This week we tour the hometown of Mary the Magdalene - the village of Magdala. 

Magdala was a wealthy fishing village that was famous throughout the Roman Empire for its salted-sardines. 

According to Luke 8:2-3, Mary supported Jesus and the disciples "out of her own means." 

There are many questions about Mary. Does the Bible say she was a prostitute?  Is it possible that she controlled her own wealth? Could her wealth have come from the city of Magdala?

Join us this week as we explore the village of Magdala and the most recent interpretations of Mary the Magdalene. 

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In Matthew 11: 20-24, Jesus gives a warning to three of the cities that were closely tied to his ministry. 

How are we to understand what is going on in these passages? 

Matthew comments that the reason Jesus was denouncing these cities was that they saw his miracles but did not "repent." 

In this lesson, we explore the concept of "repent" and "repentance." How we conceive these words affects how we understand these passages.
 
Join us to explore the context of Jesus' message and how it can apply to our lives.

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In this video, we continue our study of Jesus walking on water - or as I correct myself during the lesson - Jesus walking on the "Sea." 

We attempt to look at this story through the metaphor created by the symbols in the story. God uses metaphor to communicate complex concepts to human beings - such as 'God is a rock' or a 'shepherd.' 

When we view the details of this story through the metaphor, we can see an impactful message for our own faith walk. This message is communicated through the telling of Peter getting out of the boat to join Jesus on the water. 

Join us as we conclude this study of this well-known story. 

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For two thousand years, the story of Jesus walking on water (Mark 645:52; Matthew 14:22-33) has fascinated and perplexed us. How are we to understand the events of that night, and what might be the story's overall meaning?
 
In this and the following lesson, we explore these events through the perspective of Ancient Near East (ANE) symbolism.
 
Throughout the Ancient Near East and the Bible, similar symbols express the chaotic forces that exist in the world.
 
Join us as we take a unique look at this well-known story.

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In today's lesson, we explore how the mindset of the Zealot movement likely influenced some of the attitudes and actions of the disciples.

Jesus called disciples who were 'zealous' about the word of God and then had to channel that passion in the right direction: loving their neighbor and serving those who were on the margins of the Greco-Roman world.

Finally, we look at Judas Iscariot - was this his last name? We explore his name and his betrayal of Jesus in light of the direction the Zealots were driving the country.

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This week's video brings the history of the Zealots closer to Jesus' ministry.

We explore some of the political events - leading up to the time of Jesus' birth - in the region of Galilee that involved the zealots and set the stage for the movement in the first century.

​We briefly explore the city of Sepphoris which was the administrative center of Galilee and how this city intersects with the zealots and with Jesus' upbringing.

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Josephus Quotes on the Zealots

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​Today's lesson begins a short series that focuses on the Zealots and the Zealot movement in first-century Israel.
 
The headquarters for the Zealot movement was located in a city near the Sea of Galilee called Gamla (see the links below to read more about Gamla).
 
Jesus continually interacts with the Zealots or those whose thinking had been influenced by the Zealots. He even has a disciple named Simon called "the Zealot" (see Mark 3:18).
 
Raising our awareness of the Zealots will help us understand the actions of many of the disciples and those who wanted to make Jesus their king.

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Zealot Historical Timeline:

Resources:

Bargil Pixner - Paths of the Messiah

Gamla - Wiki

Gamla - Jewish Virtual Library

Judah the Galilean - Jewish Virtual Library

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The number three carries significant meaning in the Biblical narrative, Judaism, and Christianity.

This lesson explores the significance of the number three and its inference toward a spiritual journey toward restoration.

braham, Moses, Joshua, and Jesus have a "three" or "third day" associated with their spiritual journey.

This lesson will help raise your awareness of how this number is used throughout scripture.

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The stories of Jesus feeding the 5000 and the 4000 are full of details that help us understand the overall message of what the miracles are telling us - that Jesus is the "bread" for the whole world.

Each story contains a different set of numbers. The details of the numbers are essential for us to understand the overall message as they apply to the audience that is specific to each miracle.

Join us as we compare these two events as told in the Gospel of Mark. Feeding of 5000 - Mark 6:30-44. Feeding of 4000 - Mark 8:1-10.

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This week we begin a two-part mini-series on Jesus' feeding miracles - the Feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6:30-44) and the Feeding of the 4000 (Mark 8:1-9).

Our first step is to look at two aspects of Biblical studies: reading narrative and High-Context communication. 

The majority of the Bible is written in narrative form. Narrative is a very powerful way of communicating information because we - as the reader - participate in the discovery process. When we discover the answer ourselves through a process of revelation, the end result can be transformative. 

One difficulty modern westerners have when reading narrative is that it is written in a "high-context" communication style. We will review the differences between "low-context" and "high-context" communication, which can help us gain a proper perspective as we approach the Biblical text. 

Finally, since both feeding miracles are written in narrative form, we will begin our exploration of what these stories mean and how the fine details of the narration communicate that meaning. 

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This video is part of a series on the Sea of Galilee, but we are taking a detour to talk about another "triangle number" found in the book of Acts.

For more on triangle numbers - like 153 fish in John 21 - see Sea of Galilee part 8 and part 9:

Why does Luke include the number of crew members (276) aboard the ship that he and Paul are traveling on to Rome?

The number 276 happens to be a triangle number (the triangle of 23).

Additionally, there is a Hebrew phrase in Jeremiah 23:6 (also Jeremiah 33:16) that adds up to 276. The phrase is unique and speaks to the hope that we can place in God's promise of deliverance.
 
Join us for a deep dive into Luke's use of this number

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Resources:

Paul W. Pruyser, Phenomenology and Dynamics of Hoping, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Autum, 1963), pp. 86-96. 

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Today's video is an extension of Sea of Galilee part 8: 

In this video, we dig deeper into the number 153 from John 21:11 and how this is connected to two words in Ezekiel 47:10 - Gedi and Eglaim. 

Finally, we explore another example of 153 and the Hebrew phrase 'Sons of God' and how scholars connect this to the overall message of John's Gospel. 

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Hebrew Alphabet

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So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore.
​It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. John 21:11

In today's video, we explore fishing on the Sea of Galilee.

In John 21, there is a miraculous catch of fish at a location called Tabgha, where seven warm water springs run into the lake. The warm water attracts Tilapia during the winter and early spring months.

The Gospel of John includes a minor detail regarding this miraculous catch of "large" fish. John tells us there were "153 fish." Why include this detail? What is the significance of the number 153?
 
Join us as we explore this number's deeper significance and how it connects to the Old Testament.

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Resource:

Mendel Nun, The Sea of Galilee and its Fishermen in the New Testament

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