The Carson Center Podcast

In this lecture, Don Carson examines the biblical concept of God as the reigning King. He contrasts modern perceptions of monarchy with ancient understandings, and he traces the evolution of Israel’s desire for a king. He explores God's promise to David of an enduring dynasty, the fulfillment of this promise through Solomon, and the covenant’s ultimate fulfillment in Jesus—the eternal King. Carson also highlights the ongoing tension of God's kingdom being "already here and not yet come," with Jesus as the victorious King who will ultimately defeat death itself.

He teaches the following:

• The Israelites were called into covenant with God, making him their Ruler and King
• God’s promise to David was fulfilled in Solomon, but the dynasty faced challenges and corruption
• An overview of the Davidic kingdoms and their eventual schism
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant as the Messiah and the Son of David
• A biblical perspective on the continuous struggle despite the arrival of the promised King

In this lecture, Don Carson discusses God’s role as both Creator and Legislator, challenging listeners to consider the Bible's laws and their relevance in today's society amidst objections to Christian morality. He explores the importance of boundaries in truth and freedom, drawing connections between God's laws, the Mosaic Covenant, and the story of the Israelites. Carson concludes by pointing to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice that fulfills the law and reconciles humanity to God.

He teaches the following:

• All communities have boundaries, and no community can be completely inclusive
• Truth is inevitable and cannot be escaped, even in a post-modern context
• Why freedom must have discipline, and how this truth is biblically based
• The historical significance of each commandment in Exodus 20, and their relevance for Christians today
• How the Ten Commandments are related to God's self-disclosure in a redemptive act
• How the sacrificial system fits into the broader storyline of God’s relationship with his people

In this lecture, Don Carson discusses God's sovereignty and covenant promises as he unpacks Abraham's story in Genesis 12. Carson critiques common misconceptions about God's relationship with humanity, demonstrating how God's covenant with Abraham points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. The lecture stresses the importance of understanding God's grace, as seen in Abraham's obedience and trust in God's promises.
 

He teaches the following:

• The three common misconceptions of God’s relationship with humanity
• Why God does not need humanity’s worship or obedience
• Why it's important to understand God’s sovereignty and grace
• God unconditionally fulfills his promises, even when humans fail
• The cultural significance of Abraham’s obedience to God
• The story of Abraham and Isaac is a prefiguration of God's ultimate act of grace in sending his Son to die for humanity

Join Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger for their annual discussion as they look back on the top theology stories of 2024. They also share their favorite books from 2024, updates on personal projects, and what they're each looking forward to in life and ministry in 2025. 

They discuss: 

• The rise in Bible sales in 2024
• Declining fertility rates worldwide
• Big changes for the United Methodist Church and the role of the Global South
• The advance of assisted suicide in the UK
• The Cass Report and the truth about transgender treatments
• Encouraging signs among Gen Z
• Trump’s election victory and a GOP shift
• Anticipating the 2025 Gospelbound season
• Book highlights from 2024
• Personal projects and updates
• Don Carson’s legacy and an important update about his life and ministry

Mentioned on this episode:

"My Top 10 Theology Stories of 2024" by Collin Hansen (article)

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In this lecture, Don Carson examines Genesis 3, focusing on the Serpent's deceit and humanity's rebellion, which leads to shame, guilt, and broken fellowship with God. He discusses the curses placed on Satan, Adam, and Eve, highlighting the introduction of sin and the long-term effects on creation. Carson emphasizes the need for reconciliation with God, pointing to the promise of redemption through Jesus.

He teaches the following:

• How Satan openly contradicted God’s Word in his temptation
• The immediate and long-term consequences of sin
• The foretelling of enmity between the Serpent's offspring and the woman's offspring points to future atonement
• Humanity’s ultimate problem is alienation from God due to our willful rebellion
• How the promise in Genesis 3 points to ultimate redemption through Jesus

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In this lecture, Don Carson introduces a new series, “The God Who Is There.” He explores the creation account in Genesis, highlighting key attributes of God and humanity. Carson also emphasizes the importance of Genesis 1–2 for understanding the fall in Genesis 3, the concept of a new creation through Jesus, and the foundational differences between the biblical worldview and other religious or philosophical systems.

