BibleProject

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Jesus, the New Shepherd in the Wilderness Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E10 — Throughout ancient Israel’s long history of wandering in the wilderness, failing in the garden land, being exiled to the nations, and then continuing to struggle after their return to the land, one thing has been clear. The people need a faithful shepherd like Moses who can guide them into God’s provision and wisdom. So after Jesus is baptized in the wilderness and succeeds in his own wilderness tests, you can probably guess where Jesus goes to feed, heal, and teach people! In this episode, Jon and Tim explore stories in the gospels where Jesus provides for Israelites and non-Israelites in the wilderness, acting as a new Moses-like shepherd.

CHAPTERS

Recap of Theme and Setup for Jesus as a New Moses Figure (0:00-14:03)
The People’s Need for a Shepherd (14:03-24:04)
Bread in the Wilderness for Israel (24:04-38:12)
Discussing Bread With Pharisees and a Canaanite Woman (38:12-47:35)
Bread in the Wilderness for the Nations (47:35-1:02:37)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Be Like Water” by Lofi Sunday, Zairis TéJion
“Holy” by Lofi Sunday, Just Derrick
“It's Gonna Be Alright-22” by Lofi Sunday, Marc Vanparla
“jazz club” by Lofi Sunday, PAINT WITH SOUND
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie.

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Jesus Passes the Wilderness Test Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E9 — After Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit leads him into the wilderness to be tested for 40 days. The exodus generation spent 40 years in the wilderness, so we’d be right to expect parallels with their experience. But why does Jesus need to go through this wilderness test? And what does it mean for his followers? In this episode, Jon and Tim look at Jesus’ three wilderness tests, discovering the long-awaited faithful human who is ready to enter the garden land.

CHAPTERS

Recap of Theme and Setup for Jesus in the Wilderness (0:00-16:59)
Final Thoughts on Baptism and Intro to Wilderness Tests (16:59-39:29)
Jesus’ Wilderness Tests (39:29-1:01:46)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Jesus on the Mountain: A Study in Matthean Theology by Terence Donaldson
The Gospel according to Matthew: A Commentary by Matthias Konradt
You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Heaven Is Home” by Lofi Sunday, Zairis TéJion
“Fellowship” by Lofi Sunday, Cassidy Godwin
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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Why Does Jesus Get Baptized in the Wilderness? Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E8 –– In the Bible, God often turns wilderness wanderings into times of testing, purification, and preparation for returning to the garden land. The tragedy of the Hebrew Bible, however, is that when people do return to the garden, they keep following their own distorted wisdom and desires. This is why the beginning of every gospel account features a wild prophet named John, who is out in the wilderness by the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of repentance. It’s a symbolic reenactment of when God purified the exodus generation through the deadly chaos waters and treacherous desert. But then Jesus approaches John, also asking to be baptized. Why? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the background and ministry of John the Baptizer and how Jesus’ baptism connects to his larger Kingdom mission.

CHAPTERS

Recap of Theme and Setup for John the Baptizer (0:00-15:53)
John’s Background and Words to the Pharisees (15:53-38:03)
Why Jesus Participates in a Baptism of Repentance (38:03-44:47)
The Heavenly Announcement After Jesus’ Baptism (44:47-51:33)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, translated by Geza Vermes
You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Lunch Break ft. Abstractv” by Lofi Sunday
“Old Record” by Lofi Sunday, Marc Vanparla
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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The Wilderness Remixed in Israel’s Prophets Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E7 — By the time we get to the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, the meaning of the wilderness is well established. It’s a desolate, dangerous place where humans can’t survive. And it’s a place where God meets with his people to reform their character and deepen their trust in him. But Israel’s prophets remix the meaning and imagery of the wilderness in surprising ways that prepare us for the story of Jesus. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the wilderness in Hosea, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, discovering unique portraits of a prison, romance, tragedy, and promise of a new heart.

CHAPTERS

Recap of the Theme and Setup for the Prophets (0:00-16:07)
Hosea’s Wilderness as Containment and Reformation (16:07-27:40)
Jeremiah’s Romance and Ezekiel’s Tragedy in the Wilderness (27:40-49:58)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Purple Clouds ft. Marc Vanparla” by Lofi Sunday
“Selah ft. Bobcat” by Lofi Sunday
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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David Finds Refuge in the Wilderness Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E6 — In the Genesis and Exodus wilderness stories, God is present with his people, testing them and teaching them to listen to his voice. Most of the people fail to trust God there, but finally, in 1 Samuel, we meet a character who can succeed in the desolate place, David. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore David’s wilderness stories in 1 Samuel 24-26, finding a human who will trust God for provision and listen to his voice.

