aaron Sherwood walks us through these complex arguments and how they point to simple and profound truths.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

As Galatians 3 begins, Paul uses very strong language against this church. Aaron Sherwood walks us through Paul’s purpose in this section of the letter.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Paul begins his letter to the Galatians in a very confrontational way, then switches to a story about Peter breaking fellowship with Gentiles. How do these first chapters contribute to the main ideas that Paul wants the Galatians to understand? Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Aaron Sherwood introduces the challenges facing the Galatian church and the main ideas of Paul’s letter to them.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Q&A and Reflections on the conclusions of the Canon series.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Now that we have discussed the formation of the New Testament, we have to ask the question: Can we trust the texts that make up the New Testament? In this episode, we give an overview of the state of New Testament text criticism to answer that question. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Before the New Testament was formed, the church relied on the message of the Apostles and the Apostles’ associates. This can be seen in the church fathers and the New Testament itself. This fact has great importance for our understanding of the function and formation of the New Testament texts.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

The relationship between modern Israel and Biblical promises is a hot topic in politics and eschatology. In this two-part mini-series, we look at some of the major views and what the Biblical evidence has to say about the identity of Israel. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

The relationship between modern Israel and Biblical promises is a hot topic in politics and eschatology. In this two-part mini-series, we look at some of the major views and what the Biblical evidence has to say about the identity of Israel. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

The question of authenticity is a popular topic within New Testament studies. There are debates over the authorship of some of the New Testament letters. If some of these letters are authored by someone other than the apostle whose name is on them, how does this affect the letter’s authority?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

As we discuss the formation of the New Testament Canon, we first need to understand how the New Testament letters were written. Then, we need to understand why and how the first Christians copied these books. Knowing about these processes will help us think more clearly about the formation and purpose of our Bibles. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

If Jesus and the Apostles were comfortable with multiple textual traditions that bore the same general message while differing in places, how did they view their Bible’s inspiration?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint (LXX) are two very old textual traditions and both were respected by the Apostles. How different are these versions of the Old Testament?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

There are many ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible that have slight deviations from our modern Hebrew Bibles. Some say this is not an issue, while others say we can’t trust our Bibles. Do we have the right Old Testament?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

What do the books of the writing contribute to the tradition of Torah? What role do they play in our Old Testaments?Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

How did the books of the Writings become canonical? Why do some traditions hold the Apocrypha as canonical while others do not? How should we read these books? Understanding the history and purpose of these books can give insight into these important questions.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

There are signs of thematic and literary unity throughout the Torah and Prophets. Examining this unity and the purpose of these themes gives insight into the date and overall purpose of much of the Old Testament. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Within the Old Testament, there are repeated phrases and themes which tie sections of the Old Testament together. However, this insight is rarely brought to the study of Canon.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Who wrote the books of the Old Testament? Recent scholarship of the scribal practices of the Ancient Near East, along with some markers within the text, shed light on the way in which the Torah and Prophets were written.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Followers of Jesus base their lives and understanding of him on the words of the Bible. But how did the books in our Bibles become part of scripture? This new series will give Christians of every denomination an understanding of the scriptures they read and how God speaks through them.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Carmen Imes introduces us to the major themes of Exodus as we end the book of Genesis. She provides her expertise to make sense of some of the most challenging passages in the Book of Exodus and helps readers explore Exodus as a literary and theological whole with many rich messages.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

After spending a year and a half walking through Genesis, we offer some broad reflections on the meaning and message of various themes within Genesis. We also discuss the significance of the Exodus and Two-Goats motif and how they point forward to Jesus. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slende

The book of Genesis comes to a close with a final unification of the brothers, a reminder of the purpose of the coming serpent crusher, and two patriarchs of Israel fixing their hopes firmly on the promises of God.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

How is Jacob’s speech at the end of Genesis supposed to be understood? In this episode we address this seemingly cryptic chapter and explain how it is to be read and how it does and doesn’t point to our future hope in the King from Judah.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Just as Isaac blindly blessed his younger son, so Jacob, whose eyes have gone dim, adopts and blesses the sons of Joseph, giving preeminence to the youngest. To the surprise of many readers, the blessing of Abraham seems to pass to Ephraim. Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Joseph is finally reunited with his father after he has tested and proven his brothers. The family of Israel is given deliverance down to Egypt and Jacob is promised yet another deliverance by God.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats

Joseph heightens the tension of his test to see if his brothers are willing to abandon Benjamin. However, the brothers maintain solidarity with Benjamin and Joseph brings about a reunification of the family.Email us your questions and comments! [email protected] Bible in Context Podcast — Mercy Hill Church (mercyhillshep.org)Passages read from the ESV by Crossway 2001Music: Royal by Slenderbeats