The Bible - Scripture Union

walking with
the bible
Individual and group times with The Bible TV series
by Jo Swinney
Walking with
THE BIBLE
by Jo Swinney
Copyright © 2013 Scripture Union
First published 2013
ISBN 978 1 84427 834 3
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
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Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION, © 2011 by Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by
permission of Hodder & Stoughton, a division of Hodder Headline Ltd. All rights
reserved.
The right of all the contributors to be identified as authors of this work has been
asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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available from the British Library.
Design and internal layout by Helen Jones.
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Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................. 4
How to use this resource.......................................................................................... 5
Tips on leading a small group.................................................................................. 6
Bible Timeline.......................................................................................................... 7
Beginnings
1 Beginnings: Part 1.................................................................................................. 8
Creation and Fall by Hilary Marlow.................................................................. 12
2 Beginnings: Part 2................................................................................................ 13
Covenant by Anna Robbins................................................................................ 17
Homeland
3 Homeland: Part 1................................................................................................. 18
Land by Richard Briggs...................................................................................... 22
4 Homeland: Part 2................................................................................................. 23
The people of God by John Grayston...................................................................... 27
Hope
5 Hope: Part 1......................................................................................................... 28
The Exile by Alec Motyer..................................................................................... 32
6 Hope: Part 2......................................................................................................... 33
Messiah by Mary Evans..................................................................................... 37
Mission
7 Mission: Part 1..................................................................................................... 38
The kingdom of God by Mark Meynell................................................................. 42
8 Mission: Part 2..................................................................................................... 43
Salvation is the plan by Derek Tidball................................................................. 47
Passion
9 Passion: Part 1...................................................................................................... 48
The Cross by Anthony Billington.......................................................................... 52
10 Passion: Part 2.................................................................................................... 53
Resurrection by Ian Paul..................................................................................... 57
Glossary.................................................................................................................. 58
Writers.................................................................................................................... 62
Introduction
Welcome to the companion study guide to the television mini-series and DVD The
Bible.
The Bible was produced by husband and wife team Roma Downey and Mark Burnett
and was first aired in the United States in spring 2013, where it has been watched by
over 100 million people. It is now being watched by audiences around the world. Roma
says, ‘What we have tried to do is tell the grand narrative of the Bible – in a way people
haven’t seen before on television. It is a powerful, inspirational, moving book that
deserves to be presented in a fresh way through powerful, inspirational and moving
filmmaking.’
Although The Bible is an adaptation, and takes artistic licence in places, it is largely
faithful to the biblical text. As you watch you will become aware of ways in which
the details of the narrative have been adapted. You may want to check some of these
against the Bible, bearing in mind that it is the biblical text that God has inspired
and which carries his authority. Nevertheless, watching it you will gain a sense of the
overall sweep of God at work through history, and the key figures and moments that
make up the epic story of salvation.
The series is an opportunity to get to know this great book through a new medium,
and to start a conversation about the influence the Bible has on wider society. The
series has great potential to bring the Bible back into the public imagination for a time.
Jo Swinney is a writer and speaker, and the editor of Closer to God. She has a
Masters in Theology from Regent College, Vancouver. She lives in South West
London with her husband and two daughters, and can be found online at
www.joswinney.com.
4
How to use this resource
This study guide is intended to help you make the most of The Bible. The main aims of
the resource are:
• to enable you to engage with what the biblical narratives reveal about God in a way
that strengthens faith, whatever stage you are at on your faith journey
• to grapple with complicated or puzzling aspects of the story
• to equip you with confidence in the Bible so you are able to participate in debates
and discussions if they arise as a result of the series
• to give you an overview of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
There are ten sessions, one for each part of the five episodes, and you can work through
them as an individual or as part of a small group. They are designed to be accessible to
both those who are not Christians and those who are, and could be used as a way of
introducing someone to the themes and message of the Bible for the first time.
You could watch the episode on the same occasion as doing the study, or beforehand.
You will still be able to participate in the study if you don’t manage to watch the
episode at all. If you are doing the study in a group, you could meet in a home, or in a
public space, such as a coffee shop or church hall.
Each study includes:
INTRODUCTION
An overview paragraph and then discussion questions about the episode. These are for
the groups that watch the episode together and are a way of debriefing what you have
all just seen.
EPISODE SUMMARY
This is designed to be read aloud if you are in a group setting, and will help those who
haven’t seen the episode to participate in the session. Together the ten summaries add
up to a potted overview of Biblical history.
BIBLE STUDY
One to three film clips or Bible passages with discussion questions. The passages
represent some of the key stories from each episode. You can pick and choose which
questions you look at depending on your time frame.
5
RESPOND
Each study concludes with ideas for responding to the main message of the episode.
At the end of each chapter there is a popular theological article by an eminent
theologian, which covers the key themes of biblical theology. These are designed to
give a more in-depth explanation of how the Bible fits together and will expand and
compliment the study topics. If you are meeting as a group, it would be useful for
everyone to read it before the session.
Throughout each chapter you’ll also find some key words in bold. Definitions for these
can be found in the glossary on pages 58–60.
Tips on leading a small group
It helps to do a bit of preparation ahead of time. Read through the Bible passages and
questions, and decide on which elements to include. Gather any bits you might need
for extra activities or responses, and lay in some cake. Cake is essential for a happy
small group.
1 Respect confidentiality and ensure everyone knows that what they say in that setting
won’t be repeated elsewhere.
2 Start and end at prearranged times.
3 Try to include each member by bringing them into the discussion. Make sure that no
one person dominates.
4 Keep the discussion focused on the Bible passage or question at hand and don’t allow
things to degenerate into abstract arguments.
5 Don’t be afraid of disagreement or unanswerable questions, and don’t feel you need
to reach neat conclusions by the end of your times together. If people are drawn
further into the Bible for themselves, if they discover more of God, if they are
inspired to live their lives differently, you have done well.
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Outside
recorded
time
ad 10
Isaac
Abraham
• Jesus’ birth
Noah
Fall
Creation
Israel in Egypt
ad 20
Joseph
Jacob
• Stephen martyred
• Paul’s conversion
• Jesus’ death and resurrection
• Pentecost
• Jesus starts his ministry
ad 30
ad 40
Paul in Rome
ad 60
• Return from Exile
• Fall of Jerusalem and Exile
Paul’s missionary
journeys
ad 50
• Entering the Promised Land, fall of Jericho
• Exodus
Moses
Solomon
David
Saul
Samuel
Samson
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2000 bc1800 bc1600 bc1400 bc1200 bc1000 bc800 bc600 bc400 bc 200 bc0
Here’s how the events of the Bible fit together (although all the dates are approximate):
Bible Timeline
Beginnings
1
Beginnings: Part 1
It all begins so well – a beautiful and perfectly functioning planet, full of
life, stewarded by humans enjoying harmony with their maker, each other
and their fellow creatures. But very quickly it goes wrong, badly wrong.
Watch
Episode 1, part 1
Discuss
Did anything surprise you about this episode? Did anything disturb you? What was
the main impression you were left with? Would you have done anything differently if
you had been the director?
8
Episode Summary
The ark lurched through the storm on floodwaters that covered the Earth, and Noah’s
family wondered if they would ever see dry land again. Shouting to be heard over the
waves, the wind, the lashing rain, Noah retold them the story of creation – the story of
God’s perfect design of light and dark, water and land, plants, birds, fish and animals –
and how the first woman and man had eaten the forbidden fruit and brought sin into
the world. From that time evil had taken hold, and now God was cleansing what he
had made, saving only one family. God had spoken to Noah, and Noah had heard and
obeyed; here was a chance to restore the relationship between God and humanity.
Ten generations came and went, and God spoke again, to a man named Abram:
‘Go from your country, to the land I will show you.’ God gave Abram a new name,
Abraham, and promised he would become the father of a great nation. Taking his
nephew Lot, their families, servants and livestock, Abraham set out, making the long
journey to Canaan. Lot chose to find greener pastures near the city of Sodom, and
they parted company. When Lot was taken captive in the battle of the Vale of Siddim,
Abraham and his men rescued him. Lot continued on to the city regardless, little
knowing it was destined for destruction.
Abraham and Sarah stayed in Canaan, growing old and losing hope that one day
they would have the child who would give him many descendants. Sarah persuaded
Abraham to sleep with her servant, Hagar, and a boy was born: Ishmael. But three
visitors came and foretold a son for Sarah. A year later Isaac, meaning ‘laughter’, was in
her ancient arms. In the greatest test of faith Abraham would ever face, God asked him
to place Isaac on an altar and sacrifice him. At the last moment, a voice from heaven
held him back, and God provided a lamb.
Isaac had a son, Jacob, also known as Israel, and over time the promise for numerous
descendants came true.
Famine sent the Israelites to Egypt, where for 400 years they were slaves. But God saw
their suffering and planned to end it.
Through an Israelite baby, found in the river by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in the
palace, God intends to set them free. It is to Moses he will reveal his name: I AM, God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; he is a creator God, a God who keeps promises, a God
who will never abandon his people.
9
Bible Study
Watch
Watch the clip of Eve eating the fruit, with Noah explaining what happened, or read
Genesis 3:1–6.
Discuss
Why was it so terrible that Adam and Eve ate the fruit? What were the consequences
of them doing so?
Discuss
What forms of evil do you see in the world around you? What are the headlines
today? What’s been happening in your work context, in your extended family, in your
neighbourhood? In what ways do the problems you see around and within you reflect
what first went wrong between God and humankind?
Read
Read the story of Noah and the ark: Genesis 6:11–22.
Discuss
What does this story tell us about the character of God?
Explore
Spend some time thinking and talking about what you have personally experienced of
God’s character.
Read
Read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:20–23; 19:27–29.
Discuss
How does God deal with sin in this story? And in the stories of Adam and Eve and
Noah? What pattern do you see?
10
Respond
Pray
Thank God for the beauty and goodness of his creation, for making us in a way that
reflects who he is and for his desire to have a relationship with us. Thank him that he
has never given up on us.
Pray
Have a time of confession. You could think through the categories of thoughts, words
and deeds, either silently or with short, out-loud prayers. Or you could write things
down as they come to you and then destroy the paper as a symbol of your forgiveness.
Finish by saying together one of the general confessions from the Book of Common
Worship.
?
Did you know?
There are many ancient Near Eastern non-Biblical documents
surviving that have strong parallels with biblical narratives
and shed light on cultural practices and conventions of the
time. These include the Mari tablets, a series of letters and
administrative texts. The tablets show the names of the
patriarchs, especially Abram, Jacob and Job, to have been
common at the time, and indicate there was great freedom to
travel throughout the Amorite world in which they lived.
you might also like…
What is the Bible really all about? Why was it written and
can it be trusted? Why should we read it?
In this special edition of his classic work, Understanding
the Bible, John Stott answers these questions. With
his usual clarity and authority he spells out the Bible’s
purpose, examines the social, geographical and historical
background, and outlines the Bible’s storyline.
He then guides readers to apply the Bible’s teaching to
their daily lives.
11
Creation and Fall
creator, and that to worship God as creator is a core
purpose of all creation, not just of human beings.
All God’s creation is valuable in its own right,
not just to provide the resources of food and fuel
necessary for human survival. Genesis 1 stresses this
when it says ‘God saw everything that he had made,
and indeed, it was very good’ (v 31). Human beings,
created ‘in the image of God’, have a very particular
role in this creation – to be representatives of God
on the earth and to be responsible caretakers of
God’s creation.
The Bible starts by telling us that God created
the whole universe (Genesis 1). It ends with
God’s future new creation where there will be no
more sickness, sadness or death (Revelation 21).
