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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
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
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
The epistle for Trinity 1 in Year A is Romans 4.13–25. Many people are put off preaching on Romans, and Paul’s language here is dense and compressed. Yet the central message is this: salvation is not the result of a contract, in which we exchange God’s grace for our obedience. It is a gift that … Continue Reading
Should we preach on the Trinity on Trinity Sunday? The answer is less obvious than you might think! And what do we make of the triadic formula in Matt 28.19? Was it a later addition or part of the teaching of Jesus? And how should we read the five imperatives from Paul in 2 Cor … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for Easter 7 in Year A is split over two chapters in 1 Peter: 1 Peter 4.12-14; 5.6-11. The first part returns to the question of suffering, and both connects with previous teaching on suffering, and adds in new striking dimensions, in particular the mention of the Spirit. The second part includes … Continue Reading
The lectionary readings for Easter 6 in Year A are 1 Peter 3.13-end and John 14.15-21. The reading from 1 Peter 3 includes well-known and practical advice on how to ‘give an account of the hope that is in you’ which has obvious application today. But the second half includes what is perhaps the most … Continue Reading
The lectionary readings for Easter 5 are 1 Peter 2.2-10 and John 14.1-14. In 1 Peter 2, we jump back to before last week’s reading (!) in order to line up with discussion about places to abide in John 14. This well-known passage is saturated with OT references, both implicit and explicit, which we need … Continue Reading
The lectionary epistle for Easter 4 is 1 Peter 2.19–end. Peter sees out a challenge call for us to endure suffering following the example of Jesus. But to make proper sense of this, we need to read it in its context, and notice the different language that Peter uses of us as slaves of God, … Continue Reading
The lectionary epistle for Easter 3 in Year A is 1 Peter 1.17–23. In this section, Peter begins by reflecting on the significant of the impartiality of God’s love—he is not like a king who shows favouritism to some, by lifting their bowed face to look at him, but treats all equally—as Peter discovered in … Continue Reading
The NT epistle reading for Palm Sunday in this Year 3 is the so-called ‘Christ hymn’ in Phil 2.5–11. This is a fitting parallel to the account of Jesus’ non-triumphal entry into Jerusalem in Luke 19.28–40. The introduction to this ‘hymn’ is also very carefully poetically structured, which suggests that the whole passage is by … 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