He teaches the following:

• Why it’s important to understand the Bible’s organization and structure
• How God reveals himself supremely through his Word
• The significance of the creation narrative
• How creation’s intelligent, complex design points to a Designer
• The attributes of God as revealed in Genesis 1–2
• How humanity bears God's image
• How the context of Genesis 1–2 helps us understand the fall in Genesis 3
• The connections between human responsibility and God’s

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In this lecture, Don Carson teaches mainly from Ezekiel 16, which describes Jerusalem’s spiritual adultery and compares the city to an ungrateful prostitute who turns to infidelity. Carson also points to Israel’s rebellion in forming a political alliance with Egypt. He explains that, despite the severe punishment described, God promised eventual restoration through an everlasting covenant when Jerusalem would repent and experience God's faithfulness.

He teaches the following:

• Why Israel is compared to a “useless vine” and how it connects to the Bible’s larger metanarrative
• Absolutizing any one form of God’s love results in absurd theology
• How political alliances contributed to Israel’s downfall
• God remembered Jerusalem and established an everlasting covenant with her
• The new covenant would bring atonement for Jerusalem’s sin
• How the metaphor of marriage and apostasy is used to illustrate the severity of Israel's rebellion
• The importance of fidelity and the consequences of betrayal in both human and divine relationships
• The imagery of marriage and atonement conveys God’s enduring love for his people

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In this lecture, Don Carson contrasts false prophets, who lead others astray, with genuine prophets who speak truth grounded in God's revelation and call people to repentance. He emphasizes the importance of discernment in times of cultural decay and highlights the vitality of remaining faithfully rooted in the Scripture and committed to moral uprightness despite the pressures of a confused world.

He teaches the following:

• Genuine prophets speak from God, while false prophets speak from imagination
• False prophets will face divine judgment for their deception
• Genuine prophets call people to repentance and biblical knowledge
• What’s spoken by genuine prophets aligns with revealed redemptive history
• God’s sovereignty embraces both good and evil
• False prophets are accepted by many, while genuine prophets are accepted by few
• Faithfulness and discernment are necessary in a world that promotes moral relativism

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In this lecture, Don Carson focuses on Ezekiel's vision of God's glory and the departure of the divine presence from the temple in Ezekiel 10–11. He explores the prophetic denunciation of Israel’s leaders, the promise of a new covenant, and the spiritual transformation of the people. Carson highlights the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purposes as seen in Revelation, where his people dwell with him in the new heaven and earth.

He teaches the following:

• How the departure of God’s glory is a mark of judgment
• God's promise to gather the exiles and give them an undivided heart
• The new covenant's removal of the need for mediating teachers
• How John’s vision in Revelation 5 reflects the fulfillment of God’s promises to Ezekiel
• God is always in control, and his way will triumph
• The final consummation of God’s promises is seen in the new heaven and earth

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In this lecture, Don Carson discusses Ezekiel’s visions from God in Ezekiel 8–9, which convey Jerusalem’s widespread idolatry and sinfulness. He contrasts the corruptibility of false worship with the necessity of true worship, and he connects the importance of authentic worship to historical awakenings. Carson underscores that without a clear moral vision, society risks decay.

He teaches the following:

• Ezekiel's denunciation of corrupt worship that relativized God
• How corrupt worship dulls moral vision and invites divine judgment
• The Western world's interest in worship and search for spirituality
• The idol of jealousy in Ezekiel’s vision as an example of syncretism
• God’s judgment of participants of corrupt worship and his mercy on those who grieve over their sin
• How Ezekiel’s vision shows the moral impetus behind the Great Awakening

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In this lecture, Don Carson examines Ezekiel's prophetic vision from God as recorded in Ezekiel 4–5. The prophet's actions symbolize Jerusalem's impending judgment because of their sin, and Carson highlights the inevitability of God's wrath and the need for repentance. He points to the seriousness of God's judgment in the Old Testament and the ultimate display of God's justice and mercy in the New Testament, particularly through the cross.

He teaches the following:

• Ezekiel’s prophetic actions convey the severity of God’s coming judgment
• God’s wrath is a necessary consequence of the people's wickedness
• Why we must understand repentance
• How Ezekiel 4–5 fits into the context of the Bible’s metanarrative
• The problem of humanity’s sin requires a divine solution
• The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s justice and mercy

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Don Carson introduces the study of Ezekiel, focusing on chapters 1–3 and Ezekiel's calling amid visions of God’s glory and the challenges of a rebellious nation. Carson delves into how Ezekiel faithfully spoke God's words, regardless of opposition, and calls listeners to similar boldness and faithfulness in today's culture.

