During Pentecost Season 2026, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.

The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.

The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Reading

1 Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 3 the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. 4 The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” 5 Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the LORD’s command. 6 He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired, and his vigor had not abated. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

9 Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.

10 Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. 11 He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, 12 and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Commentary

Deuteronomy is the fifth (and last) book of the Torah and (as a literary device) was presented as Moses’ final speech to the Israelites just before they entered the Promised Land.

“Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words that mean “Second Law” and was structured as if it were a “restatement” of the laws found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Parts of Deuteronomy were revised as late as 450 BCE, but the bulk of the book is generally dated to the reign of King Josiah of Judea (640-609 BCE). Many of the reforms under Josiah, particularly the centralization of sacrificial worship in Jerusalem, are stipulated in Deuteronomy.

It is also the first book of the didactic “Deuteronomic History” which consists of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. This “History” taught that when the people and kings of Israel and Judea worshiped YHWH properly, they prospered, but when they worshiped false gods, other nations (Assyria in 722 BCE and Babylon in 587 BCE) conquered them. For the Deuteronomists, these conquests occurred because of false worship, not because the Assyrians and Babylonians were wealthier countries with larger armies. In this way, the Deuteronomists “preserved” the notions of YHWH’s being the all-powerful protector of Israel and Judea, that YHWH was faithful to the promises made by YHWH, and that YHWH controlled everything that occurred.

Today’s reading is the last chapter of the Torah and a segue to the Book of Joshua. The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that this chapter was originally a continuation of chapters 31 and the last part of chapter 32. (Chapter 33 is Moses’ blessing of the Israelites and follows the general pattern of Jacob’s blessing of his sons in Genesis 49.) The Jewish Study Bible opines that Chapter 34 is actually a continuation from Numbers 27 where God commanded Moses to “ascend these heights” and to “lay your hand” upon Joshua, so that “the editors interrupted the narrative in order to work Deuteronomy into the Torah.”

This reading recounted Moses’ death “at the LORD’s command” (v.5) rather than his dying of old age or an infirmity. This is seen in Jewish commentaries as a great blessing on Moses. Moreover, instead of Moses’ progeny burying him, the LORD buried him (v.6).

Moses’ authority was passed to Joshua, the main character in the next book of the Bible, by Moses’ laying hands on him (v.9), so that he would have the “spirit of wisdom” which Deuteronomy stressed as the essential qualification of office.

Moses’ burial site is unknown (v. 6) lest it become a place of veneration. The NOAB points out that Mount Nebo and Pisgah (v.1) are different places, but the authors of the book treated them as the same place to respect two different traditions about the place of Moses’ death and burial. The NOAB advises that according to Deuteronomy 21:13, thirty days is the full mourning period stipulated for a parent, and was applied to Moses (v.8) and Aaron (Num. 20:29).

Although Moses had two sons by Zipporah according to Ex.4:20, The JSB observes that Moses left behind no progeny and “the Torah alone is the enduring Mosaic bequest.”

The statement that Moses knew YHWH “face to face” (v.10) became part of Israel’s Messianic expectation when combined with Deut. 18:18 (“I [YHWH] will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses] from among their own people.”) The Gospel According to Matthew (unlike the other Gospels) especially portrayed Jesus of Nazareth as the New Moses.

Ironically (and reflecting different religious and theological traditions within the Torah), last week’s reading specifically said Moses could not see YHWH’s face and live (Ex. 33:20-23).

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18

Reading

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

15 You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Commentary

Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with laws and the worship of YHWH. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.

Today’s reading is part of the “Holiness Code” written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call the people of Israel (and us) to be “holy” – which is understood as being “separate” (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world). The call to be “holy” is also found in Exodus 19:6 and Numbers 15:40. The JSB says that the phrase “I am the LORD your God” (v.1) is approximately equivalent to “because I, the LORD, say so.”

