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