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A Name in the Tree of Life – Steve WunderinkSteve Wunderink explores the profound symbolism of the Tree of Life as depicted in the...
The Christian Legacy of PatmosBefore we leave Patmos let's make a visit to the monastery named after the Apostle...
Exile as a Place of Vision: The Cave of Apocalypse, Patmos Island
Rome as BabylonPeter, like Paul, was executed by Rome. How did the early church see this center...
Early Christian BaptismIt is common to think of baptism as a religious rite, a ritual that various...
Jews in the Theater: View from MiletusThe identity of those now in the Early Church had to be sorted out in...
To the DispersionLet's make a visit to a famous ancient synagogue in Turkey to further explore the...
Biblical Healing and Ancient Magic: View from the Pergamum AsclepionOne other fascinating topic in the background of James is the ministry of healing mentioned...
Honor and the AfterlifeA fruitful life has eternal returns. Perhaps you haven't thought about how one's reputation in...
End of the TempleThe description of the second Jewish temple (AD 70) dramatically brought an end—and a new...
The Prophetic Sisters of Phrygia
Women’s Roles in the Church – View from Ephesus
Succession and Mentoring – View From St. John’s ChurchThe Apostle John is known for many things, not least of which is surviving the...
Mission Expansion Through DisagreementThe Prison and Pastoral Epistles give us a glimpse into Paul's closest relationships at the...
Paul’s Final Words – View from the Mamertine PrisonPaul's life ended in martyrdom following an extended stay in a criminal's prison. You are...
Paul’s Prison Letters – View from St. Paul’s
Philemon and Onesimus
Citizen and Prisoner
Philippi – The Birth of the Christian Church in Europe
Paul’s Religious Resume – View from a Philippian LatrinePaul's approach to suffering was grounded in his sense of personal identity. He was nothing...
Philippi – First Converts in EuropeWith this overview in place, let's now take a visit to the site of Philippi...
Dead to Sin – Views of Death at a NecropolisOne of the most concrete ways Paul describes sanctification is as “death to sin.” Let’s...
Supernatural or Superstitious? Archangel Inscription at MiletusSpiritual syncretism and superstition continued long after the time of the New Testament. Let’s take...
Triumphing over the Cosmic Spirits – View from the Hierapolis PlutoniumAlong with various philosophical interests, many in Colossae seemed to be fascinated with occult activity....
Epaphras – A Coworker in ColossaeThere’s a co-worker of Paul you’ve read about who was really the apostolic church-planter in...
The Power and Authority of Christ – View from EphesusWith this background in place, let’s make a personal visit to the ruins of Ephesus,...
The Church as God’s Household – View from Ephesus
Ephesus – Holiness in a Place of Pagan Temples
Emperor Worship – Augustus’ Temple in Ostia, Italy
Romans’ Commercial and Legal Terms – View from Corinth’s Bema
Demolishing Strongholds – Paul’s Way of Waging War
Corinth – God’s Temple in a Promiscuous Port
Liberty and Love – View from Corinth’s Marketplace
Corinth – Paul’s Final Appeal for Judgment
Tent-making Missions – Following Paul’s Example Today
Paul’s Work Ethic – View from Corinth’s Marketplace
Paul and Lawlessness – View from Corinth’s “Bema”
Preparing for the True King’s Arrival
Thessalonica – Another King Named Jesus
Peter and Paul in Conflict – Antioch of SyriaWe’ve already learned about the tension between Paul and Peter. Let’s go to Antioch where...
Pisidian Antioch – Facing Jewish Resistance
The Real Conquest – With Paul on the Appian Way
Pisidian Antioch – The Imperial Cult
The Church of Lydia
Lydia and a Jailer – First Converts in Europe
Contextualizing the Gospel for Greeks: With Paul on Mars Hill, Athens
View from an Early Synagogue in Ostia
Paul’s Ongoing Jewish Practices
Roman Roads
Palm Sunday Procession – Judgment for JerusalemNow imagine tens or even hundreds of thousands of these lambs being led into Jerusalem...
Spotless LambThe most significant link between Christ and the biblical festivals in John’s Gospel is the...
The Story of the Bible in a Sheaf of WheatNow let’s head out to some agricultural territory in Israel to hear a summary of...
Booths in the Wilderness – Recalling the Past, Anticipating EternityLet’s revisit the land of Egypt where “Booths” are still an agricultural commonplace today. Let’s...
A Chapel for Memory and Worship – The Church of St. Lazarus in BethanyNow that we’ve visited the tomb of Lazarus, let’s go to the chapel where countless...