The JSB suggests that the underlying theology of Leviticus is that “through all the performance of all the commanded deeds and the avoidance of all prohibited actions, all Israelites are able to absorb the effusion of the divine Presence in their midst (see 6.11) and be holy.”

The omitted verses (3-14) contain a series of laws that are similar to the Ten Commandments.

The second part of the reading (vv. 15-18) continues the tone of the Ten Commandments but assumes a settled society. Verse 15 is directed at judges or elders to make fair decisions. Verse 16 prohibits spreading false rumors or profiting when a neighbor is falsely accused. The JSB suggests that verse 17 is better rendered as “Do not hate your kinsfolk in your heart, rather correct your kinsman lest you incur guilt because of him.”

Verse 18 (“love your neighbor as yourself”) became the Second Great Commandment in the Gospels when combined with Deut. 6:5 (“Love the LORD [YHWH] your God”) (Mark 12:31).

The JSB observes: “In the priestly worldview, ethical behavior is a religious act only when performed as an act of obedience to God.”

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Reading

1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Commentary

Thessalonica is a seaport city and was the capital of Macedonia. It was an important city in Paul’s day for economic, commercial and political reasons. Even today, Thessaloniki (as it is now called) is a charming city of one million persons, and the cultural center of Greece. The saying there is that “Thessaloniki is to Athens as San Francisco is to Los Angeles.” Macedonia and Achaia (Greece) (v.7) were Roman provinces.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was Paul’s first letter and was written around 50 CE. Accordingly, it is the oldest writing in the Christian Scriptures. According to Acts 16 and 17, Paul went to Philippi and then to Thessalonica. He spoke gratefully in Philippians 4:16 of gifts sent to him by Philippians when he was in Thessalonica.

In today’s reading, Paul spoke of having been “shamefully mistreated at Philippi” (v.2). This may refer to his imprisonment described in Acts 16:16-40 for exorcising a slave-girl who was engaged in divination and was verbally harassing Paul. He also spoke of “opposition” and used imagery of an athletic contest (agōni). According to The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, this usage was common among Stoic and Cynic philosophers who compared philosophical exposition to a gladiator’s struggle.

In noting that “our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery,” Paul was (according to The NOAB) distancing himself from charlatans who opposed him.

Paul was never bashful about making the claim that he was an “apostle” (v.7) – one who is sent out with the Gospel message, and the “demands” he was making (v.7) are understood by The Jewish Annotated New Testament as requests for financial support. In the same verse, he also described himself as a “nurse.” In Greek, the word he used (trophos) is better understood as a “wet nurse” or nursing mother – one who feeds children from her breast, an image that conveyed Paul’s great care for the Thessalonians.

Matthew 22:34-46

Reading

34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42 “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

45 If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” 46 No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Commentary

The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’ genealogy with Abraham and depicted Jesus as a teacher of the Law like Moses. More than any other Gospel, Matthew quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures (using the Greek Septuagint translation) to illustrate that Jesus was the Messiah.

Because it was written after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Gospel reflected the controversies between the Jesus Followers and the Pharisees for control of Judaism going forward. Accordingly, the Gospel contains many harsh sayings about the Pharisees. The Gospel is aimed primarily at the late First Century Jewish Jesus Follower community.

The Gospel relied heavily on the Gospel of Mark and included all but 60 verses from Mark. Like Luke, Matthew also used a “Sayings Source” (called “Q” by scholars) which are stories and sayings found in Matthew and Luke but not in Mark and John. There are also a substantial number of stories that are unique to Matthew: the Annunciation of Jesus’ conception was revealed to Joseph in a dream (rather than by an angel to Mary as in Luke); the Visit of the Magi; the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod; the Flight to Egypt; the Laborers in the Vineyard; and the earthquake on Easter Morning, among others.

