Evers Bible Class - A Gentle Ramble through the Bible

                                    Paul’s Trial, Philippians 3&4, Philemon Governor Felix never gives Paul a full trial. He lets him sit in jail for two years. Paul takes the opportunity to write several letters. Paul is still there when Governor Festus arrives to relieve Governor Felix of duty. Festus can’t figure out what to do with Paul. He has a trial that goes sideways in a hurry and Paul appeals to bring his case before the Emperor, as is his right as a Roman citizen.  Festus knows he needs to appease the Jewish High Priests and religious leaders, but he can’t figure out what charges to bring against Paul but he’s got to send him to Rome anyway now that Paul has appealed to Caesar. We cover  Acts 24:24-28:9 Philippians 3-4 Philemon A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at...

                                    Riot in Jerusalem Over the strenuous objections of all those who love him, Paul persists in returning to Jerusalem in spite of the danger. He delivers the contributions he’s collected for the church, and they advise him to make a public display in the Temple of how devout and law-abiding he is. The plan backfires spectacularly. Instead of appeasing the Jewish faction, Paul’s appearance in the Temple causes a riot. He is arrested and sent north to Governor Felix in Caesarea for trial. We cover  Acts 22:1-24:23. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                   Romans (Part 7) Paul is very clear about what it looks like to live as a true Christian. We need to paste his list on our mirror! He’s never been to the church in Rome and is making plans to come see them as soon as he takes the contributions he’s gathered back to the suffering church in Jerusalem. In the meantime, he sends personal greetings to a ton of folks in Rome, including a female deacon and a female apostle. We cover Romans 12-16. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                      Romans (Part 6) Keeping Paul’s overall context in mind, we dive into passages where Paul explains how, in his opinion, God’s chosen (elect) people (the Jews) ended up opposing Jesus Christ. And how God worked that to the blessing of the Gentiles.  But lest we Gentiles become arrogant, Paul makes it quite clear that in the end all of Israel will be saved, regardless. He says God lumps us all together in our disobedience and uses it to show his great mercy on us all. We cover Romans 9-11. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                    Romans (Part 5) Paul devotes this central part of his letter to his grief over the Jews of Israel who do not believe in Jesus Christ and to his joy over those who do. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds when he uses words like “predestination” and “election,” but if we put them in context then those seemingly random words start to make a lot more sense. And it helps to make sense of how Paul uses Jacob and Esau as examples.  This part of the letter spans chapters 7-11, so today we take a peek at the ending of the section so we know where we’re heading--kind of like looking at a map before setting out on a trip. We focus especially on Romans 9. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .  

             Romans (Part 4) We’re hitting the “steep” part of Romans now. Paul’s theology is beginning to get uncomfortable. (Yeah, I know, it's already been steep. I told you that Romans is the Mount Everest of the New Testament.) He smack-talks the Law and the flesh. He keeps saying the Law is good, but what he says about it sure doesn’t sound good. And what he says about the flesh sounds just as bad. This is one of those passages we will need to wrestle with in our breakout groups and on our own.  Then, for the first time, Paul begins to talk about predestination and election. There’s more about that next week, but we do some interesting excavation in Greek that sheds new light on these words. We cover Romans 7-8. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

  Romans (Part 3) Paul has something of a reputation for anti-Semitism. We hit a few of those passages today. We look at them through the lens of Paul’s deeply held Jewish roots and his understanding of the role of the Law. We also talk about works vs grace. And we discover that the Greek word for grace is charis, literally the charisma of God. That opens up a whole new vista of what “grace” might mean for us. Lastly we examine what Paul might mean when he talks about Jesus dying for the benefit of the wicked and reconciling us to God. There’s a lot to unpack here. We cover Romans 3:27-6:23. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

  Romans (Part 2) Paul throws us in the deep end here. Romans is densely packed with theology. Don’t worry. We take it in bite-sized chunks. He talks about the value (or not) of being a Jew as opposed to being a Gentile. Paul has deep roots in the Law but he sees it now as something that pointed to Christ--something fulfilled in Christ. We join Paul as he reflects on how the sin offerings under the Law showed God’s justice and righteousness in the same way Christ did, but with Christ, God’s righteousness and justice are revealed even more brilliantly. We cover Romans 2:1-3:26. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                    Romans (Part 1) Paul is nearing the end of his 3rd Missionary Journey. As he turns south towards Corinth, his heart yearns to continue westward to Rome to meet the church of believers that has formed there in the heart of the Empire.  He can’t go to see them quite yet, so he writes a letter that is widely regarded as his Magnum Opus--a sweeping statement of his theology. We discover that, as usual, Paul’s words are controversial. Four hundred years later, the Early Church Fathers quite literally spill blood as they fight over what it means for Jesus to be both divine and human and whether the Holy Spirit is part of God and Jesus or not.  And, of course, there’s the big clobber passage in Romans 1 that has been used to bash the LGBTQ community. We discover this passage actually applies to us all equally. ​We cover Romans 1. A free  Study Guide ...