Throughout the Bible, in psalms, stories, prophecies
and poems, we are reminded that God is creator
of heaven and earth. But what does this mean,
and why is creation such an important theme in
Christian belief ?
We form part of the good creation
of a loving and mighty God, who
owns and cares for the world he has
made.
God is personal and wants to have relationships.
This is demonstrated in the perfect relationships
of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), in
God’s desire to have a relationship with each human
being and in the ways he relates to the rest of his
creation. It means that we, too, as human beings, are
intended to have a relationship with God and with
one another, and to live in harmony with the earth.
The beginning of Genesis and the Christian belief
in God as creator are not meant to provide a
scientific view of the beginning of the universe or
how life on earth developed. Instead, they answer
the question, ‘Why is there something rather
than nothing?’ They offer a sense of purpose and
direction for our own existence and that of the
whole world.
Two different perspectives on the story of creation
are given in the first two chapters of Genesis.
Genesis 1 is a stylised description of the big picture
– the whole world. Genesis 2 focuses on a small part
of that whole – human beings and animals. These
descriptions were written against the backdrop of
other ancient religions, where the sun and moon
were worshipped as gods and human beings were
considered to have been created to be the slaves
of the gods. Read in the context of the rest of the
Bible, these two chapters stress that the one true
God is creator of all, and that he alone is worthy of
worship.
So we form part of the good creation of a loving
and mighty God, who owns and cares for the world
he has made. And rather than being an absent God,
who set things in motion and then left the universe
to run itself, the majestic and powerful creator
God supports and sustains the world, moment by
moment, through his son Jesus Christ.
The wonder and complexity of the natural world
is an expression of God’s own creativity. Just as an
artist or musician pours something of their very
self into the work they produce, so the world bears
something of the stamp of God. The psalms remind
us that creation reflects and reveals the glory of its
But this is far from what we experience today.
Starting with Adam and Eve’s temptation by the
serpent and their disobedience towards God in
Genesis 3, the Bible paints a graphic picture of
human sinfulness and its effects. The Fall results
in the breaking of the relationship between people
and God. It also leads to disharmony in human
relationships, as we see in the stories of Cain and
Abel, Noah, Abram and Lot and countless other
Bible characters. It breaks the connection between
people and the land upon which they depend, so
much so that the prophets speak vividly of the
earth ‘mourning’ on account of human sin (Hosea
4:1–3).
Starting with Adam and Eve’s
temptation by the serpent and their
disobedience towards God, the Bible
paints a graphic picture of human
sinfulness and its effects.
In the New Testament, Paul tells us that creation
‘groans’ as it waits for liberation, when the full
redemption of human beings is completed. This
began when Jesus died on the cross for all creation.
It will be perfected in the new creation when God
restores not just human beings, but the whole
creation, to all that they were intended to be.
12
Hilary Marlow
Beginnings
2
Beginnings: Part 2
God has kept his promise to Abraham to give him many descendants, but
they have been slaves in Egypt for generations. Where is God, and will he
ever respond to their cries for freedom?
Watch
Episode 1, part 2
Discuss
What was the most memorable scene of this episode for you? Did you find any of it
disturbing? Which other screen adaptations of this story have you seen? How does this
one compare?
13
Episode Summary
Moses left Egypt a fugitive, having murdered an Egyptian for abusing a fellow
Israelite. He returned with the courage of a man sent by God and, facing Pharaoh, he
commanded him: ‘Let my people go!’
Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites, and continued to refuse as the river Nile
turned to blood. He refused as locusts swarmed the crops and frogs, gnats and flies
coated the ground. He refused as hailstones pelted the earth, as his people broke out in
painful boils. He refused even as the livestock perished and daytime darkness fell.
Then came one final plague. Moses instructed the Israelites to paint their doorways
with lamb’s blood. As the angel of death came through the land killing first-born
males, he passed over the Israelites’ homes. Their sons were safe, but Pharaoh’s son was
struck down. Pharaoh was broken, and finally he granted permission for the Israelites
to leave.
The Israelites followed Moses in a joyful procession out of slavery towards the land
promised to their ancestor Abraham. But when they came to the Red Sea, they turned
and saw Pharaoh pursuing them with chariots and horses. They were trapped, and it
looked as though they faced mass slaughter. Moses was confident this was not the end
God had intended for his people and, as the people panicked around him, he stood and
prayed. Then he thrust his staff into the water, and God parted the sea. His people were
able to cross over in safety.
The Egyptian army followed, the gap between them closing by the minute. But once
the Israelites were across, the sea came crashing back down, and the Egyptians all
drowned. Moses bellowed across the water from his place of safety, ‘You are not God,
Pharaoh. There is only one God, and he is here with us.’ God had brought his people
out of slavery in a great exodus; his love and his power had rescued them.
Sometime later, on Mount Sinai, Moses received two stone tablets from God himself,
on which were inscribed ten commandments: laws by which the Israelites were to live,
and which would shape their identity as a nation from that time onwards. This was
their part of the covenant; their response to the overtures of a loving God who desired
their devotion and deserved their obedience.
14
Bible Study
Watch
Watch the clip of the burning bush, or Read Exodus 3:5–14.
Discuss
What does this exchange reveal about God? What does it tell us about Moses?
Explore
Have you ever been aware of the holiness of God? How did it make you feel?
Read
Read the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments in Exodus 24:12–18;
31:18.
Discuss
God has rescued his people and brought them into freedom. He intends to give them
their own land and for them to be a nation that represents him to the rest of the world.
Why do you think he gave them commandments to keep?
Discuss
How many of the original Ten Commandments can you name from memory? If you
are in a group, you could hold a competition and award bonus points for getting them
in the correct order, and for including all the detail (answers in Exodus 20:3–17).
Discuss
Psalm 119 is a long love song about the Law. Consider verses 14–16: ‘I rejoice in
following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and
consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.’ How do you
feel about laws in the Bible?
Discuss
God gave laws, but he showed mercy when those laws were broken. What value is
there in trying to keep biblical law?
15
Respond
Pray
We worship a holy and awesome God who has chosen to make himself known to
humankind. Thank him for bringing his people out of slavery, for making them his
own, for showing them how to live to please him. Thank him that our relationship with
him doesn’t depend on our ability to keep his commandments, but on his endless love
for us.
Consider
Is there anything in your life making you feel like a slave? Pray for a deep
understanding of the freedom God has won for you. Ask him to show you the escape
route. What are your choices, and what direction might he want you to take?
?
Did you know?
The mountain where God spoke to Moses through the
burning bush, Mount Horeb, is the same mountain that is
later called Mount Sinai. Most scholars agree that Mount
Sinai is located in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt. It has an
elevation of 2,285 metres.
you might also like…
Explorer’s Guide to the Bible is for anyone who wants to
know more about the Bible but isn’t an expert.
The book is divided into three main sections to give
readers different levels of Bible engagement, ranging
from a general overview to a close-up look at each book.
Explorer’s Guide to the Bible is a great starter to use for
personal exploration, or to use at church groups and CUs.
16
Covenant
The word ‘covenant’ in the Bible refers to a bond
between two parties. At various points in the Bible,
God makes covenants with people: with Noah after
the flood, with Abraham promising him numerous
offspring and with King David regarding the
continuing line of rule. The covenant God makes
with Moses and the people at Mount Sinai is
perhaps the most significant in the Old Testament.
Although God has related personally to people
from the creation of Adam and Eve, there is
something new about God’s communication with
Moses. As he calls Moses to come forward to the
burning bush we can see he is holy, but also that
he’s loving. He is a God who wants people to get
to know him. In his conversation with Moses, God
reveals his name for the first time, a very important
moment because his name says something about his
nature and character.
Here we see the very question of God’s relevance
to human history turned on its head. The question
is not, ‘Is God relevant to Moses?’, but, ‘Is Moses
relevant to God?’. The God who created the world
out of nothing, and who needs nothing in order to
maintain his existence, affirms again the relevance
of people to his character, activities and plans.
And so, God intervenes in the history of his people
and delivers them from slavery in Egypt. Under
Moses’ leadership, he brings them to freedom
through a blood sacrifice of lambs at Passover. Led
by his fiery presence through the wilderness, they
move quickly to Mount Sinai, where God makes a
covenant with them.
The God who created the world out
of nothing, and who needs nothing
in order to maintain his existence,
affirms again the relevance of people
to his character, activities and plans.
In the culture of the time, in the ancient Near
East, covenants between rulers and servants took a
particular form. First, there was a preamble and a
description of what the ruler had done that called
for a response of commitment to him. The detail
of the response was also recorded, and provision
was made for keeping the document safe so it
could be brought out for regular public readings as
a reminder of the obligations of the people to the
ruler. Sometimes, an animal sacrifice would be made
to mark the solemnity of the bond. Finally, there
would be a description of blessings and curses that
would come from obedience or disobedience to the
terms of the covenant.
The God of grace who initiates a
relationship-based covenant with
his people, also fulfils its obligations.
The covenant between God and Moses reflects
this form. There is a description of God’s personal
action in leading the people out of Egypt, which
contains an obligation to respond to his provision
and promise. The description of the response of
obedience is recorded as the Law – this forms part
of the larger document that includes blessings for
obedience and consequences for disobedience.
The tablets where the detail of law and sacrifice is
recorded are to be kept in the Ark of the Covenant,
to preserve them, and to ensure they can be brought
out regularly as a reminder of the bond between
God and Moses at Mount Sinai.
What we know as the Ten Commandments (along
with the rest of the Law) is to be seen more as an
obligation based on a relationship than as a legal
code. People do not earn God’s favour by obeying
the rules. Rather, God has already acted in history
to show his favour. He heard the cry of his people
in slavery in Egypt. He delivered them from their
misery. And they are invited to respond to his
gracious action. The Law itself is given as an act of
grace that will enable the people to reflect the holy
and loving character of God as they follow him and
live together as his people.
However, the enduring inability of the people to
meet the obligations of the covenant relationship
is replayed throughout the Old Testament. The
prophets began to speak about another way – God
will himself pay the price of human failure. It will
be through a new covenant, marked by the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ, that the God of grace, who initiates
a relationship-based covenant with his people, also
fulfils its obligations. The doors of the covenant will
be thrown wide open.
Anna Robbins
17
Homeland
3
Homeland: Part 1
The Israelites have had their freedom for a generation, but only now do
they find a home – in the land of Canaan. God is with them and he will
make good on all his promises to their ancestor Abraham.
Watch
Episode 2, part 1
Discuss
What did you find most interesting about this episode? Was there anything in it that
surprised you? What did you think about the way Samson was portrayed?
18
Episode Summary
Forty years later, the Israelites were still in the desert, but the Promised Land was in
sight. Joshua, Moses’ successor, surveyed the fortified town of Jericho and tried to rally
his men. If they wanted to enter the land, they had to defeat Jericho first. They had
trusted God to lead them out of Egypt; they could trust him to give them the land he
had promised – even if it looked humanly impossible.
As Joshua contemplated battle strategy, the commander of the Lord God’s army
appeared to him and gave him instructions. He was to march his men around the city
for six days, and on the seventh day march around seven times. Then the priests were to
give a blast on rams’ horns. This they did and, as the horns blasted, the walls of Jericho
crumbled.
The land was theirs, and the twelve tribes of Israel spread out and put down roots. Four
hundred years later, they were still there. By now they had no strong leaders, but relied
on local rulers, known as judges. One of these was a man named Samson, a Nazirite,
dedicated to God from birth. He would begin to deliver Israel from their great
enemies, the Philistines.
Samson was physically strong, but he had a weakness for Philistine women. When he
married one, her own people burnt her to death to punish him. He retaliated, and the
violence escalated, culminating in an episode when Samson massacred hundreds of
Philistines with the jaw bone of a donkey – a great triumph for the Israelites.
