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Why Say “Kingdom of the Skies” Instead of “Kingdom of Heaven”?
How do we reconcile Jesus’ words about the Law with other New Testament teachings? How is God’s justice with gehenna different from karma? And why does the BibleProject translation of the Sermon on the Mount refer to the Kingdom of Heaven as the Kingdom of the skies? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions on the first four case studies about righteousness (episodes 9-14) in the Sermon on the Mount series. Thank you to our audience for your incredible questions!
Show Notes
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Episode 36
True and False Prophets
In the second part of the final section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes the tension present in the choice between two paths. How do we know if someone is leading us toward the path to life, and whose voice should we listen to? Jesus uses the images of a sheep in wolf’s clothing and trees bearing fruit to emphasize the wisdom needed to identify those who truly represent him. In this episode, Tim and Jon wrestle with the challenge of discerning God's words and recognizing the true destination of someone's path, regardless of the direction they claim.
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Episode 35
If We Don’t Forgive Others, Will God Not Forgive Us?
Can Jesus’ riddle about the good eye and the bad eye also apply to Genesis 3? Does the Bible offer conflicting views on the topic of testing? What is the connection between asking God for our daily bread and Jesus calling himself the “Bread of Heaven?” Does God forgive us only after we forgive others? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from episodes 22-28 in the Sermon on the Mount series and share some of the Lord’s Prayer song submissions. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions to this episode!
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Episode 34
The Narrow and Wide Gates
Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount by presenting his listeners with a choice, illustrated in three parts. He first describes two gates and two paths. The narrow gate is difficult to enter, but it opens up the way to life. The wide gate is easy to navigate, but it leads to ruin. In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the choice we all must make after listening to Jesus’ words and how the decision to live out our true calling as humans is challenged daily by paths that appear easier.
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Episode 33
What Makes the Golden Rule the Greatest Command?
The final teaching in the main body of the Sermon on the Mount is commonly known as the Golden Rule: Do to others what you would have them do to you. Jesus says that all of the Law and Prophets—everything he has come to fulfill—are contained in this one statement. How? In this episode, Tim and Jon unpack what many consider Jesus’ most famous teaching. Join us as we examine how the Golden Rule fits into the intentional design of the Sermon on the Mount, reinforcing the central theme of how God’s desires reshape our own.
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Episode 32
What Does Jesus Mean by Ask, Seek, and Knock?
In his fourth teaching on relationships and conflict in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages his listeners to ask God for what they need. Because the three previous teachings don't directly tell us how to respond in specific situations, Jesus emphasizes that the challenges of relationships require wisdom that comes from a deep dependence on God. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss Jesus’ invitation for his followers to relate to God as a loving and generous Father who delights in giving us good gifts.
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Episode 31
Why Does Jesus Talk About Pearls and Pigs?
Is it possible to evaluate the behavior of others in a healthy way? Jesus offers two parables that illustrate the wisdom needed to evaluate someone else's behavior. The first parable invites us to examine ourselves before others, and the second parable reminds us the necessary discernment for this happens only in a community of faith. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss Jesus’ teachings on how and when to speak into the lives of others.
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Episode 30
Is There Ever a Time to Judge Others?
After the four-part section on our relationship to money, Jesus turns to addressing our relationships with each other. He begins with the command to not judge. But judging can mean condemnation—or it can mean evaluation. So when is it acceptable to judge someone? And what does that mean for how we will be judged? In this episode, Tim and Jon unpack a challenging command that calls for a deep understanding of God’s generosity to compel us to respond generously to each other.
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Episode 29
What Does Jesus Say About Anxiety? (Studio Conversation)
Sermon on the Mount E29 (Uncut) – In Jesus’ fourth and final teaching on money, he offers his listeners an antidote to the worry that accompanies life’s daily troubles. Jesus teaches that the path to a peaceful mindset is found in what we focus on—or seek. Seeking the Kingdom of the skies leads to investing in what is permanent and trusting in God's abundance. In this uncut episode, join an uninterrupted conversation with Jon and Tim about how understanding God’s character can help us live without worry, knowing that even death does not separate us from God’s generosity.
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Episode 29
What Does Jesus Say About Anxiety? (Featured Episode)
Sermon on the Mount E29 – In Jesus' fourth and final teaching on money, he offers his listeners an antidote to the worry that accompanies life’s daily troubles. Jesus teaches that the path to a peaceful mindset is found in what we pay attention to or seek. And seeking the Kingdom of the skies leads to trusting in God's abundance. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and Michelle explore how communities who understand God's character can live without worry, knowing that even death does not separate us from God’s generosity.
