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2026, February 8 ~ Isaiah 58:1-12; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
FEBRUARY 8, 2026

Isaiah 58:1-12

Reading

1 Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.
3 “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers.
4 Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
10 if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

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 conditional encouragement to Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile ended.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that three themes dominate the book of Isaiah as it now exists: (1) that YHWH is the moving force behind all historical events; (2) the centrality of Jerusalem for Israel, both for kingship and for worship; and (3) the image of a new ruler who will usher in a new age of justice, righteousness and peace (which developed into the concept of “messiah” in early Jewish and early Christian writings).

In today’s reading from Third Isaiah, the prophet says he was told by YHWH (“Shout out”) to reveal to the people of Israel (“the house of Jacob”) who had returned to Jerusalem that their way of living was immoral (vv. 1-2). As a result, the promises of the restoration of Jerusalem in Chapters 40 to 48 have not come true, not because YHWH was unfaithful but because the people were not faithful and their worship was hypocritical.

Although YHWH said that the people complained that they had fasted (v. 3a), YHWH responded (though the prophet) that prayer and sacrifices without serious moral reformation did not please YHWH (vv. 3b-5). YHWH criticized the insincerity of their fasts (vv. 4-5). The NOAB notes that fasting was a regular feature of Second Temple piety (citing Zechariah and Joel).

Instead, the LORD wanted justice, freedom for the oppressed, sharing of food, bringing the homeless into one’s home, and sharing one’s goods and clothing (vv. 6-8). The LORD told them to “remove the yoke” from the downtrodden and stop having contempt for one another (“pointing the finger” in v.9). These verses echo ideas and vocabulary from the Prophet Micah that were read last week.

YHWH’s promises are conditional in vv.9b and 10a. If bad behaviors cease, YHWH will guide the people, make them prosperous and the ruins of Jerusalem will be rebuilt (vv. 10-12).

The Jewish Study Bible notes that the theme of this Chapter and the following eight Chapters is: “The full redemption that had been predicated in the earliest chapters of the Deutero-Isaiah’s collection will indeed take place: All the Exiles will return to the land of Israel, the nations of the world will join Israel in worshipping the one true God, and the Presence of God will journey back to Jerusalem bringing great joy to the faithful within Israel and among the nations.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Reading

1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

6 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.

14 Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.

16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was the heart of Roman imperial culture in Greece. It was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the mid-50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it contains one of the earliest interpretations of the meaning of Jesus’ Crucifixion as being on behalf of sinners (“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures” 15:3) and stated that the resurrection of the Christ had occurred (15:4-5). The letter also contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper as instituted by the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed (11:23-26).

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this fledgling Jesus Follower Community.

Today’s reading is the entirety of Chapter 2. In it, Paul continued to express his opposition to worldly wisdom as a basis for salvation and asserted that the Corinthians became believers of the “mystery” (v.1) (“testimony’ in some other manuscripts) which he proclaimed because of the power of the Spirit and God, not because of the lofty words such as those used by of philosophers and orators.

The NOAB says that the NRSV translators’ notes on “plausible words of wisdom” (v.4a) show that other ancient authorities read “the persuasiveness of wisdom” and this is the preferred text.

Paul said he could speak God’s wisdom among those who are spiritually mature (v.6a) because it was the Spirit that enabled them to understand the gifts bestowed by God. He continued to distinguish this wisdom from secular wisdom (“the wisdom of this age”) and the wisdom of the “rulers of this age” [the Romans] (v.6).

The Jewish Annotated New Testament suggests the idea that “God’s wisdom” is “secret and hidden” and “was decreed before the ages” (v.7) is based on the belief that God has an eschatological plan that will not be revealed until “the time of the end” (Dan. 12:9). The JANT notes that Paul says those who crucified Jesus were ignorant of this plan (v.8).

Scholars are not sure of the source of the words quoted by Paul in verse 9, but they bear some similarity to Isaiah 64:4, a verse that described the incomparability of YHWH (“From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you.”)

Paul said that those who are “unspiritual” (or natural) (“psychikos” in Greek) regard the gifts of God’s Spirit as foolishness, but those who are spiritual (“pneumatikos”) have the mind of the Christ (v.16). The NOAB notes that for Paul, heavenly wisdom is identical with the Spirit.

In verse 16, Paul paraphrased Isaiah 40:13, a verse that said that YHWH is beyond instruction from another source. The JANT says: “Paul equates knowing the mind of the Lord with having the mind of Christ.”

Matthew 5:13-20

Reading

13 Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one, after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Commentary

The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’s 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.

Having been 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 was 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 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.

Today’s reading continues the Sermon on the Mount that is Chapters 5 to 7 of the Gospel According to Matthew. Proclaiming the Law from the mountain was reminiscent of Moses’ going up the Holy Mountain (Sinai or Horeb, depending on the source) to receive the Teaching (the Torah). The NOAB notes that the Sermon on the Mount is the first of five “discources” in Matthew (Chapters 5-7,10,13,18 and 23-25) which is seen as a parallel to the Five Books of Moses (the Torah).

The Sermon on the Mount is part of Matthew’s presentation of Jesus of Nazareth as a “New Moses” whose life was threatened by the temporal king (Pharaoh/Herod), who traveled to Egypt, came back from Egypt to Israel (the Exodus/return to Israel in Matt. 2:21), went into the water (Moses in the bulrushes and the Sea of Reeds/Jesus’ Baptism), time in the Wilderness (40 years/40 days), and teaching from the mountain.

Portraying Jesus as the Messiah as a “New Moses” would have been seen as a fulfillment of words attributed to Moses in Deuteronomy 18:10 (“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.”)

In describing the listeners as the “salt of the earth” (v.13), Jesus was paying the listeners a high compliment in that salt was often used as a medium of exchange, was the central ingredient for preserving foods, and The JANT points out that it was a common symbol of purity and wisdom.

By mentioning “good works” (v.16), Matthew emphasized an important notion that would resonate with his Jewish Jesus Follower audience – faith needs to be accompanied by action.

Although the idea of the Bible’s being divided into the “Law, the prophets and the other writings” was developing as early as 180 BCE in the Book of Sirach, Matthew mentions only the “law and the prophets” (v.17). The JANT suggests that the reference to the prophets was intended to include the writings. It notes that the Rabbis (the successors to the Pharisees) believed that the Torah should not be altered in any way and that each letter (and each portion of each letter) was divinely ordained and therefore could not be changed. Jesus’ statement in verse 18 would have been reassuring to Jewish Jesus Followers.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary regards verses 17-20 as “the most controversial in Matthew.” It points out that although Jesus affirmed the abiding validity of the entire Torah, no major Christian church requires observance of all 613 precepts but concentrates instead on ethical precepts such as the Decalogue and the Two Great Commandments. It goes on to state that verses 19 and 20 “are probably postpaschal and reflect the outlook of Jewish Christianity, which, as a separate movement, was eventually defeated by Paulinism and died out (perhaps to be reborn in a different form as Islam).”

The NJBC observes that “do not think” (v.17) supposed an erroneous view that needed to be corrected and that “until heaven and earth pass away” asserted the Law was binding only while the physical universe lasts. The NJBC continues that “whoever breaks” (v.19) is a polemic against Hellenizing Christians but does not condemn them by saying merely that they will be “least.” Similarly, The NJBC notes that verse 20 does not say that the scribes (authoratative interpreters of the Law) and the Pharisees will not enter the kingdom of heaven. The JANT says that verse 20 “sets the bar high, as the Pharisees were known as righteous.”

2026, February 1 ~ Micah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
FEBRUARY 1, 2026

Micah 6:1-8

Reading

1 Hear what the LORD says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.
3 “O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the LORD.”
6 “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Commentary

Micah was among the earliest of the “Minor Prophets” – the 12 prophets whose works are much shorter than those of the “Major Prophets” (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and are found in a single scroll.

Micah (whose name means “Who is like Yahweh?”) was a prophet (one who spoke for YHWH) to Judea around the time Northern Israel (Samaria) was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE (an event to which Micah refers in 1:6). Most scholars date Micah’s prophesies to the period from 730 to 700 BCE, a time when the Assyrians were also threatening to conquer Judea. He was a younger contemporary of First Isaiah.

