The word of the LORD finally comes to pass. Jerusalem falls and the Babylonians take over. The destruction is terrifying and the suffering is immense. After months of mistreatment at the hands of Jerusalem’s political powers, Jeremiah turns out to have been right. Full reading and audio »
As mentioned in our introduction to the Prophets, one of the things that ironically unify the prophetic literature is the diversity we find. In all but one book of the Prophets, the major theme is found in the message of God given to the prophet and then spoken through the prophet to Israel. Full reading and audio »
Hebrews is not the roll call of the spiritually bankrupt unfaithful — just the opposite. It’s a celebration of those faithful Old Testament figures who anticipated the Christ and form a “cloud of witnesses” for those who presently follow him. Full reading and audio »
In the 1980s and 1990s, a new kind of young-adult fiction rose in popularity. One series was called Choose Your Own Adventure. The reader of these books would take an active role in determining the outcome of the story.
Full reading and audio »
These chapters move from the heights of the glorious Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7 to the depths of David’s mistakes. We may lose something in our admiration for David, but we will gain believability in the story that is told so honestly and unsparingly. Full reading and audio »
There is a joke that starts with the question, “Why did it take the Israelites 40 years to get out of the desert?” Answer: “Because none of the men would stop to ask for directions.” These two chapters in Numbers give the real reason, which turns out to be no laughing matter. Full reading and audio »
Christianity has a long history of making small things into big things. Oftentimes the most virulent debates and name-calling within Christianity have been between groups closely related to one another. Stories of churches dividing because of worship styles, the color of the carpet, or the option of either pews or individual chairs are legendary. Full reading and audio »
The final sermon has been preached. Now we enter into the last section of Matthew’s gospel, describing Jesus’ passion and resurrection. Once again we can easily divide these chapters into three units: events before Jesus’ arrest, events that bring about his death, and the death itself. Full reading and audio »
As Exodus begins we are immediately struck by something positive and something negative. The former is that Jacob’s/Israel’s descendants have grown exponentially: “the land was filled with them”. This is hardly happenstance. Full reading and audio »
A few years ago a door-to-door salesman was in my neighborhood selling home security systems. As we chatted briefly on my front porch, he began his pitch. “I don’t mean to sound prejudiced,” he insisted, “but do you realize there’s a lot of Section 8 housing on this block?” His rationale was that the presence of many low-income families nearby should have alerted me to my need for home security. Full reading and audio »
Speaking as a fan of professional baseball, I think one of the great traditions of the game takes place when the home team’s best relief pitcher enters from the bullpen in the final inning to close down the visiting team and secure the victory. Full reading and audio »
In 1998 two psychologists performed an experiment that is now famously referred to as “The Invisible Gorilla.” They asked students at Harvard University to watch a video as six people in different colored t-shirts passed a basketball back and forth. Full reading and audio »
These four psalms — one titled (103: “Of David”), three untitled (104; 105; 106) — are soaring hymns of praise. Psalm 103 calls for praising God in the context of God’s graciousness and the forgiveness of sin. Psalm 104 lauds God for God’s having created everything that is. And Psalms 105 and 106 exalt God in the context of the magnalia dei — the mighty acts of God — on behalf of Israel, God’s elect people. Full reading and audio »
I learned about the book of Acts in a cramped and damp classroom tucked in the corner of our church basement, next to a belching oil furnace. When we got to Acts in our Sunday school curriculum, we only skimmed chapters 21–26 — for good reason. The energy of Acts fizzles at this point. Full reading and audio »
Imagine being a leader who is about to leave the team you’ve been building. You’ve taught and shown, instructed and illustrated. You’ve sent team members out to gain experience by putting into practice what they’ve learned. Full reading and audio »
Unfortunately for some, the term “missionary” suggests not an agent of liberation but an agent of oppression. Some view Christian missionaries as knowing and unknowing perpetrators of colonialism, racism, and imperialism. Full reading and audio »
Though our passage does not begin with the familiar “Now concerning,” Paul is very concerned about Corinthian beliefs on the resurrection. Resurrection belief is at the heart of this week’s guided reading. Reports evidently had reached Paul that some Corinthians claimed there was no resurrection of the dead (15:12).Full reading and audio »
So far in the book of Judges, the pattern or cycle has been clearly established: Israel did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD; God punished his people for their rebellion with the oppression of a foreign enemy; Israel cried out in fear, pain, and desperation; God raised up a “judge” to deliver his people from the invaders; and Israel experienced “rest” for a period of time. Full reading and audio »
CBTE is an arm of the SPU School of Theology whose purpose is to provide biblical and theological education for the SPU community, the church, and the world. More»
In this free six-part video series, Associate Professor of Old Testament Bo Lim, CBTE Lectio guide for Isaiah, discusses several major topics in this book that has been called the “Fifth Gospel.”
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