How To Read (and not read) the Bible - ReGeneration Podcast - Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)

[@robertoesquivel4447]

I didn’t know you had your doctorates, truly humble you are, Dr. Mackie!

[@darrylcarlton7958]

“Live in the Narrative “ - Thanks to Dr. Timothy Mackie, the Bible, as a whole, has finally become relevant to my life. And not only relevant, but essential.

[@sworduser5086]

As a teen, it's hard to realize how rare I can find people like me. Thank you for sharing, for I was struggling and this is what I needed. I want to thank you guys so much!

[@sworduser5086]

I'ma start waking up at 3-4:00 so that I can read my bible in bulk now. XD

[@shannamathias4176]

@@sworduser5086 God has great things for you.

[@TheLakingc]

I am in my 70s and have only found one in all of the churches in our tiny area (small population) who loves to search the Scriptures. Many cannot read and even refuse the audio cds i offered. Many have no TV or Internet even now. Even pastors...all but the one just builds their own idea of what they think christianity is and they get stuck there. They use Bible verses to support their points. They can preach a good preach, but i discovered they often mean something very different than what the heart of the Bible means. I think that is called double speak. What an incredible shock. It is right from The Garden where satan distorted what God said and intended. It is all about power and control, not The Gospel. We deceive our own selves, too! Do not let these heartbreaking things turn you. Just keep on keeping. Keep studying and trying to reach out. It took covid to make me look beyond here to a wonderful church i found online. There are true Seekers and Jesus followers there. Of course not all, but they are not happy there (or anywhere) and move on. The Pastor of that Church uses some of Tim et al's illustrations and told us about The Bible Project. I spent a lot of time checking out Tim and the Project. I finally started sharing...it was met with coolness and some outright rejection as were all other attempts. It is like we get inoculated..."we have our own way, don't rock the boat." A pastor here told me that any famous person is corrupt and cannot be trusted, especially not Billy Graham! I knew right then who had been corrupted. It is almost impossible to get a pastor here, so it lends itself to control freaks. Still, God gets His Word out and people do their best, but are pretty blind. I am glad that Tim reminds us of what we are told in the powerful verses of Ephesians 6:10-18, and elsewhere, to realize that the enemy is not each other, but our common blinding Enemy who takes full advantage of our prideful weaknesses. However, we have the Armor, that not only stops the fiery darts, but quenches them (PTL!). Take pity on those who refuse Light, and pray for them continually, do not let them make you give up on your walk with the Lord. Yes, it is very hurtful and lonely at times, but you are blessed to find this group that cares and listens. You are so blessed with the Bible. This team is not perfect, either, i am sure, but God is using their hearts after Him to help us in our questions and quest. We can safely team up with them. "No, Never Alone." A song...look it up🙂❤

[@joer5627]

Reading scripture like a text message. Ouch! Guilty as charged. Thankfully I’ve been tuned into The Bible Project for 6 years now. Grateful for the opportunity. Their videos opened my eyes. Read it in bigger chunks.” You will see things you never saw before. Amen!

[@yelenaprimavera2720]

May JAH bless you and keep you Tim.AMEIN

[@paidinred1]

Tim Mackie. Thank you!

[@JTHootman1]

I believe the term you were looking for was Nerdatude. Thank you for helping me discover the Bible in a whole new way! May God Bless You All!

[@SoundMind581]

God bless you guys richly! You're awesome!

[@beverleymeya987]

Loving​ this podcast so far!

[@estavalerienyame9593]

Only watching this now but thanks this really helped me 🤗🤗🤗

[@davidrempel8897]

Thank Gid that horrid sound track ended at about 5 minutes in

[@vernekelley9356]

The podcasts are wonderful, but why do so many podcasts have this annoying distracting music?

[@edvogt4039]

I'm reading The Lost World of Adam and Eve by John Walton right now. Excellent. It sounds like Tim might might have read it too.

[@gardenbliss6638]

start at 43 minutes to hear the actual tips.

[@Doocher]

Any version of this without music? Hard to hear

[@juliachildress2943]

It stops after the intro. I thought the same thing.

[@MatiasVega08]

I like the song at the beginning.. What song is it?

[@shizont]

and I was gonna write that the song was distracting, monotonous, and better suited as background in a porno video.! Thank GOD it faded out at 4.30!

[@eeezeazi8448]

@@shizont lol

[@therepentguy1653]

" Repent is the START ....... " Repent simply means ; rethought , rethink , with great anguishing in despair , change of mind ... until you " REPENT " you will not turn any direction , you will only continue in and on your current way . MARANATHA ....... The Repent Guy

[@christinaandersen2204]

🙏❤

[@NoahNobody]

21:57 so is Tim saying the Bible is not a historically accurate account, or semi historical account, or something else?

