scholarship. serving. ministry.
The Sunday lectionary reading for the Third Sunday before Lent in Year C is Luke 6.17–26, this gospel’s version of the Beatitudes. The epistle is 1 Cor 11.11–22, and you can watch the video discussion of that passage here. One of the most obvious questions arising from the gospel reading is how they relate to … Continue Reading
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for the fourth Sunday before Lent in Year C is Luke 5.1–11, the story of the miraculous catch of fish, as we jump forward into Jesus’ ministry before returning to the temptations in the desert at the start of Lent. It is a captivating story in its own right, but … Continue Reading
I wrote a first version of this article (revised in the light of comments) five years ago, in response to people posting online the list on the right. Surprisingly, this is still being reposted as an expression of New Year’s resolutions. When I gently challenging it, one friend said that it is a good antidote … Continue Reading
When a student in Oxford in the 1980s, I walked into a church bookshop and picked up a landscape-format book full of complex diagrams. It was setting out the seven dispensations of history, apparently according to the Bible, in which God gave humanity in each era a distinct challenge, which it failed, and a unique … Continue Reading
What do you find most irritating about this time of year? The drawing in of dark and cold nights? The hideous adoption of that consumerist import ‘Black Friday’? People putting up Christmas trees when we have only just started Advent? Being urged to spend more money by means of schmaltzy human interest mini-dramas? For me, … Continue Reading
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 19 in Year B is Mark 10.2–16. I think it is impossible to preach on this passage without dealing with the question of the consequences of Jesus’ teaching for our own attitude to and the Church’s practice in relation to divorce and remarriage, and this will make it … Continue Reading
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 19 in this Year B is Mark 10.2–16. I think it is impossible to preach on this passage without dealing with the question of the consequences of Jesus’ teaching for our own attitude to and the Church’s practice in relation to divorce and remarriage, and this will make … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 15 in this Year B (the reading for Trinity 14 three years ago) is Mark 7.24-37, which includes the episode of Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician woman that often brings readers up short, containing as it does what appears to be a rather shocking insult. Jesus is seeking to … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 15 in this Year B is Mark 7.24-37, which includes the episode of Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician woman that often brings readers up short, containing as it does what appears to be a rather shocking insult. It has become very popular to read this as a story about … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 7 in this Year B (though not in every Year B!) is Mark 6.14–29—and it feels distinctly odd by any measure. If you are a good Anglican, and ensure you read not only from the NT and the Psalms but also from the Old Testament every week, it will … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 7 in this Year B is Mark 6.14–29. This odd reading includes the detailed story of the gruesome beheading of John the Baptist, concluded with the return of the disciples from mission. How do we make sense of the story in Mark’s gospel? What is Mark doing in retelling … 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
If you have found these resources helpful, please support this ministry by making a one-off or regular donation. You do that directly through PayPal
or through Ko-fi.
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 Teaching theology video Year B Year C
