Russ walks through a practical example from Matthew 6 to show how study Bible tools can deepen personal Bible reading. He focuses on the Lord’s Prayer, using notes, footnotes, and cross references to unpack prayer, temptation, and translation details.

Inside the episode:

• In this episode, Russ explains how notes, footnotes, and cross references each serve a different purpose in a study Bible.
• He uses Matthew 6:9 to show how a study Bible note frames the Lord’s Prayer as a model for prayer, not just a memorized passage.
• Russ breaks the prayer into categories: adoration, God’s kingdom and will, daily needs, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil.
• He distinguishes footnotes from commentary notes, showing how footnotes often give alternate translations or clarify difficult wording.
• He uses a footnote on “daily bread” to demonstrate how translation choices can reveal meaning and why he reads footnotes carefully.
• Russ explains cross references as a way to trace themes across Scripture, comparing Matthew 6:13 with John 17:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and James 1:13.
• He highlights John 17 as Jesus’ prayer for believers, connecting the Lord’s Prayer to Christ’s intercession.
• He uses 2 Thessalonians 3:3 to emphasize God’s faithfulness to strengthen and guard believers from evil.
• He uses James 1:13 to stress that temptation does not come from God and should not be blamed on Him.
• Russ closes by discussing a footnote about the doxology, explaining why some newer translations omit it while older manuscripts and traditional versions include it in the notes.

Russ gives a practical walkthrough of the study helps found in a print Bible, using his Harper Study Bible as the example. This episode shows how much useful material is often sitting in the front and back of a Bible that many readers never open.This solo episode focuses on educational guidance. Russ explains the purpose of the front matter, study notes, concordance, and maps, then previews a follow-up episode on cross-references.

Inside the episode:

• Why Russ returned to print Bibles and paper journals after being challenged to revisit older spiritual practices
• What makes a study Bible different from a regular Bible, and why these helps exist
• Front matter, including the title page, copyright details, preface, table of contents, abbreviations, pronunciation guides, and alphabetical book listing
• Why the RSV was revised from the King James tradition and how translation choices affect clarity
• How book introductions help readers understand authorship, purpose, and outline before reading a biblical book
• How the index to annotations helps readers find commentary on themes like blood, covenant, and faith
• How a concordance works, using “shepherd” and Psalm 23:1 as an example
• How Bible maps help readers visualize Exodus, the patriarchs, the 12 tribes, David and Solomon, divided Israel and Judah, exile routes, Jesus’ time, Paul’s missionary journeys, and the Roman Empire
• Why listeners should explore the tools in their own study Bible
• A preview of the next episode on cross-references

This bonus episode wraps up the Psalms series by showing that psalm-like poetry appears all over Scripture, not just in the book of Psalms. Russ traces examples from Exodus, 2 Samuel, Jonah, Luke, Revelation, and the lesser-known Psalm 151 to show how biblical worship and song span the whole Bible.He also explains why Psalm 151 is fascinating, why it appears in some ancient traditions but not most modern Bibles, and what its existence suggests about the wider world of ancient Jewish worship texts.

Inside the episode:

• Russ revisits the core idea that a psalm is a kind of poetry meant to be sung, not just a section title in the Bible.
• In Exodus 15, Moses and Israel sing after crossing the Red Sea, celebrating God’s rescue from Pharaoh’s army.
• In 2 Samuel 22, David sings a deliverance song that appears again almost word for word as Psalm 18.
• Russ highlights the small but meaningful opening difference between 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18, where Psalm 18 begins, “I love you, O Lord, my strength.”
• Jonah 2 is presented as a psalm-like prayer from the belly of the fish, full of poetic imagery, distress, and thanksgiving.
• Russ points out that Jonah’s prayer ends with the declaration, “Salvation belongs to the Lord.”
• In Luke 1, Mary’s Magnificat is introduced as a psalm of praise, centered on God’s mercy, reversal, and faithfulness to Israel.
• Russ notes that Luke chapters 1 and 2 are filled with song and poetry, showing that psalmody continues into the New Testament.
• Revelation is described as ending the Bible with repeated bursts of worship that echo the themes and structure of the Psalms.
• Psalm 151 is introduced as a real ancient psalm found in some traditions, especially the Septuagint and certain Orthodox Bibles, though not in most modern Protestant or Jewish collections.
• Russ explains that Psalm 151 also appears in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in Syriac, suggesting it has deeper historical roots than many readers realize.
• The episode closes by stressing that ancient Jewish people preserved more psalms than the 150 included in the standard biblical book of Psalms.