The Bible Toolbox: Recent Episodes
Luke Kieser
How does a "regular guy" like Chad read, enjoy, and observe the Bible? Listen to this episode to gain a new perspective that may be helpful to you! (A list of his 10 steps can be found on our website, linked below)
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Biblearc is a website that aims to "equip the church to follow Jesus through the faithful and accurate study of his Word." Their online tools provide "visual meditations" on scripture, and their courses teach techniques and strategies to better understand and notice the text. Biblearc was formative in Luke's journey to enjoying the Bible, and we hope that you will find it helpful, too.
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If Luke had his choice, all Christians would have these three books on their shelves. See if you are convinced to agree in this episode!
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How have Christians interpreted the Bible throughout the centuries? Why does it matter for modern readers to understand how previous Christians comprehended biblical truths? Dr. Keith Stanglin provides us with key insights on how to think about biblical interpretation, thanks to his book, The Letter and Spirit of Biblical Interpretation: From the Early Church to Modern Practice. Dive into the minds of Christians from ages past with us!
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Who doesn't love a catchy children's song? And what's better than kids' songs that talk about Jesus?! Randall Goodgame encourages us to stay silly, as it is impossible to be self-absorbed at the same time. Enjoy our conversation with Randall--we sure did!
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Calling all parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts, uncles, cousins, babysitters... anyone who has a child in their life! Books are heavily influential in our children's lives from the time they enter the world to... well, the time they leave. The Good Book Company publishes "biblical, relevant, and accessible resources that will encourage you and your church family to keep going, keep growing, and keep sharing your faith." Check out this episode for a sneak peak into some of their children's books (which, in our opinion, are beautifully illustrated and theologically rich). Even better, use the code "bibletoolbox" through January 2024 for a 25% discount!
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We've discussed a lot of tools since the beginning of our podcast, and today Lydia gives a brief overview of how various Bible tools have helped her understand and enjoy the Bible in her daily devotions. Website with resourcesPatreonYouTube
We've given you a lot of resources to use when doing a word study, but here is an example of using them to study the word "hope." We hope this episode is helpful in your quest to enjoy the Bible more!
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"Watch and learn." Normally given to intimidate an opponent, we are going to take this advice to heart when looking at how to do a word study. Professional scholars have dedicated monstrous amounts of time and effort into creating resources that showcase the meaning, context, and nuances of words. Let's listen to them! This episode provides a one-stop shop for where to find the professionals' works. Use these resources in your next word study!
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“That class sounds really cool! Can I take it?” While you may not be able to attend a seminary or go to Bible college yourself, did you know there is a place to find seminary-level classes for all levels, for free online? BiblicalTraining.org is the place to check out! In this episode, we interview Dr. Bill Mounce, who explains the different features of his website and the numerous courses that are provided on it. You will also get some insights on how the courses on this website deeply impacted our own lives. We hope you will utilize this resource for your personal study or even perhaps do the courses with a group.
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Through my (Luke) bachelor's and masters' programs at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Wheaton College, I have been introduced to countless topics and tools that are helpful exegeting a passage or diving into theology. This advanced branch of The Bible Toolbox explores resources geared towards scholars and linguists. Join me as we discuss with programmers and scholars how they are helping other scholars enjoy the Bible and furthering the Kingdom through these advanced tools.
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Stay tuned for the new podcast. We are getting it up and running!
We've covered tools to use when doing a word study in past episodes, and this episode is more of a caution when using those tools. We all want to derive meaning from the Bible, but we also need to treat the words appropriately and not make these common mistakes.
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We've all heard it: nothing can beat the "agape" love of God. It is the love unique to him, and we desire it earnestly. The different kinds of love are surely examples of the Greek nuances that get lost in translation, right? If only we knew Greek, then the Bible would come to life and make so much more sense!
We are here to debunk these beliefs--one, that Greek is a mysterious and deep language, and two, that there are four different types of love in the Bible. Don't believe us? Check out today's episode!
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This week, we speak with James Cuénod, a PhD student at Wheaton College. He made ParaBible to help him search for specific word combinations in the original languages. And while many of us don't know Hebrew or Greek, we can admire his brilliance and appreciate the work he is doing for biblical scholarship. Plus, who knows, maybe ParaBible will come in handy for you!