Carson teaches the following:

• Ezekiel's visions that reflect God’s majesty and power
• Ezekiel's command to speak to Israel
• Ezekiel's call to speak to both the wicked and the righteous
• Ezekiel's equipping to deliver God’s words fearlessly
• How to speak God’s truth boldly in a biblically illiterate culture

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 Don Carson discusses the strengths and weaknesses of new hermeneutics, arguing that while it offers helpful insights, all Scripture carries an enduring relevance that transcends cultural shifts. He emphasizes the need for humility in biblical interpretation, the clarity of Scripture, and the role of the Holy Spirit in understanding God's Word.

He teaches the following:

• New hermeneutics must be balanced by Scripture's transcendent relevance
• Scripture is clear and accessible for all believers to understand and obey
• God's revelation is complete under the New Covenant
• Understanding Scripture requires both intellectual effort and the Holy Spirit's guidance
• How to evaluate command, sharing, and servant models of leadership
• Humility and a teachable spirit are essential when interpreting God's Word

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Don Carson addresses the challenge of biblical inerrancy and interpretation, particularly in the context of textual variants and modern pluralism. He emphasizes that while textual variations exist, they do not compromise major doctrines, and he calls for a deeper understanding of genre, grace, and cultural relevance in Scripture interpretation.

He teaches the following:

• Why textual variants don't undermine inerrancy or key doctrines
• God's sovereignty shown through Scripture's preservation
• How Genesis 1-3 combines history and symbolism
• Common grace should not be twisted to oppose God's truth
• Parables like the Good Samaritan should be modernized carefully
• Pluralism rejects objective truth, complicating evangelism
• Biblical interpretation must account for cultural relevance

In his lecture on Genesis 39, Don Carson examines the literary structure of the text and highlights Joseph's faithfulness in resisting temptation. Focusing on themes of faithfulness and divine blessing, and the significance of biblical parallelism, Carson compares Joseph's rise in Egypt with broader patterns of Hebrew poetry and scripture interpretation.

He teaches the following:

• How the structure of the text highlights faithfulness and blessing
• Parallelism in Hebrew poetry for its significance for understanding biblical texts
• The importance of understanding biblical literary genre
• Applying wisdom literature in a pluralistic society
• How to interpret apocalyptic texts in light of their genre
• The subjective nature of biblical interpretation and its implications for objective truth
• Biblical interpretation and cultural humility

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In this lecture, Don Carson explores the role of logic in biblical study, emphasizing the multiple meanings of "logic" and the importance of avoiding exegetical fallacies. He highlights the tension between God's sovereignty and human responsibility, urging the development of a biblical framework for understanding these concepts rather than relying solely on systematic theology, while acknowledging the limitations of human understanding.

He teaches the following: 

• Logic, its various meanings, and its application in biblical study
• Biblical interpretation and God's sovereignty
• God's sovereignty and human responsibility
• Limitations of understanding God's nature and sovereignty
• Understanding biblical theology and its application in evangelism
• Structure and interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount

Don Carson teaches on the complexities of interpreting 1 Timothy 2:12, emphasizing the need for a thoughtful, context-driven approach to gender roles in the church. He looks to other passages to challenge narrow interpretations of Scripture, urging believers to consider the broader biblical and linguistic context to faithfully understand God’s design and Scripture's meaning.

He teaches the following:

• Applying biblical interpretation principles to understand gender roles
• Using biblical language and meaning to avoid narrow interpretations
• The use of synonyms in John's Gospel
• Biblical examples for the meaning of "love"
• Biblical metaphors and their cultural context
• The balance between God's sovereignty and human responsibility

Don Carson explores spiritual rebirth through Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, emphasizing the distinction between natural and spiritual birth and God's essential role in salvation.

He teaches the following:

• Spiritual birth and its relationship to natural birth
• The importance of connecting expository preaching with broader biblical truth
• Modeling good Bible study and application, rather than just teaching it
• Understanding the semantic range of words in different languages
• The evolution of words in the Bible and their changing meanings over time

Don Carson focuses on Jesus's message to the church in Laodicea and the parable of the 10 virgins in order to illustrate the importance of understanding biblical texts within their historical and cultural context.

Carson teaches:

• How Jesus uses Laodicea's economic symbols to critique spiritual lukewarmness
• How the contextual reading of Scripture is an essential precursor to careful biblical exegesis
• The symbolism behind Jesus’s foot-washing and what it means for us today

Every Christian wants to know how to read their Bible well. Don Carson provides foundational principles for rightly handling God's Word and addresses challenges that may arise in biblical interpretation.

He teaches:

• Principles of biblical interpretation that emphasize understanding cultural context
• The importance of using the whole Bible to interpret difficult passages
• The role of the original languages in understanding the Scriptures
• How prayer shapes our study of the Bible
• How to handle difficulties, using examples about baptism and the kingdom of God