This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to reflect on John 12:1-8. The English Standard Version supplies the passage with the heading “Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany.” Jesus and his twelve disciples were in the home of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. Probably, many more people were present. It was a joyous occasion. A …
The Fragrance of Faith: Mary Anoints Jesus in Bethany Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 19:28-40. The English Standard Version supplies the passage with the title “The Triumphal Entry.” It tells of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, and people greeting him like the Israelites of old used to greet their kings. On Saturday, I got out of bed at 2:30 …
King Jesus on a donkey and public speech about other faiths Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to meditate on Luke 15:1-3 and 11b-32, the parable of the prodigal[1] son. The English Standard Version inserts three headings in the chapter: The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin, and The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus told these parables in response to …
The lost older brother in the story of the prodigal son Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 13:1-9. The English Standard Version (ESV) presents the text in two parts. To the first part, it supplies the heading “Repent or Perish.” To the second part, it supplies the heading “The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.” The passage begins with the words “There were …
The Barren Fig Tree: A Reflection on Justice and Sin Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 13:31-35. The English Standard Version supplies the heading “Lament over Jerusalem.” The speaking characters are Jesus and some Pharisees. Verse 31 begins with “At that very hour.” Luke begins with these words because he wants us to connect what follows with what Jesus said earlier. What …
Why didn’t Jesus choose Herod to be his executioner? Read More »
This Sunday the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 4:1-13. The English Standard Version supplies it with the heading “The Temptation of Jesus.” It supplies the same heading to parallel accounts at Matthew 4:1 and Mark 1:12. Other versions supply headings like “Jesus tested by the Devil[1].” The account tells us that right after Jesus …
Are we missing something in the Temptation of Jesus? Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to read Luke 9:28-36. The English Standard Version, and most other translations, supply the passage with the heading “The Transfiguration.” The Transfiguration is at once simple and perplexing. There are parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark.[1] What Luke tells us before he introduces the passage is important. Jesus had …
The mystery of the Transfiguration: Understanding Jesus’ divine nature Read More »
Last Sunday, the lectionary invited us to ponder Luke 6:17-38. This is the middle portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, the beginning of which I discussed last week. The English Standard Version supplies today’s verses with the headings “Love Your Enemies,” and “Judging Others.” Some teachings are repeated often. For example, in church membership …
The most outrageous and difficult command in Jesus’ sermon Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 6:17-26. The English Standard Version presents the verses in two clusters, under the headings “Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude,” and “The Beatitudes.” These are summaries of the first two parts of what’s often called Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain.”[1] Luke presents the sermon as something …
Listen to Jesus like those under the Japanese occupation Read More »
Last Sunday, the lectionary invited us to ponder Luke 5:1-11. The English Standard Version supplies the passage with the heading “Jesus Calls the First Disciples.” Christian speech can seem very strange to outsiders. The first time I attended a church service, I was horrified when the congregation sang “I really want to bless you, Lord.” …
I no longer worry that Christians are agents of death Read More »
