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Romans 7.15–25a is the epistle for Trinity 5 in Year A, and includes the famous ‘I’-passage over which there has been much debate. Is Paul speaking in the first person recounting his own experience as a Christian? Or in his pre-Christian life? Or is he recounting the experience of Israel under the law? Or of … Continue Reading
One of the obvious differences in chronology between John’s gospel and the ‘Synoptics’ (Matthew, Mark and Luke) is that John gives an account of Jesus in Jerusalem on five different occasions, two during a Passover (John 2.13, 12.12), one during an unnamed festival (John 5.1), once for Succoth (Booths) from John 7 to John 10, … Continue Reading
The gospel read for Trinity 4 in Year A of Matt 10.40–42 is perhaps the strangest choice in the whole lectionary—at only three verses! (The lectionary epistle is Romans 6.12–23; the video discussion for that is here, and the video discussion for Matt 10 is here. Both are included at the end of this article.) … Continue Reading
For Trinity 4 we continue reading in Romans 6. Paul continues to anticipate objections to his radical claims about the freedom that we now have in Christ. To do so, he draws parallels between our old way of life and new life in Christ. Whereas we were slaves to sin, we are now slaves to … Continue Reading
It’s not uncommon in churches, when the time comes for the Bible reading, to see people reach not for a printed pew Bible, but for their phones, to read the Bible on a phone app. Since the pandemic, people have become even more nervous about picking up a printed Bible in church—despite the lack of … Continue Reading
The gospel reading for Trinity 3 in Year A is Matthew 10.24–39—we continue to work through Jesus’ teaching on mission in Matthew 10, but the lectionary has jumped across from the specifics of his sending out the Twelve (last week in Matthew 9.35–10.8) to more general teaching about being faithful under pressure. (You can find … Continue Reading
In Romans 6, Paul uses the actions of baptism (going down into the waters of death, coming up to breathe the air of new life) to explain our new status in resurrection life. Underlying this is Paul’s eschatology—when we are in Christ, we begin to live the new life of the age to come. This … Continue Reading
I am planning to lead a study trip to Greece in the footsteps of St Paul, from Tuesday 20th to Thursday 29th April 2027 inclusive visiting Thessaloniki, Philippi, Berea, Meteroa, Delphi, Corinth, and Athens. It is a great time of year to go, as the weather is warm but not too hot, the sites are … Continue Reading
At last! After the detours in Luke-Acts and John for the series of feasts around Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity, the lectionary finally brings us back to the Gospel according to Matthew for Trinity 2 in Year A! Whew! The reading set, Matt 9.35–10.8, is slightly odd, in that it bridges from one section of Matthew, … Continue Reading
The epistle for Trinity 2 is the same as it was for Lent 3, Romans 5.1–8, so I link here the video discussion we previously recorded. The gospel is Jesus’ calling and sending the Twelve into the harvest field in Matthew 9.35–10.8. In Romans 5, Paul effectively sets out his stall for the second main … Continue Reading
Gerry Lynch writes: Starting in 1972, the animal psychologist Francine Patterson began to teach an infant gorilla named Koko a modified form of American Sign Language. Patterson claimed Koko could sign a thousand words and understand twice that number in English. I remember seeing Koko speaking on children’s programmes when I was a kid, where … Continue Reading
Ian Paul: theologian, author, speaker, academic consultant. 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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Gospel commentary index Lectionary Year A
Andrew Goddard Bible biblical interpretation Biblical literacy biblical theology Christmas Church of England culture discipleship discussion doctrine eschatology evangelism gay General Synod Grove guest Hermeneutics History hope interpretation James Blandford Baker Jesus John's gospel Justin Welby leadership lectionary Luke Luke's gospel Matthew ministry mission New Testament Paul politics power preaching Revelation same sex unions sexuality theology video Year A Year B Year C