Today’s reading has two parts – the Great Commandments and the Son of David Question. The exchange between Jesus and others was set in the days after the “Cleansing of the Temple” but before the Last Supper. The account in Mark is with the scribes, not the Pharisees, and Luke’s account of the Two Great Commandments is given as part of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The NOAB understands the “lawyer” to be a scholar of the Torah, a scribe. The JANT points out that the word lawyer (nomikos) appears only once in Matthew but is in Luke six times. The NJBC says: “The Pharisees as the popular party were interested in popular education and summaries were indispensable to that end.”

Jesus’ answer has quotations from Deuteronomy 6:5 (the “Schema” – the basic affirmation of Jewish belief, and according to Jewish practice recited twice daily) and Leviticus 19:18. The NJBC points out: “The rabbis stressed this part of the commandment [Deut. 6:5] – ‘heart’ meant will; ‘soul’ meant life and ‘strength’ meant wealth. Matthew did not translate ‘strength,’ but gave another translation of ‘heart’ as mind.”

The NOAB notes that the Talmud says that Rabbi Hillel responded to this question as follows: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary; go and learn it.”

Hillel, sometimes called Hillel the Elder or Hillel the Great, died around 10 CE. He was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and was the founder of the House of Hillel school of interpretation. He was active during the end of the first century BCE and the beginning of the first century CE.

In the second part of the exchange, the underlying premise was that David was the author of the Psalms. The Psalm quoted was 110:1. Stating that the Messiah was the “Son of David” had multiple meanings in the First Century, including the notion of a king and military leader who would unify the 12 tribes and rid Israel of its oppressors.

During Pentecost Season 2023, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.

The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.

The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Reading

1 Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 3 the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. 4 The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” 5 Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the LORD’s command. 6 He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired, and his vigor had not abated. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

9 Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.

10 Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. 11 He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, 12 and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Commentary

Deuteronomy is the fifth (and last) book of the Torah and (as a literary device) was presented as Moses’ final speech to the Israelites just before they entered the Promised Land.

“Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words that mean “Second Law” and was structured as if it were a “restatement” of the laws found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Parts of Deuteronomy were revised as late as 450 BCE, but the bulk of the book is generally dated to the reign of King Josiah of Judea (640-609 BCE). Many of the reforms under Josiah, particularly the centralization of sacrificial worship in Jerusalem, are stipulated in Deuteronomy.

It is also the first book of the didactic “Deuteronomic History” which consists of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. This “History” taught that when the people and kings of Israel and Judea worshiped YHWH properly, they prospered, but when they worshiped false gods, other nations (Assyria in 722 BCE and Babylon in 587 BCE) conquered them. For the Deuteronomists, these conquests occurred because of false worship, not because the Assyrians and Babylonians were wealthier countries with larger armies. In this way, the Deuteronomists “preserved” the notions of YHWH’s being the all-powerful protector of Israel and Judea, that YHWH was faithful to the promises made by YHWH, and that YHWH controlled everything that occurred.

Today’s reading is the last chapter of the Torah and a segue to the Book of Joshua. The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that this chapter was originally a continuation of chapters 31 and the last part of chapter 32. (Chapter 33 is Moses’ blessing of the Israelites and follows the general pattern of Jacob’s blessing of his sons in Genesis 49.) The Jewish Study Bible opines that Chapter 34 is actually a continuation from Numbers 27 where God commanded Moses to “ascend these heights” and to “lay your hand” upon Joshua, so that “the editors interrupted the narrative in order to work Deuteronomy into the Torah.”

This reading recounted Moses’ death “at the LORD’s command” (v.5) rather than his dying of old age or an infirmity. This is seen in Jewish commentaries as a great blessing on Moses. Moreover, instead of Moses’ progeny burying him, the LORD buried him (v.6).

Moses’ authority was passed to Joshua, the main character in the next book of the Bible, by Moses’ laying hands on him (v.9), so that he would have the “spirit of wisdom” which Deuteronomy stressed as the essential qualification of office.