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"I cannot read the Bible before going to bed. It's too exciting, and I can't sleep!"
If you don't listen to this episode for anything else, listen to it to catch a whiff of Rev. Dr. Instone-Brewer's intense love of and excitement for the Bible. He is using his Kingdom gifts to create STEP Bible (Scripture Tools for Every Person), a website that allows anyone to study the Bible at whichever depth they'd like-in their own language! This website is truly amazing (we did a tutorial video in episode 25), but more amazing is David's passion that exudes all the way from Cambridge. To God be the glory! (Note: it may be more helpful to watch rather than listen to this episode.)
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"Scripture Tools for Every Person"
StepBible is another awesome tool to add to your Bible study toolbox. It gives a platform to compare translations, track words across verses, search words and synonyms with the click of a button, and much more. We have found the best way to get to know this tool is to play around with it, but here is a quick scope of the website to get you started! We recommend watching this episode rather than listening to it.
We have referenced this powerhouse website in previous episodes, but we wanted to take some time and give a tour of BlueLetterBible.org, to lay out all of its key features. We hope you will discover the depths of this website and just how helpful it can be in studying the Bible. Stay tuned for an episode on how to do a word study and other frequently asked questions, but until then, play around with this awesome tool!
(Note: it will be helpful to watch this episode rather than listen.)
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Don't let this title scare you! We all run into words that puzzle us. Listen to this episode to learn three tools that can help you study words and topics in the Bible. (Note: it may be helpful to watch this episode rather than listen to it.)
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"Under faith-seeking understanding, we can embark on all kinds of adventures."
After Jesus died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, his gospel spread like wildfire and the church grew and grew. Copies of the Gospels and Paul's letters were passed to anyone willing to listen. It's no wonder that we have over 5,000 portions of the New Testament today! But, what about the time before Jesus physically arrived on the scene? How were the Torah (the first 5 Old Testament books), history, prophecies, and other biblical literature recorded and preserved? We turn back to Dr. John Meade, who provides answers to these questions. This episode is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Meade (part 1, episode 21, is available under "Past Episodes" or on any of our listening platforms).
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The Old Testament is one of humanity's oldest documents, recording how God's people began and prospered by His blessing. It was carefully copied by people who wanted to ensure their audience knew what the Holy Scriptures said. And now, thousands of years later, we get to read what they wrote! Listen to part one of our conversation with Dr. John Meade on how the Old Testament was copied and how we can reconcile some differences within various versions of the text.YouTube version
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How do we know the New Testament is reliable? If there are so many manuscripts, each with their own mistakes and nuances, does our Bible contain what the authors actually wrote? Can I trust my Bible? On this episode, we ask these questions and more to Dr. Peter Gurry, a leading scholar on biblical manuscripts at Phoenix Seminary. Take comfort as you listen to Dr. Gurry's explanation of why we can, indeed, trust all we read in the Bible.
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Calling all visual learners! BibleProject is an animation studio that produces free videos and podcasts on many biblical topics--book summaries, word studies, thematic overviews, and much more! Their mission is to "help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus." This resource is fit for all ages and purposes, and is best learned by exploring their website or YouTube channel. Dive in and see what BibleProject has to offer!
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What do Biblical studies and bamboo have to do with one another? The answer may surprise you! Rob Bradshaw is a scholar, programmer, librarian, and a forest-loving guy who has created a super-website for all your online resource needs. Check out this walk-through of one of his websites, BiblicalStudies.org.uk. Thank you, Rob, for your tireless effort in making available thousands of articles, books, and commentaries on the web, for free!
Youtube video version: https://youtu.be/T9xQfMa6u2M
Website with resources: thebibletoolbox.com/episode18
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
After listening to our last episode, you may be feeling overwhelmed at all of the commentary options. Well, have no fear--Dr. Nijay Gupta is here to help! Dr. Gupta, on top of writing a couple commentaries himself, is the author of The New Testament Commentary Guide. It was a privilege speaking with someone who has directly impacted the world of Biblical commentaries. Listen along as we broaden our knowledge and appreciation for this Bible tool!
