Psalm 137 ends with one of the Bible's most scandalizing lines: a prayer that an enemy's infants would be dashed against rocks. It understandably troubles believers, and for skeptics, it's a classic case against the Bible's goodness.

Does this cry for violence—especially against innocent babies—belong in what is supposed to be a sacred hymn book? On this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller brings in Dr. Bruce Waltke to reckon with this troubling passage.

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https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-psalm137-meaning?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Outline:

(01:27) Bruce Waltke Background

(04:41) Reading Psalm 137

(05:46) Why It Troubles Us

(08:53) Common Interpretations

(12:56) Imprecations and Justice

(17:32) Law Justice and Mercy

(25:13) Exile Context and Vengeance

(27:44) God’s Enemies, Not Personal

(31:01) Hyperbole or Literal

(35:34) Blessed or Rewarded

(38:11) Eschatology and Revelation

(42:41) Messianic Reading in Psalms

(44:21) Preaching and Application

Kirk E. Miller welcomes New Testament scholar Patrick Schreiner on to What in the Word? to tackle the question: Why was Jesus baptized? John’s baptism was for repentant sinners, yet Jesus was without sin.

They discuss the different interpretations of Matthew 3:13–17, focusing on what it means for Jesus to “fulfill all righteousness.” What is meant by “righteousness,” and how does Jesus’s baptism “fulfill” it? Finally, they consider the significance of the Spirit’s descent and the heavenly voice declaring Jesus “my Son.”

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Learn more about the episode:

https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-jesus-baptism-fulfill-righteousness?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Episode outline:

(00:00) Why Jesus Baptized

(01:06) Meet Patrick Schreiner

(01:55) Patrick's Book on Matthew

(03:44) Reading Matthew 3

(04:52) Matthew's Context and Israel

(09:59) Why Baptism Is Tricky

(12:49) Jesus Identifies With Israel

(17:05) Fulfill All Righteousness

(25:08) Matthew Versus Other Gospels

(30:01) Spirit Descent and Sonship

(37:57) Practical Takeaways

(42:49) Final Wrap Up

Jonathan Akin joins Kirk E. Miller on What in the Word? to discuss one of the Bible's most infamous passages, Elisha's curse that led to two she-bears mauling forty-two "youths" in 2 Kings 2:23-24.

Was Elisha simply an irritable old man who couldn’t take a joke? How old were these “youths”? And what exactly does their jeer, “Go up, baldhead!” mean? This episode examines these matters and more, exploring the passage's meaning and significance even for today.

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Learn more about the episode:

https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-elisha-and-the-bears?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Episode outline:

(00:00) Elisha and the Bears

(00:49) Meet the Guest

(04:05) Setting the Context

(07:07) Why This Text Shocks

(10:25) Who Were the Youths

(18:44) Bethel and Idolatry

(23:40) Sponsor Break

(28:59) Go Up Baldy Explained

(36:56) Covenant Curses and Bears

(43:58) Preaching Christ from Kings

(52:41) Wrap Up and Next Steps

If the Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God, why does the Bible seem to allow their enslavement? It’s a question that often troubles believers and serves as an objection for skeptics.

Kirk E. Miller sits down with author and apologist Rebecca McLaughlin to work through the issue historically, biblically, and theologically. As we’ll see, those passages that often seem like roadblocks to faith, when read carefully and in context, turn out to be signposts pointing toward it.

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Learn more about the episode: https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-bible-slavery?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Episode outline:

(00:00) Why Slavery in the Bible?

(01:06) Meet Rebecca McLaughlin

(04:56) Why Understanding Feels Hard

(08:57) Misuse and the Curse Of Ham

(10:31) Old Testament Slavery Context

(19:06) Laws Limit Harm

(22:31) Jesus Upends Power

(26:36) Early Church And Philemon

(33:06) Why Not Condemn Directly

(38:31) Modern Equality From Scripture

(44:04) The Cross and Kingdom Humility

(47:39) Exodus and the Black Church

(49:45) Serving Christ Conclusion

Luke records that the early Jesus followers in Jerusalem “held everything in common” (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–37). Does this mean the early church abolished private property and embraced a sort of communalism? Luke-Acts scholar Darrell L. Bock joins Kirk E. Miller on this episode of What in the Word? to discuss these texts and what they might mean for us today.