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Episode 28
What Does Jesus Say About Money? (Featured Episode)
In his third teaching on money, Jesus issues a warning about elevating wealth to the position of God in our lives. To describe wealth, Jesus uses the word “mammon,” which can be translated as “the thing in which you trust.” What happens when we put our trust in our wealth? And what can it look like to be free from the love of money? In this episode, Tim and Jon and special guests explore the power we give our possessions and the upside-down wisdom that sharing, not hoarding, gives us the security we’re seeking.
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Episode 28
What Does Jesus Say About Money? (Studio Conversation)
In his third teaching on money, Jesus issues a warning about elevating wealth to the position of God in our lives. To describe wealth, Jesus uses the word “mammon,” which can be translated as “the thing in which you trust.” What happens when we put our trust in our wealth? What does Jesus mean by “unrighteous wealth?” And what can it look like to be free from the love of money? In this uncut episode, join Tim and Jon in a long-form dialogue exploring the Parable of the Shrewd Manager and how we can only have one ultimate allegiance—God or money.
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Episode 27
How Is the Eye the Lamp of the Body?
Jesus continues addressing our relationship to money and possessions with a riddle about the eye being the lamp of the body––a reference to a common cultural metaphor in which “having a bad eye” meant someone was stingy. By saying that the eye is the lamp of the body, Jesus highlights how our relationship with our possessions reflects our true character. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and Michelle explore how generosity creates possibility while clinging tightly to our stuff causes us to lose everything.
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Episode 26
What Kind of Treasure Is in Heaven?
The third section of the Sermon on the Mount's main body opens with a call to examine how we think about our stuff. Jesus makes it clear that how we relate to our money and possessions reveals how we relate to God and neighbor. He urges his listeners to not store up their treasures here on Earth but in the sky. But what is sky treasure? In this episode, Tim, Jon, and Michelle explore the differences between our earthly values and the values of God’s Kingdom in the skies. When we sacrifice our present pleasure and security to better love God and each other, we invest in the coming new creation which contains everything we’ll ever need.
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Episode 25
Do Jesus’ Teachings Conflict With Old Testament Violence?
What does Jesus mean when he describes people entering the Kingdom of the skies? Are the promises in the Beatitudes possible now, or do we need to wait for the new creation? How did Jesus respond to other perspectives on how to treat our enemies? How do we reconcile Jesus’ teachings on creative nonviolence with violence in the Old Testament narratives? Why does Jesus tell his followers to be perfect when the Bible repeatedly mentions that all humans fail? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from episodes 15-22 in the Sermon on the Mount series. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful questions!
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Episode 24
Does God Lead Us Into Temptation? (The Lord’s Prayer Pt. 5)
Many of us first learned the King James translation of the final, personal request in the Lord’s Prayer: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” But does God actually lead us into temptation? In a motif that weaves throughout the Hebrew Bible, we see God allowing tests to strengthen his partnership with humans. When this motif picks up in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is the one experiencing testing. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and Michelle explore the theme of testing and temptation throughout the Bible and in the life of Jesus. From his own experience, Jesus teaches us to pray for protection from temptation and for rescue when it comes.
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Episode 23
What Forgiveness Is and Isn't (Lord's Prayer Pt. 4)
The second half of the Lord’s prayer contains four requests on behalf of the person praying. The second personal request is for God to forgive us. But forgiveness is not just a transaction between individuals or between God and humans. Forgiveness plays a central role in the arrival of God’s Kingdom. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and Michelle explore what forgiveness is, what it isn't, and what it looks like to set each other free.
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Episode 22
What Does Jesus Mean by “Daily Bread”? (The Lord’s Prayer Pt. 3)
The first half of the Lord’s Prayer features three requests on behalf of God and his Kingdom: he is our Father in the skies, whose name we recognize as holy and whose way of life we want to see on the land. The second half of the Lord’s prayer focuses on four personal requests, where we seek to align our needs with God’s wisdom. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the first request of “daily bread” and its connections to stories and wisdom in the Hebrew Bible.
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Episode 21
What Does “Hallowed Be Thy Name” Mean? (The Lord’s Prayer Pt. 2)
Prayer is at the center of the center of the Sermon on the Mount. And it’s in this section of teaching that Jesus gives us a simple prayer that we can participate in. It’s only 12 lines long, but it contains a universe of ideas that center us with God. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the first half of the prayer: “Our Father who is in the skies, may your name be recognized as holy. May your Kingdom come and your will be done as it is in the skies so also on the land.”
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Episode 20
How Does Jesus Teach Us to Pray? (The Lord’s Prayer Pt. 1)
We are now halfway through studying Jesus' most famous sermon, which brings us to the Lord’s Prayer. What’s the significance of a prayer being right here at the center? And what’s the purpose of regularly reciting a short prayer like this one? In this episode, Jon, Tim, and others kick off a five-part series on the Lord’s Prayer, exploring its structure, core ideas, and historical background. Find more information about writing and sharing your own Lord's Prayer song [here](https://bibleproject.com/singtheprayer/).