Website with resources: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
Commentaries are another tool to help you enjoy and understand the Bible. Are you new to using commentaries, or you are looking to find the perfect one?
Listen to this week's episode to learn more!
YouTube version: https://youtu.be/0StEuleh4po
Website with resources: http://www.thebibletoolbox.com/past-episodes/episode-16-how-to-find-and-use-commentaries
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
We can't thank you enough for the support you've shown The Bible Toolbox since we began in August! In this episode, we recap where we've been and where we are headed, as well as resources to include on your Christmas list this year.
We hope you continue enjoying The Bible Toolbox!
Website with resources: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/past-episodes/episode-15-2022-in-review
YouTube version: https://youtu.be/-b4-F5gD1Kc
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
"I’ve written the book God put me on earth to write for his church."
At The Bible Toolbox, our goal is to help you enjoy the Bible through the tools that scholars and programmers have created for you. We are thrilled to introduce this tool to you all--it is truly a tool that will help you enjoy the Bible. This book, Savoring Scripture: A Six-Step Guide to Studying the Bible, bridges the gap between the academic study of the Bible and the lay-level desire to know what the Bible says. It makes studying the Bible accessible to all people, and not just studying it as a book, but as the holy Word of God. The book is short and to the point, and will serve as a valuable reference as you read different passages. We cannot encourage you enough to get hold of this book as soon as it is released at the end of November! Dr. Abernethy is a kind and humble scholar of the Word whose desire is for all people to savor Scripture, and his book is a major stepping stone in this pursuit.
YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ZRHweipOzXY
Website with resources: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/past-episodes/episode-14-andy-abernethy-on-savoring-scripture
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
Have you ever wondered what happened in between the Old Testament and the New Testament? 400 years of silence does not mean life simply stopped. Much happened in that time period, though it is not recorded in our Biblical canon today. However, the collection of books called the Apocrypha give us insight into this time period. If they are not in our Protestant canon, why do they matter? Should Christians read and trust the Apocrypha? How does it affect our understanding of the New Testament? These questions and more are clearly articulated by Dr. Seth Ehorn. Check out this insightful episode to learn more about a collection of books that may help you enjoy the Bible even more!
Website with resources: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/blog/episode-13-seth-ehorn-on-the-apocrypha
Video version: https://youtu.be/s9SsMgpnG-g
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
"If we don't use the opportunities we have been given, then we have squandered our opportunities to disciple people at any age or stage of their life."
Teresa Roberts has dedicated her life to instructing and practicing quality teaching. Why does it matter? What does good teaching look like? Listen to this episode for an inspirational lesson on engaging and being intentional with your audience, whether it be your children, Sunday School students, or people on the street. We are all called to teach at some capacity, and Teresa has some great pointers on how to fulfill this calling well.
YouTube video: https://youtu.be/J4lToh6XdFU
Website: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/blog
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
The author. The text itself. And you, the reader. Each of these parts of a text come packed full of intentions, biases, purposes, and levels of engagement. If this is the case, how do we interpret what we are reading accurately? In this episode, we offer some tips on how to engage the Bible in a way that remains true to what the author intended. Interpreting the Bible can seem like a daunting task, but it is an endeavor that will last into eternity.
Video version: https://youtu.be/ACelP6qHcHo
Website: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
In some capacity, we are all responsible for teaching the Bible--formally as a minister, a Sunday school teacher, a parent teaching children, evangelizing, teaching yourself while reading the Word, etc. But, how do we do fulfill this responsibility? Today's episode provides a launching point to answer that question. This episode lays out the different ways to teach the Bible; upcoming lessons will dive into specific tools useful to each type of teaching.
NOTE: We are going to begin publishing episodes every 2 weeks instead of every week, to give you time to fully digest and explore each tool we present, as well as to give us more time to produce better episodes. Thank you for sticking along with us as we slow down our pace!
Website: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/
YouTube video version: https://youtu.be/GP2J6Y5UShw
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
While we were on the topic of study Bibles, we reached out to Hampton Keathley for a special reason--he is the co-founder of Bible.org, which houses the NET Bible translation. You may be wondering how a Bible translation made its way into a series on study Bibles. Listen to this episode to learn about an impressively transparent Bible translation and explore a couple of resources deep in Bible study, accessible and useful to studiers of all ages and levels.