                                   2 Corinthians (Part 3) We finish our series on 2 Corinthians today. Paul spends some time talking to the Corinthians about what it means to be a cheerful giver. The idea that he might get to Corinth and they won’t have gathered a collection for the poor in Jerusalem, or even worse, that he’ll find some of them unchanged and unrepentant gives him pause. There’s a sort of break in thought after Chapter 9. Perhaps he was interrupted and wasn’t able to get back to the letter for a bit. In the meantime, it’s pretty clear that someone has brought news of so-called “super apostles” showing up in Corinth and bad-mouthing Paul.  You can imagine Paul’s reaction! It’s here that he talks about his “thorn in the flesh.” We cover  2 Corinthians 7:5-13:14. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTu...

                                   2 Corinthians (Part 2) Paul is in the middle of his letter to the Corinthians. He wants to make sure they understand that he and the other apostles are just men--jars of clay--and subject to all the hardships that go with that. And yet, Paul regards these hardships as nothing. He sees his body as nothing more than a tent. Transient. Impermanent. He wants the Corinthians to see themselves as being “in” Christ’s death, and as ambassadors of the Good News that God is not holding anyone’s sins against them. We take a look at what this means and at what might shift if we take Paul’s advice. We cover  2 Corinthians 4:1-7:4. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                  2 Corinthians (Part 1) Paul is ready to leave Ephesus, and that’s good because they are ready to kick him out. There’s a huge riot because Paul is converting so many idol-worshippers that it’s impacting the sales of paraphernalia and trinkets feeding off the worship at the temple of Artemis. Paul heads out towards Macedonia and on the way meets back up with Titus, who is carrying news from the Corinth. You can imagine Paul’s immense relief when he hears the Corinthians have finally repented and are back on track.  Paul immediately sits down to write a joyful letter to them. In the part we read today he tells them the veil has dropped from their faces and they are gazing at the Lord. The view is still not perfectly clear--it’s more like a reflection in a mirror--but it’s enough to transform them. We talk about that in our breakout groups. We cover  2 Corinthian...

                                 1 Corinthians (Part 7) We wrap up 1 Corinthians today. Paul continues with his strong words about the chaos in the worship gatherings the Corinthians have. They’ve been blessed with an abundance of spiritual gifts of the Spirit, but they’re trying to shout over each other. Are you getting the sense that the Corinthians have a problem with self-importance?  It is in this context that Paul addresses women who are utterly derailing the worship service with their questions. He talks about how the law says women should be silent in the churches. The problem is, the Mosaic Law doesn’t say that. So what is Paul talking about? On top of that, some of the Corinthians apparently don’t believe in resurrection. The Corinthian church is confused, and Paul is horrified. It boggles his mind that they would worship a risen Messiah and at the same time say they don’t believe in resu...