True Worshipers – View from Mt. GerizimLet’s go up on the mountain where the Samaritans worshiped. Here we’ll gain perspective on...
Zacchaeus and Social Reciprocity – From Tax Collector to Child of Abraham
Honor and Humiliation – The Fattened Calf in Luke 15One final short visit to an Arab village will give you another cultural piece of...
Lost Sheep StoriesBefore we look more closely at the story of the lost son, let’s visit with...
At Home with Parables – Inside a Tradition House in TayibleLet’s revisit a traditional home to make sense of two parables—the neighbor in need and...
Herod’s Playground and the Good Samaritan – New Testament JerichoTo get a little more background to the Good Samaritan story, let’s visit the palaces...
The Good Samaritan – Above the Treacherous Wadi QeltThe account of the lepers features a Samaritan who, alone, came back to thank his...
Elisha the Healer – Foreshadowing the Ministry of ChristLet’s take a visit to this very village where Arab Christians honor both Elisha and...
Springtime in the Shepherds’ FieldsOur last Behind the Text video is in the fields of Bethlehem where a great deal of...
At Home in a Manger – Understanding the Nativity in ContextLet’s head underneath the “living room” and see where the animals were kept.
No Room in the Inn? A Closer Look at a Traditional Home in PalestineLet’s visit this traditional Palestinian home for ourselves!
Gathering Disciples – Tax Collectors and Fishers of MenJesus gave a lot of his teaching on the Kingdom of God while he walked...
Moving a Mountain – Herod’s Palace Fortress at HerodiumMoving a mountain may seem like a show of power—the very thing Jesus was contrasting...
A Greater Righteousness – Jesus and the Sermon on the MountEmbark on a transformative journey with "A Greater Righteousness – Jesus and the Sermon on...
A Threatened King – Herod’s Palace Outside BethlehemThe video delves into the historical context of Herod's reign, highlighting his architectural prowess and...
Eating Bread in the DesertMessianic expectations were high for Jews especially around the annual celebration of Passover. Let’s visit...
Eyewitnesses – The Empty Tomb and the Power of the Gospel
Chapel of the Ascension – On the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
The Garden Tomb – He is Risen!
The Centrality of Blood – A Lamb Slaughter at a Bedouin CampFor some rich onsite background to the Passover let's revisit a Bedouin camp and the...
Via Dolorosa Final Stops – Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Via Dolorosa Stop #5 – Simon Cyrene Carries the Cross
Via Dolorosa Stop #2 – Church of the Condemnation
Via Dolorosa Stop #1 – The Sentencing Pavement
Crushed with Grief – With Jesus on his Last Night
Jesus Arrives on Palm Sunday – A Parabolic Sign in BethpageWhat might the cursing of a fig tree have to do with Jesus’ prophetic ministry?...
Judgment on the City – Jesus Arrives on Palm SundayYou may think of Palm Sunday as the Triumphal Entry of Israel’s King. Let’s listen...
Sermon on the Mount – A New Ethic for a New Kingdom
Sight and Blindness – Jesus at the Pool of SiloamCome to a place where one man received physical sight and became a testimony to those who...
Hellenism and Jewish Piety in the North – View from SepphorisThere’s a very important city in Galilee you don’t hear about at all in the...
Capernaum – The Second Home of JesusCapernaum is the northern “headquarters” of Jesus’ ministry. Let’s visit the very site where Jesus...
The Mount of Temptation – Reliving Israel’s Spiritual JourneyOne particular mountain in the desert is associated with Jesus’ temptation. Let’s visit one site...
Purification and Rebirth – Baptism at the Jordan RiverYou’ll find one meaning of baptism more fully illustrated in this video at the Jordan...
Jesus Gives New Torah – The Mount of BeatitudesIf the Gospels are a kind of “New Torah,” then what was Jesus expecting of...
Egypt, the Monster in the SeaAnother empire with hubris is Egypt. Ezekiel will use their own association with a sea...
Life-Giving Water
Anemones and the Worship of Tammuz – Ronit Maoz
The Kimyal People Receive God’s WordGod’s Word is at the center of Ezekiel’s ministry, and it’s all the more extraordinary...
Zedekiah’s Final Escape – Following the Last King’s FootstepsIsrael’s hope had been anchored in God’s promises to David’s royal line and to dwelling...
Jeremiah’s Cisterns
In the Potter’s HouseOf the many images and parables used in Jeremiah, the potter is used twice. Let’s...
Song of a Vineyard – Judgment for Foul ProduceFidelity to YHWH is at the heart of the book of Isaiah. This message takes...
