The 10 Commandments Hyperlink Episode (E15) — Sometimes at the close of a series, we’ll dig through the podcast archives to find clips that discuss similar ideas from a different perspective. In this 10 Commandments series, we explored how trusting in God's wisdom leads to true life and flourishing, while building lives on our own terms often leads to pain. So in this hyperlink episode, we’ll listen to three clips that explore this theme further. First, Jon and Tim break down the literary structure of the stories surrounding the 10 Commandments, which highlight humanity’s reluctance to wait on God's commands. Second, Jon, Tim, and former BibleProject scholar Carissa Quinn look at how the golden calf story in Exodus 32 relates to the 10 Commandments. And finally, Jon, Tim, and Carissa discuss how all of the Bible’s poems, narratives, laws, and letters are wisdom for us.

The 10 Commandments E14 — We’ve come to the end of our series on the 10 Commandments, which are known in the Bible as the 10 Words. All throughout this series, we’ve returned to the idea that these commands are not rules to check off a list, but rather God’s wisdom that leads to true life and flourishing. In this episode, Jon and Tim reflect on some final insights about how to approach the 10 Words (and all of biblical law) as wisdom literature, just as Jesus did.

The 10 Commandments E13 — We’ve arrived at the 10th and final commandment, which feels very different from all the ones that came before it: “Do not desire … anything that belongs to your neighbor.” While most translations use the word “covet,” we simply find khamad, which is the general Hebrew word for desire. All the other commandments involve observable actions, but desire is entirely internal. So why does God warn us about desiring things that belong to our neighbor? In this episode, Jon and Tim finish the 10 Commandments by showing how this command works as an undercurrent beneath all the others.

The 10 Commandments E12 — The common summary of the 9th Commandment is “Do not lie,” a generic prohibition against all kinds of fibs. But the commandment actually reads “Do not bear false witness,” drawing attention to a very specific kind of lying in a communal, legal setting. Many of the other commandments are more general. So why does the 9th Commandment zoom in on truth telling in public, legal settings? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 9th Commandment, discovering its underlying value of upholding truth and justice in defense of the most vulnerable in society.

The 10 Commandments E11 — The 8th Commandment, “Do not steal,” seems straightforward enough. But why does God forbid theft in ancient Israel? What harm can come to a community where people’s property is always vulnerable? And what lies beneath the surface of our desire to take from our neighbor what doesn’t belong to us? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the eighth command, discovering its deeper invitations to contentment, generosity, and stewardship.

The 10 Commandments E10 — The short commandment, “Do not commit adultery,” assumes that every marriage is vitally important and just as worth protecting as a human life. But why is a marriage covenant so important in the Bible? The biblical authors consider marriage to be a great mystery that points to something cosmic: God’s faithful commitment to humanity. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the meaning of marriage in the Bible, and how its deeper values are relevant to both married and unmarried people.

The 10 Commandments E9 — We’re now entering the second half of the 10 Commandments, where God guides Israel in how to relate to one another. The 6th Commandment is often translated “Do not murder.” However, the Hebrew word translated as "murder" can also be translated as "kill," which refers to both the premeditated and the unintentional taking of human life. So is this command saying not to kill at all? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the sixth command, highlighting the Bible’s ideal of valuing and protecting all life, even as things get increasingly complicated outside of Eden.

The 10 Commandments E8 — The first four commandments focus on relating to God, and the last five focus on relating to other humans. Right in the middle, we find the 5th Commandment, which acts like a hinge between these two sections: “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you.” It’s the only commandment that comes with a promise and invokes both humans and God. So what is this special connection between parents and God? In this episode, Jon and Tim look at this unique command, exploring what it meant for ancient Israel and how followers of Jesus can practice it today.

The 10 Commandments E7 — In the 4th Commandment, Yahweh tells Israel to remember the Sabbath and do no work, just as Yahweh does after creating the skies and the land. What’s going on here? What did this commandment mean to ancient Israel, and what should it mean to Jesus’ followers? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the fourth command’s connections to the seven-day creation narrative and Israel’s liberation from Egyptian slavery, as well as its role in ancient Israel and the modern world.