Why Does Jesus Get Baptized in the Wilderness?

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.CHAPTERSRecap 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESThe Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, translated by Geza VermesYou 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 VanparlaBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSRecap 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESYou 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 SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSRecap 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESYou 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 SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSSummary 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESIn 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 VanaukenIn 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 CharisBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSRecap 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESYou 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 DerrickBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSRecap 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESTim 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 SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSRecap 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESCheck 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 SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.CHAPTERSThe 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 TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESTim 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“Pearly Gates ft. Isaac Wheadon” by Lofi Sunday“Sunrise ft. Jk Beatbook” by Lofi SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Redemption Q+R (E12) — Is deliverance from evil spirits a redemption from the evil one over to God’s possession? Was God demanding a redemption payment through Jesus’ death? And are salvation and redemption basically the same thing? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from our Redemption series. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions to this episode!View all of our resources for Redemption →CHAPTERSRevisiting the Conversation of Redemption and Tackling Your Questions! (0:00-2:50)How does payment relate to redemption, and why does God demand a payment? (2:50-24:15)Why did Jesus’ death have to be such an awful, gruesome crucifixion? (24:15-36:12)When Jesus delivers a person possessed by an evil spirit, is this a redemption from the evil one over to God’s possession? (36:12-42:50)What does it mean to be saved, and is it the same as redemption? (42:50-55:09)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESWhen discussing Jesus’ redemption of people possessed by evil spirits, Tim references episode 7 of this series: How Does Jesus Redeem 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 MUSICBibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITSProduction 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.Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Redemption Hyperlink Episode (E11) — There are so many themes in the Bible, from redemption to exile, to mountains and cities. In every series, we attempt to isolate and study one biblical theme. But it’s important to remember that biblical themes are woven together throughout the Bible like instruments in a symphony. Today in this hyperlink episode, we’ll listen to clips from previous podcast series where the theme of redemption also came up in Jon and Tim’s conversations.View all of our resources for Redemption →CHAPTERS Redemption and the Day of Atonement (0:00-30:24)Redeeming the Time (30:24-38:20)Redemption From the Grave (38:20-50:24)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode’s official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESClip 1 is from “What Is the Day of Atonement?,” episode 6 in our 2022 series, Leviticus Scroll.The Mythic Mind by Nicolas WyattSin, Impurity, Sacrifice, Atonement: The Priestly Conceptions by Jay SklarCult and Character: Purification Offerings, Day of Atonement, and Theodicy by Roy GaneClip 2 is from “Poetry Q+R,” episode 22 in our 2018 series How To Read the Bible.Clip 3 is from “What Happens After We Die?,” episode 3 in our 2017 series, Nephesh / Soul.Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. WrightYou 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“Eucalyptus ft. Eluzai” by Lofi Sunday“Solace ft. ahmo” by Lofi SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction 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. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.