But, again, Samson fell for a Philistine woman – Delilah. The Philistine leaders paid
her to find out the secret of his strength, and once she had cut off his hair, never before
cut as a sign of his devotion to God, they were able to capture him. God granted him
one more moment of strength, and his death brought about the death of thousands of
Philistines.
After this, the prophet Samuel urged Israel to unite under God, and they listened. But
as the Philistines remained an oppressive threat, they grew impatient and demanded
a king. God told Samuel to agree, and Samuel anointed Saul. This was the beginning
of a time in Israel’s history where kings and prophets worked together to secure the
Promised Land.
Saul was a good king at first, but he desired people’s approval more than God’s, and he
grew disobedient. So Samuel anointed a shepherd boy, David, to be the next king. He
would be a king after God’s own heart.
19
Bible Study
Watch
Watch the clip of the commander of the Lord’s army appearing to Joshua, or read
Joshua 5:13 – 6:5.
Discuss
The land God had in mind for the Israelites was not unoccupied (see Joshua 3:10), and
this was the first of the many military conquests needed for them to invade and settle.
What strikes you about the message from the commander of the Lord’s army? What is
significant about this victory and the way it is won?
Explore
The theologian W Brueggemann writes in his book The Land: ‘It is now clear that
a sense of place is a human hunger that urban promise has not met … There are no
meanings apart from roots.’ Place was and is central to Jewish identity, as Richard
Briggs explains in his article on land (page 22). How important is place to you? Where
is your home? If you have access to a world map, mark all the places that are significant
to you and/or the people in your group.
Discuss
Where do you feel closest to God? Why?
Read
Read about Israel asking for a king in 1 Samuel 8:5–9,19–21.
Discuss
God had led the Israelites into battle and won them victory. He had given them a
homeland. But there were enemies on every side and they were afraid and insecure.
They wanted a conventional, visible leader. In what ways was their request for a king a
rejection of God?
Discuss
What reasons were there for Israel to trust in God? What reasons do you have? Do
you trust him, or are you looking for the equivalent of a king to lead and protect you?
20
Respond
?
Did you know?
The trumpet blown by the priests at the fall of Jericho was a ram’s
horn (shofar). It was soaked in hot water to soften it, then shaped
and flattened. A ram’s horn can be made to produce several
tones but can’t be used to play a tune, so it was used mostly in
worship or warfare. Both of these uses have been attested in
Egypt in this time period (the late Bronze Age); (information from
The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament).
Consider
Psalm 37:3 says, ‘Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe
pasture.’
Think about the place where you live, your ‘safe pasture’. What is there about your local
area that you are grateful for? What do you enjoy about living there? What would it
mean to ‘do good’ in your context, and how could you make it a better place for those
who live there?
Pray
Pray for those who live in unsafe places, those who have been displaced because of war
or natural disaster or economic hardship, those who have no home.
?
Did you know?
Kings in the ancient Near East had almost unlimited power,
and were thought to become gods when they died. They were
responsible for the order of society, for law and justice, and
they sought to expand the lands and resources of their subjects
through military conquests and by bringing plunder and slave
labour into their country.
21
Land
Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will
inherit the earth’ (Matthew 5:5). ‘The earth’ here
means ‘land’: it is a place to live, a place to be
established and a place that sustains life. The logic
of the Bible is simple: without land there is no life;
and where there is life it is because God has given a
gift of land.
As a result, land is everywhere in the biblical story.
In the beginning, God created … land (and a whole
lot of water too). In the garden of Eden, God
formed humans out of the ‘soil’ (or land, again)
and gave them the earth to look after. When Israel
finally became its own nation it was with the gift of
land, entered by crossing over the Jordan.
Israel’s land was a specific place: the land of Canaan.
Although a lot of Bible stories speak in terms
of Israel ‘wiping out’ the Canaanites, we should
understand this as partly an exaggerated claim
about power and military might, made by those who
had neither power nor military strength to speak of.
Canaan was a sparsely populated place. The more
long-running problem Israel had was settling down
alongside the Canaanites and adopting their gods
and worship practices, which was never good news.
Of course, there were battles, and there was military
conquest. But the emphasis, as the Old Testament
unfolds, is on the land as God’s gift to Israel.
The land almost acts like a character in the story.
When Israel sins, we read that the land will ‘vomit’
them out (Leviticus 18:28), as if it cannot bear to
witness such behaviour. But when Israel sows justice
and righteousness it reaps a reward of life and
abundance. In Israel’s largest and most visionary
dreams, it imagines ‘a new heaven and a new earth’,
where only the goodness of the land will remain,
and crops and vineyards will flourish. But when
Israel loses the land, in exile, we read of a return
to the ‘formless and void’ state at the beginning of
creation.
The logic of the Bible is simple:
without land there is no life; and
where there is life it is because God
has given a gift of land.
who speaks of the Lord’s special relationship with
‘Judah’ (meaning the people of God; or ‘Israel’ as
they are more commonly called). This relationship
is in ‘the holy land’. In the Old Testament, ‘holy’ or
‘holiness’ is a way of referring to where God is. If
God dwells in the land, it is the holy land. Likewise,
since God is understood to dwell in the Temple, it
is a holy Temple, making Jerusalem the heart of the
holy land.
The idea of ‘a place to live … with
God’ remains important at the end
of the Bible. But that place is no
longer literally the land of Canaan,
or modern-day Israel, or any specific
location on the map. Instead, it is
the hope of life, of being established
with God, and of being sustained
both physically and spiritually.
When Jesus comes, these hopes for ‘a holy land’
change. Jesus is holy since, where Jesus is, God is.
So Jesus himself, in a sense, is the fulfilment of the
promise of a ‘place’ to experience holiness. The key
to understanding this is thinking about where God is
experienced. The New Testament thinks, for example,
that the whole earth will belong to God, and so in a
way the promises of ‘land’ apply to the whole earth.
But they also apply to Jesus – the resurrected Jesus
– where we see God present most fully, and so the
hopes for land become also hopes for resurrection.
So the idea of ‘a place to live … with God’ remains
important at the end of the Bible. But that place is
no longer literally the land of Canaan, or modernday Israel, or any specific location on the map.
Instead, it is the hope of life, of being established
with God and of being sustained both physically
and spiritually. One of the best images of that kind
of life remains the simple picture of the land in
which Israel lived for much of the Old Testament.
This is why these stories give us so many memorable
pictures of the joys and the difficulties of living as
the people of God, through good times and bad.
Richard Briggs
Many today talk of Israel as ‘the holy land’. In fact,
this is a very rare phrase in the Bible. It is used only
once, by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 2:12),
22
Homeland
4
Homeland: Part 2
The Israelites wanted a king and God gave them Saul. Though a strong
leader at first, he succumbed to the pitfalls of power and, by the time he
died by his own sword, he had fallen from grace. His successor, King David,
was flawed, but passionately devoted to the Lord God. He was a great king
and from his line would come the great king – the Messiah.
Watch
Episode 2, part 2
Discuss
What did you think of the way David was portrayed in this episode? Did you recognise
him as the David you have read about in the Bible, and as the man who wrote many of
the psalms? What factors have influenced the way the writers, casting agents, directors
and producers have translated the Scriptures into this medium?
23
Episode Summary
The young shepherd boy, David, was the only Israelite willing to fight the Philistine
challenger, Goliath – a warrior of massive proportions. With God on his side, David
felled Goliath with only a sling and a stone. From this time, David joined Saul’s army
and spent the next decades battling the Philistines.
David grew to be a leader of Israel and a hero to the people, and Saul became jealous,
convinced David had his eye on the throne. Saul’s son, Jonathan, loved David as a
brother, and trusted him completely, but Saul grew more and more paranoid. He
offered his daughter Michal to David as a wife in exchange for 100 dead Philistines,
hoping the challenge would be the death of him. When David came back having killed
200, Saul threw a spear at his head in rage.
David knew his life was in danger and, with the help of Jonathan and Michal, he
escaped and went on the run. He was a fugitive for years, Saul pursuing him with
fanatical dedication. Saul was his enemy, but although David had an opportunity to kill
him – coming across him undefended in a remote mountain cave – he didn’t harm him.
And when Saul was defeated in the battle of Gibor, David grieved.
When David finally became the king Samuel had anointed him to be, he brought
the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem amid great celebrations. He started to dream
of building a temple to house it, but the prophet Nathan told him that although the
House of David would rule forever, it would be his son’s job to build a temple, not his.
Although David loved God passionately, like so many before him he would let him
down in dramatic fashion. One evening, as he stood on his flat roof, David caught sight
of a beautiful woman bathing: Bathsheba, the wife of a soldier away fighting. He had
her brought to him, and soon after she fell pregnant. The only way to avoid the mess
being exposed was to have the soldier killed on the battlefield, and David made sure it
happened.
Because of the contempt David had shown God, the son born to Bathsheba died.
David was devastated and sought God’s forgiveness. God showed him mercy, and he
had another son with Bathsheba, Solomon, who went on to build the Temple. But he,
too, found it impossible to keep God’s commandments. Would the people of God ever
have a righteous and holy king to lead them?
24
Bible Study
Read
Read about how Saul came to lose God’s favour on him as king in 1 Samuel 15:17–26.
Discuss
On the surface of things, it seems that Saul’s main failure here is that he only partially
carries out what God has commanded him to do (1 Samuel 15:9). It may seem harsh
that this is enough to lose him God’s support, but God knows it is symptomatic of
deeper issues in Saul. What is at the heart of where Saul has gone wrong?
Discuss
Saul says his actions were driven by fear of his men (1 Samuel 15:24).What fears keep
you from wholeheartedly doing what God asks of you?
Watch
Watch the clip of David seeing Bathsheba and asking for her to be brought to him. Or
read 2 Samuel 11:2–5.
Discuss
The Christian writer Richard Foster says of money, sex and power that, ‘No issues
touch us more profoundly or universally. No topics cause more controversy. No
human realities have greater power to bless or curse. No three things have been more
sought after or are more in need of a Christian response.’ (Money, Sex and Power,
HarperCollins, 1985.) Why do you think money, sex and power are still to this day the
cause of the downfall of so many Christian leaders? What are the best ways for all of
us to guard against corruption in these areas?
Read
Read David’s prayer after being confronted by the prophet Nathan about his adultery
with Bathsheba, in Psalm 51.
Discuss
Saul’s disobedience led to God withdrawing his presence from him. But David finds
forgiveness and reassurance of God’s love. What does this psalm tell us about true
repentance?
Explore
James Montgomery’s hymn, ‘Hail to the Lord’s anointed’ calls Jesus ‘great David’s
greater son’. Compare and contrast the traits of Jesus and David. You could do a table
with two columns, one for each, and write down your ideas.
25
Respond
Pray
Pray for your leaders; the leaders of your church, your community and your country.
Pray that they would have integrity, that they would be wise, that they would withstand
the temptations of their role.
Pray
If you are a leader, or you have a leader in your group, pray specifically for yourself or
for them. What practical measures could you take to guard against the pitfalls around
you? What could you do to support the leaders among you?
Pray
Thank God for being the perfect king. Think about whether you have given him your
allegiance, whether you are a loyal subject, whether you accept his authority.
?
Did you know?
The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe in the Negev and Sinai
deserts. Exodus 17 records how they tried to stop the Israelites
from entering Egypt, and the two people groups were enemies
from then on. They do not feature in any extra biblical source.
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26
The People of God
Although God’s intentions can be seen earlier, the
start of an identifiable people of God took place
with God’s call of Abraham. God’s promise was
that Abraham’s descendants would form a people
who would bring blessing to the whole world. This
promise is confirmed by a covenant demonstrating
God’s commitment. Abraham and his descendants
were, for their part, to be marked out as distinctively
God’s by circumcision.
