Evers Bible Class - A Gentle Ramble through the Bible

                                      Hebrews (Part 3) - Atonement & Faith (1) We get to the “meat” of the author’s theology around Jesus and the Law. It’s interesting that the author sees Jesus in his humanity as needing to be “perfected” and to learn obedience through suffering. If even Jesus fell short as a human, you can imagine the author’s view of us! It is from him that we get theology of unforgiveness--if you once know the Holy Spirit and then sin willfully, there is no forgiveness for you. For this author, God is supremely angry and only bloodshed, specifically that of Jesus, can appease him. And yet, even still, there are moments of beauty in Hebrews. We touch on some of those in this lesson. We cover: Hebrews 3 thru 4 Hebrews 9:16 thru 11:27 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at ...

                                       Hebrews (Part 2) - Jesus as High Priest The author of Hebrews sees Jesus as the ideal High Priest. He is first and foremost wholly human so he can understand our trials. But he is not just any old high priest, he is the mediator of the new covenant, the one foretold in the Hebrew Bible where God promises that we will all know him because he will write his law in our hearts and our minds. No more need for books or teachers! It’s important to recognize the switch in metaphors from that of the Paschal (Passover) Lamb used by Jesus and John to that of the Lamb of Atonement used by the writer of Hebrews. They are two completely different metaphors and yield completely different results. We cover: Hebrews 5:1 thru 6:20 Hebrews 7:1 thru 9:15 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouT...

                                      Hebrews (Part 1) - Who Is Jesus! Written by a devout Jew to Jewish believers, the unknown author of this book dives into the burning questions of the day: Who is Jesus in relation to God, to the angels, to us, and to Judaism itself? Remember that it will be several hundred more years before the early Christian church settles the question as to whether Jesus was divine, human, a mixture of the two, or something else entirely. We’ve had the official answer for thousands of years now, but it is fascinating to follow this author as he wrestles with this dilemma in real time. We cover Hebrews 1 and 2. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                          The Pastoral Epistles (Part 2) We wrap up the series by looking at what the author of the Pastoral Epistles has to say about Church governance and household governance. We give some thought to both the roots and the fruits of these teachings. We track everything on an Pastoral Epistles Scorecard and then talk about what we think and how, therefore, we should approach these books. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                         The Pastoral Epistles (Part 1) 1&2 Timothy and Titus are called “The Pastoral Epistles,” and it’s easy to see from the writing style that they are all written by the same person. We’ll look at how the content of the epistles dovetail (or don’t) with Paul’s travels as related in his authentic letters and in Acts. We examine some of the things the author says about himself and ask ourselves if this is something Paul would say about himself. Then we take a birds-eye view of the author’s diatribes against false teachers. The author paints an alarming picture of their effect on the Christian communities. If the author wasn’t Paul, was he himself a “false teacher”? We track everything on an Pastoral Epistles Scorecard and then talk about what we think and how, therefore, we should approach these books. A free  Study Guide  is avai...

                                        Ephesians (2) & 2 Thessalonians We finish up Ephesians and move on to 2 Thessalonians. We’re spiraling downward in terms of Pauline authenticity. 2 Thessalonians takes a very different view of the End Times than that taught by Paul. Paul saw the coming of Christ as imminent--any minute now, don’t make plans, don’t get married, etc. But the writer of 2 Thessalonians says a “man of lawlessness” will be unleashed upon the earth and will set himself up as “God” before Jesus even shows up. Yikes! We track everything on our Ephesians Scorecard and our 2 Thessalonians Scorecard then talk about what we think and how, therefore, we should approach these books. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                       Ephesians Ephesians is a lot like Colossians, but more extreme. Even fewer scholars think Ephesians was written by Paul. You’ll see why. The author tends to start from something Paul might have said but then blasts it upwards into a great, big, cosmic vision of kingship and domination. This, perhaps more than any other book, may have planted the seeds of Imperialism in Christianity. We track everything on an Ephesians Scorecard and then talk about what we think and how, therefore, we should approach this book. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                       Colossians The author of Colossians purports to be Paul, but scholars are divided (roughly 50/50) as to whether this is the case or not. In this class we take a look at the material in question and compare it to Paul’s other letters. We track everything on a Colossians Scorecard and then talk about what we think and how, therefore, we should approach Colossians. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                      Summary of Paul's Theology (Part 3) TRIGGER WARNING from Pastor Gayle: In the presentation I briefly explain why I think 1 Corinthians 3:16 -17 is taken out of Paul's context and used inappropriately in the Church's historical response to suicide. I only mention suicide briefly during the presentation, but it struck a chord with the class and there was some tender sharing and vulnerability during the discussion afterwards. I believe the discussion would be very healing to anyone who has experienced trauma related to suicide or severe depression, but if you are in a place where any discussion of the topic is painful to you, you may want to skip the discussion part of this video. W e cover the very last point in Paul’s theology: Salvation, the Second Coming, and the Day of the Lord There may be a surprise or two in here. Special Class Hand...

                                      Summary of Paul's Theology (Part 2) In this class we cover the next three main points in Paul’s theology: How Israel and Gentiles share in Christ (and therefore how to adhere to the Law) The work of the Holy Spirit The function of faith and how the faithful live Special Class Handouts: Handout-Summary of Paul's Theology Handout-Expanded Summary of Paul's Theology A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                     Summary of Paul's Theology (Part 1) Paul makes seven main theological points in his writings. We cover the first three today: God’s overarching intent for humanity--the essence of the Good News The purpose of the Law The significance of Jesus--his life, death, and resurrection Special Class Handouts: Handout-Summary of Paul's Theology Handout-Expanded Summary of Paul's Theology A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                    Philippians 1&2, End of Acts Paul is shipwrecked while being transported to Rome for trial. Because of him the entire crew, the soldiers and all the other prisoners survive the shipwreck.  When Paul arrives in Rome he is kept under guard but continues to be well-respected and is allowed to preach and teach to visitors. It is during this imprisonment in Rome that he writes another letter to the Philippians (what we know as the first 2 chapters of the book). After this, we don’t really know what happens to Paul. The Book of Acts ends. Some sources trace him to Spain but others say he is beheaded in Rome. We cover: Acts 28:10-31 Philippians 1-2 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                                    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 ...