I have watched (June 2024) a few episodes of Driving Through History - The Gospels (available on Amazon Prime, Freevee TV, Tubi TV and other places or purchase the set with a study guide). I am impressed and find it informative and visually very interesting. 

I believed Jesus lived as a man but also wondered Jesus and God were real for decades until recently but if I had seen something like this decades ago it might have motivated me to clarify my beliefs and that is primarily what prompted me to post this, for someone like I was until two years ago, but I think it may also interest those who read and study the Bible.

Episode 1 Topics

The list below lists some of the interesting things that I found in just the first episode.

1. Jesus never travelled much more than 200 miles from his birthplace
2. 2000 years after his death almost 1/3 of earth's entire population Identify with the teachings of Jesus
3. Nazareth current  population is mentioned as about 80,000
4. The timing of the writing of each of the four Gospels is discussed. A mention of the similarities in the Synoptic Gospels by Matthew, Mark and Luke and differences to the Gospel of John. Some describe the Synoptic Gospels as descriptive while the Gospel of John is described as reflective and he wants readers to understand the events as he does.
5. Matthew's inclusion of a detailed lineage of Jesus relates to his intended Hebrew audience and the importance of ancestry and lineage in Jewish society. (Until 2 years ago when I heard these readings my inner reaction was something like "who cares?")
6. Some details on the vast size of the Roman Empire at the time of Jesus covering about 70 million people estimated to be about 1/4 of the entire world population at the time.
7. Considerable information about the Reign of Herod the Great, described as a "half Jew" and not accepted as legitimate by Jews because he was not of proper ancestral lineage to be a legitimate king. How evil he was executing at least 7 family members and probably 100 political rivals. A great many of the building projects he had built including the palace in Jerusalem which later became the Praetorium of Pontius Pilate. Also mentioned is a single building stone that weighs more than 1 million pounds.

All of the above and more is described in a video of less than 30 minutes and includes on location videos which is visually very interesting and enhances a relationship with Jesus.

Episode 2 Topics 

1. The annunciation / announcements to the Virgin Mary
2. Only 2 Gospels describe the events of the Annunciation / Matthew and the most detailed account by Luke
3. At the time there were thousands of people eligible to be priests as descended from Aaron the brother of Moses and many religious leaders at the time were corrupt.
4. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth and the time Zechariah was selected to enter the Temple's inner Sanctuary or Holy of Holies and the appearance of the angel Gabriel to announce that John the Baptizer will be born
5. This episode indicates that Nazareth has a population of around 200,000 people which seems to contradict an internet search and the first episode that indicates a population of about 80,000 but in the time of Jesus Nazareth is described as a sleepy little town with hundreds of homes.
6. All four of the appearances of the Angel Gabriel (including in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel) in the bible are connected with the coming Messiah / he's called the "Angel of the Incarnation"
7. "Hail Mary" and football connection: in the 1920's the University of Notre Dame was known as Hail Mary when several players would often say the prayer before a play. The "Hail Mary" pass became widely known after the 1975 Dallas Cowboy Roger Staubach made a last minute pass to beat the Minnesota Vikings and after the gave he stated "I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary"
8. The two Churches in Nazareth that commemorate the Annunciation 
9. The Gospel definition of "Miracle" is described as good and wonderful things and performed by the supernatural powers of God
10. The significance of a virgin birth of a Messiah and the Prophet Isaiah prophesy that "the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son" Born of a Virgin birth Jesus is fully divine and fully human.
11. In the year 525 AD the creation of a standard calendar by a monk named Dionysius at the request of Pope John and the apparent error that Jesus was actually born a few years earlier than 1 AD is mentioned.
12. The Roman Census is discussed.
13. There was more than one town called Bethlehem and it is believed the Jesus was born in Bethlehem about  5 1/2 miles southwest of Jerusalem which is where the Jewish Scriptures predicted the Messiah would be born.

A second series Drive Though History - Acts to Revelation