The start of an identifiable people
of God took place with God’s call
of Abraham. God’s promise was
that Abraham’s descendants would
would bring blessing to the whole
world.
With the coming of Jesus the promise of the
prophets was fulfilled. He announced that in
him the long awaited kingdom of God, meaning
God’s active rule, had come. Jesus’ choice of twelve
disciples was not coincidental. He was establishing
a new Israel; not to replace the old, which was
organised into twelve tribes descending from
the twelve sons of Jacob, but to fulfil all that it
was called to be. In his life, he demonstrated the
presence of God. In his obedience, he did what
Israel had been unable to do. In his death, he began
the new covenant to which the Old Testament
prophet Jeremiah had looked forward ( Jeremiah
31:31–34).
Abraham’s line continued through Isaac, Jacob and
Joseph, and then numerical growth and ultimately
slavery during 400 years in Egypt. Delivered
from Egypt through God’s gracious intervention,
they moved on to Sinai. Here their identity was
further shaped by the giving of the Law. It was
not obedience to the Law that made them God’s
people; they were already God’s as a result of God’s
loving choice. The Law defined how they were to
live, marking them out as God’s holy people. In
asking them to be holy God was aksing them to
be separate and distinctive, and to display in their
community life God’s character and purpose.
God had established a people
consisting of Jew and Gentile, male
and female, slave and free.
Once in the land God had promised to Abraham,
the people spent the next 500 years turning from
God and returning to him. Now known as Israel
(and after a later split as Israel and Judah), they
established themselves in the land and adapted to
new ways of living. They adopted the practices of
those around them, and the exclusive worship of
God was replaced by the worship of local gods.
With increasing wealth, social injustice crept in and
the close-knit community broke down. Dynamic
leaders, raised up by God and determined to follow
him, were replaced by kings who founded dynasties
and frequently exploited the people. Those designed
to be the distinctive people of God became
indistinguishable from other groups.
Against the backdrop of this collapse, amid the
rejection of God and the breaking of the covenant
relationship, prophets called the nation back to
God with a mix of challenge and encouragement.
The heart of their message was that the people had
turned their backs on God and that, unless they
returned, judgement would follow. Gradually, a new
hope emerged through the things the prophets said.
Beyond the inevitable disaster, God would raise up
a new king. This new king was sometimes referred
to as the Messiah or Anointed One, and would
rule in the way that God had always intended. It
was inconceivable that God would no longer have a
people to represent him in the world.
In inviting people to accept the rule of God, Jesus
has forged a new community. It is distinguished
not by external rituals but by trust in him and a
new relationship with God, made available by his
death. This community, the church, is shaped not by
obedience to rules but by the transforming presence
of God’s Spirit. New in one sense, it is at the same
time the continuation of the old, the fulfilment of
the original promise to Abraham that all nations
would be blessed through his descendants.
The early church, reflecting on the significance of
the life and death of Jesus, saw Jesus and then the
church as the fulfilment of this promise. God had
established a people consisting of Jew and Gentile,
male and female, slave and free.
Christians today stand in this tradition, loved
and chosen by God, called to be his people, to
demonstrate a distinctive way of living and to tell
the stories of what God has done.
John Grayston
27
Hope
5
Hope: Part 1
After David there were more bad kings than good, and Israel lost its way.
Under King Zedekiah, Jerusalem was sacked and those who were not
slaughtered were carried into exile. But some remained faithful to God in
Babylon, and he blessed them. His purpose of restoring his relationship
with his fallen creation would be fulfilled, even if the plans would take centuries to unfold.
Watch
Episode 3, part 1
Discuss
What did you think of that episode? How did it leave you feeling? Which parts did
you find most convincing? Was there anything you would have done differently if you
had been the director?
28
Episode Summary
Israel’s twenty-first king, Zedekiah, was allied to Babylon but conspired with Egypt.
When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon heard of the betrayal, he laid siege to
Jerusalem for 18 months. The prophet Jeremiah told Zedekiah he must surrender
or die. He must accept the Babylonian repression as punishment from God for the
idolatry of the Jewish people under his rule. This was not what Zedekiah wanted to
hear, and he refused to surrender.
Eventually the people starved and, when the Babylonians attacked, they were too weak
to resist. The Temple was sacked, many were killed and the rest were carried off into
exile, 500 miles east. Since the time of Abraham, the Jewish people had struggled for
possession of their Promised Land. Now the hopes of generations seemed destroyed.
Among those carried into exile were four young noblemen, one of whom was named
Daniel. When Daniel was able to tell King Nebuchadnezzar both the content and
meaning of a disturbing dream he’d had, he was given a prominent role in the royal
household. But when he and his friends refused to bow down and worship a gold
statue of the king, the other three were thrown into a furnace. Instead of being
consumed by the flames, they were joined by a mysterious figure and they emerged
unscathed.
King Nebuchadnezzar descended into madness. When, some years later, the Persian
army invaded, it met with no resistance. Daniel befriended King Cyrus and continued
to interpret dreams. Other men in the court, envious of Daniel’s influence, persuaded
King Cyrus to ban prayer to anyone other than himself for one month. As they
predicted, Daniel kept on praying. He was thrown into a den of lions, but God shut
their mouths and he was unharmed. Cyrus saw that God was real, and allowed the
Jews to return to Jerusalem.
This was not the climax of the Jewish story, however. In a dream, Daniel saw a great
beast that devoured the whole world. But then in the dream there came one like a Son
of Man, to whom God had given glory and authority. Over the following 500 years,
the Jewish nation would be attacked by empire after empire, until they succumbed to
the might of Rome. Under Rome, they would suffer like never before. But there would
be a new king, a descendant of King David, a Son of Man, who would lead them to
salvation.
29
Bible Study
Read
Read Jeremiah 33:1–9.
Discuss
What do these words of God, spoken through Jeremiah, tell us about his character?
What do they reveal of his attitude toward humankind, his hopes and his purposes?
Explore
How do you feel about the idea of God bringing punishment on Israel here? Read
Hebrews 12:7–11. How does God’s relationship with Israel, and with us, mirror that of
a parent with a child? How did your parents guide you in the right directions? If you
are a parent, what has it shown you about your relationship with God?
Watch
Watch the clip of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, or read
Daniel 3:13–25.
Discuss
While most of their fellow Jews worshipped other gods and the gold statue of King
Nebuchadnezzar to save their lives, these three refused. What do you think gave them
the courage?
Discuss
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were spared death by fire, but multitudes of people
have given their lives for God, understanding the truth of Jesus’ words in Matthew
16:25, ‘For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for
me will find it.’ Do you know any stories of martyrdom, historical or contemporary?
If you are in a group, spend some time talking about these stories. What legacy have
these people left? How do they inspire you?
?
Did you know?
The main gods worshipped in Babylon were Bel, linked to
wind and storm, and Nebo, seen as the god of learning,
especially writing and astronomy. Names like Belshazzar and
Nebuchadnezzar are formed using the names of the gods.
30
Respond
Pray
What hardships do you have in your life at the moment? If you feel comfortable doing
so, tell your group about what you are facing. Spend some time asking God to use these
struggles to ‘produce a harvest of righteousness and peace’ (Hebrews 12:11).
Pray
There are many Christians in the world today whose faith in Jesus puts their life at
risk. Visit www.opendoorsuk.org/pray and pray for the individuals and stories you read
about.
Pray
The Exile was not the end of the story for the Jews. It was always God’s intention that
punishment would lead to repentance and reconciliation. Think about the way God
reached out to his disobedient people through the stories we have seen in the first five
parts of The Bible. Read Psalm 103 aloud as an act of worship.
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31
The Exile
The Exile in Babylon was a mixed experience. There
was always the heart-stopping homesickness of
Psalm 137:1–6. Jerusalem was a far distant location,
but an ever-present memory. Daniel, seventy
and more years on, was still regulating his day by
‘Temple time’ and following a biblical rule of prayer.
The Jewish people had refused the
Lord’s word, worshipped idols and
turned their faith into a man-made,
corrupt religion.
None of this lack of belonging was made easier by
the knowledge that the Exile was all their own fault.
The Jewish people had refused the Lord’s word,
worshipped idols and turned their faith into a manmade, corrupt religion. The Exile was just the due
reward of their deeds.
Beyond home-sickness, life in Babylon does not
seem to have been arduous. The Jewish community
preserved its distinctiveness within society. In the
book of Daniel we meet young men being groomed
for high office in the civil service. They were
accepted by their new society, but they knew when
to put down markers – hence their dietary request,
their refusal to compromise in worship and Daniel’s
steady continuance in his lifelong habits of worship.
The prophet Jeremiah urged the Jewish people to
settle, raise families and act as cooperative, prayerful
citizens. Finally, the most telling evidence of
Babylonian comforts is perhaps how few chose to
return to Jerusalem when they had the chance.
The prophets saw the Exile not as
the Lord’s failure, but as his act! The
super ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, was
God’s servant.
apparently saw the Lord defeated and humbled, his
city and house in ruins, his people captive, his land
devastated.
The prophets around the time of the Exile were
concerned to correct this in a big way. They saw the
Exile not as the Lord’s failure, but as his act! The
super ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, was God’s servant,
like Sennacherib of Assyria before him, only a tool
in the Lord’s hand. Cyrus of Persia after him only
acted because of divine direction and prompting.
In Ezekiel 1 we are given a picture of a figure
enthroned over all earthly excellence and its fevered
activity – ‘man’, the crown of creation, ‘lion’, the
greatest of wild beasts, ‘ox’, the greatest of domestic
beasts, ‘eagle’, the greatest of birds. This is a totally
sovereign God, controlling all by his mere voice: in
executive charge of absolutely everything!
The Lord God was still Sovereign,
then, in rule and command;
sovereign in his presence and care –
in Babylon!
The Exile seemed to bring this truth of the
greatness of their God home to the exiles. In
Jerusalem, they had been graciously allowed to
make a sanctuary (a place of the divine presence)
for him; in Babylon, he undertook himself to be
the sanctuary among them – his realised presence
among them even in distant Babylon!
The Lord God was still Sovereign, then, in rule and
command; sovereign in his presence and care – in
Babylon! Sovereign over the future, fulfilling his
word exactly as he had promised, and when his
clock struck the appointed hour, alert to act, to
dominate the world ruler and to keep his promises.
The Lord had picked Jerusalem ‘to put his name
there for his dwelling’ (Deuteronomy 12:5). ‘Name’
stands for everything that the Lord has revealed
about himself. ‘Dwelling’ indicates the significance
of the Lord’s ‘house’, another term for the Temple.
This was the place to which the people came to
meet with God and experience the full reality of his
presence at the heart of their life. This is why it was
such a disaster when a heathen king came along, in
the name of heathen gods, and the Lord’s people
32
Alec Motyer
Hope
6
Hope: Part 2
The long wait is finally over – the Messiah has come to rescue Israel. But
he is born among animals and laid in a feeding trough. His mother is
an unmarried teenager. And he has no intention of fighting the Roman
oppressors. In God’s great wisdom, salvation will come through a man who
faces every temptation on earth and remains true to his calling; a man who
is Immanuel, God with us, and who provides a way of mending what went
wrong in the very beginning.
Watch
Episode 3, part 2
Discuss
The story of the birth of Jesus is terribly familiar. Does this episode enable you to see
it with fresh eyes, or is it exactly as you expected? What was done well, and what could
have been done better? What did you make of the casting of the actor who plays the
adult Jesus?
