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Month: August 2025

Why does Jesus bring ‘division and a sword’ in Luke 12?

August 13, 2025August 12, 2025

(If you enjoy this article, why not buy me a coffee?) The Sunday lectionary reading (Trinity 9, Year C) continues on its journey through Luke’s ‘special section’ of Jesus’ ministry and teaching on road to Jerusalem from Luke 9.51 to Luke 18.14. In this short (and again, inexplicably truncated by the lectionary) reading from Luke …

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Categories Biblical Studies 2 Comments

Why does Jesus bring ‘division and a sword’ in Luke 12? video discussion

August 12, 2025August 11, 2025

The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 9 in this Year C is Luke 12.49–56, continuing in a substantial section of teaching of Jesus gathered together by Luke. In this part of the gospel, we find some of Jesus’ toughest teaching about the reality of judgement and the cost of following him. (The lectionary oddly cuts …

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Categories Biblical Studies Leave a comment

Jesus, resurrection on the ‘eighth day’ and the new creation

August 12, 2025August 8, 2025

What is the connection between Jesus’ name and the number eight? Why was it significant that Jesus was raised on the eighth day? And what is the theological meaning of this for his followers? To consider this, we need to think about the culture of the first century and how people understood numbers. In the …

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Categories Biblical Studies 48 Comments

Why we should stop using the word ‘Church’

August 12, 2025August 6, 2025

I would like to start a campaign, and it begins today: we should prohibit all use of the word ‘church’. I suppose I should qualify that a little: we should prohibit the use of the word “church” in the context of discussing the New Testament. Anyone who was my student from my nearly ten years …

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Categories Biblical Studies 103 Comments

How do we rest in the Father’s love and be ready for action in Luke 12?

August 12, 2025August 5, 2025

The Sunday lectionary gospel for Trinity 8 in Year C is from Luke 12.32–40, and offers a slightly odd selection of verses, in that it includes the end of one section of Jesus’ teaching—on trusting God for provision, and so being generous with our possessions—and the beginning of another, on readiness for the return of …

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Categories Biblical Studies 8 Comments

How to rest in the Father’s love and be ready for the Son’s return in Luke 12 video discussion

August 12, 2025August 4, 2025

The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 8 in this Year C is Luke 12.32-40. It brings together two teachings of Jesus, which appear to be paradoxical, or at least in some tension. On the one hand, we are to be at peace, and enjoy the freedom that comes from knowing the Father’s love. Because of …

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Categories Biblical Studies 4 Comments

Should racial justice be at the heart of the Church’s mission?

August 4, 2025August 1, 2025

John Root writes: ‘Being Built Together Volume 1: A Reference on Racial Justice in the Church of England’ (hereafter BBT) is a ‘book of readings and testimonies about the work of racial justice and the experiences of people of colour in the Church of England’ according to the Church’s leading administrator, William Nye. It includes …

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Categories Life & Ministry 21 Comments
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Ian Paul

Ian Paul

Theologian, author, speaker

Associate Senior Research Fellow, Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology; Associate Minister, St Nic's, Nottingham; Managing Editor, Grove Books; member of General Synod and Archbishops' Council. Mac user; chocoholic. Tweets at @psephizo

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  • A Christian presence in every community?November 5, 2026
  • The colossal statue in Ephesus and reading the Book of RevelationNovember 3, 2026
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  • Gospel commentary index Lectionary Year BOctober 30, 2026

Gospel Commentary Index, Lectionary Year B

An index to all the commentary articles on the gospel lectionary readings for the whole of Year B, together with links to video discussions.

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Books by Ian Paul

What is Sex For? A Pastoral Theology of Our Sexed Bodies

What is Sex For? A Pastoral Theology of Our Sexed Bodies

Revelation (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries)

Revelation (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries)

The Practice of Evangelical Spirituality

The Practice of Evangelical Spirituality

Kingdom, Hope and the End of the World

Kingdom, Hope and the End of the World: The 'Now' and 'Not Yet' of Eschatology

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