Moses’ burial site is unknown (v. 6) lest it become a place of veneration. The NOAB points out that Mount Nebo and Pisgah (v.1) are different places, but the authors of the book treated them as the same place to respect two different traditions about the place of Moses’ death and burial. The NOAB advises that according to Deuteronomy 21:13, thirty days is the full mourning period stipulated for a parent, and was applied to Moses (v.8) and Aaron (Num. 20:29).

Although Moses had two sons by Zipporah according to Ex.4:20, The JSB observes that Moses left behind no progeny and “the Torah alone is the enduring Mosaic bequest.”

The statement that Moses knew YHWH “face to face” (v.10) became part of Israel’s Messianic expectation when combined with Deut. 18:18 (“I [YHWH] will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses] from among their own people.”) The Gospel According to Matthew (unlike the other Gospels) especially portrayed Jesus of Nazareth as the New Moses.

Ironically (and reflecting different religious and theological traditions within the Torah), last week’s reading specifically said Moses could not see YHWH’s face and live (Ex. 33:20-23).

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18

Reading

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

15 You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Commentary

Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with laws and the worship of YHWH. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.

Today’s reading is part of the “Holiness Code” written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call the people of Israel (and us) to be “holy” – which is understood as being “separate” (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world). The call to be “holy” is also found in Exodus 19:6 and Numbers 15:40. The JSB says that the phrase “I am the LORD your God” (v.1) is approximately equivalent to “because I, the LORD, say so.”

The JSB suggests that the underlying theology of Leviticus is that “through all the performance of all the commanded deeds and the avoidance of all prohibited actions, all Israelites are able to absorb the effusion of the divine Presence in their midst (see 6.11) and be holy.”

The omitted verses (3-14) contain a series of laws that are similar to the Ten Commandments.

The second part of the reading (vv. 15-18) continues the tone of the Ten Commandments but assumes a settled society. Verse 15 is directed at judges or elders to make fair decisions. Verse 16 prohibits spreading false rumors or profiting when a neighbor is falsely accused. The JSB suggests that verse 17 is better rendered as “Do not hate your kinsfolk in your heart, rather correct your kinsman lest you incur guilt because of him.”

Verse 18 (“love your neighbor as yourself”) became the Second Great Commandment in the Gospels when combined with Deut. 6:5 (“Love the LORD [YHWH] your God”) (Mark 12:31).

The JSB observes: “In the priestly worldview, ethical behavior is a religious act only when performed as an act of obedience to God.”

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Reading

1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Commentary

Thessalonica is a seaport city and was the capital of Macedonia. It was an important city in Paul’s day for economic, commercial and political reasons. Even today, Thessaloniki (as it is now called) is a charming city of one million persons, and the cultural center of Greece. The saying there is that “Thessaloniki is to Athens as San Francisco is to Los Angeles.” Macedonia and Achaia (Greece) (v.7) were Roman provinces.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was Paul’s first letter and was written around 50 CE. Accordingly, it is the oldest writing in the Christian Scriptures. According to Acts 16 and 17, Paul went to Philippi and then to Thessalonica. He spoke gratefully in Philippians 4:16 of gifts sent to him by Philippians when he was in Thessalonica.

In today’s reading, Paul spoke of having been “shamefully mistreated at Philippi” (v.2). This may refer to his imprisonment described in Acts 16:16-40 for exorcising a slave-girl who was engaged in divination and was verbally harassing Paul. He also spoke of “opposition” and used imagery of an athletic contest (agōni). According to The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, this usage was common among Stoic and Cynic philosophers who compared philosophical exposition to a gladiator’s struggle.

In noting that “our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery,” Paul was (according to The NOAB) distancing himself from charlatans who opposed him.