CHAPTERS

Recap of the Theme and Setup for David (0:00-17:00)
David’s Successes and Tests in the Wilderness (17:00-32:00)
David’s Test With Nabal and Abigail (32:00-43:58)
Abigail Saves the Day (43:58-1:05:12)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Walk In The City ft. Me & The Boys” by Lofi Sunday
“Redeemables” by Lofi Sunday, Yoni Charis
“Peace With You ft. Oly.Lo” by Lofi Sunday
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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Lessons From the Wilderness for the Garden Land Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E5 — After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Moses and the second generation of Israelites stand at the border of the promised land. What does Moses say about the purpose of their time in the wilderness, and what do they need to remember about it when they’re in the garden land? In this episode, Jon and Tim look at Deuteronomy 8 and the hard lessons of the wilderness that can help the people flourish in the promised land.

CHAPTERS

Summary and Recap of Theme (0:00-11:26)
Why Adam and Eve Can’t Stay in the Garden (11:26-23:07)
The Purpose of 40 Years in the Wilderness (23:07-41:58)
The Wilderness Is the Truth (41:58-1:05:28)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

In chapter 2, Jon and Tim discuss the Divine Council and Genesis 3:22. For more on this topic, check out our God and Spiritual Beings series.
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
In chapter 3, Tim references our Deuteronomy Scroll series.
You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Coffee Under The Palm Tree” by Lofi Sunday, Zairis TéJion
“Gentle Lamb” by Lofi Sunday, Yoni Charis
“Pleasant Places” by Lofi Sunday, Yoni Charis
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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Why Does God Lead Israel Into the Wilderness? Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E4 — After God delivers the Israelites out of Egypt, he tells Moses to lead them to the promised land—through the wilderness. This is perplexing because a much shorter, safer route existed along the coast. So why does God lead his people along the longer, harder way? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore Israel’s wilderness tests, reflecting on God’s plan to create a new people through a relationship of radical trust and dependence.

CHAPTERS

Recap and Setup for the Israelites in the Wilderness (0:00-10:05)
God’s Intentional Path Into the Wilderness (10:05-27:11)
Three Wilderness Tests in Exodus (27:11-47:28)
Seven Wilderness Tests in Numbers (47:28-1:02:23)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Blue Sky ft. TBabz” by Lofi Sunday
“Mist Of Blessing ft. Marc Vanparla” by Lofi Sunday
“Chilling In London” by Lofi Sunday, Just Derrick
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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How Do People End Up in the Wilderness? Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E3 — In the Bible, the wilderness is a hostile, dangerous place where humans can’t survive. Because of this, the wilderness also reminds us that we all live on the precipice of life and death, and our survival depends on the one who is greater than us. The Bible’s earliest wilderness stories depict humans finding themselves in this setting due to their own foolish choices or the foolish choices of others. In this episode, Jon and Tim look at the wilderness stories of Adam and Eve, Hagar, and Moses, highlighting how God responds with surprising compassion.

CHAPTERS

Recap and Setup for Today’s Stories (0:00-11:36)
Adam and Eve Exiled Into the Wilderness (11:36-20:31)
Hagar Flees From Abraham and Sarah Into the Wilderness (20:31-45:13)
Moses Flees From Pharaoh Into the Wilderness (45:13-1:08:15)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Tim references an episode from The Exodus Way series about Abraham and Hagar. You can find that episode here: How Did Israel End Up in Egypt?
For more on the seven women in Exodus, check out our Scholarship Team’s article, “7 Powerful Women in the Bible Who Help Rescue God's People.”
You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

SHOW MUSIC

“Beach Chilling” by Lofi Sunday, Just Derrick
“Blissful Thoughts ft. TBabz” by Lofi Sunday
“Grey ft. PAINT WITH SOUND.” by Lofi Sunday
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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The Wilderness of the Sea Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E2 — In the Bible, the wilderness is an uninhabitable, hostile place for human life. And in the creation narratives of Genesis 1 and 2, the wilderness symbolically represents the chaos of a pre-creation state. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the wilderness language in the creation narrative and how it contrasts with Eden, God’s oasis of beauty, order, and abundance.

CHAPTERS

Recap on the Meaning of the Wilderness (0:00-9:16)
Pre-Creation Wilderness and the Eden Oasis (9:16-40:27)
Wilderness and Eden Imagery in the Prophets (40:27-57:32)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.
You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

SHOW MUSIC

“Break Bread” by Lofi Sunday, Oly.Lo
“Refuge ft. Just Derrick” by Lofi Sunday
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

SHOW CREDITS

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The Worst, Best Place to Be in the Bible Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

The Wilderness E1 — This year, we are looking at themes that play a prominent role in the Exodus story. And today, we’re starting a new series on the theme of the wilderness. The wilderness is a setting that shows up constantly in the Bible, and it mainly represents a hostile, barren place where humans can’t survive. So why does God repeatedly lead his people through it? In this episode, Jon and Tim introduce the theme and discuss how the biblical authors portray the wilderness as a place of testing, character formation, and even an Eden-like refuge.

CHAPTERS

The Breadth and Meaning of the Wilderness in the Bible (0:00-12:30)
A Place Hostile for Human Life (12:30-30:35)
A Place of Testing and Refuge (30:35-47:09)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Tim alludes to this past episode about the function of settings in the Bible: Setting in Biblical Narrative from our How to Read the Bible series.
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.
You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

SHOW MUSIC