33
Episode Summary
The Jewish people suffered under Roman occupation but continued to worship God,
crying out to him to send their long-awaited Messiah – one who would rescue them
from oppression. Taxes were brutally high and they lived in fear. Uprisings were quelled
by mass crucifixions. Life was bleak and hope grew fragile.
But salvation was close at hand, and it would come through a baby soon to be born
to a virgin from the dusty outback of Galilee. Overwhelmed, and facing the doubt
and accusations of her betrothed, she held on to the words spoken to her by the angel:
‘Don’t be afraid. You will give birth to a son. He will be the son of the Most High. And
he will take the throne of his father David.’ A new chapter in the history of the world
was about to begin.
Once Joseph had heard from the angel himself, he took Mary as his wife, and they
travelled to Bethlehem for a Roman census. It was here Jesus was born, in a town too
crowded for the family to find lodging. He was laid in a feeding trough – a humble
beginning for a royal baby.
The first to worship him there were local shepherds, but later they were joined by
grander company. Wise men from the East read in the stars of the birth of a new king
for Israel, and journeyed to King Herod’s palace thinking they would find him there.
When Herod heard he had competition, he ordered the slaughter of all the baby boys
in Bethlehem. Joseph, having been warned in a dream, took his family to Egypt and
Jesus was safe.
Jesus began his three years of preaching, teaching and performing miracles by being
baptised in the river Jordan by his cousin, John, when he was 30 years old. Then he
retreated to the desert alone for 40 days, where he fasted. Weak and hungry, he was
tempted by Satan to turn stones to bread, to throw himself from a great height and
command angels to catch him and to become king of the world in exchange for
worshipping Satan. But holding onto the Word of God, he resisted – the only man of
the entire human race to be free from sin.
The Messiah had come and he brought hope not only to the Jews but to the
whole world. Through this righteous, holy prophet, God would restore his broken
relationship with his beloved creation.
34
Bible Study
Read
Read the account of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:1–14
Discuss
To begin with, it seems this birth will happen unnoticed, that the baby will arrive
unwelcomed into a world that doesn’t have space for him (Luke 2:7). But heaven
is celebrating, and there is a great fanfare out on the hills. Why do you think the
shepherds are chosen to hear the news first? What hints does this give us about the
kind of Messiah Jesus is?
Discuss
The angel says that he brings ‘good news that will cause great joy for all the people’
(Luke 2:10). How did the birth of Jesus bring joy to the world? How has this news
brought you joy?
Watch
Watch the clip of Jesus being tempted in the desert, or read Matthew 4:1–11.
Discuss
What is significant about the three things Satan tested Jesus with? In what ways does
this face-off with Satan prepare Jesus for the following three years of public teaching,
work and life?
Discuss
What are the greatest temptations for you? Satan waited to catch Jesus at his weakest
point – when he had been without food for forty days and nights. What weakens your
resistance to temptation?
Discuss
Talk about how Jesus uses the Bible to withstand temptation. Which particular verses
or phrases from the Bible have strengthened you? What is your Bible reading practice
at the moment? How could you become more familiar with this powerful and lifechanging book?
35
Respond
Pray
Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus has sympathy for our weakness because he was tempted
by all the things we are tempted by; but, unlike us, he has never sinned. Write a list
of the temptations you are struggling to resist right now (for your eyes only!). Thank
Jesus for his holiness, his strength, his courage. Thank him for his understanding of our
weaknesses. Ask him to help us be more like him.
Listen
If you can get hold of Handel’s oratorio Messiah, play some or all of part one, and use
it to help you meditate on the great mystery of God made man. Or find ‘How he loves’
sung by the Dave Crowder band on Youtube.
?
Did you know?
Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, including that he would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14),
in the town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), from the line of Abraham (Genesis 12:3). There would be a massacre of children in
the place of his birth (Jeremiah 31:15) and he would spend a
period of time in Egypt (Hosea 11:1).
you might also like…
Big Bible Challenge presents 100 key Bible stories in an
exciting, child-friendly format.
The stories are grouped into 20 Bible challenges,
each featuring five Bible stories, one in full and four in
summarised form with the opportunity for the reader
to find out more.
Each challenge helps the child to explore the Bible
both visually and through responding to suggested
questions and activities.
36
Messiah
Peter’s recognition that Jesus was the Messiah is a
key point in the stories of Jesus’ life. It is recorded
in three of the Gospels: Matthew 16:16, Mark 8:29
and Luke 9:20. John, in his Gospel, also talks about
the coming of the Messiah, proving to his readers
that this was Jesus. He claims the whole purpose of
his book is that readers might ‘believe that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing
… may have life in his name’ ( John 20:31).
Every Jew in Jesus’ time knew about
the expected Messiah, the special
‘Anointed One’ God would send, at
some point, to rescue Israel.
But what is a Messiah, and why were the Gospel
writers all so concerned that Jesus should be
identified in this way?
The Hebrew word Messiah, meaning ‘Anointed
One’ only occurs twice in the New Testament,
in John 1:41 and John 4:25. On both occasions
John quotes the speech of others, explaining for
Greek-speaking readers that it means the same as
the Greek word usually translated Christ, found
more than 500 times. Some Bible translations
use ‘Messiah’ to translate this word where others
retain Christ. As both words mean the same this
is a matter of preference. The New International
Version, for example, uses ‘Christ’ in earlier versions,
but the 2012 version replaces almost 70 of these
with ‘Messiah’, including all the references in the
first three Gospels.
Every Jew in Jesus’ time knew about the expected
Messiah, the special ‘Anointed One’ God would
send, at some point, to rescue Israel. In fact, the Old
Testament is constantly looking forward. It speaks
many times and in many different ways about the
possibility of a special agent of God who in one
way or another would bring deliverance. Although
the term ‘The Lord’s Anointed’ is often used to
refer to King David, or succeeding kings, it is only
rarely used for the expected deliverer. However, high
priests and kings were initiated by anointing, and
it became a term for anyone specially appointed as
God’s servant. The different references to a future
servant, prophet, king, ruler, deliverer, warrior
etc were eventually gathered together and the
expected one became consistently referred to as ‘The
Messiah’. However, by Jesus’ time, several ideas had
faded into the background and most people took it
for granted that the Messiah, when he came, would
be a military king who would throw out the Roman
overlords and restore Israel to its former glory.
This explains why many who began to think Jesus
might possibly be the Messiah were frustrated and
disappointed when he clearly showed no intention
of being a military or any other kind of ruler in this
world. It also explains why Jesus often told followers
not to talk too much or too soon about his miracles.
Mark’s Gospel describes this happening so many
times that scholars give it a technical term: ‘the
messianic secret’. Jesus wanted them to understand
first that his role was not about power and control
but about service and justice. He was there to bring
deliverance not from the Roman overlords but from
their own corruption. His primary call was not
‘fight’ but ‘repent’! If they too quickly concluded he
was the Messiah they hoped for, they would stop
listening to his real purpose. Even his own disciples
tried to stop Jesus talking about his suffering and
death because surely that would not be the fate of
God’s chosen Messiah!
Jesus wanted them to understand
first that his role was not about
power and control but about service
and justice.
So the Gospel writers wanted to make sure readers
understood that Jesus really was the Messiah, sent
by God to bring salvation not only to Israel but
also to the whole world. However, it was vital that
they also understood what kind of a Messiah he
was. Referring back to Isaiah 6:1, Jesus describes
himself as anointed, to ‘proclaim good news to the
poor … freedom for the prisoners and recovery of
sight for the blind and to set the oppressed free’
(Luke 4:18). He is king, but not the kind they were
expecting, as his ‘kingdom is not of this world’. It is
more appropriate to describe him in terms of a good
shepherd, or a suffering servant.
The challenge for modern Gospel readers is: how
ready are we to recognise and respond to Jesus the
Messiah, as he really is, not as we would like him to
be?
37
Mary Evans
Mission
7
Mission: Part 1
Jesus spends three years in the public eye. In that time he heals disease, he
walks on water, he raises the dead to life. His teaching and his miracles are
one great declaration: the kingdom of God is near and he is its king. It is a
rallying cry, and to some it is the sound they have always been waiting for.
But for others it signifies an enemy invasion. The battle lines are drawn.
Watch
Episode 4, part 1
Discuss
What do you think of the way the miracles are handled, especially the feeding of the
five thousand, Jesus walking on water and the raising of Lazarus? What new insights
does the episode give you into the person of Jesus?
38
Episode Summary
The Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees, urged the people to please God through
strict observance of the Law, but Jesus taught a new way. It was a way that threatened
both the religious authorities and the Roman rulers.
Jesus did not only teach: his words had extraordinary authority because of the miracles
he performed. One day, as he spoke to a crowded house of eager listeners, a paralysed
man was lowered to the floor through a hole his friends made in the roof. To the
horror of the Pharisees, Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven. Only God could
forgive sins. When Jesus was accused of blasphemy, an offense punishable by stoning,
he turned and healed the man, and slipped away, leaving the crowds wondering who he
really was.
The Pharisees were great at obeying the Law but their hearts were hollow. Jesus
compared them unfavourably with a repentant tax collector; he stalled their public
execution of an adulteress by asking the one who had never sinned to throw the first
stone; he claimed to be Isaiah’s prophesied Messiah. And they hated him.
The Pharisees hated him, but many others didn’t. Huge crowds gathered to hear
him, walking miles to get close. When they were hungry, he fed them – a feast for
thousands from a handful of fish and some bread. They wanted to be healed, and to
learn more of the kingdom he spoke of, a kingdom as small as a mustard seed, which
would grow to be the greatest tree in the forest. God ruled this kingdom, and its
greatest commandment was love.
Jesus’ close group of disciples were slowly realising who he was. They were with him
day in, day out; they saw how he prayed, how he lived and they knew he was different
– more than a prophet, more than a political leader. He was a man who could walk
on water, a man who raised the dead. His claims had the weight of truth: ‘I am the
resurrection and the life,’ Jesus said. ‘Anyone who believes in me, even if he dies, will
still have life. Believe in me and you will see the glory of God.’
These claims were audacious, and they came to the attention of the high priest,
Caiphas. There would be trouble ahead.
39
Bible Study
Watch
Watch the clip of Jesus healing the paralysed man lowered through the roof, or read
Mark 2:1–12.
Discuss
Why do the Pharisees say that only God can forgive sins? What does it say about God
that he does forgive?
Discuss
You might think that the paralysed man’s most pressing need was to be able to move.
But Jesus forgives him before he gives him physical healing. How does your need for
forgiveness rate among your other needs? Do you believe that through Jesus you can
be forgiven? Do you have any stories of things in your life that you have been forgiven
for? If you are in a group, maybe you could tell some of these stories, and share what
it felt like to be made clean again. (‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow’ Isaiah 1:18.)
Read
Read the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11:17–44.
Discuss
Jesus says, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even
though they die’ ( John 11:25). What do life and death mean in this context?
Explore
One of the major benefits of being a part of the kingdom of God is that there is no
need to fear death. If you are in a group, do any of you remember what you thought
about death before you believed in Christ? What does death mean to you if you do
not believe in God? Have you been able to be close to a Christian as they faced death?
How did their belief affect the way they approached the end of their life?
40
Respond
Pray
Jesus says that the way to be a part of the kingdom he rules over is to believe in him,
to believe he is who he says he is (both man and God) and that he has the authority to
forgive the wrong we have done. Pray by name for those you know and love who are
not yet a part of this kingdom. Pray that they would be given the gift of faith and the
courage to submit to Christ’s kingship.
Pray
If you struggle with the fear of death, ask your group to pray for you.
