This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 10:25-37. Most Bibles supply the passage with the heading “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” The story is often retold. But the meaning is often lost. This is how most people tell it: It was a dangerous road. Bandits operated on it. One of their victims …
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 10:1-11, 16-20. The English Standard Version supplies the verses with the heading “Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two.” Some translations say that Jesus sent out seventy, not seventy-two. According to footnotes in the translations and according to commentaries, the early manuscripts are split evenly between the two …
A normal Christian life is a peace-filled life of tension Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 8:26-39. The English Standard Version supplies the verses with the heading “Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon.” The story is found in the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Each evangelist places the story right after Jesus calms the storm on the Lake of …
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 9:51-62. The English Standard Version presents the reading in two portions. It supplies the first portion with the heading “A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus,” and the second portion with the heading, “The Cost of Following Jesus.” Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday, and the Sunday before that …
The trajectory of history and the People of the Way Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to reflect on John 16:12-15. These four verses lie within verses 16-24, to which the English Standard Version supplies the heading “Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy.” As I said last week, we’re in the part of John’s gospel in which he gives us highlights from Jesus’ farewell speech. …
Ascesis and the Spirit: Let the chisel perform its office Read More »
This Sunday, we will observe the Day of Pentecost. The lectionary invites us to ponder John 14:8-17, (25-27). In the English Standard Version, those verses fall within sections titled: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (1-14), and “Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit” (15-31). As I said in an earlier post, chapter 14 …
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder John 17:20-26. The English Standard Version provides the chapter with the title, “The High Priestly Prayer.” It does not provide any within-chapter headings. The chapter begins with Jesus looking up, addressing God as “Father,” and declaring that the hour has come. John used “the hour” as the …
Mysticism and Politics: Dwelling with God through Jesus’ Prayer Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder John 14:23-29. The English Standard Version supplies verses 15-31 with the heading “Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit.” As I said last week, in this part of his gospel, John focuses on Jesus’ farewell speech. It’s evening. Jesus has washed the feet of the twelve men whom he’s …
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder John 13:31-35. The English Standard Version supplies the heading “A New Commandment.” Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead. He’s entered Jerusalem riding a donkey, like Jewish kings of old. Greeks have come seeking him. Everyone’s talking about him. His “hour” has come. He must die like …
The Commandment Jesus designed to manifest God’s glory Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder John 10:22-30. The English Standard Version groups verses 22-42 together and supplies the heading “I and the Father Are One.” John tells us it was winter. Why? Partly to signal that some time has passed between the account ending in verse 21 – which was during the …
The Irony of Hanukkah: Jesus’ Works and the Jewish Leaders’ Response Read More »
