2026, August 2 ~ Genesis 32:22-31; Isaiah 55:1-5; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13b-21
TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
AUGUST 2, 2026
During Pentecost Season 2026, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Genesis 32:22-31
Reading
22 The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
Commentary
The word “Genesis” means “origin” and the Book of Genesis starts with the two Creation Stories and concludes with the death of Joseph (Jacob’s son) in Egypt. If the stories about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are historical, these events took place in the period from 1900 to 1700 BCE.
The Book of Genesis (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated to about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Since the late 19th Century, Biblical scholars have recognized four major “strands” or sources in the Torah, called “J” (Yahwistic), “E” (Elohistic), “D” (Deuteronomic) and “P” (Priestly). These sources are identified (among other ways) by their different theological emphases, names for God, names for the holy mountain, and portrayals of God’s characteristics.
Today’s reading continues the stories of the patriarchs. Last week, Jacob found his wife Rachel in Haran (the land from which Abraham came) and was tricked into working for his uncle, Laban, for 14 years. In the chapters between that reading and today’s reading, Jacob had 11 sons (six by Leah, Rachel’s older sister; two by Bilhah, Rachel’s maid; two by Zilpah, Leah’s maid; and one by Rachel). These sons (along with the last born, Benjamin, will be basis for the 12 tribes of Israel.
Jacob and his wives, children and flocks then traveled from Haran toward Canaan, but had to pass near Edom, the land of his twin brother, Esau (whose birthright Jacob had taken). Jacob learned that Esau was coming toward him with 400 men, so he divided all that he had into two groups so that one group might be preserved if Esau attacked him. He then sent Esau a substantial gift of livestock in hopes of appeasing him.
The New Oxford Annotated Bible speaks of today’s reading as follows: “The narrative includes a complicated word play on the on the names of Jacob (Heb ‘ya’aqob’), the river Jabbok (‘yabboq’; modern Nahr ez-Zerqa) and wrestled (wayye’abeq’; v.24).”
Today’s reading is the story of Jacob’s wrestling with someone identified variously as a man (v.24), a spirit/angel (which – according to antiquity – would disappear at daybreak, v.26), and as God (v.28). Jacob’s tried to obtain the wrestler’s name (v.29) which would have given him “control” over the wrestler, but this was refused. Instead, God gave Jacob a new name so that he was no longer known as Jacob (“supplanter”) but as “Israel,” which – according to The NOAB – originally meant “El rules” but the text says it means “one who strives with God and humans” (v.28).
“El” is the most ancient name for God, and the suffix “el” appears in many other names that have meanings “of God” such as Gabriel (God is my strength), Daniel (God is my judge), Beth-el (House of God) and “Peniel” (Face of God), v.30. The Jewish Study Bible points out that the folk etymology in this verse appears again in Hos. 12.4-5 (In the womb he tried to supplant his brother; Grown to manhood, he strove with a divine being, he strove with an angel and prevailed.)
It is noteworthy that Jacob was said to see God face to face and lived (v.30). Others who saw God face to face and lived are Hagar (Gen.16.13) and Moses (Ex.33:11).
The next verse after today’s reading says: “Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the thigh muscle.”
The NOAB observes: “An Israelite prohibition against eating the thigh muscle of an animal is cited as testimony to the truth of the story. This prohibition is reflected nowhere else in the Bible.” The JSB says: “A majority position in the Mishnah maintains that this ‘mitzvah’ [commandment] was first announced when the Torah was given on Mount Sinai and only written down in its current location to draw attention to its underlying rationale.”
In the remaining chapters of Genesis, the name used this patriarch will sometimes be “Jacob” and sometimes be “Israel” depending on the source of the story.
Isaiah 55:1-5
Reading
1 Thus says the LORD: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.”
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 30 years before Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
The JSB notes: “The further one reads in chs 40-66, the more one finds a tendency away from concrete language that reflects the situation of the Babylonian exiles and toward phrasing that could apply to any historical era.”
Today’s reading is from the last chapter of Second Isaiah and encouraged the Judeans in Exile to participate in the restoration that will occur after the Exile ends. The NOAB notes that the prophet promised a new covenant, and said the promise made to David of an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam. 7:11) would be extended to all the people (v.3).
The prophet also said that “nations” would run to the Judeans (v.5) because of YHWH. The words nations, peoples, foreigners and Gentiles are used (depending on context) in translating the Hebrew word “goyim.”
Romans 9:1-5
Reading
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ — I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit — 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last, and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) (about 10 years before the earliest Gospel (Mark) was written) to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among many messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
The “backstory” is that in 49 CE, Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome, including Jewish Jesus Followers. The next Emperor was Nero who reigned from 54 to 68 CE. Nero reversed his predecessor’s decree and allowed Jews to return to Rome. This return caused tensions within the Jesus Follower Community in which Gentiles had become prominent.