Think about
What does it mean to you to be part of the kingdom of God? List the ways this
kingdom is different from society organising itself without God. How would you go
about explaining these differences to someone who was wondering whether to become
a Christian? Who do you think you could have this conversation with over the next
few days?
you might also like…
Scripture Union publish three Bible reading guides which follow the same reading
programme throughout the year. Daily Bread, Closer to God and Encounter with God
offer varied approaches to helping you get the most out of the time you spend
reading God’s Word. Find out more at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/bible.
41
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
‘ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your
dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is
faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has
made.’ (Psalm 145:13)
The kingdom of God is one of the most important
ideas in the Bible. Don’t assume it was invented by
Jesus! He had much to say about it, but the Old
Testament profoundly shaped his understanding.
But for those with eyes to see, he was far greater
than they could ever have imagined. And the
kingdom he would rule would endure forever.
• The kingdom is near (because the King is here):
Mark 1:14,15 – the response is to turn back from
sin to trust the one who alone can rescue us from
sin.
The rest of the Bible is the story of God’s
restoration of his kingdom. This explains why
chapters 21 and 22 of the book of Revelation take
so much imagery from the first two chapters of
Genesis.
• But the kingdom is not from this world: John 18:36.
Unlike any other worldy kingdom, God’s people
now live in a place no longer equated with specific
territory.
But the story takes many unexpected paths
throughout Israelite history:
• The kingdom is like… a mustard seed (Matthew
13:31,32). It is minute and unimpressive, but
appearances are deceptive – it will grow to be
huge.
• Abraham: a wealthy nomad hears astonishing
promises. God pledges a land and countless
descendents living under divine blessing. Even
more extraordinary, this will have global impact.
Quite something for a man who, like his wife
Sarah, is far too old to have children!
• Moses: many generations later, Abraham’s
descendants are now slaves in Egypt. But God
rescues them, bringing them to Mount Sinai
where, through Moses, he reveals the Law (they
are to live for God now). Thus the only remaining
promise to be fulfilled is the land to live in.
• David and Solomon: God’s kingdom here on
earth had reached its historical pinnacle. They
established peace for God’s people by securing
the nation’s borders, and Solomon established
the Temple at Jerusalem’s heart. Then 1 Kings 10
is arguably the climax of the Old Testament: a
But just when all seemed in place, the kingdom
blueprint is shattered – even David and Solomon
sin, and their actions, and those of many others, lead
to disaster: civil war, foreign invasion and exile.
In the first century ad, Israel was under the cosh of
another empire, Rome. After prophets like Isaiah
and Jeremiah had spoken of him, they yearned for
a new king (or Christ/Messiah) to bring them the
freedom to be what God called them to be. His
eventual arrival was a shock: he was nothing like the
mighty warrior some expected.
A working definition might be: God’s people living
in God’s place, under God’s rule (taken from Graham
Goldsworthy, Trilogy, IVP, 2000). This kingdom
is established in Eden (Genesis 1,2), but ruined at
the Fall (Genesis 3). The man and woman chose to
obey a creature (the snake) instead of the Creator,
far worse than simple disobedience. It is what the
Bible calls sin: not individual misdemeanours, but
a rejection of a relationship with God. The result is
banishment from his place.
• Joshua leads the people into the Promised Land.
The people need to trust God for this – it would
be impossible in their own strength.
Gentile, an African queen, praising Israel’s God.
• A kingdom lifestyle (Matthew 5–7) is impossibly
demanding, but for those with the humility of
dependent children, it is a gift from the King.
• The King’s gift was to die in the place of rebels on
the cross, so that we could be accepted into the
kingdom.
• A now and not yet kingdom: we have many kingdom
privileges now (his guaranteeing Holy Spirit,
membership of his people, knowing God as
Father) but there are promises yet to be fulfilled
(the King’s return, intimacy in God’s presence and
freedom from sin).
As we await the great day when these promises
will be fulfilled, we worship our God and serve his
global kingdom.
Mark Meynell
42
Mission
8
Mission: Part 2
Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for Passover and spends the week teaching in
the Temple, and his words are inflammatory. The religious leaders can take
no more and, nervous of a Roman clampdown, they begin to work out a
way to get him killed. It looks like things are going very wrong for Jesus.
But could it be that this was exactly what he intended to happen all along?
Watch
Episode 4, part 2
Discuss
What image do you think will stay with you from this episode? What do you like
about it? What don’t you like? How well do you think the episode captures the Gospel
accounts of these events?
43
Episode Summary
Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the festival of Passover riding on a donkey. The crowds
welcomed him as a saviour, waving palm branches and throwing down their cloaks to
make a path for him. Just a few short days later, these same crowds would be braying
for his execution.
Jesus made straight for the Temple, where the outer courts were full of money
changers and people selling animals and birds for sacrifices. Overcome with anger, he
tipped over table after table. What should have been a house of prayer had been turned
into a den of thieves.
The Jews visited the Temple daily in the run-up to Passover. Jesus was there every day
preaching, and with every word he said the Pharisees became more enraged. When he
said that not one stone of the Temple would be left standing, they understood it as a
threat, and began to plot how to kill him. Tension between the Jews and their Roman
rulers was already high, and Jesus was making things worse.
But not all the Pharisees were against him. There was one – a man named Nicodemus
– whose sincere desire to know the truth led him to seek Jesus out in secret. Jesus told
him that to see the kingdom of God he needed to be born again, born of the spirit. All
he needed for eternal life was to believe in God’s Son.
It came to the night of the Passover meal. As Jesus sat eating with his disciples, he told
them that he would be betrayed, and by one of them. Judas’ betrayal would lead to his
death. The disciples responded with shock and grief, but he told them not to be afraid.
He was giving his body and his blood to save them, and he would always be with them.
Later they went to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus prayed through the night. He
begged God, his father, to find another way but submitted with the words, ‘Not my will
but yours.’ Armed guards led by Judas arrived to arrest him. He was bound and beaten
and taken before the Sanhedrin, charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death.
Generations earlier, the prophet Isaiah had foretold a suffering servant who would
take on the punishment due the fallen world. Here was Jesus, ‘oppressed and afflicted
… led like a lamb to the slaughter’ (Isaiah 53:7).
44
Bible Study
Read
Read about Jesus predicting his death at the Last Supper, in Matthew 26:26–30.
Discuss
What do you think prompted Judas to betray Jesus? You can find clues in John 13:2
and Matthew 26:14,15. Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you? How
did it feel?
Discuss
The Passover meal commemorated the last meal the Israelites ate before leaving slavery
in Egypt. A lamb was sacrificed, its blood smeared over their doorways and their sons
were spared death (Exodus 12:1–13). Centuries later, Jesus told his disciples that his
blood is what will save them. Think about what you know of Jesus. What makes him
the perfect ‘sacrificial lamb’?
Discuss
Christians still use bread and wine to remember the sacrifice of Jesus. If you are in a
group, tell each other what your most meaningful or memorable experience of doing
this has been.
Watch
Watch the clip of Jesus being arrested at the Mount of Olives, or read John 18:1–14.
Discuss
What strikes you about the way Jesus behaves in this scene? What does it tell us
about his character? How about the soldiers? And Simon Peter? How might you have
behaved if you had been there?
?
Did you know?
There were many things that made the trial of Jesus illegal,
including the fact that trials could only occur in the regular
meeting places of the Sanhedrin (not in the palace of the
High Priest), they could not occur on the eve of the Sabbath
or on feast days or at night, and a guilty sentence had to be
pronounced no earlier than the day following the trial.
45
Respond
Reflect
If you have access to any bread and wine, put some where you can see it. Spend time in
silence looking at these symbols of Jesus’ body and his blood, that he willingly gave for
our sakes.
Listen
Find and listen to Matt Maher’s song, ‘Remembrance’ on Youtube.
Pray
Thank Jesus for what he did so that we can live forever in God’s presence with no fear
of punishment.
you might also like…
The LifeBuilder Bible Studies series contains over 100 titles designed to help individuals and
small groups get to grips with the Bible.
Some titles in the series look at a whole book of the Bible, others focus on a Bible character or
major theme. Each title contains between 8 and 12 studies along with notes to
help group leaders.
There are great questions for stimulating group discussion, ideas for meeting God in personal
reflection and helpful notes for leaders.
46
Salvation is the plan
Who’s responsible? The betrayal of Jesus was the
greatest travesty of justice, bar none. He led a
life full of love, taught wonderful things, did so
much good and brought such peace and healing to
people’s lives. So why were people keen to get rid of
him, and how did they do it?
Lots of people were complicit in
Jesus’ death: Judas, the Jewish
religious leaders, Pilate, the false
witnesses and even his followers
who kept silent. But that is not a full
explanation.
The final act in the drama started when Judas, one
of Jesus’ own inner core of followers, betrayed him
to the religious leaders. He was paid a miserable
thirty pieces of silver, the price the prophet
Zechariah had mentioned centuries earlier as the
value of the Israel’s rejected shepherd-leader. The
religious leaders wanted to dispose of him because
they saw him as a disturbance, unsettling the people
and teaching a new, false way of relating to God.
The high priest’s family and wider body of Jewish
leaders had real influence, especially through their
religious courts, but limited powers. Rome was
the real power in Judea and alone could impose
the death penalty, which the Jewish leaders sought
when they found Jesus guilty of blasphemy. In a
travesty of justice, they could only secure this verdict
by using false witnesses against Jesus.
To secure the execution, the Jewish leaders had
to lean on the Roman Governor, Pilate, known to
be a weak ruler, and incite a crowd to howl for his
death. They got their wish and, after the gruesome
preparations, Jesus suffered crucifixion, the means
by which Rome put slaves and nobodies to death.
the heel’ of the destroyer (Genesis 3:15). Many
Christians through the ages have believed this was
the first prediction of Jesus’ death.
Down the centuries, time and again, God made it
clear that the life-denying forces of evil, including
the power and consequences of people’s personal
sin, would be defeated and all the costs involved
paid for by himself. A very early sketch of Jesus’
death was drawn when Abraham offered his son
Isaac as a sacrifice, only to hear the words, ‘God
himself will provide’ the offering (Genesis 22:8).
When Israel was liberated from oppression in
Egypt it was because a lamb was killed in place of
their first-born sons as the angel of death ‘passed
over’ them to execute judgement on the Egyptians.
Afterwards, Israel’s worship involved the offering
of animal sacrifices as substitutes for sinful human
beings and as the means by which they could atone
for their sin.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of the unjust suffering of
another lamb that would be killed in place of people
guilty of sin. Isaiah claims this was all part of God’s
plan – his intended way of dealing with sin and
bringing about peace.
Yet they were caught up in a major
drama, scripted and directed by
God from the beginning. It was his
intended way of bringing about
salvation from sin and the healing
of the world by the offering of his
own Son.
The actors on the stage at the time of Jesus’ betrayal
and death were responsible for their own actions.
Yet they were caught up in a major drama, scripted
and directed by God from the beginning. It was his
intended way of bringing about salvation from sin
and the healing of the world by the offering of his
own Son, in other words, by offering himself.
So lots of people were complicit in Jesus’ death:
Judas, the Jewish religious leaders, Pilate, the false
witnesses and even his followers who kept silent.
But that is not a full explanation.
The fuse that ignited in Pilate’s courtroom was
lit many centuries before. In the early days of
humanity, when Adam and Eve sought to live
independently of God, God pronounced judgement
on the tempter (the snake) and said that he would
be destroyed. But in the process he would ‘strike
In reality, Jesus’ death was neither due to personal
animosity, nor to a clash of competing political
interests, but to God’s plan to rescue sinful
humanity.
47
Derek Tidball
Passion
9
Passion: Part 1
Crucifixion is one of the cruellest and most torturous ways ever invented to
kill someone. It is hard to grasp the idea of a person choosing to be nailed
to a cross. And yet, this is what Jesus does.