This short Book is divided into three sections: oracles of judgment and condemnation against Jerusalem and its leaders for their corruption and pretensions (Ch. 1-3); oracles of hope in which Jerusalem would be restored to righteousness (right relationship with YHWH) (Ch. 4-5); and a lawsuit by God, a judgment by God, and a lament that moved to hope (Ch. 6-7).

The Book reflects some later additions. For example, 4:10 speaks of the Babylonian Exile (587-539 BCE) and 7:11 speaks of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem – a post-Exilic concern.

According to The New Oxford Annotated Bible, the events of the late 8th Century BCE were “dizzying”: the fall of Samaria, the expansion of Jerusalem fueled by emigrants from the north (Samaria), and the aggressions of the newest superpower, Assyria.

Today’s reading is structured as a “divine lawsuit” and the “audience” for it is the heavenly court. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary notes that the lawsuit has cosmic dimensions (“mountains, hills, foundations of the earth”). The Jewish Study Bible notes that the lawsuit argued that Israel had no reason to abandon the LORD, for the LORD had done no wrong and had conferred many benefits upon Israel. It describes the passage as a “didactic prophesy.”

In this passage, YHWH is both the judge and the accuser, and it is sometimes difficult to identify the speaker. The LORD demanded that the Judeans plead their case (v.1). The prophet (v.2) called for all to hear the LORD’s complaint. The LORD spoke again in vv. 3-4, and a “spokesperson” for the community spoke in verses 6 and 7. The passage emphasized morality over sacrifices.

The prophet concluded with the most famous verse in Micah – the “requirement” of the LORD is to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with the LORD. The NAOB calls it “the epitome of the entire Israelite prophetic tradition” and notes that the word “kindness” (v.8) is hesed, usually translated as “loving kindness” (covenant loyalty, goodness and fidelity).

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Reading

18 The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was the heart of Roman imperial culture in Greece. It was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the mid-50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it has one of the earliest interpretations of the meaning of Jesus’ death as being on behalf of sinners (“died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures” 15:3) and a statement of Jesus’ resurrection (15:4-5). The letter also contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26).

Today’s reading is the continuation of the readings of the last two weeks and are the second step in Paul’s argument for unity. In them, Paul criticized of the “wisdom of the world” (v.20) and asserted that “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom” (v.25). He explained that selfless love (as embodied in the cross) is seen as foolishness by those who rely on the so-called wisdom of the world (vv. 18, 20). As he often did, Paul paraphrased (and modified) verses from the prophets. Verse 19 was loosely based on Isaiah 29:14b which reads (in the NRSV) “The wisdom of their wise shall perish and the discernment of the discerning shall be hidden.”

The Jewish Annotated New Testament notes that the phrase “us who are being saved” (v.18) shows that Paul (in the authentic letters) regarded salvation as a future event.

The NOAB sees God’s wisdom (v. 21) as God’s plan for salvation, and includes the crucifixion of the Christ/Messiah/Anointed One of God. For Jews, a crucified Messiah was indeed a “stumbling block” (v. 23) because a Messiah who suffered was not a generally accepted notion in First Century Judaism. Because crucifixion was a particularly painful and degrading Roman form of execution, a crucified Messiah would also be inconsistent with the secular wisdom of the Greeks that expected kings and wise persons to overcome their enemies. Paul noted that most Corinthians were not powerful or of noble birth (v.26) and asserted that God’s kingdom inverts hierarchies (v.27).

After criticizing human wisdom, Paul said that Christ Jesus became the wisdom of God for us (v.30). The phrase in verse 30 that those who boast (which The NJBC understands as “sinful self reliance”) should instead boast in the Lord is derived from Jeremiah 9:23-24: “Thus says the LORD: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the LORD; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the LORD.”

Matthew 5:1-12

Reading

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Commentary

The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’s 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.

Having been 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 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.

Today’s reading is known as “The Beatitudes” from the Latin word “beatus” (meaning “blessed”) which is a translation from the Greek “makarios” (which means “fortunate”). The Beatitudes are the first part of the Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5 to 7), and they have similarities to the shorter “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke 6:17-38. Luke has four Beatitudes and Matthew has eight. The NJBC regards them as “Q” material.

The ascent up the mountain to teach (v.1) is reminiscent of Moses’ going up the Holy Mountain (Sinai or Horeb, depending on the source) to receive the Teaching (the Torah). The Sermon on the Mount is part of Matthew’s presentation of Jesus of Nazareth as a “New Moses” whose life was threatened by the temporal king (Pharaoh/Herod), who traveled to Egypt, came back from Egypt to Israel (the Exodus/return to Israel in Matt. 2:21), went into the water (Moses in the bulrushes and the Sea of Reeds/Jesus’ Baptism), spent time in the Wilderness (40 years/40 days), and taught from the mountain.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament notes that similar blessings appear in Jewish literature and that the word “makarioi” appears 68 times in the Septuagint, usually as a translation of the Hebrew word “ashrei” meaning “happy are …” The JANT points out that “poor in spirit” means humble and that “meek shall inherit the earth” (v.5) is similar to Ps. 37:11 (“But the meek shall inherit the land”). The JANT interprets the “meek” as those who do not take advantage of their position, and notes that in Jewish literature, the “heart” (v.8) represented the center of thought and conviction.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible offers similar interpretations and sees “meek” not as submissive or inconsequential, but rather the quality of being aware of one’s proper position and not being overweening. “Pure in heart” (v.8) is understood as sincere and free from mixed motives.

Verses 11 and 12 reflect the fact that the Jesus Follower Community in the late First Century faced hostility from both Jews and Gentiles. Prophets who were persecuted (v.12) included Elijah, Amos, and Jeremiah.

2026, January 25 ~ Isaiah 9:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
JANUARY 25, 2026

Isaiah 9:1-4

Reading

1 There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.

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 Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile ended.

The Jewish Study Bible points out that one of major religious issues faced by First Isaiah was whether Judea should attempt to confront its enemies by using military and diplomatic means and or if it should rely on YHWH to protect them. Isaiah (unlike most of his contemporaries) preferred the latter option.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that three themes dominate the book of Isaiah as it now exists: (1) that YHWH is the moving force behind all historical events; (2) the centrality of Jerusalem for Israel, both for kingship and for worship; and (3) the image of a new ruler who will usher in a new age of justice, righteousness and peace (which developed into the concept of “messiah” in early Jewish and early Christian writings).

The NOAB describes today’s reading is part of a seven-verse “insert” that doesn’t fit well with the chapters and verses before and after it. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary says that today’s verses “have been variously identified as an accession hymn or a thanksgiving hymn.”

These verses described a new king (whom The NOAB says was likely Hezekiah who resisted the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 BCE). This new king would restore the lands of two of the Tribes of Israel (Naphtali and Zebulun) which were carved out of Israel by the Assyrians in 733.

The JSB observes that the verbs in today’s reading are in the past tense, and that “some interpreters view them as examples of the ‘prophetic past’ which predicts future events using the past tense because they are as good as done.” It continues: “Thus it is not clear whether the Davidic king whose birth and rule are described (vv. 5-6) has already been born (if the verbs are regular past tense) or will be born in the future (prophetic past). If the former, the v. probably referred to Ahaz’s son Hezekiah.”

In verse 4, the author recalled the unlikely victory of Gideon and 300 men with trumpets over the Midianites (Judges 7:15-25) and said the king will remove the yoke of military oppression imposed on Israel.

The NOAB describes the titles in verse 6b as “throne names” which it describes as “reminiscent of Egyptian practice.” These titles were understood by Christians as messianic, and were applied to Jesus the Christ. The JSB has a different understanding: “These names do not describe that person who holds them but the god whom the parents worship. Similarly, the name given to the child in this v. does not describe that child or attribute divinity to him, contrary to classical Christian readings of this messianic verse.”

In The Jewish Study Bible and The New Jerusalem Bible, verse 9:1 is shown as the last verse of Chapter 8. The JSB describes the verse as “unusually obscure” and The NJB describes it as a “misplaced prophetic fragment.”

