Advent E3 — In the third week of Advent, we’re reflecting on joy. Joy’s not only a feeling based on circumstances but a rich biblical theme expressed in song, celebration, and even shouts of delight in all seasons of life. In the Hebrew Bible, words for joy appear most often in Psalms and describe communal feasts, temple offerings, and weddings. In these moments, joy is about remembering God’s goodness in the past and anticipating his future rescue. The New Testament continues this story, with Luke and Acts in particular overflowing with joy at the arrival of the Messiah, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection of Jesus. In this episode, Jon and Tim find the theme of joy everywhere in Scripture, even before God’s work is ultimately finished.

FULL SHOW NOTES

For chapter-by-chapter notes including summaries, referenced Scriptures, biblical words, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode.

CHAPTERS

1. The Hebrew Words for Joy (0:00–15:24)
2. Joy in Psalms, Songs, and Processions (15:24–24:55)
3. New Testament Joy in Jesus and the Spirit (24:55–36:59)
4. Reflections on Joy With Alena (36:59-41:21)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

• Chara / Joy: Though not referenced directly in the episode, this 2017 video explores one of the biblical words for joy, chara.
• Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

• “I'll Be Warm This Christmas” by Lofi Sunday & TBabz
• “Joy” by Lofi Sunday & CRFT
• “Snowflakes” by Aves
• BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Special thanks to our guest Alena.

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Advent E2 — In the second week of Advent, we’re reflecting on peace. The word most often translated as “peace” in the Hebrew Bible is shalom, but its meaning goes far beyond the absence of conflict. Shalom is about wholeness, completeness, and everything being as it should be. It describes uncut stones at an altar, honest weights in the marketplace, integrity of the heart, flourishing relationships, and life lived in harmony with God’s purposes. In this episode, Jon and Tim trace the deep biblical meaning of peace and show how Advent points to the arrival of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who reconciles divided people and makes them one.

FULL SHOW NOTES

For chapter-by-chapter notes including summaries, referenced Scriptures, biblical words, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode.

CHAPTERS

1. Shalom in Stones, Weights, and Hearts—and Also Fulfillment (00:00–15:15)
2. Shalom as Well-Being and the Prince of Shalom (15:15–29:21)
3. Jesus, Our Peace (29:21–35:38)
4. Reflections on Peace With Allison (35:38-39:42)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

• Shalom / Peace: Though not referenced directly in the episode, this 2017 video explores the same biblical word, shalom.
• Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

• “Silver N Gold” by Lofi Sunday & Yoni Charis
• “Snow Fall” by Lofi Sunday & TBabz
• “Snowflakes” by Aves
• BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Special thanks to our guest Allison Steyn.

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Advent E1 — Over the next four weeks, we’ll be exploring the four key words associated with the Advent season: hope, peace, joy, and love, starting with hope. The Hebrew words often translated as “hope,” yakhal and qavah, are rooted in images of waiting and being stretched, like a cord pulled tight. From Noah waiting for the flood waters to recede, to Israel longing for God’s loyal love, to Jesus followers ultimate hope in the new creation, the Bible presents hope as an active trust in God’s character. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore how the biblical story reframes hope as active waiting, a practice that keeps us moving toward God’s promises.

FULL SHOW NOTES

For chapter-by-chapter notes including summaries, referenced Scriptures, biblical words, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode.

CHAPTERS

1. Yakhal, a Waiting Hope (0:00–11:26)
2. Qavah, a Stretching Hope (11:26–24:10)
3. Biblical Hope vs. Optimism (24:10–27:47)
4. Reflections on Hope With Dylan (27:47-32:50)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

• The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament by Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner
• The Life of Moses and Homilies on the Song of Songs by Gregory of Nyssa
• The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
• Yakhal / Hope: Though not referenced directly in the episode, this 2017 video explores the same biblical words, yakhal and qavah.
• Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

• “Home For Christmas” by Lofi Sunday & Cassidy Godwin
• “That Gospel ft. Bobcat” by Lofi Sunday
• “Snowflakes” by Aves
• BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Special thanks to our guest Dylan Menges.

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