Watch
Episode 5, part 1
Discuss
What emotions did you experience while watching the crucifixion scene? Do you
think it helps your faith to focus on the details of Jesus’ suffering, or is it just a form of
gruesome entertainment? What did you think of the way the resurrection is handled?
48
Episode Summary
The Sanhedrin could not execute Jesus themselves; so close to Passover it would
make them impure. They went to Pilate for help, arguing that he was inciting rebellion
by claiming to be king. Pilate reluctantly agreed to look into it. He questioned Jesus
himself and concluded he was guilty only of delusion. Pilate’s wife dreamed of Jesus,
and warned her husband not to harm him, convinced he was innocent.
Pilate sentenced Jesus to forty lashes, an extreme and brutal punishment, but not
enough for the Jewish leaders. So he fell back on a tradition that a prisoner may be
released at Passover, and left it to the crowd to decide Jesus’ fate. The people, so recently
hailing Jesus as their Messiah, asked for the release of a common murderer and
demanded that Jesus be crucified. Washing his hands of them, Pilate gave the order:
‘Crucify him.’
Roman soldiers forced a crown of thorns onto Jesus’ head in mockery. Then he was
given his heavy wooden cross to carry out of Jerusalem and up the barren hillside to
the execution site. He was weak and bloodied from his lashing, and the guards made
a man from the crowd help him. When they arrived, iron nails were pounded into his
hands and his ankles, and his cross was raised up, with a sign on it reading ‘Jesus of
Nazareth, King of the Jews’ in Greek, Latin and Aramaic. As the soldiers played dice
for his robes, he prayed, ‘Father forgive them. They know not what they do.’
Death was close now, and the pain was unspeakable. But worse was the sense of
abandonment. Those nearby heard him cry out, ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’
And then, as the earth shook and the sky turned dark: ‘It is finished. Into your hands I
commend my spirit.’
Jesus’ body was lifted down, and released to his followers. They washed him, dressed
him in grave clothes and buried him in a nearby tomb. And then they grieved, huddled
together, fearful, miserable and lost.
But three days later, when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, it was open and empty.
And Jesus appeared to her – alive! He spent forty days with his followers, and then
returned to his Father, promising the Holy Spirit to give them power and commanding
them to share the news of what he had done with the whole world.
49
Bible Study
Watch
Watch the clip of Jesus’ final moments and death, or read Matthew 27:45–52.
Discuss
Several things happened as Jesus took his last breath – the Temple curtain that hid the
Holy of Holies ripped in two, there was an earthquake and many people were raised to
life. What do you think was the significance of these things? How do they shed light
on what Jesus’ death achieved?
Discuss
What does the death of Jesus mean to you?
Read
Read the account of Jesus meeting Mary Magdalene after rising to life again in John
20:11–18.
Discuss
The Nicene Creed, a statement of belief put together by a council of Christian leaders
in the year 381 ad, says:
‘For our sake [Jesus Christ] was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.’
Why is the resurrection such a central part of Christian belief ? What facts or
experiences help us to accept that it happened?
?
Did you know?
Crucifixion was first practiced by the Persians, adopted by the
Carthaginians and Phoenicians and then perfected by the
Romans as the form of execution that caused the greatest
possible pain over the longest period of time. Those crucified
were usually slaves, provincials and the lowest of criminals,
particularly those who had committed crimes against the state.
50
Respond
Pray
John Stott once said, ‘Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us,
we have to see it as something done by us.’ Put together a rough cross shape from two
tree branches, or whatever you have to hand. Write some general words expressing the
kinds of wrongs that we have done that meant Jesus needed to die in our place, and
attach them to the cross one at a time, praying simple ‘sorry’ prayers.
Consider
Jesus died willingly so that we can be with God forever. How can we live in a way that
showsgratitudeforthismostamazingofgifts?
Pray
Take turns lighting a candle, saying the words, ‘Christ is risen.’ The whole group could
respond, ‘He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!’
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51
The Cross
The cross is God’s way of dealing with sin and its
consequences. It stands at the heart of the Christian
faith. The term traditionally used for discussion
about the meaning of the cross is atonement,
encouraging us to see the cross as God bringing
about ‘at-one-ment’.
All four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
give considerable space to Jesus’ death. It has been
said that they are really just the story of his death
with long introductions! Jesus proclaims the arrival
of God’s reign in his teaching and acts of power.
But towards the end of his life, it becomes clear
that God’s reign can only come about by Jesus
suffering and dying on behalf of others. Jesus dies at
Passover, reminding us of the Exodus when Israel
came out of Egypt. This shows that Jesus brings
about a new release for the people of God, and seals
a new covenant in his body and blood, providing
the way for our sins to be forgiven.
The New Testament writers understood that Jesus’
death was God’s way of dealing with sin. An early
confession of faith – in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4 –
declares that ‘Christ died for our sins’. Many other
passages (for example, Romans 3:25,26; 4:25; 1
Peter 3:18) make it equally clear that Jesus dies in
our place, bearing our sin. According to Paul, we
were ‘God’s enemies’ and ‘deserving of wrath’. What
happened at the cross is bound up with God’s holy
anger against sin, which would bring his judgement
were it not that Jesus bears it in our place. The death
of Jesus is a sacrifice that atones for our sin and
enables us to have a new relationship with God.
God’s reign can only come about
by Jesus suffering and dying on
behalf of others.
The Old Testament anticipated this. Sin was dealt
with through a system of sacrifices in which animals
were substituted for human beings, which reached
its supreme expression at the Day of Atonement
(Leviticus 16). In Isaiah 53 we read about the
Servant of the Lord who will suffer and die on
behalf of others, bearing the penalty of their sins.
Peter makes it clear that this was a reference to
Jesus (1 Peter 2:21–25).
As we have seen, the cross saves us from the
consequences of sin. It also allows us to be declared
‘right’ – justified – before God. It results in victory
over Satan and the powers of darkness. It redeems
us from slavery to sin. It mends our relationship
with God and with each other and it brings about
adoption into God’s family.
We must remember that all this flows from God’s
love. Some popular descriptions of the cross can
make God sound vindictive and distant. Nothing
could be further from the truth. The sacrifice of
Jesus is rooted in the heart and actions of the God
who reveals himself as a Trinity – Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. The overflowing love of the Father is
expressed through the self-giving death of the Son,
and applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit.
The crucifixion and resurrection
need to be placed in a yet larger
story – as the means by which God
carries out his plan to mend his
relationship with all creation.
Even then, the cross is not the end, for God raised
Jesus from the dead. And the crucifixion and
resurrection need to be placed in a yet larger story –
as the means by which God carries out his plan to
mend his relationship with all creation.
Baptism and communion are reminders of the
significance of the cross. Baptism is a symbol of
dying and being raised in Christ. Eating bread and
drinking wine help us to focus on the significance of
Jesus’ death. When Jesus calls us to take up our cross
(Luke 9:23), he is telling us that the cross must
shape our everyday lives as his followers, defining
our attitudes, actions and relationships.
The New Testament uses a range of rich and varied
images to describe what Jesus’ death achieved.
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Antony Billington
Passion
10 Passion: Part 2
After Jesus has spent time with his followers he returns to be with his father in heaven. But, as promised, he doesn’t leave them alone. The Holy
Spirit comes to live inside them, and they are filled with courage to tell the
world what God has done – whatever the cost.
Watch
Episode 5, part 2
Discuss
This episode has to capture some fairly mysterious experiences – the coming of the
Holy Spirit, Paul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, John’s vision on
Patmos. Do you think the producers did a good job of representing these? Why? Why
not?
How has this series helped you in your understanding of the Bible? What have you
learned from it? What most stands out?
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Episode Summary
Fifty days after Passover was the festival of Pentecost. The disciples were still in
Jerusalem, waiting for the arrival of the Holy Spirit and unsure of their next step. As
they sat together praying in an upstairs room, a strong wind suddenly whipped around
them and they began to speak in other languages – shouting at the tops of their voices
that Jesus had died, that he was alive again, that he was the Messiah. They were filled
with courage and, from that moment, began to spread the word, telling people about
Jesus and healing in his name.
A man called Stephen was stoned for standing up for the truth about Jesus. Stephen
was the first martyr among Jesus’ followers, but many, many more would follow. Paul,
a Pharisee who had been involved in Stephen’s death, began a mission to stamp out
those who believed.
But heading to Damascus, Paul had a dramatic change of direction. He saw a vision of
a man who said to him, ‘I am Jesus, who you persecute.’ He was temporarily blinded,
permanently humbled and he became God’s chosen messenger of the gospel to the
non-Jewish world.
Paul may have ceased persecuting Christians, as they came to be called, but there
were plenty of others eager to snuff out this new movement. Soon it was unsafe for
Christians to remain in Jerusalem and they dispersed, spreading the seeds of the new
faith far and wide. Paul travelled further than anyone, planting churches across the
Mediterranean and nurturing them with letters that far outlived him and which came
to form the basis of much of the New Testament section of the Bible.
Christian tradition says most of the disciples died for their cause. But John was exiled
to a penal colony on the Greek island of Patmos, where he lived out his days and wrote
the final book of the Bible: Revelation. In it he recorded a vision of the future, a time
when God would make his home among his people and there would be no more death,
or mourning, or crying, or pain. He saw Jesus before him and heard him say, ‘I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I am making everything new. May
the grace of God be with all God’s people.’
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Bible Study
Read
Read the account of the disciples being filled with the Holy Spirit, and Peter
explaining what is happening to the baffled onlookers in Acts 2:1–4,22–39
Discuss
Think about the situation that Jesus’ followers are in at the start of this reading – their
leader has been publically and shamefully executed, has been raised to life and has
appeared to them, although not widely enough to convince everyone, and has now left
them. They are vulnerable, and are intimidated by their mission to tell the world what
Jesus has done. What difference does the gift of the Holy Spirit make to them?
?
Did you know?
John was banished to the island of Patmos by the Emperor
Domitian (ad 95). It is a small, barren and rocky island in
the Aegean Sea, and a site where political offenders were
frequently banished at the time.
Discuss
What difference has the Holy Spirit made to your life? If you are in a group, spend
some time telling each other of times when you have seen the Holy Spirit at work.
Watch
Watch the final few minutes of the series, John’s vision of the future in Patmos, or read
Revelation 21:1–7.
Discuss
What are some of the popular images of heaven? And what does this vision reveal
about what those who believe in Jesus can look forward to?
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Respond
Pray
Peter says in Acts 2:38,39 that the gift of the Holy Spirit is for anyone who repents
and receives the forgiveness of Jesus. Are you ‘far off ’ (Acts 2:39)? Would now be a
good time to respond to this free gift of life? Have you received the gift of the Holy
Spirit? If so, think about the ways your life and your character have been impacted, and
give thanks.
Pray
Revelation 21 outlines a vision of great hope, but for now we still experience death,
mourning, crying and pain (21:4). If you are in a group, pray for those present who are
in a dark place. Pray that they would have courage to hold on to hope, that they would
know God’s comforting presence, that their suffering would bear fruit and bring glory
to God.
Reflect
The whole sweep of the biblical narrative climaxes around the sacrificial death of Jesus,
which once and for all deals with the great damage done to humankind’s relationship
with God by the first man and woman. What does his resurrection mean? What does
it mean to live for the resurrected Jesus?
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Resurrection
The idea of resurrection is central to Christian belief
and theology. The Old Testament appears to assume
that, after death, people continue in some sort of
shadowy existence in a place called Sheol – often
translated ‘grave’ or ‘pit’ in English Bibles. There are
some examples of resuscitation, but these are acts
of compassion and don’t shed any light on life after
death (see 1 Kings 17:17–24 and 2 Kings 4:18–37).