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Reading

10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12 What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was the heart of Roman imperial culture in Greece. It was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the mid-50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest interpretations of Jesus’ death as being on behalf of sinners (“for our sins” 15:3) and his resurrection (15:4-5). The letter also contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26).

Today’s reading follows last week’s reading. In today’s reading, Paul called for unity among the Corinthian Jesus Followers. He emphasized that baptism was in the name of Jesus, and loyalty to a single teacher or to one’s baptizer is not proper. The Christ is not divisible (v.13).

Paul appeared to believe that the primary divisions among the Corinthians were among persons who claimed to be followers of Apollos, followers of Cephas (Peter) and his own followers (vv.12 and 3:22). Apollos was from Alexandria in Egypt and was, according to Acts 18:24-19:1, sent to Corinth by Paul. Apollos was known for his eloquence and knowledge of the scriptures.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament and The New Jerome Biblical Commentary note that Crispus (v.14) was a Jew with a Latin name and the president of a synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:8). They state that Gaius was a wealthy Roman (Acts 18:7) who provided a venue for the entire Corinthian church (up to 75 people) as noted in Rom.16:23.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that in Paul’s saying “Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel” (v.17), Paul was not attacking baptism itself, but rather the Corinthians’ attachment to baptism by a particular person and the notion that there were numerous gospels – one for each baptizer.

Paul identified “eloquent wisdom” (v.17) as the cause of the divisions among the Corinthians, a threat to the power of the cross of the Christ, and inconsistent with Paul’s understanding of the gospel. The JANT describes “eloquent wisdom’ as “philosophical speculation or clever speech.”

Matthew 4:12-23

Reading

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Commentary

The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’s 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.

Having been 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 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.

Today’s reading follows Matthew’s account of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness.

In Matthew and in Mark, the arrest of John the Baptist was presented as the stimulus for Jesus to begin his public ministry (v.12). Although Jesus and his disciples spent time in Capernaum, a town on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee, The NOAB points out that it is only in Matthew that Jesus “made his home” (v.13) there.

The NJBC suggests that Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum because Nazareth was too centrally located and close to the Roman garrison at Sepphoris. Jesus needed to be near the sea so that he could escape by boat if necessary. The NJBC also points out that the tribal name in Ancient Israel of Capernaum was Naphtali, even though it was not used in the 1st Century. The JANT says that in Jesus’ time, the Galilee was mostly Jewish, but The NJBC notes that the Galilee in Matthew’s time was under the control of non-Israelites, was at least half Gentile in population and these factors may have influenced the spread of the Jesus Follower Movement to Gentiles.

In verse 15, Matthew presented Jesus’ settling in Capernaum as fulfilling Isaiah 9:1, which is part of today’s reading from the Jewish Scriptures. In verse 9:1a, YHWH “brought into contempt” Zebulun and Naphtali by having them conquered by the Assyrians in 733 BCE. Verse 9:1b suggested that a later king would redeem these lands.

Jesus’ proclamation that the kingdom of heaven has come near (v.17) is identical to Matthew’s rendition of John the Baptist’s proclamation (3:2). In Mark 1:15, Jesus said the kingdom of God has come near. Because Matthew was writing for a Jewish Jesus Follower audience, he avoided using “God” because most Jews use circumlocutions to avoid saying “God.” The NJBC notes that Matthew’s use of the kingdom of heaven had the unfortunate consequence of making the kingdom seem remote to later believers rather than a kingdom that might be realized on earth, even as part of the end times.

The call of Peter, Andrew, James, and John is the same as the account in Mark 1:16-21, but in the call of disciples in John 1:15-51, the first two (Peter and Andrew) are described as disciples of JTB and the next two to be called are Phillip and Nathaniel.

The NJBC points out that the fishing industry in the Galilee was very prosperous in the First Century and fish were a major export. The commentator surmises that “the story of the call may have undergone extreme compression” and that “nets” may have symbolically represented earthly entanglements.

“Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues” (v.23) likely reflects a perception in Matthew’s time (85 CE) rather than Jesus’ time (30 CE). The verse used the Greek word autōn which means “of them” or “their.” In Jesus’ time, synagogues were public gathering places where the town’s business, politics and religious discourse took place. Jesus and his disciples would have enjoyed full access to them and there are numerous accounts in the gospels of Jesus’ teaching in synagogues. But by the time of Matthew’s gospel, synagogues were often seen by Jesus Followers as “belonging” to the Pharisees – the group which whom the Jesus Followers were contending for control of the future of Judaism. According to James 2:2, however, there were some “assemblies” (literally, synagogues) that were used by Jewish Jesus Followers late in the First Century.

2026, January 18 ~ Isaiah 49:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
JANUARY 18, 2026

Isaiah 49:1-7

Reading

1 Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb, he named me.
2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.
3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the LORD, and my reward with my God.”

5 And now the LORD says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and my God has become my strength–
6 he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen 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 Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile ended.

Today’s reading is from “Second Isaiah” and repeats many themes from last week’s reading (42:1-9). Today’s reading is sometimes called the second of the four “Servant Songs” that are in Isaiah from Chapters 42 to 53. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary notes that chapter 49 represented a significant shift in the preaching of the prophet. No longer mentioned are Cyrus, the foolishness of idols, or YHWH’s being in control of history. The prophet now addressed Zion and Jerusalem instead of Israel and Jacob.

The Jewish Study Bible sees this chapter as part of Third Isaiah and “written in Jerusalem after the first wave of exiles returned from Babylon … to convince the city of Jerusalem … or the returned exiles that their current wretched state will be transformed to a glorious one.”

The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that the servant in today’s reading (like Jeremiah) was predestined to service before birth (vv.1b and 5) and will fulfill his mission by the spoken word (v.2). The servant therefore received a prophetic call and, though conscious of the potential for failure (v.4a), is confident of final vindication (v.4b)

The overarching themes of the Servant Songs are that Israel had suffered but will be restored and reunified. Israel will be a “light to the nations [pagans, foreigners, Gentiles]” (v. 6). The reading concluded with statements by YHWH that YHWH is faithful and chose Israel for a special role so that all nations will recognize the one God (v.7).

Although the text identified the servant in this Servant Song as Israel (v. 3), The NOAB points out that the word “Israel” is not present in verse 3 of some Hebrew manuscripts and may be an addition. It continues that in this Servant Song, the “servant” (who has a mission on behalf of Israel) may be the prophet himself or an individual or group within Israel that will work for the restoration of Israel.

The author of the Gospel According to Mark adopted many of the motifs of Psalm 22 and of the Suffering Servant Songs (particularly the 4th Servant Song in Chapters 52 and 53) to describe the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth in the Crucifixion.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Reading

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind – 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you – 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was the heart of Roman imperial culture in Greece. It was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the mid-50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest proclamations of Jesus’ death on behalf of sinners (“for our sins” 15:3) and his resurrection (15:4-5). The letter also contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26).

As a self-described Pharisee (Phil. 3:5), Paul knew the Hebrew Scriptures and often invoked them to emphasize his messages.

Today’s reading from the opening chapter includes a salutation that was customary in ancient Greek letters (vv. 1-3). The NOAB points our that the name “Sosthenes” was a fairly common one and that this Sosthenes may not be the official of the synagogue in Corinth mentioned in Acts 18:17.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament points out that referring to God as “Father” (v.3) had become an increasingly common Jewish usage in the First Century.

The salutation was followed by a thanksgiving for the grace of God given to the Jesus Followers in Corinth through Christ Jesus (vv.4-7). Ever mindful that he was not one of the original 12 apostles, Paul asserted (again) that he also was called to be an “apostle” (v.1).

Using a clever rhetorical device, Paul praised the Corinthians for their speech and knowledge (v.5) and spiritual gifts (v.7) as a prelude to discussing these qualities more critically in the body of the letter. In the same verse, Paul noted that they were waiting for the “revealing” (apocalypsis in Greek) – an anticipation of an eschatological revelation (v.7). In a call for unity, Paul reminded them that they were called into “the fellowship of the Son” (v.9).

Having praised the Corinthians and reminded them of the gifts they had received from God, then Paul launched into his arguments in the verses that follow today’s reading and appealed that “there be no divisions among you” (v.10).

