Podcast Summary: A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace

Episode: Season 4, Week 16, Day 3: Annotating John 3:14-16
Release Date: April 16, 2025
Host: The Daily Grace Co.
Available at: thedailygraceco.com

Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace, hosts Alexa and Beth delve into an in-depth study of John 3:14-16, exploring its profound connections to the Old Testament, specifically Numbers 21:4-9. This session is part of Season 4’s Christ in All of Scripture reading plan, aimed at uncovering how every page of the Bible points to Jesus Christ.

Main Discussion Points

1. Overview of the Study Approach

Host 1 (00:00):
“We want to spend a few minutes with you every day walking through our study Christ in All of Scripture. Each week we will dive deeply into two passages of Scripture, one from the Old Testament and one from the New, seeing how they connect and point to Jesus.”

The hosts emphasize a systematic approach to Bible study, focusing on two scriptures weekly to uncover their interconnections and Christ-centric messages.

2. Focus on John 3:14-16

Beth (00:38):
“Today we're going to be talking about the annotation day for John 3, 14, 16. This passage says, 'Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way. He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.'”

Beth introduces the primary scripture under discussion, highlighting its key verses and overarching message of God's love and the promise of eternal life through belief in His Son.

3. Personal Reflections and Annotations

Alexa (01:04):
“It was maybe on the short side, which is okay because it's just packed with some really great truth that we're going to unpack the rest of this week. You know, I don't always share what I put on the Wednesday annotation days about the words or phrases we see in the passage that points to Christ. So I'm going to do that this time. I highlighted 'Son of man must be lifted up' in verse 14, 'believes in him' in verses 15 and 16, and then also in 16, 'one and only son.'”

Alexa shares her approach to annotating the passage, focusing on pivotal phrases that emphasize the necessity of being "lifted up," the act of believing, and the uniqueness of Jesus as God's "one and only Son." These annotations serve as anchors for deeper theological exploration throughout the week.

4. Connecting Old and New Testament Themes

Beth (01:35):
“Yeah, it's really easy to just kind of shrug off that prompt on the New Testament days because we often think that it's an easy one or that it's just all a given because the New Testament is primarily about Jesus. But it is so helpful to really sit with these passages and think about what it is they are exactly saying about Jesus. Jesus. And so I'm really glad you shared that.”

Beth underscores the importance of not taking New Testament passages for granted, encouraging listeners to examine what each scripture explicitly conveys about Jesus. This meticulous approach ensures a richer understanding of His role and significance.

5. Exploring the Connection to Numbers 21:4-9

Alexa (01:59):
“I enjoyed the prompt that asked us to 'circle any language from Numbers 21:4-9' that we see reflected in the verses. The beginning of verse 14 is definitely something that we can circle since that's speaking directly to what we read in Numbers 21. But I also circled the repeating words of 'lifted up' in verse 14, and then I also circled 'life' in verses 15 and 16 as well. Where 'perish' in verse 16 we read in Numbers 21:49 how some of the Israelites died from the snake bites, while others were rescued from death by looking upon the bronze serpent. So we see the connections there between life and death.”

Alexa draws a direct parallel between the lifting of the serpent in the wilderness and Jesus being lifted up, as referenced in John 3:14-16. She highlights the thematic elements of life and death, illustrating how faith in Jesus leads to eternal life, much like looking upon the bronze serpent led to physical salvation for the Israelites.

6. Anticipating Future Discussions

Beth (02:38):
“Yeah, that's really good. It's not every day that our New Testament passage directly references the Old Testament passage, so I think that's really cool and makes this, yeah, the time of finding connections just a bit easier. So there's a lot more that we can talk about here, especially about the connections between the serpent and Jesus and all the things that are obviously going to come to play here. But we're going to have to save that for tomorrow's conversation. So join us then as we look at the Christ connections between these two passages. We really can't wait.”

Beth expresses enthusiasm about the unique intertextual connection found in this passage, setting the stage for deeper exploration in the following episode, particularly focusing on the symbolism of the serpent and its representation of Jesus.

Notable Quotes with Timelines

• Host 1 (00:00):
  “We want to spend a few minutes with you every day walking through our study Christ in All of Scripture.”

• Beth (00:38):
  “Today we're going to be talking about the annotation day for John 3, 14, 16. This passage says, 'Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.'"

• Alexa (01:04):
  “I highlighted 'Son of man must be lifted up' in verse 14, 'believes in him' in verses 15 and 16, and then also in 16, 'one and only son.'”

• Beth (01:35):
  “It is so helpful to really sit with these passages and think about what it is they are exactly saying about Jesus.”

• Alexa (01:59):
  “So we see the connections there between life and death.”

Conclusion and Next Steps

As the episode wraps up, Alexa and Beth encourage listeners to engage further with the study materials available on their website, thedailygraceco.com. They also invite the audience to follow them on Instagram for additional resources and community support.

Alexa (03:26):
“We're looking forward to studying God's Word with you again tomorrow. Bye, friends.”

Listeners are left anticipating the next episode, where the hosts will continue to unravel the profound connections between the Old and New Testaments, specifically focusing on the symbolism of the serpent and its portrayal of Jesus.

Additional Resources

• Study Guides and Journals: Available at thedailygraceco.com
• Social Media: Follow Daily Grace Co. on Instagram for updates and encouragement.

This episode exemplifies A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace’s commitment to providing a comprehensive and interconnected understanding of Scripture, deepening the listener’s relationship with Jesus through thoughtful analysis and reflection.