Paul died in 63 or 64 CE. Accordingly, the Temple in Jerusalem (which was destroyed in 70) was in full operation all during Paul’s life. As a Jew who was also a Jesus Follower, Paul saw the Jesus Follower Movement as part of a broader Judaism and continued to have expectations about the fullness of the Coming of the Messiah/the Christ.
The Jewish Annotated New Testament observes that portions of the Letter to the Romans are written as a diatribe, a rhetorical technique using questions and answers and changes in voice to represent different points of view. The use of this technique makes it difficult to distinguish whether we are encountering Paul’s views directly or those of others as presented by Paul.
Paul was a Jew who became a Jesus Follower and saw the Jesus Follower Movement as part of a broader Judaism.
The NAOB notes that in Chapters 9 to 11: “Despite present appearances, God has not abandoned promises made to Israel [citing verses]. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead (10.6-9) can restore Israel as well.”
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary describes today’s reading as “an expression [by Paul] of his anguish at the plight of the Jews …who have not accepted Jesus as God’s Messiah.”
In the reading, to emphasize his own Jewishness to the Roman Jesus Follower community, Paul gave a deeply personal message in which he spoke of the Israelites as his own people (v.3), whose adoption by God preceded that of the Gentiles (v.4). He affirmed the continuing covenants between God and the Jews.
In understanding the words “to them belong the adoption,” The NOAB says the “Paul’s point is not that the people of Israel are more ‘naturally’ God’s children … but that their ‘sonship’ is prior to that of the Gentiles called in Christ.” The NJBC observes that Pul uses the term “Israelite” (v.4) which it describes as “an honorific religious title bestowed of old by Yahweh himself on his people (Gen.32.28).” This is a reference to the change of Jacob’s name by God to “Israel” in today’s reading. .
Paul used words that are translated as “the flesh” in a variety of ways. In this reading, “according to the flesh” (v. 3 and v.5) show that he (Paul) was a born a Jew and that the Messiah (the Christ) also was a Jew who came from them “according to the flesh.”
In other contexts, Paul used “the flesh” to mean our human tendency towards self-centeredness and self-interest) that is grounded in sin (our personal egoism). Unfortunately, the terms “the flesh” and “sins of the flesh” often have been misunderstood as condemning the human body. Paul is clear that “sins of the flesh” is a much broader construct and includes mental activities such as idolatry, sorcery, envy, jealousy, enmity, and anger (Gal. 5:19-21).
Matthew 14:13b-21
Reading
13b Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Commentary
The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’ genealogy with Abraham and depicted Jesus as a teacher of the Law like Moses. More than any other Gospel, Matthew quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures (using the Greek Septuagint translation) to illustrate that Jesus was the Messiah.
Because it was written after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Gospel reflected the controversies between the Jesus Followers and the Pharisees for control of Judaism going forward. Accordingly, the Gospel contains many harsh sayings about the Pharisees. The Gospel is aimed primarily at the late First Century Jewish Jesus Follower community.
The Gospel relied heavily on the Gospel of Mark and included all but 60 verses from Mark. Like Luke, Matthew also used a “Sayings Source” (called “Q” by scholars) which are stories and sayings found in Matthew and Luke but not in Mark and John. There are also a substantial number of stories that are unique to Matthew: the Annunciation of Jesus’ conception was revealed to Joseph in a dream (rather than by an angel to Mary as in Luke); the Visit of the Magi; the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod; the Flight to Egypt; the Laborers in the Vineyard; and the earthquake on Easter Morning, among others.
Out of respect for his Jewish Jesus Follower audience, Matthew did not refer to “the Kingdom of God,” but instead to the “kingdom of heaven.”
Today’s reading is the story of the feeding of the 5,000 – the only miracle that is recounted in all four canonical gospels.
The story follows the account of the beheading of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas, and the omitted half verse (13a) “Now when Jesus heard this” reflects the impact the death of JTB had upon Jesus.
The NOAB observes that the story of the feeding reflects a communal, liturgical context from the early church, and is repeated in the Last Supper account in 26:26. The Jewish Annotated New Testament says that the description “recollects the feeding of Israel in the wilderness (Ex 16).” The NJBC sees “blessed, broke, and gave” (v.19) as the ritual of the daily Jewish meal.
The NJBC goes on to say that Matthew’s addition of “besides women and children” (v.21) is “very important because the total figure could well come to 20 or 30 thousand; and it [use of the phrase] happens again (15:38). Since the Jewish population of Palestine at the time is estimated at half a million, Jesus is presented as feeding a tenth of the population. This gives the two feeding stories a social character which makes them different from healing stories. Besides nature miracles or moral miracles (the people shared their provisions so that all had enough), we must see the social miracle. The events are described so as to echo Exod 16, Num 11 (the manna and the quails), as well as 2 Kgs 4:1-7, 42-44 (Elisha multiplying the oil and bread). As Israel is here fed, the doublet in chap.15 is often said to represent the feeding of the Gentiles. As the feedings anticipate the eucharist, the eucharist anticipates the messianic banquet in the kingdom.”