John 1:29-42

Reading

29 John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Commentary

The Fourth Gospel is different in many ways from the Synoptic Gospels. The “signs” (miracles) and many stories in the Fourth Gospel are unique to it, such as the Wedding at Cana, Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, and the Raising of Lazarus.

The chronology of events is also different in the Fourth Gospel. For example, the Temple Event (“Cleansing of the Temple”) occurred early in Jesus’ Ministry in the Fourth Gospel, rather than late as in the Synoptic Gospels. In the Synoptic Gospels, the Last Supper was a Passover Seder, but in the Fourth Gospel, it occurred the day before the first day of Passover so that Jesus (who was described as “the Lamb of God” in the Fourth Gospel) died at the same time lambs were sacrificed at the Temple for the Passover Seder to be held the night he died.

Most scholars agree that the Gospel was written by an anonymous author around 95 CE, at a time when the “parting of the ways” between the Jesus Follower Movement and Rabbinic Judaism was accelerating.

Today’s reading is John’s version of the Baptism of Jesus. It is not a description of the Baptism itself but is presented as John the Baptist’s recounting of the event. Following the Gospel’s theme of calling Jesus the “Lamb of God,” the author has JTB use this appellation twice (v.29 and v.36). This imagery was taken from the Passover lamb that was sacrificed in Exodus, the blood of which was sprinkled on the doorposts and lintels of the Israelites so that the Angel of Death would pass them by (Exodus12). The Passover Lamb was not a sacrifice to obtain remission or forgiveness of sin; it was a symbol of freedom and one of the central events that led to the freedom of the Israelites from slavery. The JANT observes that the Lamb takes away the “sin” (v.29) rather than “sins” and “suggests a redemptive function to the Lamb of God in that he removes the world’s sinful condition (as opposed to removing the consequences of each individual’s misdeeds).”

The Fourth Gospel dealt with the “embarrassment” of Jesus’ Baptism by John the Baptist by having JTB declare that Jesus “ranks ahead of me” (v.30).

It is not clear if the author of the Fourth Gospel knew the story in Luke’s Gospel about the family relationship between JTB and Jesus, because JTB says twice that “I did not know him” (v. 31 and v.33). Consistent with the high Christology of the Fourth Gospel, JTB’s testimony about Jesus goes further than any of the Synoptic Gospels in JTB’s saying: “this is the Son of God” (v.34).

Unlike the accounts in Matthew 11 and Luke 7 in which JTB sent disciples to Jesus to ask if he was “the one who is to come,” in the Fourth Gospel, JTB saw that Jesus is the Messiah when the Spirit/Dove descended upon Jesus and remained (v.32), symbolizing Jesus’ permanent relationship with the Father.

The second part of today’s reading described two of John’s disciples (Andrew and another) leaving JTB to follow Jesus, and Andrew’s telling his brother, Simon, that he had found the Messiah (v.41). The parenthetical translations by the author of the words “Rabbi” (v.38), “Messiah” (v.41) and “Cephas” (v.42) show that the author’s intended audience was Gentile.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary notes that the term “Rabbi” was not common in Jesus’ time (the early part of the First Century CE). The JANT says that “rabbi” originally meant “my master” and later became known as a person qualified to pronounce on matters of Jewish law and practice.

2025, April 20 ~ Acts 10:34-43; 1 Corinthians 15: 19-26; John 20:1-18

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
APRIL 20, 2025
EASTER SUNDAY PRINCIPAL SERVICE

Acts 10:34-43

Reading

34 Peter began to speak to Cornelius and the other Gentiles: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ–he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Commentary

The book called “The Acts of the Apostles” was written around 85 to 90 CE by the anonymous author of the Gospel According to Luke. The first 15 chapters of Acts are a didactic “history” of the early Jesus Follower Movement starting with the Ascension of the Christ and ending at the so-called Council of Jerusalem where it was agreed that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised and keep all the Kosher dietary laws to become Jesus Followers.

Chapters 16 to 28 of Acts are an account of Paul’s Missionary Journeys, his arrest, and his transfer to Rome – and the stories are not always consistent with Paul’s letters.

The Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles see the Holy Spirit as the driving force for all that happens. The events surrounding today’s reading exemplify this.

As background to today’s reading in Chapter 10, Peter fell into a trance (v.10) and saw a sheet filled with foods regarded by Jews as profane or unclean. A voice admonished him that what God made clean shall not be called profane (v. 15). Soon after, Peter converted a Gentile, Cornelius the Centurion, at the behest of the Spirit (v.19).

In today’s reading, Peter gave a speech that was a synopsis of the major themes in the Gospel According to Luke (vv. 34-43). it is noteworthy that the author presented Peter’s speech as saying that “they” put Jesus to death (v.39) without specifying who the “they” were. Peter continued that it was God who allowed the Resurrected Christ to appear (v.40), but not to all people, but only those chosen by God as witnesses (v.41). Consistent with Luke’s Gospel in which the Resurrected Christ ate a piece of fish (Luke 24:42), Peter asserted that the Risen Christ ate and drank with the “chosen witnesses” (v.41).

In the verses that follow today’s reading, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard Peter’s speech, an event which The Jewish Annotated New Testament says “repeats the events of Pentecost.” The “circumcised believers” (v. 45) were Jewish Jesus Followers. They were astounded that the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon Gentiles (v. 47).

The text says the Jewish Jesus Followers knew that the Holy Spirit had come upon the Gentiles because “they were speaking in tongues and extolling God” (v.46). The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that there is a difference between “speaking in tongues” and the disciples’ ability to be understood by persons in their own language on Pentecost (Acts 2:4-11). Peter baptized these Gentile Jesus Followers.

The JANT interprets these events as follows: “God’s people are no longer constituted by the ethnic division between Jew and Gentile but by a religious distinction, those who fear God, as manifested by accepting Jesus as Lord, and do what is right, and those who neither believe nor act appropriately.”

These three events – the sheet of “unclean foods,” the conversion of Cornelius, and the baptism of the Gentiles upon whom the Holy Spirit was poured – are presented in Acts as critical “precedents” to the spread of the Jesus Follower Movement to Gentiles.

This expansion was “ratified” at the so-called Council of Jerusalem in 49 CE (Acts 15). At this “Council,” Peter and Paul testified about the Spirit’s coming upon Gentiles. James (the brother of Jesus and head of the Jerusalem Jesus Follower Community) made the decision that Gentiles did not have to convert to Judaism by observing a strict kosher diet and by being circumcised to become Jesus Followers.

Following the Council, Acts of the Apostles turned its focus to Paul’s missions to the Gentiles.

1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Reading

19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest proclamations of Jesus’ death on behalf of sinners and his resurrection and it contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

Today’s reading is part of Paul’s extended discussion of “resurrection of the dead” in Chapter 15. In the verses just before today’s reading, Paul recognized that the Corinthians were Hellenists who generally accepted the Platonic division between the body and the “immortal soul.” Paul emphasized, however, that not only the body is resurrected, but the entire person, and Paul used the words “resurrection of the dead” to encompass the entirety of resurrection. Paul emphasized that the Resurrection of the Christ was not a one-time event, but was the inauguration of the general resurrection.

In the verses just before today’s reading, Paul acknowledged that if there is no resurrection of the dead, Jesus the Christ could not have been raised (v.16). And if there is no Resurrection of the Christ, Paul said there is no basis for salvation (v.17) and that believers’ faith would be in vain (v.14).

The JANT understands the first verse of today’s reading (“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ”) to mean that it would not be appropriate to think the Resurrection would produce “only this-worldly benefits.”

Paul asserted Jesus the Christ has been raised “as the first fruits” of those who have died (v.20). As a First Century Jew, Paul believed that death itself was the result of Adam’s disobedience (v.21), and asserted that resurrection of the dead also came through a human being – Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

The JANT understands verses 24 and 25 as follows: “[For he must] reign, Christ’s rule precedes the end (v.24) when God reigns. Rabbinic tradition similarly distinguishes between the era of messianic rule from the age of God’s kingdom, the world to come.”