Paul was never bashful about making the claim that he was an “apostle” (v.7) – one who is sent out with the Gospel message, and the “demands” he was making (v.7) are understood by The Jewish Annotated New Testament as requests for financial support. In the same verse, he also described himself as a “nurse.” In Greek, the word he used (trophos) is better understood as a “wet nurse” or nursing mother – one who feeds children from her breast, an image that conveyed Paul’s great care for the Thessalonians.

Matthew 22:34-46

Reading

34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42 “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

45 If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” 46 No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Commentary

The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’ genealogy with Abraham and depicted Jesus as a teacher of the Law like Moses. More than any other Gospel, Matthew quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures (using the Greek Septuagint translation) to illustrate that Jesus was the Messiah.

Because it was written after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Gospel reflected the controversies between the Jesus Followers and the Pharisees for control of Judaism going forward. Accordingly, the Gospel contains many harsh sayings about the Pharisees. The Gospel is aimed primarily at the late First Century Jewish Jesus Follower community.

The Gospel relied heavily on the Gospel of Mark and included all but 60 verses from Mark. Like Luke, Matthew also used a “Sayings Source” (called “Q” by scholars) which are stories and sayings found in Matthew and Luke but not in Mark and John. There are also a substantial number of stories that are unique to Matthew: the Annunciation of Jesus’ conception was revealed to Joseph in a dream (rather than by an angel to Mary as in Luke); the Visit of the Magi; the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod; the Flight to Egypt; the Laborers in the Vineyard; and the earthquake on Easter Morning, among others.

Today’s reading has two parts – the Great Commandments and the Son of David Question. The exchange between Jesus and others was set in the days after the “Cleansing of the Temple” but before the Last Supper. The account in Mark is with the scribes, not the Pharisees, and Luke’s account of the Two Great Commandments is given as part of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The NOAB understands the “lawyer” to be a scholar of the Torah, a scribe. The JANT points out that the word lawyer (nomikos) appears only once in Matthew but is in Luke six times. The NJBC says: “The Pharisees as the popular party were interested in popular education and summaries were indispensable to that end.”

Jesus’ answer has quotations from Deuteronomy 6:5 (the “Schema” – the basic affirmation of Jewish belief, and according to Jewish practice recited twice daily) and Leviticus 19:18. The NJBC points out: “The rabbis stressed this part of the commandment [Deut. 6:5] – ‘heart’ meant will; ‘soul’ meant life and ‘strength’ meant wealth. Matthew did not translated ‘strength,’ but gave another translation of ‘heart’ as mind.”

The NOAB notes that the Talmud says that Rabbi Hillel responded to this question as follows: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary; go and learn it.”

Hillel, sometimes called Hillel the Elder or Hillel the Great, died around 10 CE. He was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and was the founder of the House of Hillel school of interpretation. He was active during the end of the first century BCE and the beginning of the first century CE.

In the second part of the exchange, the underlying premise was that David was the author of the Psalms. The Psalm quoted was 110:1. Stating that the Messiah was the “Son of David” had multiple meanings in the First Century, including the notion of a king and military leader who would unify the 12 tribes and rid Israel of its oppressors.

The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.

The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Reading

1 Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 3 the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. 4 The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” 5 Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the LORD’s command. 6 He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired, and his vigor had not abated. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

9 Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.

10 Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. 11 He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, 12 and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Commentary

Deuteronomy is the fifth (and last) book of the Torah and (as a literary device) is presented as Moses’ final speech to the Israelites just before they entered the Promised Land.

“Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words that mean “Second Law” and was structured as if it were a “restatement” of the laws found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Parts of Deuteronomy were revised as late as 450 BCE, but the bulk of the book is generally dated to the reign of King Josiah of Judea (640-609 BCE).

It is also the first book of the didactic “Deuteronomic History” which consists of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. This “History” taught that when the people and kings of Israel and Judea worshiped YHWH properly, they prospered, but when they worshiped false gods, other nations (Assyria in 722 BCE and Babylon in 587 BCE) conquered them. For the Deuteronomists, these conquests occurred because of false worship, not because the Assyrians and Babylonians were wealthier countries with larger armies. In this way, the Deuteronomists “preserved” the notions of YHWH’s being the all-powerful protector of Israel and Judea and that YHWH controlled everything that occurred.

