Episode notes
The 10 Commandments E4 — Before Yahweh gives the 10 Commandments to Israel, he reminds them that he is the God who liberated them from slavery and is entering into a covenant with them. So how does this connect with the first commandment, “You will have no other gods before me”? And what does that even mean? In this episode, Jon and Tim walk through the 1st Commandment, exploring how a command about ultimate allegiance can keep the newly liberated people of Israel (and us) free.
BibleProject
by BibleProject Podcast · English · Devotional & Spiritual
The creators of BibleProject have in-depth conversations about the Bible and theology. A companion podcast to BibleProject videos found at bibleproject.com
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E523 · 4 May 2026 · 53 min
4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath
The 10 Commandments E7 — In the 4th Commandment, Yahweh tells Israel to remember the Sabbath and do no work, just as Yahweh does after creating the skies and the land. What’s going on here? What did this commandment mean to ancient Israel, and what should it mean to Jesus’ followers? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the fourth command’s connections to the seven-day creation narrative and Israel’s liberation from Egyptian slavery, as well as its role in ancient Israel and the modern world.
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E522 · 27 Apr 2026 · 49 min
3rd Commandment: Do Not Carry the Name in Vain
The 10 Commandments E6 — Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name?” In the Bible, it turns out a lot, actually. The creator God Yahweh is the source of all life and good, so his name is the greatest name. But surprisingly, he attaches his name to Israel, a lowly nation of former slaves, and enters into a covenant with them. The covenant starts with a list of 10 commandments, or 10 words, and following these commandments will lead Israel to life and flourishing. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the 3rd Commandment, which is all about how Israel will carry Yahweh’s name, or…
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E521 · 20 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
2nd Commandment: No Idols
The 10 Commandments E5 — In the ancient world, gods (or elohim in Hebrew) were associated with transcendent forces of nature, and humans created statues (mostly of animals) to represent these forces, known as idols. But in Exodus 20:4-6, Yahweh forbids Israel from making idols of himself or any other spiritual being. Why? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 2nd Commandment to discover how idols diminish the identity of both God and humans.
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E519 · 6 Apr 2026 · 56 min
Commands for Life Given to Noah and Abraham
The 10 Commandments E3 — What’s the purpose of God’s commands early in the biblical story? Following the Eden story in Genesis, a pattern develops of God issuing commands that preserve life and release blessing. But the challenge is that often the commands first look like death before they’re revealed to be a pathway to life. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore commands given to Noah and Abraham, discovering the good that comes when humans trust and obey God’s words.
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E518 · 30 Mar 2026 · 47 min
God’s First Commands in the Bible
The 10 Commandments E2 — Why does God give commands and why is it so hard for humans to follow them? Before digging into the 10 Commandments line by line, we’ll first trace the theme of God’s commands in the Genesis scroll. The first two times God issues commands are on pages one and two of the Bible. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the blessing to “be fruitful and multiply,” as well as the “do not eat from the tree” command in Genesis 1 and 2, highlighting humanity’s folly and foundational need for God’s guidance.
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E517 · 23 Mar 2026 · 45 min
What Makes the 10 Commandments Special?
The 10 Commandments E1 — What comes to mind when you hear “Thou shalt not”? Probably the 10 Commandments! Even if you know very little about the Bible, you’re probably familiar with “Thou shalt not kill,” “Thou shalt not steal,” “Honor your father and mother,” and many others. They’re all over movies, literature, and even carved into public buildings. In the Exodus scroll, these are the core commands God gives to Israel on tablets of stone at the foot of Mount Sinai. And there’s a lot that sets them apart from the hundreds of other laws God gives to Israel. In this episode, Jon and Tim kick…
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E545 · 5 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
The Spirit of Prophecy in the New Testament
Spirit of God E12 — In early communities of Jesus’ disciples, prophecy was a significant manifestation of the Spirit, one which continued for centuries to follow. But this wasn’t the only kind of prophecy happening in the first-century Greco-Roman world. So how was prophecy in the New Testament Church different from the surrounding culture? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the Apostle Paul’s teaching on prophecy in local churches and its ultimate aim of love.
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E544 · 28 Sep 2026 · 54 min
A Spirit-Filled Body with Spiritual Gifts
Spirit of God E11 — In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit fills Jesus’ followers at Pentecost; they are to be like a new temple of God’s presence and power. In addition to a temple, the Apostle Paul throws another metaphor into the mix: the community of believers as a body filled with the Spirit. But where did Paul get this image and what does it mean? In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the Church as a Spirit-filled body, empowered with the Spirit’s gifts to serve one another and the world.
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E543 · 21 Sep 2026 · 1 hr
A New Spirit-Filled Temple in Acts
Spirit of God E10 — After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit becomes the primary way Jesus’ presence and power remains with his followers. The book of Acts demonstrates how the Spirit’s coming fulfills the Hebrew Bible’s hope for God to dwell with his people in a new kind of temple. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore how Pentecost marks the beginning of a new Spirit-filled temple community, uniting God's people and continuing Jesus' mission.
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E542 · 14 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
An Outbreak of the Spirit in Luke
Spirit of God E9 — Our conversation on the Spirit of God is turning the corner from the Hebrew Bible to the New Testament. The word for “spirit” in the Greek New Testament is pneuma, and like ruakh, it also means “wind,” “breath,” and personal energy related to a person or deity. While all the gospels mention the Spirit of God, or Holy Spirit, Luke is the leader by far with 78 references in his two-part collection of Luke-Acts. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore how deeply the Holy Spirit is integrated into the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