[@ericrossoni]

Noah Nobody Hi Noah, I would say kind of. Now if your like me, you probably grew up understanding and believing the Bible and everything in it is chronological in order and everything that you read, word for word, historically happened. Now with that understanding, it’s hard to take and accept that some of those passages which mostly take place in genesis possibly did not happen. Now that doesn’t mean the Bible is now corrupt but perhaps a lot of us were taught in accurate of what the Bible is and how to read it. A lot of times we don’t take things in to reality and practically like how the Bible was put together and even compiled. And you really only learn all of that, when you study and learn the actual things and factual of how these books were written, that most of the writers who wrote the books, weren’t the actual person themselves and how you have to treat the Old Testament completely different than the New Testament. Reason is New Testaments are historical letters and accounts of what actually happened and the Old Testament is really from an ancient world and have to understand how people wrote back than, was completely different. Which is why it’s super important to always refer to the original language. That even tho the original KJV is translated from the original, you actually find out the Old Testament JESUS read was a little different than what we have which doesn’t compromise scripture at all. But understand certain phrases or words from the original, doesn’t really translate well to English. Also how they would read a passage is completely different than how we would read it and think this is what the writer is saying and meaning, because us living in a western civilization, we actually interpret scripture a little different than how people in different countries would and mainly how people 2,000 years ago would and especially people 6-8,000 years ago, who we would consider people from a ancient civilization, meaning, how they write, read and understand, is way different than how we would. So if you understood the Bible like I did. It really is a shock, culture shock and really Christianity shock, it almost makes you feel like you have believed a lie your whole life but that’s really not the case and should never be. If you continue to follow Tim, you find he believes every character in the Bible is real and some of the misunderstandings of the Bible may be a shock but should never cause you to think wow this is all false and I should not follow any more but in fact make you humble and realize, you didn’t have it all figure out and maybe you need to refocus and re learn and make you more hungry to read the Bible and learn about Jesus more and God :). Because we were taught in accurate at time about the Bible and how to read it, doesn’t make God false or Jesus not real and not someone to follow, but if anything gives you a new lens and realizing you’ll never figure out God and this walk with Jesus, is a life long walk and fellowship :). So for example, something like the snake talking in the garden is really not important and doesn’t compromise the message because writers back than told stories when they wanted to address something. For example, if we were to tell someone from the ancient world, or even any of the disciples back than about google, they would have no idea what we were talking about. Same exact concept how we would have to do our best to translate and help them understand what we mean when we say go ask google. Also when a person goes through a break up and writes on Facebook, my world is falling apart I just broke up with my BF/GF, we know the world is not falling apart or even their world. It’s an expression. When we read that persons post, we should not read it, like wow by them encountering and having a break up, their world literally has fallen apart but understand they are expressing, their relationship with that person was everything to them, and them not being in that relationship because how it ended, it’s as if their world has fallen apart. Now we can read that and immediate understand what they are saying and not saying. Same thing how we have to read the book of genesis and the Old Testament. When you study, you find out some of the writings weren’t literal but an expression. So it’s not important to know things like, was their a talking snake, was the flood actually global, was the earth really approx 8,000 years old. Those are all secondary issues and not primary. Whether they were literal or not is not important because it doesn’t compromise the story and message but what is important is who is God and who is Jesus. Those things are for fun debate and never should be taken literal. Never should you put your life on the line and think, if the earth is not 8,000 years old, than the Bible is wrong and you should not follow Jesus and believe in God, not at all. Regardless if a person believes the earth is young or old or some where in the middle, should not really matter. So I encourage you to study, learn and never stop growing, never think you have it all figured out because none of us do. :)

[@mahkaimaldonado4471]

@@ericrossoni u need to write a book !!

[@ericrossoni]

@@mahkaimaldonado4471 Oh wow thank you for the compliment :). I forgot about this comment I made and I can’t believe you read the whole thing. I didn’t realize now long it was 😆

[@moses8536]

43:22

[@SelflessLiving]

thank you sm:)

[@TheLakingc]

Oh, i just want to share this with everyone i know, but the reality is, sadly, that i do not know anyone who cares. They just pat me on the head with a thumbs up.

[@lesliewilson2275]

Why did one of the facilitators give the example of "another son of God being tempted..." is he meaning there is more than one son of God or did i misunderstand him?