Today’s reading is the last chapter of the Torah and a segue to the Book of Joshua. It recounted Moses’ death “at the LORD’s command” (v.5) rather than his dying of old age or an infirmity. This is seen in Jewish commentaries as a great blessing on Moses. Moses’ authority was passed to Joshua (v.9), the main character in the next book of the Bible.

Moses’ burial site is unknown (v. 6) lest it become a place of veneration. Mount Nebo and Pisgah (v.1) are different places, but the authors of the book treated them as the same place to respect two different traditions about the place of Moses’ death and burial.

The statement that Moses knew YHWH “face to face” (v.10) became part of Israel’s Messianic expectation when combined with Deut. 18:18 (“I [YHWH] will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses] from among their own people.”) The Gospel According to Matthew (unlike the other Gospels) especially portrayed Jesus of Nazareth as the New Moses.

Ironically (and reflecting different religious and theological traditions within the Torah), last week’s reading specifically said Moses could not see YHWH’s face and live (Ex. 33:20-23).

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18

Reading

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

15 You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Commentary

Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with laws and the worship of YHWH. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.

Today’s reading is part of the “Holiness Code” written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call the people of Israel (and us) to be “holy” – which is understood as being “separate” (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world). The call to be “holy” is also found in Exodus 19:6 and Numbers 15:40.

Verse 18 (“love your neighbor as yourself”) became the Second Great Commandment in the Gospels when combined with Deut. 6:5 (“love the LORD [YHWH] your God”) (Mark 12:31).

The second part of the reading (vv. 15-18) has a tone very much like the Ten Commandments but assumes a settled society. Verse 15 is directed at judges to make fair decisions. Verse 16 prohibits spreading false rumors or profiting when a neighbor is falsely accused. Scholars suggest that verse 17 is better rendered as “Do hate your kinsfolk in your heart, rather correct your kinsman lest you incur guilt because of him.”

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Reading

1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Commentary

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was Paul’s first letter and was written around 50 CE. Accordingly, it is the oldest writing in the Christian Scriptures.

Thessalonica is a seaport city and was the capital of Macedonia. Even today, Thessaloniki (as it is now called) is a charming city of one million persons, and the cultural center of Greece. The saying there is that “Thessaloniki is to Athens as San Francisco is to Los Angeles.”

According to Acts 16 and 17, Paul went to Philippi and then to Thessalonica. He spoke gratefully in Philippians 4:16 of gifts sent to him by Philippians when he was in Thessalonica. In today’s reading, Paul spoke of having been “shamefully mistreated at Philippi” (v.2). This may refer to his imprisonment described in Acts 16:16-40 for exorcising a slave-girl who was engaged in divination and was verbally harassing Paul.

The letter to the Thessalonians encouraged the Jesus Follower community to be steadfast in the face of persecution. Paul emphasized the sincerity of his preaching to them and asserted that he considered himself entrusted with the gospel by God (v.4).
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Paul was never bashful about making the claim that he was an “apostle” (v.7) – one who is sent out with the Gospel message. In the same verse, he also described himself as a “nurse.” In Greek, the word he used is better understood as a “wet nurse” – one who feeds children from her breast, an image that conveyed Paul’s great care for the Thessalonians.

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Deuteronomy is the fifth (and last) book of the Torah and (except for today’s reading) is presented as Moses’ final speech to the Israelites just before they entered the Promised Land. “Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words that mean “Second Law” and is structured as a “restatement’ of the laws in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Parts of it were revised in the 5th Century BCE, but the bulk of the book is generally dated to the reign of Josiah (640-609 BCE).

It is the first book of the “Deuteronomic History” – a didactic history of Ancient Israel from the Wilderness to the Babylonian Exile (587 BCE), including Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings.