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Learn more about the episode: https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-acts-all-things-in-common⁠? utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw Outline:

(0:00) Introduction

(3:32) What's the difficulty?

(5:06) The context of Acts 2

(9:16) The context of Acts 4

(14:00) Elsewhere in Acts & NT

(17:17) What's going on?

(25:54) An exceptional community

(30:03) Descriptive yet persuasive

(36:38) Important details

(43:05) The practical significance

(47:58) Advice for preaching or teaching

When Paul says that gentiles “do what the law requires” (Rom 2:14) and have “the work of the law written on their hearts” (Rom 2:15), is he describing morally conscious pagans who have God’s natural law or believing gentiles who experience the inward transformation of the new covenant? And how does this inform our reading of Paul’s teachings on judgment according to works just prior (Rom 2:6–11)? On this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller sits down with Dr. Jarvis Williams to work through the interpretive issues.

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Learn more about the episode: https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-romans-2-14-15?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Outline:

(0:00) Introduction

(3:29) Setting the stage

(10:13) What makes Romans 2 difficult?

(16:38) View 1: Moral pagans with consciences

(25:07) View 2: Regenerate gentile believers

(37:23) Alternative outcomes in the final judgment

(48:14) Judgment according to works?

(1:01:06) The practical application of Romans 2

Join Kirk E. Miller and Old Testament scholar Chad Bird as they discuss the so-called "Curse of Ham" in one of the Bible's most cryptic and infamously abused passages: Genesis 9:18–29. Discover the different views on the nature of Ham's sin, why Noah curses his son Canaan instead of Ham, and how to properly interpret and apply this passage.

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Learn more about the episode: https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-curse-of-ham-genesis-9?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Outline:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:08) Genesis 9's Context

(06:11) Why It's Debated

(11:14) The Castration View

(12:46) Sexual Violation View

(18:07) Incest With Mother View

(22:35) Verse 23's Literal Expression

(25:25) Sexual Sin in Genesis

(26:41) Voyeurism View

(28:10) Why Curse Canaan Though?

(33:43) The So-Called Curse of Ham

(38:00) The Promised Line Narrows

(43:06) Blessing and Curse

(47:05) Preaching and Final Wrap

In Galatians 4:21–31, the Apostle Paul refers to the story of Sarah and Hagar as an allegory. But what does he mean by that? Does he impose foreign ideas onto the Genesis account?

Join host Kirk E. Miller and New Testament scholar David deSilva as they tackle this difficult passage, exploring how Paul’s use of the Old Testament is a powerful and sophisticated defense of God’s redemptive promises to be received by faith.

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Learn more about the episode: https://www.logos.com/grow/witw-moses-sin-promised-land?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=show-witw

Episode outline:(00:45) Meet David DeSilva

(01:58) Galatians 4

(02:45) Galatiam Crisis Context

(05:58) Covenants and Circumcision

(07:51) Why This Passage Is Hard

(12:00) Reading Galatians 4:21-31

(13:51) What Allegorically Means

(16:46) Typology vs Allegory

(18:07) Paul Reverses Lineage

(22:01) Galatians 3 Groundwork

(24:35) Torah and Pedagogue

(27:20) Word Study Deep Dive

(28:30) Typology Versus Figural

(29:46) Paul’s Argument in Galatians

(34:14) Genesis Infertility Theme

(37:25) Spirit and Scripture Authority

(40:10) Hagar and Sarah Correspondences

(43:28) Isaiah 54 and Mission

(45:31) Logos Study Workflow

(47:35) Pastoral Takeaways Freedom

(51:46) Preaching This Passage

(55:46) Wrap Up and Next Steps