[@Theskybluerose]

I might be wrong but I think he is saying Jesus praying in the garden alludes to Adam, who is son of God in the way that we all are children of God, being tested and trailer in the garden of Eden

[@robin-elizabeth2975]

The background music NEEDS to go!!!! It's not just distracting, it's nauseating and annoying!!!!

[@betrion7]

Music is included in the intro that lasts less then 5 minutes. Upon Tim's arrival and the beginning of the talk with him the music stops.

[@Mrkilledhorse]

I can only imagine you're old.

[@punkseth1]

3:25

[@MsMoves]

Terrible background music. Uhggg!

[@greghoss5926]

I've always been turned off to churchianity because of the obsession with proving everything litterally happened. Its doesnt matter when you know christ. The moral of the stories make way more impact on my soul then arguing about if the events actually happened. The christshuns that I know that have to believe it all actually happened remind me of doubting Thomas. They have to see jesus actually doing miracles in history otherwise their faith evaporates. Sounds alot like building a house on sand, considering the limited evidence we can still find from 3000 years ago.

[@TheLakingc]

It is so frustrating to make discoveries but have churchins tell you, great teachers are frauds full of heresy! They speak lies about anyone not of their tribe. These are the same people following weird groups that supported the insurrection and Q. They say they believe the Bible, but seem to have just flown on by missing it. One pastor actually came in to a nearby church and burned all of the New King James Bibles the church bought and replaced them with some King James version no one could understand, i think from the 1700s, so he bought dictionaries from that era, too! The churches here sign petitions against everything that scares them and carry guns and brag about it like it is a religion all its own. Many boastful words. I have tried for our 20 years here to counter this mentality in words, deeds, and music, but it now feels dangerous to be here...and just too stifling. I had no life away from here until KZbin and discovering a church 10 hours from here online! We have "attended" for over a year. The Pastor spoke of The Bible Project. I thought, oh, no, another weird group! But i did check it out and loved it and searched into Tim Mackey Archives. Oh, wow! What a great surprise! Then to see so many comments by searchers...wow! I thought i had died and gone to heaven! I so love finding that others have made these discoveries and so much more. There are people who love The Word without imposing our will into it. I loved how Tim discovered the literature component...i had no idea. His excitement, still, after years of study and life, has been invigorating and encouraging! I do not feel alone anymore. Thank God for technology in my life. We did not have good access to the internet here until recently and some still have no access to TV or internet. Those who did, had not a clue how to use it...facebook was about it, and fox news. Now many...most, switched to something other than facebook because it was too liberal. I quit every local group and joined with RV fulltimers in hopes of leaving here! Ha! And now Tim Mackey et al educational channels. I am in my mid 70s and feel 20 again! Praising God Who heard my cries!

[@greghoss5926]

@@TheLakingc I love the bible project, but i also think the bible was written by men that could have had self serving motives. The Q stuff is interesting. If you actually look into it its not theory its true stuff. As far as calling j6 an insurrection. Lets just say most people have no idea what a real insurrection is, otherwise they wouldn't be calling that an insurrection. The point is people gotta think for themselves. Religion, politics, media they all have things they want everyone else to believe. That means they need to be scrutinized the most.

[@TheLakingc]

@@greghoss5926 well, keep reading over and over in a spirit of humility, ready for His revelations to you and not blocking it by insisting it be your way, your perspective. Otherwise, you will never have the truth, the true answers that are there.

[@larrybedouin2921]

Hermeneutics is the arm of man... mans wisdom, from traditions and philosophy. Which is no wisdom whatsoever in comparison to God and his wisdom. The word of God must be internalized and received in ones heart.

[@chelebelle2223]

@Tim Mackie & colleagues__I'm really learning a lot from listening to your videos.

[@Lex_Koncord]

I'm torn about calling the Bible the "word of God". The Bible itself is very clear that Jesus is the only "Word" of God - while scripture contains the words of God in some places... Also important to remember that the bible is supposed to point us to God with Jesus as our mediator. The bible is not meant to replace the direct line of communication we now have through our great high priest. Look at the failures we are told about: Adam and Eve didn't want direct communication with God - they could be like God. Israel didn't want direct communication at Mt Sinai - keep Moses in between them. Israel didn't want direct communication through the priesthood - give us a King. Now, the church doesn't want direct communication, give us a pastor that will tell us what the bible says... Let's stop repeating history.