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Episode 19
Why Say “Kingdom of the Skies” Instead of “Kingdom of Heaven”?
How do we reconcile Jesus’ words about the Law with other New Testament teachings? How is God’s justice with gehenna different from karma? And why does the BibleProject translation of the Sermon on the Mount refer to the Kingdom of Heaven as the Kingdom of the skies? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions on the first four case studies about righteousness (episodes 9-14) in the Sermon on the Mount series. Thank you to our audience for your incredible questions!
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Episode 18
Jesus’ Surprising Warning About Religious Practices
In Matthew 6, Jesus turns his attention to religious practices of his day, specifically generosity to the poor, prayer, and fasting. But Jesus gives a surprising warning about these practices: if you do religious practices to get praise from people, then you're missing the point. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss these three religious practices and reflect on the pitfalls of making religious devotion about yourself.
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Episode 17
What "Hypocrite" Means to Jesus
In Matthew 6, Jesus transitions from sharing a vision for righteousness that fulfills the Torah and Prophets to talking about how true righteousness impacts religious practices. Religious practices—like prayer, serving the poor, or generosity—are meant to align our hearts with God. But Jesus noticed that many people in his day were doing religious practices to promote their own name and status. He called this behavior hypocrisy, which meant something different to him that it does to us today. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the original meaning of the word “hypocrite” and the differing motivations people can have for doing right by God and others.
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Episode 16
Why Does Jesus Want Us to Love Our Enemies?
In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus shares his sixth and final case study based on the wisdom of the Torah, and it may be the most challenging one yet. The first three case studies focused on treating others as sacred image-bearers of God. The fourth and fifth case studies offered guidance on how to handle conflict. And in the final case study, Jesus concludes with wisdom on how to respond to people who not only dislike us but even desire our harm. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss one of Jesus’ most famous teachings: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
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Episode 15
What Jesus Means by “Turn the Other Cheek”
In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus offers wisdom from the Torah about retaliation, justice, and nonviolent resistance to injustice. He references a series of laws in Exodus 21, Leviticus 24, and Deuteronomy 19, all of which contain the familiar language of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” Jesus reveals the surprising wisdom within these laws, using real-life scenarios that would have been familiar to oppressed Israelites living under Roman occupation: turning the other cheek, giving your cloak, and going the extra mile. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and Michelle discuss how these actions can open up our imaginations for boldly standing against injustice in creative, nonviolent ways.
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Episode 14
Why Does Jesus Say Not to Swear Oaths?
In Matthew 5:33-48, Jesus offers three case studies about how people can work together in spite of conflict. The first case study focuses on the ancient practice of oath keeping. By the time of Jesus, ancient Israelites no longer spoke the divine name of Yahweh out of respect, but they would still swear oaths by things closely related to God—like the sky, land, temple, etc. Some people used these oaths as a loophole because they felt less serious to break (“I only swore by the temple!”). In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss Jesus’ teaching on oaths, which demonstrates God’s wisdom on the integrity of our words and the danger of even small deceptions.
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Episode 13
How Jesus Responded to the Divorce Debate
In Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus offers a quote from the Torah about when it is lawful to divorce, and then he shares his perspective. But what is the context of these words, and how would Jesus’ original audience have heard them? It’s easy for modern readers to miss, but Jesus is entering a longstanding debate concerning a passage about divorce in Deuteronomy 24—and his take is surprising. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and special guest Jeannine Brown discuss the story surrounding divorce in ancient Israel, the Bible’s ideal of covenant loyalty, and the wisdom we can find in Scripture to navigate divorce in our culture today.
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Episode 12
Jesus' Vision for Sex and Desire
In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus references the Torah’s command to not commit adultery (Exod. 20:14), going on to say that any man who lusts (or “goes on looking”) at a woman commits adultery with her in his heart. So what is his solution to avoid lust? Cut off a hand and gouge out an eye! Whoa—what is Jesus talking about? In this episode, Jon, Tim, and special guest Lucy Peppiatt discuss the meaning and impact of lust, the Bible’s original ideal for men and women, and Jesus’ countercultural vision for sex and marriage in the Kingdom of the skies.
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Episode 11
Why Do the Beatitudes Matter for the Overworked and Hopeless?
Why do we not find the Sermon on the Mount in the gospels of Mark or John? Why is “blessed” not a good translation of the word *makarios*? And if Jesus says that mourning, powerlessness, and poverty are the key to the good life, should we pursue those things? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from the first seven episodes of the Sermon on the Mount series. Thank you to our audience for your incredible questions!
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Episode 10
How Is Anger the Same as Murder?