The NJBC comments on these verses as follows: “Within history, Christ exercises the sovereignty of God, but once history comes to its end (v24a), there will be no more struggle (v24b), and so he will remit into the hands of his Father the authority given him for his mission of salvation. The subordination of Christ to God (3:23) creates problems for dogmatic theologians.” 1 Cor. 3:23 reads: “and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”

Because Jesus the Christ has been resurrected, death has been destroyed (v.26).

John 20:1-18

Reading

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Commentary

The Fourth Gospel is different in many ways from the Synoptic Gospels. The “signs” (miracles) and many stories in the Fourth Gospel are unique to it, such as the Wedding at Cana, Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, and the Raising of Lazarus.

The chronology of events is also different in the Fourth Gospel. For example, the Temple Event (“Cleansing of the Temple”) occurred early in Jesus’ Ministry in the Fourth Gospel, rather than late as in the Synoptic Gospels. In the Synoptic Gospels, the Last Supper was a Passover Seder, but in the Fourth Gospel, it occurred the day before the first day of Passover so that Jesus (who is described as “the Lamb of God” in the Fourth Gospel) died at the same time the lambs were sacrificed at the Temple for the Passover Seder that was to be held the night he died.

In all the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection, the women who go to the tomb are different in each account (Matthew — Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary;” Mark – Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome; Luke – Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women; John – Mary Magdalene). The one constant is Mary Magdalene.

In the Synoptic Gospels, the reason all the events had to occur on the first day of the week is that the followers of Jesus, as Jews, would be required to wait until the Sabbath ended on Saturday night before going to do the “work” of anointing the body. There is no reason given in the Fourth Gospel for Mary Magdalene’s going to the tomb.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary points out that inconsistencies in the story in John show that the author relied on at least two other sources. For example, Mary Magdalene went alone to the tomb, but the use of the plural in “we do not know where they have laid him” (v. 2) indicates that in another tradition other women were with her.

The “other disciple” the one whom Jesus loved (v.2) is not named, but some scholars suggest it was Lazarus. Other traditions hold that it was John, the Apostle.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that linen (v.5) was regarded as a sign of immortality and that grave robbers would not have left the linen behind.

Although the text says that according to the scripture “he [Messiah] must rise from the dead” (v.9), The Jewish Annotated New Testament correctly points out that “there is no quotation referring to this from the Tanakh.” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary agrees. The JANT continues: “This may be a general comment similar to 1 Cor 15.4: ‘He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures’.” This is the same language as in the Nicene Creed, except that the Creed uses the active voice (“he rose again”) rather than the passive voice in Corinthians (“was raised”).

Even though Mary Magdalene and the Risen Christ had a “conversation” (v.15), she did not recognize the Risen Christ as Jesus until he spoke her name (v.16).

In verse 17, Jesus referred to the disciples as “my brothers” and the phrase “I am ascending to my Father and your Father” is understood by The NJBC as the Evangelist’s seeing Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, exaltation and return to heavenly glory as part of a single event. The NJBC continues: “One is not to think of Jesus’ resurrection as though Jesus had returned to life and then later ascended into heaven. Rather, Jesus has passed to an entirely different reality.”

2025, March 30 ~ Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3,11b-32

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
MARCH 30, 2025

Joshua 5:9-12

Reading

9 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.

10 While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal, they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Commentary

The Book of Joshua is part of the “Deuteronomic History” (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings), most of which was written from about 650 to 600 BCE. This Book covers the entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land by crossing the River Jordan (Chapters 1 to 5), the swift (and idealized) conquest by Joshua of the people who were in the land starting with Jericho (Chapters 6 to 12), the allocation of the conquered lands among the tribes (Chapters 13 to 23) and concludes with the “Covenant at Shechem” in Chapter 24 by which the people swore (acting as their own witnesses against themselve) to be faithful to YHWH. The timeframe of the events in the Book would be around 1225 BCE, if the accounts are historical.

Today’s reading is set just after the Israelites crossed the River Jordan and just before the Conquest began. It is part of a Priestly insertion into the Book and was written in the period from about 550 to 450 BCE. It reflects two major concerns of the Priestly writers – the timing and celebration of the feasts, and circumcision as a separating sign for Jews. The circumcision of all the men was described in the verses preceding today’s reading (vv. 2-8).

The reading recounted the first Passover in Canaan and Israel’s becoming an agrarian society. (Whenever the phrase “on that very day” occurs, it is a “trademark” of the Priestly concern for accuracy in the dates for celebrating rituals.)

The place of the Passover Celebration was Gilgal, which means “the round place” and is a play on words for YHWH’s “rolling away the disgrace of Egypt” (v.9). Scholars surmise that the “disgrace” refers to the fact that (according to the story) Israelite men who were born in the 40 years in the Wilderness had not been circumcised, a matter which would have been of great concern to the Priestly writers. This “disgrace” was “remedied” in the first part of Chapter 5 so that after the men were healed (v.8), they would be allowed to participate in the Passover Celebration and would be proper warriors for YHWH in the upcoming Conquest.

The Passover celebration described here was presented as occurring on two days. On the first day, the Paschal Lamb was consumed (v.11a), and on the second day, unleavened bread and parched grain (v.11b) were eaten. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary suggests that this reference in 11b was to the older festival of Unleavened Bread which was later combined with the sacrifice of a lamb to create the Passover meal as described in Exodus 12:8. The NJBC goes on to state: “In order to reconcile the date given in verse 10, scribes added the words ‘on the day after the Passover’ here and in verse 12. This gloss is in the MT [the Masoretic Text] but not in the LXX [the Septuagint].”

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Reading

16 From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians was written in opposition to “false apostles” (11.13). It seems to be a composite of fragments from other letters that have been lost, some of which are referred to in the letter with which we are presented. Some of the statements in the letter are inconsistent with other statements in Paul’s epistles.

Today’s reading emphasized God’s reconciliation with the world through the Christ and urged the Corinthians to be reconciled to God and with one another.

Being “in Christ” (v.17) is a phrase often used by Paul, and the footnotes to The New Oxford Annotated Bible describe being “in Christ” as “a new creation, the cosmic [or eschatological] reversal of the primordial fall” that is now in progress. The Jewish Annotated New Testament describes it as “the eschatological reversal of human sin and estrangement from the divine. The old way of looking from a human point of view has passed.”

The translators’ notes to the NRSV state that verse 19 (“in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself”) can also be translated as “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”

The last verse (v.21) is difficult and is sometimes better understood as “Because the Christ became a human being [i.e. Jesus of Nazareth] who did not sin, we have a relationship with the Christ through which we can be in a right relationship (righteousness) with God.” The JANT adds: “sharing in God’s characteristic of righteousness.”

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Reading

1 All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 So Jesus told them this parable:

11b “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”‘ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe–the best one–and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Unlike the two parables that immediately precede it (the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin), the parable does not involve searching for that which is lost. The JANT points out that, notwithstanding “the joy of heaven over one sinner who repents” (v.10), none of these parables is about repenting. Sheep and coins do not repent, and the prodigal son returned for economic reasons (v.17).

In the Hebrew Bible, the first son was entitled to a “double portion” (Deut. 21:17) of his father’s estate, so if the father had two sons, the younger son would have been entitled (upon the father’s death) to one-third of the father’s estate. Some commentators have suggested that to ask for one’s inheritance while the father was alive was not only deeply disrespectful (“I treat you as dead, father”) but it would have been a severe hardship to liquidate assets to provide this share to the son. The JANT disagrees: “It is not, as is often claimed, an insult to his father, although the father’s agreeing risks appearing foolish [citing Sirach 33]. Had the son dishonored his father by asking for this request, his father should have immediately corrected him rather than indulged him.”

Not only does the son squander the money, but he also behaves like a Gentile in feeding pigs (v.15).

When he returned, it was not to repent, but so he could have food (v.17). The father’s running to the son (v.20) would be seen by the hearers as highly undignified behavior by an older person. Robes were worn for ceremonial reasons, and consuming meat (much less a fatted calf) was very unusual (v.23). Shoes/sandals were worn only by free persons; slaves would have been barefoot.

The elder son refused to recognize his brother (“this son of yours” v.30) but the father reminded him that this was his brother (v.32).