Today’s reading is the last chapter of the Torah and a segue to the Book of Joshua. It recounted Moses’ death and the passing of authority to Joshua. Moses’ burial site is unknown (v. 6) lest it become a place of veneration. Mount Nebo and Pisgah are different places, but the author treats them as the same in order to respect different traditions about the place of Moses’ death.

The statement that Moses knew YHWH “face to face” (v.10) became part of Israel’s Messianic expectation when combined with Deut. 18:18 (“I [YHWH] will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses] from among their own people.”) The Gospel According to Matthew especially emphasized Jesus of Nazareth as the New Moses.

Ironically (and reflecting different religious and theological traditions within the Torah), last week’s reading specifically said Moses could not see YHWH’s face and live (Ex. 33:20-23).

Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18

Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with a variety of laws and the worship of YHWH. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.

Today’s reading is part of the “Holiness Code” written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call the people of Israel (and us) to be “holy” – which is understood as being “separate” (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world). The last verse (“love your neighbor as yourself”) became the Second Great Commandment in the Gospels, when combined with Deut. 6:5 (“love the LORD [YHWH] your God”).

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was Paul’s first letter and was written around 50 CE. Thessaloniki is a seaport and was the capital of Macedonia. The letter encouraged the community to be steadfast in the face of persecution. In today’s reading, Paul emphasized the sincerity of his preaching to them, and that he considered himself entrusted with the gospel by God (v.4).

Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with laws and the worship of God at his sanctuary. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and is dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.

Today’s reading is part of the “Holiness Code” written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call for the people of Israel (and us) to be “holy” – which is understood as being “separate” (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world).

The next part of the reading sounds very much like the Ten Commandments, but sets up higher standards: not leaving food and drink for the poor is tantamount to stealing; one needs to care for the handicapped; taking vengeance and bearing a grudge are wrong. The reading concludes with the verse quoted by Jesus of Nazareth as the Second Great Commandment.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was Hellenistic and 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 means to be a Jesus Follower. This led to contentions among the Corinthians.

Today’s reading continues Paul’s argument to the Corinthians that they should be unified. He asserts that he laid the foundation for their faith and this foundation is Jesus the Christ (v. 11). He tells the Corinthians that they are “God’s temple” – even though the Temple in Jerusalem was in full operation during all of Paul’s life. (The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE). Today’s reading concludes with Paul’s continuing attack on the “wisdom/values of the world” and his affirmation that these values are “foolishness to God.” The final verse describes the “Cosmic Christ” that draws all to itself and to God.

“Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words meaning “Second Law.” The book is presented as a “restatement’ of the laws in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Although much of the book was written in the reign of Josiah (640 to 609 BCE), there were later revisions during and after the Exile (587-539 BCE).

All the Deuteronomic books (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) contain an over-arching theme that “explains” Ancient Israel’s Exile and Judea’s subjugation to other nations. Rather than seeing the Exile and the other conquests of Judea as the result of the greater economic and military might of foreign nations, they are portrayed as the result of failing to obey the commandments of the LORD (v. 16) and being “led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them” (v.17). Verses 16 and 17 start with “if” and reflect the Deuteronomists’ understanding that the Covenant with the LORD was conditional. Judea failed to live up to its part of the covenant, and this is why it suffered.

Philemon 1: 1-21

The Letter to Philemon is the shortest of the letters attributed to Paul, and is presented as his last letter in the Bible. (When Jerome translated the letters for the Vulgate, he arranged them from the longest to the shortest on the theory that the longer letters were more important.) Today’s reading contains all but three of the verses of the entire letter.

The letter is written from prison, but the site is not specified. Paul is sending the slave Onesimus (whose name means “helpful”) back to Philemon with a request to free him as a “brother in the Lord” (v. 16). Paul notes that he converted Philemon (“owing me in your own self” v.19).