Video version: https://youtu.be/PXRt0QuByZA
Website with resources: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
"I love studying the Bible!" Andy Naselli's joy exuded in this interview on his perspective on the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible. Dr. Naselli was the assistant editor of the study Bible, and in this episode he helps us understand the important qualities it contains and how to read it properly. We hope you "catch" the enjoyment of reading the Bible and that this tool can be of use to you!
Website with resources: https://www.thebibletoolbox.com/
Video of this episode: https://youtu.be/6AvtO9fK3GU
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
The Bible was not written in a bubble-- Abraham, Moses, David, and every other mentioned and unmentioned person that lived in ancient times was part of and influenced by their culture. However, we often forget about the impact this Near Eastern culture had on the Bible. The Bible was written FOR us, but it was not written TO us. It was written to people who think like Babylonians, who interact with Egyptians and Canaanites and Assyrians every day. We must be cautious, then, to not filter what we read through present-day American culture, but to be mindful of how the text would have been received by an Israelite. How do we do this? How can we jump back in time into the minds of these people? The Cultural Study Backgrounds Bible is an excellent place to start. We got the privilege of speaking with Dr. John Walton, who was the general editor for the Old Testament portion of the study Bible. Listen along as he discusses the importance of reading the Bible through its correct cultural lens.
Visit our website for links to the resources mentioned in this episode: http://www.thebibletoolbox.com/
Support us on Patreon! More info here: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
We learned in episode 3 about the importance of having a quality Bible translation, but what happens when you come to a passage or verse that confuses you? What do you do then? Reading the verse in another translation would be a helpful first step. But, if you are still stuck or would like more information, a study Bible can be another helpful tool. In this episode, we discuss what a study Bible is and how it's helpful, as well as the different types of study Bibles available. We have found study Bibles to be a package deal, offering multiple benefits when reading the Bible, and hope you do, too.
Video version: https://youtu.be/RdA5v3xiPQs
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
Website with resources: https://thebibletoolbox.weebly.com/
Mark Strauss is another passionate man who has dedicated his entire life to studying and translating the Bible. He joined the NIV Bible translation committee in 2005 and was later asked to serve as the vice chair. He is also a professor of New Testament at Bethel University. Mark offers candid conversation and a desire to adequately translate the word of God.
Video version: https://youtu.be/UUdsBGgCOc8
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
Website with resources: https://thebibletoolbox.weebly.com/
Countless men and women have dedicated their lives to studying and translating the Bible. Leland Ryken is one of them. He has studied and taught the Bible as classical literature for over half a century! His accomplishments and knowledge led him to be the English stylist on the ESV Bible translation committee. We had the privilege of interviewing him about his experience on the translation committee, about the Bible as literature, and about numerous of his books.
Video version: https://youtu.be/vf7wuIsOdzs
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebibletoolbox
Website with resources: https://thebibletoolbox.weebly.com/
We are immensely blessed to have the Bible accessible to us in so many forms and varieties. But, have you ever wondered why so many Bible translations exist? Walk with us through 3 major differences in Bible translations and how to utilize each one in your study.
In this episode, we walk through a PowerPoint presentation. For access to this presentation, along with the video equivalent and other resources mentioned, visit our website: https://thebibletoolbox.weebly.com/
The Bible can be a daunting book. It's big, there are a lot of words, it's the center and go-to point of Christianity... not to mention it is God's inspired Word preserved for us through the ages. Rightfully so, this book carries a lot of weight. How, then, should we approach it? With fear? With the assumption that we won't understand what we read? With expectation to have the Spirit speak to us and answer life's questions?
We welcome Matt Kaufmann on our podcast today to guide us through approaching the Bible. May you find clarify and assurance that the Bible is indeed approachable and accept God's invitation to study it fervently.
Visit us on our website for more resources, including the corresponding YouTube video: https://thebibletoolbox.weebly.com/
Want to know what the most important and helpful tool is to study your Bible? Luke and Lydia discuss it in this episode!
Check out more of our episodes and our YouTube channel at https://thebibletoolbox.weebly.com/
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Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/tpGOVGEFSXk
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