On the question of who the older son represents in the story, The JANT correctly notes: “A common reading is the identification of the older brother as the recalcitrant Pharisee, who refuses to welcome sinners. However, if the father is seen as God and the elder as the Pharisee, then the parable necessarily sees the Pharisees as heirs to God’s promises (15.31).”

2025, March 23 ~ Exodus 3:1-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
MARCH 23, 2025

Exodus 3:1-15

Reading

1 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.”

Commentary

The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.

Just prior to today’s story, Moses escaped from Pharaoh who heard that Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a “Hebrew” (2:11-12). Moses went to Midian, which is east of the Sinai Peninsula and the Gulf of Aqaba, about 250 miles southeast of Egypt. There, he married Zipporah, the daughter of the high priest, Reuel (2:18). Moses’ father-in-law has three different names – reflecting the multiple sources of the Moses story: Reuel, Jethro, and Hobab (Judg.4:11). In another tradition, Hobab is the son of Reuel (Num. 10.32).

Today’s reading is the first account of the “Call of Moses” at Mount Horeb (sometimes called “Sinai” as in Ex. 19:11). (A second – and different – Priestly account of the call of Moses is in Exodus 6.) The text refers to “the mountain of God” (v.1) and The New Oxford Annotated Bible suggests that this mountain called Horeb and Sinai “probably is a Midianite sacred place. Its location is unknown but three poems support the notion that it is southeast of Israel rather than in what we now call the Sinai Peninsula (Deut 33.2; Judg 5.4; Hab 3.3,7).”

The fact that the holy mountain has two names (Horeb and Sinai) and that Jethro is also called Reuel (2:18) and Hobab, all show that today’s reading (like most of the Torah) was woven together from several sources. The verses that refer to God as “LORD” are translations of YHWH, the sacred name in the “J” (Yahwistic) Source. The verses in today’s reading that use the word “God” are translations of the Hebrew word “Elohim” and are from the “E” (Elohistic) Source. YHWH was presented in the Torah as anthropomorphic – a God who spoke with humans and walked in the Garden of Eden. Elohim, on the other hand, was remote and transcendent. Verse 15 of today’s reading presented both understandings of the Sacred.

In today’s story, Moses saw a burning bush (v.2) when he was tending the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro (v.1). The Jewish Study Bible observes that fire is “a substance evocative of the divine because it is insubstantial yet powerful, dangerous, illuminating, and purifying.”

The JSB comments on the phrase “he was afraid to look at God” (v.6b). It notes: “Although the Bible assumes that God has a physical (usually humanlike) form, many passages suggest that seeing Him would be too awesome for humans to survive….Later Jewish philosophers, most notably Maimonides, held that God does not in fact have a physical form and that the biblical passages in question are meant as metaphors.”

The JSB suggests that Moses asked for God’s name because “he [Moses] had not been raised among his own people [the Israelites] and was therefore ignorant of their God’s name.” Other commentators say that when Moses asked for God’s name (v.13), he was seeking to “control” God. Names in Ancient Israel described who and what something or someone was. In Genesis, Adam named the animals and later – as a sign of the disorder from the Disobedience Event – named the woman “Eve.” Naming meant that the name-giver had some control over what or who was named.

Before being told the divine name (yod-heh-vav-heh or YHWH) in verse 14 (letters that emphasized the unfathomable mystery of God), God first told Moses the “meaning” of the name (“Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” in v.13). The JSB says these letters are probably best translated as “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE” or “My nature will become evident from My actions.”

The NOAB notes that another meaning of the name is “I AM WHO I AM.” It opines that “ehyeh” is I AM and that “yhwh” may mean “he who causes to be.” Other translations are “I AM BECOMING WHAT I AM BECOMING.”

In addition to emphasizing the Mystery of God, the “name” also conveys God’s dynamism and changing manifestations. The translators’ notes to the NRSV say that the divine name YHWH is connected with the verb hayah or “to be.”

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Reading

1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.

6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 And do not complain as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest proclamations of Jesus’ death on behalf of sinners and his resurrection and it contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

As a self-described Pharisee (Phil. 3:5), Paul knew the Hebrew Scriptures and often invoked them to emphasize his messages.

In today’s reading, Paul saw the time of the “ancestors” (v.1) (Israelites) – whom he said were the Corinthians’ spiritual forebears — in the Wilderness as a time of unending apostacy. Paul used examples from stories of the Israelites in the Wilderness to warn the Corinthians against idolatry and eating food offered to idols.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament interprets a number of the images used by Paul: the “cloud” (v.1) is the “divine presence that protected Israelites in the desert and seen as God’s Wisdom.” Although Paul described the Israelites as “baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (v.2), The JANT notes that “Jewish tradition does not see this event as ‘baptism’ but regarded it as both present and proleptic [foreseen future events] salvation.”

Paul stated that the spiritual rock from which the Israelites drank was Christ (v.4). The NOAB describes this as “an intrusive, parenthetical comment by which again Paul attempts to replace the Corinthians’ ‘Wisdom’ with his own ‘Christ’ as the agent of salvation.”

In 10:7, Paul referred unfavorably to the Israelites’ eating and drinking after worshiping the Golden Calf (Ex. 32:6).

The footnotes in The NOAB are helpful: “That Paul uses distinctively Corinthian terms of “spiritual” people and things in vv.3-4 and then abruptly cites God’s displeasure with those who consume “spiritual” food and drink in v. 5 suggests that he is again borrowing and countering Corinthian language.”

The JANT points out that “If you think you are standing” (v.12) should be understood as “the posture of the righteous and redeemed” but that “falling” is the “position of the condemned.”

Luke 13:1-9

Reading

1 At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them — do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading contains two stories. The first is about random suffering and recounts two “events” that are not reported in any of the other Gospels or in other secular histories of the times.

It would have been common for Galileans to offer sacrifice at the Temple, and Pilate’s ruthless treatment of those he ruled is attested in Josephus, Philo, and others. The prevailing Jewish belief was that suffering and painful experiences were signs of God’s adverse judgment (the story of Job notwithstanding). Jesus used these two “events” as a call to repentance (vv. 3, 5). The Tower of Siloam was in the southeast corner of Jerusalem where the Pool of Siloam (referred to in John 9:7) was located. There is, however, no attestation of the Tower collapsing.

The ”parable” of the fig tree appears in all the Synoptic Gospels, but in very different forms. In Mark 11:12-14, Jesus was walking from Bethany to Jerusalem, was hungry, went to a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit (because figs were not yet in season) and said, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” The NOAB sees this as “a prophetic demonstration against the Temple, … a figure for God’s judgment in Israelite tradition.”

In Matthew 21:18-19, the story is the same but Jesus said, “May no fruit ever come from you again.” And the fig tree withered at once.

Luke’s account is different, and the fig tree gets another year to produce fruit, but its fate is unknown. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary opines that it may be a parable of compassion in giving the people one more year to repent, and a “parable of crisis, which should light a fire under procrastinators and other unproductive disciples.” The fig tree in the Synoptic Gospels – and its lack of percieved productivity — may also be an analogue for the prevalent Judaism of Jesus’ time, or for the Pharisaic Judaism of the Gospel writers’ times.

2025, March 2 ~ Exodus 24:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28b-43a

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
MARCH 2, 2025

Exodus 34:29-35

Reading

29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Commentary

The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Torah/Pentateuch and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.

Today’s reading is set at Mount Sinai (“Horeb” in other parts of Exodus and in Deuteronomy) during the time in the Wilderness.

Because of this reading from the Hebrew Bible and today’s Gospel reading, many Christians refer to this Sunday as “Transfiguration Sunday.” In this reading, Moses’ face shone when he came down from Mount Sinai after speaking with YHWH (translated as LORD in all capital letters). On the mountain, he (Moses) wrote the “words of the covenant” (the Ten Commandments or the Ten Words) on tablets as directed by YHWH (34:27-28).

The account in today’s reading was Moses’ second return from the top of Mount Sinai. Just a few chapters earlier, Moses came down from the mountain with the Commandments written by YHWH in the first account (31:18). In that instance, when Moses and YHWH saw that the Israelites built a Golden Calf, YHWH threatened to destroy them. Moses pleaded with YHWH to reverse that decision and YHWH relented (Chapters 32 and 33). The Jewish Study Bible notes: “The present text appears to combine two different traditions about what the terms of the covenant were.”