[@shorelinebaptistchurch4169]

I think I understand what you're saying. You're right about the reaction of the people to the presence of God and their need for a mediator. I'm not sure I agree about the Bible not being meant to replace a direct line to God. Paul once told Timothy that all scripture is God-breathed and profitable for instruction, correction and reproof. I think Paul would hold scripture to a level higher than the event at Sinai. Jesus prayed that God would sanctify His people with His truth, His word is truth. Jesus also said that heaven and earth would pass away but His word would never pass away. No letters or punctuation, no matter how seemingly insignificant, would ever stop being true and important. My sense is that the Bible actually is the direct line from God to us. The Holy Spirit uses our knowledge of the scriptures to nourish and direct us, to exalt the person of Jesus and the holiness of God. David said he memorized scripture in order to live in a manner pleasing to God and avoid sinning. I personally would be suspicious of a pastor that began to preach from some "direct" line that wasn't firmly anchored in scripture. You may not agree, but I believe the Bible is the word of God and Jesus is the Word of God. It would be impossible to love Jesus and not love the Bible.

[@Lex_Koncord]

About what Paul said to Timothy - all that he's saying is that the OT (not NT) is useful - keep studying it. "God-breathed" - that's the only time that phrase is used and the closest cross reference is when God breathed life into humanity at creation. We just don't know what that means enough to then say that the bible is a uniquely delivered work. That's hanging our hats on a VERY flimsy rack... (you also then have to assume that what Paul wrote to Timothy was God-breathed - which people try to then point to Peter - but then you have to assume what Peter said was God-breathed too with no other "God-breathed" scripture to validate it) I believe that the bible is unique in content, but not in delivery. Many sermons start with the pastor or someone else praying that "please God, speak through me this morning, let these people hear what you want to tell them". Isn't that the bible? Isn't that the prophets? So if man should still be working with the spirit to deliver a message to others from God - why is the bible unique in delivery? The same type of delivery should be happening regularly, daily, from believers to others. We all have a direct line of communication to the Father, through Jesus, by His Spirit. That is scary - but it's true - and it's a concept firmly anchored in scripture. That's why we need to be mature believers, testing the spirits, not tossed around by every wave of doctrine we hear. But we are told to go to the elders in our communities, those who have a proven track-record of following Jesus, and also ultimately rely on the Spirit confirming things to us directly. The concept of jot and tiddle, my words won't pass away, etc - we have to keep those in balance with the knowledge that Jesus quoted more from the Greek translation of the OT rather than the Hebrew original. Why would he do that if every jot and tiddle was what we should be paying attention to? His message is what is eternal - not the exact words. I can deliver the same good news about Jesus that will be eternal, without quoting word for word from Jesus (and how do we do that in English?). We have to separate the message from the exact wording. The Spirit brings life through the message (message is another meaning of the word for "word" in the NT), it's not a requirement of the precise words used. (check out what Jesus says to the pharisees in John 5 about searching the scriptures for eternal life) David memorized the Law - that is what Kings were told to memorize and read daily so that they could judge properly between conflicts - and I don't have a problem with memorizing scripture at all. It's useful. Think about this for a moment - you're a Christian in the 1st century - you have no NT - how do you know to trust anything that people are writing as from God? You trust in the Spirit to lead your local community. You test the spirits. Each letter or story is examined and prayed about, and individually confirmed as "Yes, the Spirit is speaking to us through this as a church. This is something we should pass around to other believers as useful". It sounds like if you were in the 1st century, you wouldn't be able to accept them "as scripture" because it was just a letter some person wrote, and heck, he mentions your name in it! Wait, he even says clearly that some things are just his opinion... (1 Cor 7) There's no way God would speak through people like that... right? No, we can't just trust Paul because he claims to have this direct communication from God with new insights not in scripture. It's ok to eat meat sacrificed to idols now? We don't have to be circumcised? That's not what it says in the Law... Funny thing is - this back-seating the bible to the supremacy of Jesus speaking through the Spirit has been a 2 year journey for me. And in that time, I have studied the bible more than ever before. I have fallen more in love with Jesus and His message, and will never stop reading and studying the bible and His words in it. It's been liberating though to know that the bible is a written history of what happened by fallible, Spirit-cooperating humans - but it's reliable and can be trusted. But I don't need to think any higher of it than how God continues to speak to people today through any means He chooses. Whether that's a concept through nature, a movie, CS Lewis, a sermon by Tim Mackie or a letter Paul wrote. The Spirit of God can use any of these means to speak to us - and speak to others through us... What relationship is based on 1 mode of communication? Can't be very deep if so. We need to learn to trust Him, His leading, and walk out this relationship together - not look for cut and dry rules. Trust me, I completely understand what a scary concept this is... And not just because of the threat of how much it can be abused by people. (but heck, it can't be abused any worse than the abuses we have seen over the past 2k years, right?) But also in that it makes the journey that much harder. We have to learn to listen and follow, not just read and obey. There are too many circumstances that are not directly talked about in scripture we have to deal with regularly, and need His ongoing help. I'm praying that the Spirit of our Father will lead us both into truth (I'm open to correction if I'm wrong) as we follow Jesus and continue to study His message and words in the bible. Be blessed brother or sister :)

