Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode Date: February 28, 2026
Readings: Leviticus 19–20; Psalm 55; Luke 19

Episode Overview

This episode’s main theme centers on the call to holiness found in God’s law (Leviticus 19–20), the heartfelt plea for deliverance and trust in God in the midst of betrayal (Psalm 55), and the radical welcome and challenge of Jesus in Luke 19—including his interactions with Zacchaeus, the parable of the minas, and his approach to Jerusalem. Through Old Testament law, Psalmic lament, and New Testament gospel, the readings weave together God’s moral demands, his compassion for the oppressed, and the nature of Jesus’ salvation and kingship.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Leviticus 19–20: The Call to Holiness

00:01 – 08:34

• Holiness as Identity and Command
  • “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (A, 00:04)
  • God’s repeated self-identification (“I am the Lord your God”) underscores the foundation for ethical living.
• Ethics and Social Justice
  • Commands against idolatry, injustice, oppression, dishonesty, and vengeance.
  • Compassion for the Vulnerable:
    • “You shall leave [the harvest] for the poor and for the sojourner.” (A, 01:09)
  • Justice:
    • “You shall do no injustice in court…in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.” (A, 01:41)
  • Memorable Command for Community:
    • “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (A, 02:10)
• Boundaries and Rituals
  • Wide-ranging laws: purity, sexual boundaries, honesty in trade, honoring elders, and fair treatment for foreigners.
  • Care for Strangers:
    • “You shall treat the stranger…as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (A, 03:59)
• Penalties for Idolatry and Immorality
  • Severe prohibitions against child sacrifice, occultism, and sexual sins.
  • “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death.” (A, 08:29)
• Separation and Distinction
  • “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” (A, 08:19)

Psalm 55: Prayer in Betrayal

08:34 – 10:53

• Raw Lament and Longing for Escape
  • “Give ear to my prayer, O God… I am restless in my complaint and I moan.” (C, 08:43)
  • “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” (A, 09:07)
• The Pain of Betrayal
  • “It is not an enemy who taunts me…But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together within God’s house.” (C, 09:38)
• Trust in God Despite Trouble
  • “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” (C, 10:38)
  • “But I will trust in you.” (C, 10:50)

Luke 19: The Mercy and Majestic Authority of Jesus

10:54 – End (~15:53)

• The Story of Zacchaeus (10:57–11:56)
  • Zacchaeus, a despised tax collector, climbs a tree to see Jesus.
  • Jesus invites himself to stay at Zacchaeus’s house, prompting joy and public outrage.
  • Transformation: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone…I restore it fourfold.” (A, 11:36)
  • Jesus declares salvation: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (C, 11:45)
• The Parable of the Ten Minas (11:57–13:50)
  • A nobleman entrusts money to his servants before departing, rewarding their stewardship or punishing neglect.
  • “Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.” (C, 12:16)
  • The warning: “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (C, 13:18)
• Jesus' Triumphal Entry and Weeping Over Jerusalem (13:51–15:24)
  • Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt; his followers proclaim:
    • “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (C, 14:38)
  • The Pharisees object, but Jesus replies:
    • “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (C, 14:48)
  • Jesus weeps over Jerusalem for its ignorance of “the things that make for peace.” (C, 14:51)
• Cleansing the Temple and Teaching (15:25–End)
  • Jesus drives out those selling in the temple:
    • “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” (A, 15:24)
  • Despite opposition from religious leaders, “all the people were hanging on his words.” (C, 15:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (A, 02:10)
• “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” (A, 03:59)
• “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” (A, 09:07)
• “It is not an enemy who taunts me…But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.” (C, 09:38)
• “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.” (C, 10:38)
• “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (C, 11:45)
• “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (C, 14:38)
• “If these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (C, 14:48)
• “My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.” (A, 15:24)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Leviticus 19: Holiness & Law
  00:01 – 04:32
• Leviticus 20: Penalties & Separation
  04:34 – 08:31
• Psalm 55: Lament & Trust
  08:34 – 10:54
• Luke 19: Zacchaeus & Parable of Minas
  10:54 – 13:51
• Luke 19: Triumphal Entry & Temple Cleansing
  13:51 – 15:29

Summary

This episode threads together God’s call for holiness expressed in community ethics, justice, and ritual purity (Leviticus), the human experience of betrayal and trust in God (Psalm 55), and the radical, welcoming kingdom of Jesus—marked by transformation, challenge, and divine compassion (Luke 19). The scriptural readings invite listeners to reflect on their call to live set apart, love their neighbor—including the stranger—and to bring all burdens and failings to the Lord, who seeks the lost and reigns as righteous King.