Not only is Jesus’ resurrection proof
of his claims and the start of a new
era, it is also the pattern and hope
for Christians. In baptism, they share
in Jesus’ death and his resurrection,
and the promise of becoming a new
person is made real.
The idea of being ‘raised up on the third day’ is
a metaphor for God restoring his people after a
short time. There are some hints of a more concrete
understanding of continued life after death (notably
in Job 19:25,26) but the most important of these
is in Ezekiel 37. The prophet Ezekiel has a vision
of a valley of dry bones – representing the nation
in exile and without hope – being clothed in flesh
and skin and brought to life by the Spirit of God. In
the centuries that followed, this picture became an
expectation of life after death.
By Jesus’ day, the expectation of resurrection of the
dead was part of a complex set of ideas associated
with the coming of the Messiah, the anointed
agent of God. His arrival would see the end of this
present evil age and the coming of a new age of
God’s perfect reign (the ‘kingdom of God’). He
would bring the liberation of God’s people from
occupation and the resurrection of the dead to
eternal life or to judgement. So resurrection was
a hugely important idea – it was corporate, not
individual, marked the end of time and would see
the longed for new heavens and new earth.
This view was not shared by all; the priestly
Sadducees disagreed, and anyone influenced by
Greek philosophy thought the idea of bodily
resurrection quite bizarre. But it was the main view
among Jews in the first century, and certainly of the
Pharisees.
It is, therefore, not surprising that Jesus’ followers
did not at first understand his predictions of
his own death and individual resurrection. But
subsequently, all the Gospel writers see Jesus’
death and resurrection as of key significance.
They each offer their own perspective, but share
central features. The resurrection demonstrated
God’s vindication of Jesus. The resurrection meant
Jesus’ death was not a tragic mistake, but for many
people offered the promised forgiveness of sins.
The resurrection confirmed that Jesus’ critics were
opposed to God, not acting for him.
More than that, the resurrection signalled the
breaking in of God’s kingdom, as Jesus had
proclaimed in his teaching and ministry. Although
the old age of sin and death had not yet passed
away, the new age of God’s presence and forgiveness
had already begun. As Peter makes clear in his
speech during Pentecost, the end times have now
come and God’s Spirit has been given, because God
has raised Jesus from the dead, as was foretold.
This message of resurrection was central to Paul’s
teaching – he proclaimed ‘Jesus and the resurrection’
and taught it to the new groups of Jesus followers.
To believe in Jesus was to believe in the resurrection.
Not only is Jesus’ resurrection proof of his claims
and the start of a new era, it is also the pattern
and hope for Christians. In baptism, they share in
Jesus’ death and his resurrection, and the promise
of becoming a new person is made real. It shapes
morality – how we treat our bodies and how we
regard others. It gives us hope for the future because
now we know death is not the end.
Jesus’ resurrection shapes morality
– how we treat our bodies and how
we regard others. It gives us hope for
the future.
All the New Testament writers look forward to
the completion of what we now experience in part.
When Jesus returns again, the present age will pass,
the ‘new heavens and new earth’ will replace the
old, the dead will be raised and God’s people will
experience his presence at first hand.
Ian Paul
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glossary
Anoint
To smear with oil or perfume to indicate that individuals or objects were chosen and
set apart for God’s use. In the Old Testament, kings, priests and sometimes prophets
were anointed.
Ark of the Covenant
A wooden box covered with gold made by Moses following instructions given by God.
It contained, among other things, the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments
were written, and the cover featured two angelic figures. The Ark was seen as the focal
point of God’s presence with his people and acted as a reminder of his saving actions
on their behalf.
Atone, Atonement
The meaning of the Hebrew term is to cover; the key idea is that our sin is now
‘covered’. Sin is dealt with and no longer separates humanity from God. For more
details see the article on page 52.
Covenant
A binding agreement between two parties involving privileges and responsibilities. In
the ancient world, covenants were often made between powerful nations and weaker
ones who depended on them. For more details see the article on page 17.
Day of Atonement
This was the most solemn of all Israel’s annual festivals. Through a number of sacrifices
the sin of the people was forgiven and their relationship with God restored.
The Fall
A term used to describe Adam and Eve’s act of disobedience and rebellion which had
disastrous long-term effects on humanity’s relationship with God, with one another
and with the created world. Once perfect and harmonious, the whole world is now
spoiled and marked by disagreement and disorder.
Gentile
The term used to describe anyone who was not a Jew. It features in the spread of the
church as the good news moves beyond the Jewish people to reach all nations. There
was controversy in the early church because some more traditional Jews believed that
the Gentile Christians had to observe all the Jewish Law.
Gospel
Gospel is an old English word meaning good news, and is used in the New Testament
to translate a Greek word with the same meaning. It describes the message about Jesus.
The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are the first four books of the New
Testament and are so called because they tell the story of Jesus.
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Holy of holies
This was the central section of the tabernacle and later of Solomon’s Temple. It
contained the Ark of the Covenant and, being the place where God’s presence was
most powerfully felt, was off limits to all except the high priest, who only went in once
a year on the Day of Atonement.
Justify
To be justified is to be put right with God. We are declared acceptable and our sin is
forgiven as a result of Jesus’ death on the cross.
Kingdom
The term describes the physical kingdoms of Israel and the surrounding nations, but
when used of God’s kingdom it describes not a physical, geographical realm, but the
rule of God in action and those who live under it.
The Law
The term is often used to describe the first five books of the Old Testament. This
follows their description in the Hebrew Bible as Torah. Law does not mean primarily
a set of rules, but the principles by which God intends human society to flourish in
relationship with him.
Messiah
The term is Hebrew for ‘anointed one’. It refers to the promised deliverer of the Jewish
nation prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. The New Testament understands Jesus to be
the Messiah and uses the Greek term ‘Christ’, which also means ‘anointed one’, to
describe him. For more see the article on page 37.
Nazirite
A person who had made a vow of dedication to God, the details of which are recorded
in Numbers 6:1–21. Essentially, the vow entailed abstaining from alcoholic drinks,
grapes in any form, avoiding dead bodies, and allowing hair to grow.
Passover
One of the key annual Jewish festivals, which had its origins in the Exodus, and every
year recalled the story of God’s deliverance. It is still a key festival in Judaism.
Pentecost
A Jewish festival celebrating God’s harvest provision and, in later ages, Moses receiving
the Law on Sinai. It is still celebrated by Jews as Shavuot.
Pharisees
A Jewish group prominent in the Gospels as opponents of Jesus. They advocated
detailed obedience to the Old Testament laws and had added many detailed rules to
spell out what obedience meant in practice.
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Promised Land
The land which God had promised to give to Abraham’s descendants and in which the
Israelites finally settled.
Prophet
An individual called by God to be his messenger, often in a time of crisis. The prophet’s
primary role was to call people back to God and to point out the consequences of
continued rebellion. They often foretold disaster, but looked beyond the disaster to the
new future that God was planning.
Redeem, redemption
Used in both Old and New Testaments, the term is one way of describing what
God does to bring humanity back to himself. It suggests that a price is paid and that
restoring our relationship with God is costly.
Repent
To regret the wrong actions we have done or our failure to do things we should have
done, and to turn from such behaviour, seeking God’s forgiveness.
Sadducees
A Jewish party at the time of Jesus who were more politically inclined than the
Pharisees, and who tended to collude with the Romans as a way of gaining a power
base.
Sanhedrin
The Jewish council which determined matters of Jewish policy and legal matters in the
New Testament period.
Satan
The term means the accuser and describes the evil opponent of God; also described as
the devil.
Shepherds
God and Jesus are described as shepherds, reminding us of the care that God gives. But
human shepherds in New Testament times were not always highly regarded. Although
not complete social outcasts, they were often looked down on.
Sin
An attitude of rebellion against God, stemming from the conviction that we know
better than he does and resulting in committing actions that go against his wishes, or
failing to do those things which he calls us to do.
Tax collector
The Roman empire appointed people to collect a range of taxes. They were very
unpopular partly because of their collaboration with the hated oppressors and partly
because they would normally add an additional amount which they would keep.
60
Temple
A building dedicated to the worship of a deity or deities. Solomon built the first temple in
Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant. A second temple was built after the return
from exile, but the Ark had been lost. Herod built a third temple; this is the one described in
the New Testament.
Trinity
The Christian conviction that the one God exists in three persons – Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Difficult to understand and mysterious, this is nevertheless a key element of Christian
belief.
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writers
Antony Billington
Antony Billington is Head of Theology at the London Institute for Contemporary
Christianity (LICC).
richard briggs
Richard Briggs is Director of Biblical Studies and Lecturer in Old Testament at
Cranmer Hall, Durham. He has written widely on the subject of biblical interpretation.
Mary Evans
A former Vice Principal of London School of Theology, Mary is now retired. She
enjoys spending time writing, playing, talking and doing regular stints in Ethiopia.
john grayston
John is now retired but acts as Biblical and Theological Consultant for Scripture
Union. He is engaged in writing and itinerant preaching and teaching.
hilary marlow
Hilary Marlow is Course Director at Faraday Institute for Science and Religion,
Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge and Research Associate at
Cambridge Inter-faith Programme.
Mark Meynell
Mark Meynell is Senior Associate at All Souls, Langham Place, a writer and a speaker.
Alec Motyer
Before retiring, Alec Motyer was principal of Trinity College, Bristol. He is a biblical
scholar and author of numerous books and commentaries, as well as the Old Testament
editor of IVP’s The Bible Speaks Today series.
ian Paul
Ian is a freelance writer, speaker and researcher, and until recently Dean of Academic
Studies at St John’s College Nottingham. He blogs at www.psephizo.com.
anna robbins
Anna Robbins has been Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Theology, Culture
and Ethics at Acadia Divinity College in Canada since 2012. Before that she was
acting principal of London School of Theology and a theological consultant for the
Evangelical Alliance, Tearfund and Christians in Politics.
Derek Tidball
Derek Tidball is a theologian, sociologist of religion and Baptist minister. He was
principal of the London School of Theology from 1995 to 2007 and has written more
than 20 books.
62
What next?
Engaging with the Bible is right at the heart of Scripture Union’s mission and we’ve
developed a wide range of guides and resources to help you do just that.
Scripture Union Bible reading guides – we have three Bible reading guides which follow
the same reading programme throughout the year. Daily Bread*, Closer to God and
Encounter with God offer varied approaches to helping you get the most the time you
spend reading God’s Word. Find out more at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/bible (*also
available in large print).
WordLive – an innovative online Bible experience for groups and individuals, offering
a wide variety of free material: study notes, maps, illustrations, images, poems,
meditations, downloadable podcasts, prayer activities. Log on and check it out: www.
wordlive.org
The Multi-Sensory series – popular resources for creative small groups, youth groups and
churches that appeal to a wide range of learning styles.
Deeper Encounter – for confident groups that have a good understanding of Bible
text – containing seven studies, complete with CD audio tracks and photocopiable
worksheets.
Top Tips on Leading Small Groups – biblical patterns and practical ideas to inspire
leaders of small groups.
Essential 100 and Essential Jesus – 100-reading overview of the Bible (Essential 100)
and the person and work of Jesus (Essential Jesus), with notes and helps – presented as a
programme for individuals, small groups or whole churches.
Small Groups Growing Churches – a flexible training resource for leading small groups.
Can be used as a complete 15-topic training course, for a tailor-made church weekend
or for one-off refresher sessions.
SU publications are available from Christian bookshops, on the internet, or via mail
order. Advice on what would suit your group best is always available. You can:
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phone SU’s mail order line: 01908 856006
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write to SU Mail Order, PO Box 5148, Milton Keynes MLO, MK2 2YX
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