Wine PressIn the final section of Isaiah (63:1-6) the prophet returns to vineyard imagery to describe...
A Way for the Lord – A Walk Along the Jordan: Rev. J. BodinLet’s visit a place where we can picture the “way of the LORD in the...
Amos, Shepherd and Fig-Pricker – Ronit Maoz
Enclosed Garden – A Lover’s Image in Song of Songs
The Gardens Are Calling – Ronit MaozLet’s join biblical botanist Ronit Maoz to discuss some of the rich symbolism in the...
Sowing with Tears – Plowing, Planting and Praying: Ronit Maoz
Hiding in the Caves of En Gedi – David’s Laments While Running from Saul
Lift up Your Heads, O Gates – Steve WunderinkLet's visit a temple in Egypt to get some amazing background to a phrase in...
In the Holy of Holies – Steve Wunderink in Luxor, Egypt
Judas and the Potter’s FieldIn this onsite video, we’d like you to work backward from an event in the...
Inside Hezekiah’s TunnelIt’s one thing to learn about Hezekiah’s Tunnel; it’s another thing to walk through it!...
Prophet of Compassion – Elisha’s Banquet for the Arameans in DothanCan you think of a place where Joseph and Elisha both stood? If so, can...
Sweet Water in Jericho – A Visit to Elisha’s SpringThe springs in Jericho are now legendary for their sweetness, but that wasn’t always the...
Conditioning the Heart of a Prophet – Elijah in Sidon before Mt. CarmelBefore we leave Mt. Carmel, there’s something we need to discuss about the prophet’s own...
Tel Jezreel and ValleyVineyards were a valued commodity in the ancient world, being a source of luxury and...
Vegetable Gardens and Royalty – Ahab and Jezebel’s MistakeAlthough Ahab and Jezebel were chastened by Elijah, they persisted in their evil ways. What...
Terror and Intimacy on Mt. Sinai – Elijah at the “Cleft of the Rock”Whether it was at a cleft or a cliff, Elijah found himself at the same...
Elijah Confronts the Prophets of Baal – Background for the Contest on Mt. CarmelThe confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal is an epic scene in biblical...
Samaria, Capital of the North – Case Study in SyncretismLet’s visit the remains of the capital city built by Omri and Ahab. It may...
The Siloam Pool and Hezekiah’s Tunnel
The Beginning of the End – Shishak Attacks Rehoboam: Steve WunderinkIt wasn’t so long ago that God’s people left Egypt with the gold of their...
Reflections on Jeroboam’s Religious RevolutionTo understand the appeal of Jeroboam’s religious revolution, let’s visit an Egyptian tomb where a...
Solomon’s Fleet of Ships
The Holy of Holies – The Edfu Temple: Egyptologist Essam ZeidEgyptologist Essam Zeid provides more background on Solomon’s temple. This will help you understand more...
God’s Address on Earth – Edfu Temple, Upper EgyptYou may assume that everything in Solomon’s temple was unique. A visit to an Egyptian...
Cedars and Royal Pretense: Ronit Maoz, Biblical BotanistThe Bible mentions gold and cedar a lot when it describes Solomon’s temple and palace....
David’s Palace and Neighborhood – Archaeologist Dr. Gabriel Barkay
Jerusalem – An Orientation: Archaeologist Dr. Gabriel BarkayLet’s visit the ancient City of David with one of Jerusalem’s leading archaeologists, Dr. Gabriel...
Taking the City of Jerusalem – Joining Joab Inside the Canaanite Tunnels
David’s Detour from Royalty – Exploring the Caves of AdullamDavid was very good at a lot of things—shepherding flocks, fighting wild animals and Philistines...
From Ruth to David to Jesus – In Bethlehem’s Shepherd’s FieldsIt wasn’t that long ago that we were in the fields of Bethlehem with Ruth...
Families, Flocks and Fields – Understanding David’s WorldDo you ever wonder what it was really like to grow up in Bethlehem? Let's...
Father and Son at MichmashJonathan is certainly a bright light in the dark tragedy of King Saul. Let’s visit...
Ashkelon – One of the Five Mighty Philistine CitiesThe Philistines seek to rule the same land the Israelites believe God has given to...
Failed Leadership in Israel
God’s Provision in Bethlehem – Ruth, Passover and a Coming KingThe story of Ruth has echoes of stories from the Pentateuch, and even more dramatically...
ShechemNow that you have learned a bit about Shechem and its importance in Judges, let’s...