[@DamarcusTheKid27]

You are so wise...I'm just amazed at you spiritual maturity and your insight. Your message itself has taught me a lesson that I'm very grateful for

[@Lex_Koncord]

Thanks for your perspective. I fully understand what I'm saying is very hard to hear. Out of curiosity, are you replying to my main comment, or my longer comment below it? I address what you're saying about 2 Tim 3 in your in my first paragraph in the replied comment. (And even there to clarify, I'm not claiming that the NT is NOT useful, that's silly - just that 2 Tim 3:16-17 is referring to the OT only. We're adding the NT into Paul's words and changing his intended meaning. Not to mention that "scripture" to Paul might have meant the Septuagint, or other list of books than the 39 we have in the OT... it's not so cut and dry) If you want me to go over where we agree and disagree, explain my position more, I can... would that be helpful to you? (either private message or here - both public and private have pros and cons) Normally we are so entrenched in our own beliefs it's incredibly difficult to hear out an opposing idea, but I will consider doing it if you think it'll help you understand my position and reasons. I came from the side of the table you're currently on... I got my bachelor's in theology from a bible college 14 years ago :)

[@jasonfrederick1258]

But how did you get to know about jesus? Was it through the bible?

[@htebazileeilsel2293]

If Genesis isnt historically true and accurate, its just another story and holds no weight. If it was just to tell you theres one God who created everything, it would just say that but it goes into all these details. And God gave Moses the details, its not written as a parable or polemic, it is an ACCOUNT. Tim is absolutely wrong about Genesis, the Bible straight up says that Genesis 1-11 is HISTORY and not only that but Jesus and Paul references the creation as a literal fact.Theres a lot of good information out there on this,(Check out the Genesis account by Johnathan Sarfati and Genesis apologetics)Tim downplays the divinity of Scripture, humans didnt write it by their own understanding. Hes just regurgitating what is being taught at seminary school...which is wrong a lot of the time. If Genesis isnt literal, when does the Bible become literal.

[@cosmictruthseeker3796]

thanks for writing this. it was one of the most depressing sharings I have ever heard. If this is all the Bible is, based on what they said in the video, then no thanks. But at the same time, I don't want to make them feel bad either and whatever they have understood, I congratulate them for persevering. I arrived at the Bible after a lot of heartache and exposure to tons of supernatural things in the new age and occult. When reading about the slavery in Egypt, it is not only historical but a metaphor for when one is enslaved, especially to the occult, but it doesn't have to be only the occult. it was when I saw supernatural wine appear out of thin air in the occult, that I thought as a gentile, oh if this can happen without Jesus, then Jesus most assuredly turned water into wine. I saw tomatoes drop out of thin air, plop plop plop plop, so then I thought, oh wow, then it's probably true that Jesus fed the masses with food out of thin air. i saw more than this appear, like goqi juice, numerous crystals. My friends have levitated, so Jesus could easily walk on water. of course there is going to be metaphor in the Bible, like 6 days of creation is not literal. Maybe 6 days in God's time, but that is not our literal time.

[@juliachildress2943]

The Bible can contain absolute Truth without containing absolute fact. Consider the parables of Jesus. They were not supposed to be taken literally, but were stories that Jesus used to make eternal spiritual points. Much of the Hebrew Bible does the same thing and when you try to force it to be literal, you're probably missing much of the spiritual truth.

[@htebazileeilsel2293]

@@juliachildress2943 It is made clear when something is parable and when it is an account. Any time Jesus uses a parable, it says "He spoke this parable" Genesis says "this is the HISTORY of the heavens and the earth". If Adam and Eve are not literal historical people then how did sin enter the world? Why does Paul say that sin entered the world through the transgression Adam? If evolution is true how was there death to contribute to the process of evolution if death comes from sin? You cannot interpret Genesis as a parable or else the entire foundation of the need of Christ's sacrifice falls apart. What else will you claim is a "parable" the flood? Abraham and Sarah? Cain and Abel? Do you dare call God a liar and elevate "scientific theory"(which has been thoroughly debunked over and over) over what He said in the Scriptures? Stop letting academia influence how you interpret the Holy Scriptures. Scripture interprets Scripture, you cannot divorce reality from the Word of Truth.