                                 1 Corinthians (Part 6) The Corinthians are a clique-ish group. Some are rich and some are poor, and they obviously don’t mix. The “Lord’s Supper” is a literal meal but everybody brings their own food and they don’t share! It’s not even a potluck. Paul is horrified. He says they are sinning when they do this and, as far as he’s concerned, that’s why some of them have fallen ill or died before Jesus comes back. (We, of course, have a different perspective on this after 2000 years.) The Corinthians also have questions about the gifts of the Spirit. Don’t we all? Paul gives them a terrific answer. It’s one of the most famous passages in all of Scripture.  We cover  1 Corinthians 11:17-13:13. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                 1 Corinthians (Part 5) Paul addresses two huge issues the Corinthians are having.  It was a thing back then to be invited by your patron to dine at the local god or goddess’s temple. Can Christians eat in a pagan temple? And leftover meat sacrificed to these gods and goddesses was sold at a discount in the market. Can Christians buy food sacrificed to idols? And what about women praying or prophesying in church? Should they have their heads covered or not? We carefully walk through Paul’s logic and arrive at surprising results. We cover  1 Corinthians 8:1-11:16. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                 1 Corinthians (Part 4) Paul has a lot more to say to the Corinthians--some of it in response to a message they send to him with a bunch of their questions. Paul focuses on the physical body in this part of his letter. He talks about sexual immorality, about marriage, and about treating your body as a holy temple. But some of the most interesting and fruitful bits spring from his admonition that “You are not your own. You were bought with a price.” We use our backpack tools on that one--with very surprising results. We cover  1 Corinthians 6:12-8:13 Matthew 19:3-12 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                 1 Corinthians (Part 3) We hit 1 Corinthians 6:9 this week--one of the most famous “clobber” verses in the Bible. It’s one of those verses often used to bludgeon each other and to exclude each other from fellowship with other believers.  We use our backpack tools to determine whether this is Paul’s intent and to see how his words might have landed on Roman ears.  There is a strong divide within Christianity over how to interpret this passage. We try to do it carefully and respectfully, using historical context and linguistic context as well as taking a look at the witness of the prophets in the Hebrew Bible. Above all, we consider the words of Jesus and his advice to “look at the fruit.” We cover 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  Ever...

                                 1 Corinthians (Part 2) Paul is writing a scathing letter to the Corinthians. They are in serious danger of losing their way entirely. At this point there is not much to distinguish them from the unbelievers and idol worshippers they live among. There is an overlay of puffed-up, prideful self-importance that is endangering the church. Everyone is all about themselves--and the more extreme they can be, the better. Paul isn’t having any of it! He absolutely sticks a skewer into their pride over someone who is sleeping with his father’s wife. Paul says, “Not even the unbelievers think that’s a good idea!”  We spend our breakout time talking about Paul’s recommendation that they immediately expel this person from their midst. We cover 1 Corinthians 3-5. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTu...

                                1 Corinthians (Part 1) Paul is ready for another missionary trip, this third one being more ambitious than either of the other two. He leaves from Antioch in Syria and heads overland through Galatia where he picks up his trusted porter and messenger, Timothy. They wander through Asia Minor until they reach the huge metropolis of Ephesus on the coast of the Aegean Sea. On the way they either establish or visit many churches, including the seven listed in Revelation. Paul will end up staying in Ephesus for three years. His ministry is powerful there, but as news comes to him about his other churches he dashes off letters--sometimes letters of praise, but mostly letters of correction.  We hit the first set of letters today. We cover  Acts 18:24-19:10 1 Corinthians 1-2; 5:9; 16:12 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the ...

                               1 Thessalonians (Part 2) The Thessalonians have lots of questions. They’re not feeling particularly sure-footed in their faith. Paul writes to tell them that God wants them to be holy. That’s a tall order! But he goes on to give a list of what that entails, and the list makes a lot of sense. Then Paul addresses the elephant in the room--the fact that believers, including some of the Twelve, are dying! Where is Jesus? Why hasn’t he come back? Paul’s answer is, “He is! Any minute now. And the dead will rise to be with us to meet him. But things are not going to go well for unbelievers. Their ruin will fall on them unexpectedly.” In our breakout groups we wrestle with what happens to unbelievers and where it is that we should stand in all this. We cover  1Thess 2:1-16, 4:1-5:27 and  Acts 18:18-22. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version ...

                               1 Thessalonians (Part 1) Paul, Silas and Timothy spend a year and a half in Corinth. And while they are there, Paul becomes desperate for news from the new church he left back in Thessalonica.  He tries several times to go visit them but is prevented “by Satan” so he finally sends Timothy instead. When Timothy returns with news that the Thessalonians are thriving, Paul bursts with relief. He sits down and immediately pens a letter to them. And in this letter some of Paul’s theological petticoats begin to show. In this class we focus on his assertions that Jesus will come “with the holy ones” and that Jesus will “rescue us from the coming wrath.” We cover  1Thess 1; 2:17-3:13. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                               Thessalonica, Athens & Corinth Paul, Silas and Timothy continue down the Via Egnatia to Thessalonica where Paul’s preaching lands him in hot water again. They are smuggled out by night to Berea where Paul still cannot seem to keep his mouth shut.  He preaches everywhere, no matter the danger. This time when trouble hits, they have to split up. Silas and Timothy remain in Berea while Paul is taken to Athens. He has a crazy encounter with the famous Areopagus and then heads to Corinth where he gets a job while he waits for Silas and Timothy to join him. Together they establish a new church of believers in Corinth. But Paul is worried. Frightened even. We cover  Acts 17; 18:1-18  (and Psalm 91 in the discussion). A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClas...