There also appear to be multiple sources as to when Moses put a veil over his face. In one instance, he put it on after he gave the people the Commandments (v.33), but in another verse and he put the veil over his face when speaking to the Israelites and removed it whenever he spoke to YHWH face-to-face (v.34).

The Hebrew words saying that Moses’ face “shone” (v.29) or in other translations “was radiant” shares an etymological root with the word “horn” (as in a source of sound projection). In his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), Jerome rendered these Hebrew words as “was horned.” This unfortunate translation was the basis for Michelangelo’s statue of Moses showing him with horns and led to the anti-semitic belief that Jews had horns.

Moses’ speaking with God face-to-face became an important aspect of the description of the expected Messiah when this account in Exodus was combined with two verses in the Book of Deuteronomy. In one verse, YHWH promised to “raise up for them [the people of Israel] a prophet like you [Moses].” (Deut. 18.18) The other verse stated that no other prophet in Israel has been known by God face-to-face (Deut. 34.10).

Today’s Gospel reading presents Jesus of Nazareth as conversing with Moses and Elijah, and notes that “the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29).

2 Corinthians 3:12 – 4:2

Reading

12 Since then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. 15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

4:1 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians is considered an authentic letter of Paul’s and was written in opposition to “false apostles” (11.13). It seems to be a composite of fragments from at least two – and perhaps five — other letters that have been lost, some of which are referred to in the letter with which we are presented. Some of the statements in the letter are inconsistent with other statements in Paul’s epistles.

Moses’ veil was presented in the Hebrew Bible as a protection for the Israelites (Ex. 34:35) because looking at Moses’ shining face was too overpowering. Moses put a veil over his face after he gave the people the Commandments (v.33) and he removed the veil whenever he spoke to YHWH face-to-face (v.34).

But in today’s reading and in the verses preceding today’s reading, Paul described the Israelites existence under the law of Moses as a “ministry of death” (v.7). Paul said the “glory” (Torah) was being set aside (v.13) and he reinterpreted the veil worn by Moses as a metaphor for unenlightenment (vv.14-15). Paul’s comments were supersessionist and argued that the minds of the “people of Israel” were “hardened” (v.14).

Paul stated the veil is only set aside in Christ (v.14) and we (Christians) now see the glory of the Lord because we have “unveiled faces” and are being “transformed from one degree of glory to another” (v.18).

The Jewish Annotated New Testament observes: “Even the places in which Paul differs from Jewish thinking — his negative attitude towards the law (e.g., his interpretation [3.12-18] of Moses’ veil in Ex 34 as showing that the law is obsolete and not a path to true knowledge of God) … suggests he consistently thinks within a Jewish framework. It is one more irony of this letter that in order to deny the validity of the “old” covenant of the flesh that God made with the Jews, Paul depends on proof from those biblical writings that embody that covenant, through which he loudly and proudly proclaims his own Jewish heritage.”

Luke 9:28b-43a

Reading

28b Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” — not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading follows the accounts of Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah (9:18-20), Jesus’s first prediction of his death (vv.21-22), and his statement that discipleship will require followers to take up their cross daily (v.23).

Jesus took his “inner circle” (Peter, James, and John) and went up on an unspecified mountain where he was transfigured and appeared with Moses (representing the Torah) and Elijah (representing the prophets). The New Oxford Annotated Bible notes: “This account recalls an intense religious experience, the exact nature of which is uncertain. The aura of unnatural brilliance is associated with mystical experiences elsewhere (Ex 34.29-35; Mt 17.9; Acts 9.3).” The JANT opines, however, that Moses and Elijah do not represent Torah and the Prophets and more likely represent Israel’s preeminent prophets both of whom faced rejection.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary points out that only Luke recounts the topic of the conversation among Jesus, Moses and Elijah – “his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (v.31).

The statement that Peter, James, and John were “weighed down with sleep” (v.32) may indicate that the Transfiguration occurred at night and anticipated the same sleeping condition when they were supposed to keep watch for Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (22:45).

Peter’s desire to make three dwellings (v.33) was his reaction to make permanent a numinous moment and to keep Moses and Elijah present.

The “cloud” is a customary image for God (as in Exodus 13) and the “voice” is similar to the voice and words spoken at Jesus’ baptism (3:22).

In the second part of today’s reading, the healing of the child possessed by a spirit is also found in the other Synoptic Gospels (Mark 9:14 and Matt. 17:14).

The JANT says that calling the people “a faithless and perverse generation” was reminiscent of Moses’ last words to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land – “degenerate children who have dealt falsely with him [YHWH] a perverse and crooked generation” (Deut. 32:5, 20). Most scholars agree that this Deuteronomic ”Song of Moses” in Chapter 32 was a late insertion reflecting the Judeans’ faithlessness that led to the Exile.

2025, February 23 ~ Genesis 45:3-11,15; 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50; Luke 6:27-38

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Genesis 45:3-11, 15

Reading

3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10 You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 I will provide for you there–since there are five more years of famine to come–so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.'”

15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Commentary

Today’s reading is near the conclusion of the story of Joseph, the longest continuous story about a single person in the Bible (Chapters 37 to 50 in the Book of Genesis). The Jewish Study Bible describes it as a “coherent novella, with a subtle and well-crafted plot.”

Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob. He and Benjamin (the 12th son) were the sons of Rachel and were Jacob’s favorites. His 10 older brothers were jealous of him and threw him in a pit to die. At the suggestion of Judah (the fourth son), Joseph’s life was spared and he was sold into slavery to Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham’s son by Hagar) and taken to Egypt by Midianites. There, he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh, who put him in charge of his house.

Joseph was very handsome, and Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. When Joseph refused her, she falsely accused him of rape and Joseph was imprisoned. When in prison, Joseph interpreted dreams for the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. Later, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of the affairs of the nation. Joseph’s interpretation of the Pharaoh’s dreams was accurate and Egypt prepared for (and survived) a famine.

The famine also hit Israel, and Jacob sent his 10 oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph did not identify himself to them. Later, when grain ran out again for Jacob and his sons, they went back to Egypt a second time to buy grain. As demanded by Joseph in the first visit, they brought Jacob’s youngest son, Benjamin, with them.

Joseph directed his steward to hide his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack of grain, and then accused the brothers of stealing his silver cup. He demanded that Benjamin remain in Egypt as his slave.

Judah knew this would break Jacob’s heart and he agreed to be Joseph’s slave if Joseph would spare Benjamin. Judah’s selflessness showed Joseph that he (Judah) was a true brother to Benjamin and his other brothers.

Hearing this affirmation of brotherhood, Joseph identified himself to his brothers in today’s emotional reading. In the reading, he attributed all of the events of his life (including his being sold into slavery) as actions directed by God. Joseph expressed the theology that for God, the last word is a word of life (vv. 5, 7).

The JSB observes that the theology of the Joseph story is different from most of the rest of Genesis. “Whereas the patriarchal narrative is replete with appearances of God or His messengers, and oracles from them, Joseph never sees or hears God or his messengers….Rather, God works here in a hidden way, secretly guiding the course of human events, even bringing good out of human evil (50.20).”

The Joseph Story came from at least two different sources. This is shown by the references in Chapter 37 to both Ishmaelites and Midianites, and the references to God both as YHWH (translated as LORD in all capital letters) in Chapter 39 and in 49:18, and as “Elohim” (translated as “God”) in the remaining chapters. In the final chapters of Genesis, Jacob is sometimes called “Israel” the name given to him by the man/angel/God with whom he wrestled in Chapter 32 of Genesis.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes: “[Judah’s agreement to be Joseph’s slave] is a prime example of a text in the Joseph story where Judah, rather than the elder Reuben, plays the role of the most powerful and prominent son [citing other texts, including the recommendation to spare Joseph’s life in Gen. 37:26-27]. These texts have typically been assigned to the early Yahwist or Judah-Israel layer of the story.”