Reducing Gideon’s Army
Hazor
Amarna Tablets – Hapiru for Hebrew?Evidence for the conquest comes from many sources. In this video we’ll take you to...
Moses’ Final Look – Mt. Nebo and the Promised LandOur journey through the Five Books of Moses is coming to a close with the...
Not Like EgyptAccording to Deuteronomy, Canaan is not like Egypt in certain respects. Let’s visit a farmer...
Akhenaten’s OathsWe have looked at Hammurabi’s Law Code as background for the commandments in the Torah....
Kings, Divine and Human – Egyptologist Essam Zeid
Rethinking Cities of Refuge: Abu SabahThe cities of refuge had a cultural setting that makes sense to Bedouin tribes today....
Petra and Edom – Historical Geography and Divine JudgmentEdom’s refusal to allow its Hebrew “kin” to pass through makes sense when you are...
The King’s HighwayThe major road heading north among the Transjordanian tribes was called the King’s Highway. This...
The Aaronic BenedictionThe oldest text of the Bible found to date is a prayer from Numbers 6:24-26....
Songs about the BloodOn our trips onsite, we sing some of the old hymns of the Church about...
Family Parallels to the Sacrificial System
The Priest as Teacher
Celebrating the Torah
The Holy MountainAfter spending a mostly sleepless night on Mt. Sinai, let’s spend a little more time...
SinaiLet’s explore the traditional site of Mt. Sinai, leaving St. Catherine’s Monastery at its base...
Prayer at RephidimThere’s one more important stop to make in the desert on our way to Mt....
Provision, Protection and Guidance – Abu SabahTo understand more fully how God was leading Israel as a shepherd, let’s revisit the Bedouin...
Water from the RockAlthough God provided manna every day, His people still faced desperate thirst in the wilderness....
Seventy Palms and Twelve SpringsNot long after Israel joined Miriam’s victory song, they entered a desert that was ill-suited...
Waters of Chaos and New Creation – Steve Wunderick, Karnak TempleExploring the plagues and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Sea has challenged mythical...
Second ExodusThe Passover and Exodus will take on great significance throughout the rest of Scripture. We...
Crossing the Sea of Reeds
Mighty Hand and Outstretched ArmGoing Behind the Text often provides immediate clarity for passages that may seem arbitrary or obscure. Other...
Samaritan Way of Life – Priest Husni Wasef Al Samri
Samaritan PassoverNow I’m going to take you on the top of Mount Gerizim where the Samaritans...
Aaron and the Sea SerpentHere’s one last piece of background that may shed surprising light on God’s confrontation with...
Rameses the Great
Rameses and Ma’at – Egyptologist Essam ZeidPharaoh was viewed as both human and divine through most of Egyptian history. YHWH’s signs...
MemphisBefore we look at the signs and wonders that swept across Egypt, let’s stop at...
Rescuer Born Along the NileNow that you have a little perspective on the awe-inspiring nature of Egypt’s royalty, mythology...
The Nile and the Key of Life – Egyptologist Essam ZeidLet’s look at a symbol people still wear today and how it represents the Nile,...
Nilometer – Egyptologist Essam ZeidThe Nile was not only a source of life, but it became a literal gauge...
The Mighty Nile – Source of LifeTo better appreciate the worldview of the Egyptian Empire, we will look at three primary...
Rameses and Pithom in Goshen – Egyptologist Essam ZeidThe crisis that Moses was born into was the crisis God was calling him to...
Tombs of the PatriarchsThe most important burial place for the ancestors is in Hebron at a place called...
The Embalming of Jacob: Egyptologist Essam ZeidBurial practice tells us a lot about how people viewed their connectedness to family as...
Temple Granaries – Professor Steve WunderinkIn order to explore the context of Joseph’s administration work, this video will take you...
The Storehouses of Joseph – Egyptologist Essam Zeid
Joseph the Administrator – Egyptologist Essam Zeid
Semites in Egypt – The Beni Hassan Tomb
Madaba Sheep Market – Dr. Iain Pickett
Peniel – Wrestling with GodNext we’ll go onsite at the location near where Jacob had a confrontation—not with his...
Split Sacrifice – Steve WunderinkNow let’s consider how a ceremony in ancient Egypt can help explain what’s really going...
Bedouin Honor and Hospitality – Dr. Iain PickettAnother aspect of the culture of the patriarchs is pastoralism—a traditional way of life that...
Lower Jordan – Canyons Rich with Biblical HistoryLet’s visit the lesser known East Bank of the Jordan River, otherwise known as Trans-Jordan...
Wadi Zered – Boundary Between Moab and Edom