                               The Church at Philippi Barnabas wants to take his nephew John Mark along on their second missionary journey, but Paul absolutely refuses, saying J-M “deserted” them last time. They disagree so vehemently they end up splitting up. Barnabas takes J-M and sets sail to Cyprus, while Paul teams up with Silas and heads towards Galatia by land where they check up on the new churches there. On their travels, Paul has a vision of a man begging them to come to Macedonia, so they head there straightaway. They find open hearts in Philippi, especially in Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman, and they stay there until Paul loses his temper and gets them in trouble with the authorities. We cover  Acts 15:36-16:40. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                              Wrapping Up Galatians Paul tries everything he can think of to convince the Galatians not to fall back into the Law. He tries a pretty unique argument, making the distinction between “seed” singular and “seed” plural, saying the singular version in the Abrahamic Covenant refers to Jesus. Interesting idea and we look to see if his argument holds water linguistically. His point is that God’s covenant of blessing and grace preceded the Law! He tells them the Law was simply put in place to act as a guardian until the coming of Jesus. And he doubles down by saying those under the Law are slaves like Hagar’s child, Ishmael, while those under grace are free like Sarah’s child, Isaac. These are strong words, worth looking at a little closer. We cover  Galatians 3:23-6:18. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube...

                              Trouble in Antioch Paul and Barnabas are back in Antioch after their missionary journey to Galatia. Peter comes for a visit and mingles with all the new believers--Jews and Gentiles alike.  All is well until some Jewish believers show up from Judea and insist that all Gentile believers must be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses. Even Peter and Barnabas are swayed, but Paul is horrified. He calls Peter out, and Peter returns to Jerusalem. The believers in Antioch cannot decide what to do, so they send Paul and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem to consult the leaders there. Meanwhile, Jewish believers are making the same case for circumcision to the new believers in Galatia. Paul writes the Galatians a letter, warning them not to fall for this. We cover      Acts 15:1-35     Galatians 2:1 thru 3:22 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  v...

                              Journey Thru Galatia Barnabas and Saul are sent by the church in Syrian Antioch to preach the Good News far and wide. They, along with Barnabas' young relative John Mark, head out for Galatia. Along the way they meet with great success and with great hardship. John Mark throws in the towel, but Barnabas and Saul persist. Gradually, Saul begins to take the leadership role and from this point on is called by his Roman name: Paul. A near-death experience leaves its mark on Paul for the rest of his life, including what he later calls his “thorn in the flesh.” We cover: Acts 13-14 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Peter and Cornelius Peter, along with James the brother of Jesus, is the clear leader of the new church. In this story he has an epiphany that leads him to the household of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Jews aren’t supposed to associate with, go in the houses of, or eat with Gentiles such as Cornelius. But the Lord tells Peter to do all these things. Peter’s choice shifts Christianity for all time. We cover  Acts 10-12. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Saul Sees The Light Saul is a young, zealous Pharisee, passionate about the Law of Moses and the authoritative oral traditions that now surround it. He sees the folks proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah as a direct threat to everything Judaism stands for. He is passionate about stamping this threat out, and we find him on the road to Damascus with orders in his pocket giving him the authority to capture both men and women and bring them to trial. Saul’s plans go awry when Jesus shows up in a blinding light. The world, and Christianity itself, will never be the same. We cover Acts 9. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             The Ethiopian Eunuch We run into the “Angel of the Lord” this week. The angel of the Lord is not just a regular messenger-type angel. This phrase is used in the Bible to identify the Lord showing up in human form at some particularly important juncture in the history of Israel. Often the angel of the Lord appears as an important man, but sometimes it is just an audible voice. Either way, it is always a significant event. So why did the angel of the Lord orchestrate a meeting between the disciple Philip and the treasurer of Ethiopia who had traveled 2300+ miles to Jerusalem? We cover Acts 8. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             The Story of Stephen The apostles and other leaders such as Stephen continue to be harrassed by the religious leaders in Jerusalem. But things turn ugly now. Apostles are flogged, and Stephen becomes the first believer to be martyred. Stephen’s words at his trial take us on a flyover of the story of Israel. His words are worth hearing--both for their content and to honor his courage. We cover Acts 5:12-7:60. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Ananias & Sapphira The religious leaders are very upset when Peter and John heal a lame man in the Temple and tell the people that Jesus is the Messiah and that he’s risen from the dead. They arrest Peter and John, but they can’t really do much more than that because everyone saw the healing with their own eyes.  Meanwhile, the believers, who have gone from a small group of 120 to more than 5000, are pooling their resources. The rich give enough that everyone has all they need. But then, one married couple decides to keep a little extra for themselves. It does not go well. We cover Acts 4:1-5:11. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Pentecost The Jerusalem community of 120 believers is filled with joy in the weeks following Jesus’ resurrection. For nearly six weeks, Jesus has walked and talked and eaten with them. Then, suddenly, just a week ago he left! He ascended into heaven, and angels had told them he’d come again the same way he left. It’s been a crazy week, and now the big festival of Pentecost is here. The believers are gathered in a house when suddenly they hear a mighty wind and what seems like flames of fire descend on their heads. They are filled with words they do not know but cannot keep inside. As they spill out into the streets, praising God in foreign languages, people from all over the Roman Empire understand them! And this is just the beginning. We cover Acts 2-3. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at...