In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus reveals the divine wisdom of Israel’s Old Testament laws through six case studies. In the first case study, he expounds on one of the Ten Commandments, “Do not murder” (Exod. 20:13). After acknowledging this command, Jesus takes it further by saying that anyone who is angry with his brother or publicly shames someone is also guilty of murder. What does he mean? In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss Matthew 5:21-32, exploring key concepts—such as murder, contempt, and divine justice—and what they tell us about the value of human beings.
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Episode 9
What Does Jesus Think of Old Testament Laws?
What did Jesus mean when he said he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets? In Jesus’ day, the laws from the Torah were over a thousand years old. And the Jewish people under Roman occupation weren’t able to follow all of the laws perfectly, leading to countless interpretations of how the people could observe the Torah. So what made this rabbi from Nazareth’s approach to the law any different? In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss Matthew 5:17-20, unpacking its historical context, most perplexing phrases, and the greater righteousness that Jesus is introducing to his listeners.
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Episode 8
The Salt of the Land and the Light of the World
Why does Jesus call his followers salt and light? In the Hebrew Bible, salt is a metaphor for God’s long-lasting covenant with Israel, connected to priestly sacrifices, ritual purity, and social bonds. And the Hebrew word for light, or, shares a wordplay with torah, meaning God’s wise instruction. God’s wisdom given in the Torah is a light for Israel that they are called to share with the nations. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the meanings of salt and light, showing how Jesus applies these covenant words to his new community of followers.
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Episode 7
What Does It Mean to Make Peace? (The Beatitudes Pt. 4)
What will it cost us to live like Jesus in our world? In the third and final triad of the Beatitudes, Jesus declares that the good life belongs to the peacemakers. But making peace Jesus-style will mean conflict, pain, difficulty, and even persecution. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and others explore the cultural tensions surrounding Jesus, his audience, and the four ancient groups who tried to make peace and how Jesus’ teachings created conflict with all of these groups.
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Episode 6
The Type of People God Is Forming (The Beatitudes Pt. 3)
What does it look like to have our desires and actions completely aligned with God’s will? In the second triad of the Beatitudes, Jesus paints a picture of the kind of people God is forming in the Kingdom of the Skies. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and guests break down the biblical words for righteousness, justice, mercy, and purity throughout the Bible, leading up to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount.
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Episode 5
The Powerless, Grieving, and Unimportant (The Beatitudes Pt. 2)
What does it mean to be poor in spirit, mourning, and meek? Jesus uses these words in the opening of [the Sermon on the Mount](https://bibleproject.com/articles/what-is-the-sermon-on-the-mount/), and the guys examine them in biblical Greek and Hebrew, finding that a better translation may be “powerless,” “grieving,” and “unimportant.” These are the people that Jesus believes will have the “good life.” How can that be? In this episode, Jon, Tim, and guests explore the first triad of the Beatitudes, shedding light on how those at the bottom of society are actually better prepared to receive the kingdom of the skies.
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Episode 4
What Does "Blessed" Mean? (The Beatitudes Pt. 1)
What does Jesus mean when he calls people “blessed” in the first section of the Sermon on the Mount? The Greek word translated as “blessed” is makarios, and its Hebrew equivalent is ashrey, which means “the good life.” But there’s another Hebrew word for blessing, barukh, which refers to blessings from God. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and guests unpack what it means to be blessed according to Jesus’ counterintuitive message as he ushers in the kingdom of the skies.
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Episode 3
The Sermon on the Mount's Place in the Gospel of Matthew
The Sermon on the Mount is one of five major speeches Jesus gives in the Gospel of Matthew, and there are many similarities between these speeches. What is Matthew doing in his gospel that is unique from the other gospels? And how does this shape his portrayal of Jesus? In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss how the Sermon on the Mount fits into the larger context of the Gospel of Matthew.
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Episode 2
The Hebrew Bible’s Connection to the Sermon on the Mount
As a Jewish rabbi, Jesus was immersed in the Hebrew Bible, or what Christians often call the Old Testament. The Hebrew Bible tells the story of God working with ancient Israel to bring about his Kingdom. And in the New Testament, Jesus claimed that God’s Kingdom was at long last arriving in him. In this episode, Tim and Jon walk through the three parts of the Hebrew Bible, showing how they connect to what Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount. Plus, Michelle, Dan, and Aaron go on a field trip to look at a Torah scroll to better understand how the Hebrew Bible is designed.
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Episode 1
Kicking Off a Year With Sermon on the Mount
Most of us have probably heard sayings from Jesus’ famous teaching, commonly called the Sermon on the Mount. It's only 100 verses, but the sermon has created an enduring legacy that has shaped countless lives throughout history. In this first episode of a yearlong series on the Sermon on the Mount, Tim and Jon introduce some new voices and share stories of influential people who were inspired by Jesus’ words. Then the team lays out the basic facts of the Sermon on the Mount and the different ways it’s been interpreted over 2,000 years.
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