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Reading

35 Someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. 43 It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a physical body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest proclamations of Jesus’ death on behalf of sinners and his resurrection, and it contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

Today’s reading continues Paul’s extended discussion of “resurrection.” The Corinthians were Hellenists who generally accepted the Platonic division between the body and the “immortal soul.”

Paul asserted that there is both a “physical body” (v.44) that will perish when it is “sown” like a grain of wheat (v.37), and a “spiritual body” when it is raised (v.44). To make this clear, Paul stated that Adam was a “man of dust” and that when persons are resurrected, they bear “the image of the man of heaven” (v.49). It is noteworthy that in verse 47 Paul reversed the two Creation Myths. In the first, humans were in the “image of God” and in the second, the human (adam) was made from adamah, fertile earth.

In analyzing this passage, The Jewish Annotated New Testament says;”The resurrected body, including that of Jesus, is compositionally different from the mortal body (see 15.42n.)” which, footnote, in turn, reads “Sown, the body in which one is born. Imperishable, unsusceptible to disease, death, and decay.”

In the verses that follow today’s reading, Paul spoke of resurrection at the end times: “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability and this mortal body must put on immortality” (vv. 52-53).

Luke 6:27-38

Reading

27 Jesus said, “I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading has comparable sayings as found in Matt. 5:38-48, an early portion of the Sermon on the Mount. Because they are in both Matthew and Luke but are not in Mark, the source of these sayings is “Q” (the “Sayings Source”).

The moral imperative presented in these passages is high. Not only must one follow the “Golden Rule” of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (v.31), but we are told to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us (v.27). Retaliation is forbidden (v.29a) and the standard for generosity is very high (vv. 29b and 30). We are told not to judge others (v.37a) and that if we want to be forgiven, we are required to forgive others (v.37b).

The JANT points out that the last part of verse 38 is similar to sayings in Exodus 22:22-24 and Obadiah 1:15.

These values continued to be presented in Luke in stories that emphasized compassion, such as the Good Samaritan. They are also exhibited by Jesus’ healing of the ear of the high priest’s servant in Gethsemane, in the forgiveness of one’s enemies by Jesus on the Cross (Luke 23:34), and by Stephen, the first martyr, in his dying words (Acts 7:60). God’s mercy (v.36) and kindness even to the “ungrateful and wicked” (v.35b) is exemplified in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).

2025, February 16 ~ Jeremiah 17:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Luke 6:17-26

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
FEBRUARY 16, 2025

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Reading

5 Thus says the LORD: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the LORD.
6 They shall be like a shrub in the desert and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
7 Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.
8 They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.
9 The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse– who can understand it?
10 I the LORD test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.

Commentary

After the righteous and reforming King Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo (from which we get the Greek word Armageddon) in 609 BCE, the fortunes of Judea took a sharp downward turn. Babylon threatened Judea’s existence, and Judea had a series of hapless kings from 609 until Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Babylonians deported many Judean leaders to Babylon in 597 and a larger number in 586 (the Babylonian Exile). Jeremiah’s prophesy (i.e., speaking for YHWH) began around 609 and continued until 586 BCE when he died in Egypt.

Most Bible scholars agree that the Book of Jeremiah underwent substantial revisions between the time of Jeremiah (627 to 586 BCE) and the First Century. In the Dead Sea Scrolls, there were different versions of the Book of Jeremiah. The Greek Septuagint Translation (the LXX – dating from 300 to 200 BCE) has some chapters that are not in the Hebrew versions.

Jeremiah is largely a prophet of doom and gloom, so much so that the English word “jeremiad” is defined as a long, mournful complaint or lamentation, a list of woes. In the Bible, the Book of Lamentations was placed after the Book of Jeremiah because of the (incorrect) view that Jeremiah wrote the Book of Lamentations.

Sections in the book that are in “poetry style” are generally attributed to the prophet, and parts in “prose style” were added later by writers whose theological outlook was closely aligned with the Deuteronomists. (In fact, Chapter 52 in Jeremiah is virtually word-for-word with 2 Kings 24:18 to 25:30 written by the Deuteronomists after the Exile.)

Today’s reading is in “poetry style” and reflects an over-arching theme found in the Deuteronomic History (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) — that the downfalls of Northern Israel in 722 BCE and Judea in 587 BCE were the result of the failure of the people and their kings to trust in YHWH and worship YHWH faithfully.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary sees chapters 14 through 17 as a unit, the general theme of which is the sins of the people and the vengeance of YHWH. This section opens with the description of a drought (14:1-15:9).

In the verses that immediately precede today’s reading, the prophet asserted that the guilt of Judah was “inscribed with a stylus of iron, engraved with a diamond point on the tablet of their hearts” (17:1). The Jewish Study Bible notes that “in Jeremiah, this engraved sin will ultimately be replaced by divine instruction (Torah) written on the heart when the covenant is restored see 31:31-34.”

Today’s verses are seen as “wisdom” verses, and used imagery from the Psalms and Proverbs. The prophet said, “Those who trust in mere mortals” are “cursed” and will live in “an uninhabited salt land.” (vv.5-6). He continued that those who trust in YHWH (translated LORD in all capital letters) will bear fruit (v.8). YHWH would give to all according to their ways – the fruit of their doings (v.10).

This Deuteronomic worldview can be summarized as “Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad.” This view should be contrasted to the views in the Book of Job (bad things happen to good people) and the Book of Ecclesiastes (bad things happen at random).

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Reading

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ–whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest proclamations of Jesus’ death on behalf of sinners and his resurrection and it contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

Today’s reading continued Paul’s extended discussion of “resurrection of the dead.” The Corinthians were Hellenists who generally accepted the Platonic division between the body and the “immortal soul.” In this Chapter, Paul emphasized that “there are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies” (v.40). What is sown [buried] is a “physical body, it is raised as a spiritual body.” (v.44).

In today’s verses, Paul argued that the Corinthians’ belief that Christ was raised from the dead can only be true if the notion of resurrection of the dead is a reality. “For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised” (v.16).

Notwithstanding his earlier statement in 15:3 (“Christ died for our sins”), Verse 17 makes clear Paul’s understanding that the Resurrection is the event that frees us from sin (“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”)

Describing the Resurrection of the Jesus the Christ as “the first fruits of those who have died” (v.20), Paul went on (in next week’s reading) to affirm the powerful and hopeful belief that “all will be made alive in Christ” (v.22) so that Jesus’ Resurrection is not a “one time event” but the inauguration of the general resurrection of all (v.20).

The Jewish Annotated New Testament, citing Josephus, points out that Pharisees, but not all Jews of the Second Temple period, expected bodily resurrection at the end times.

Luke 6:17-26

Reading

17 Jesus came down with the twelve apostles and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.”
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading is the first part of Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” (a “level place” v.17) and is an analogue to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). The two Sermons do not appear in other Gospels and are considered based on “Q” material.

Understanding the Bible notes that “the Lukan Beatitudes are shorter, simpler, and directed at the hearers – you! [“disciples” v.20] Whereas Matthew spiritualizes their meaning ‘blessing those who hunger and thirst to see right prevail,’ Luke gives a bluntly material version. .. In a passage unique to his Gospel, Luke concludes the Beatitudes with ‘woes’ (‘alas for you’) in which the ‘rich’ and ‘well fed’ are cursed with future loss and hunger.” The “woes” are the antitheses of the blessings in verses 20-23.

The crowd, if it came from “all Judea, Jerusalem, Tyre and Sidon” (v.17) would have been large indeed. Most likely, this is Lukan hyperbole. The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that “unclean” spirits (v.18) is a religious term representing degrees of holiness.

Unlike Matthew’s Beatitudes which relate to spiritual conditions, these Beatitudes refer to economic, social, and emotional conditions. Some scholars have suggested that the Greek word Makarioi that is translated as “Blessed” or “Fortunate” is itself a translation of an Aramaic word (the language Jesus spoke) that connotes “being on the right path.”

Luke again emphasized that the “ancestors” spoke well of false prophets, but treated true prophets badly. He cautioned his listeners that they as the followers of the Son of Man will be excluded, reviled, and defamed (v.23) – most likely a reference by Luke to the difficult relationship between Jesus Followers and the Pharisees in the late First Century.