                             Choosing In "Pentecost & Persecution" we'll hang onto our hats as the disciples face a whirlwind of blessing and tragedy. The story is told in "Acts of the Apostles" which is Luke’s sequel to his gospel. But do we really know who Luke was? For that matter, do we know who wrote any of the gospels? The short answer is no. We take a moment in this first class to look at how the books of the New Testament were chosen--who chose them and why they chose the ones they did. Then, as we begin the story, we catch up with the disciples. Peter is emerging as a leader. They are a person short, so we listen in as they choose a replacement for Judas. We cover Acts 1. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                            The Resurrection This final class in the "My Time Has Come" series is all about differences. The four gospels writers tell four different stories of the resurrection each including different characters and events. We look at each one in turn, noticing Mark’s abrupt ending, Matthew’s guards, Luke’s walk to Emmaus, and Peter’s raw responses. We look at “The Great Commission” in Matthew, the “Ascension” in Luke, and read two different versions of how the disciples receive the Holy Spirit in power. And these aren’t the only differences--Jesus’ resurrected body is definitely different. We cover      Matthew 28:2-20    Mark 16:5-8    Luke 24:4-53    John 20:2-10, 18-31; 21 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                           In the Tomb Jesus is crucified the day after Passover. It’s a Friday, and since the Passover Festival lasts a whole week, the next day is a High Sabbath. It is imperative to the religious leaders that the bodies of the men crucified not be left over the Sabbath.  They ask and receive special permission to have their legs broken to hasten their death so the bodies can be removed before sundown. But when the soldiers get to Jesus they don’t break his legs because he’s already dead. This makes a lightning connection in John’s mind with the Passover lamb whose bones must not be broken. Jesus is quickly entombed and as far as we know, nothing else happens until he is resurrected on Sunday morning. So why do people think Jesus went to Hell in the meantime? We cover      Matthew 27:56-66; 28:1    Mark 15:42-47; 16:1-4    Luke 23:50-56; 24:1-3    Joh...

                          The Crucifixion Jesus is too weak to drag the crossbar of his cross to the hill of execution so a passing traveler is dragooned into carrying it for him. He is stripped naked, and his wrists and feet are nailed to the cross. As the soldiers argue about who gets which bit of his clothing, other people jeer and mock Jesus. “If you are the Messiah, save yourself!” As Jesus dies, he mumbles the first line of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It sounds like God has withdrawn himself from Jesus in his hour of greatest need, but using our backpack tools we discover this is not the case at all! We cover      Matthew 27:32-56    Mark 15:21-41    Luke 23:26-49    John 19:16-30    Psalm 22 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibl...

                         On Trial Before Herod and Pilate It is the early hours just after dawn. The religious leaders have condemned Jesus to death for blasphemy, but for a public crucifixion they need Roman authority. They bind Jesus and take him to Pilate, the governor of Judea.  Pilate can’t find any reason to crucify Jesus, but upon discovering he’s from Galilee Pilate sends him to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, who is in Jerusalem for the Passover. Herod can’t get a thing out of Jesus either. Meanwhile the religious leaders are whipping the crowd into a frenzied, bloodthirsty mob. When the religious leaders tell Pilate, “He has declared himself King, and if you do not sentence him you are no friend of Caesar’s!” Pilate is backed into a corner. He must quell this riot. He must be seen to support Caesar. So he acquiesces and condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion. We cover      Matthew 27:1-31...