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The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for Trinity 18 in this Year B is Mark 9.38–50. It is a rather unusual reading; it completes the collection of sayings that we began last week, and there is some continuity across the two passages; and it does belong (as we noted last week) to a section of teachings … Continue Reading
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 17 in Year B is Mark 9.30–37. In our reading of Mark, we have leap-frogged from the confession at Ceasarea Philippi, over the Transfiguration (which is considered at other times in the lectionary) and the following deliverance episode, to a short cluster of sayings, though stopping short of … Continue Reading
The final reading from John 6, for Trinity 13 in Year B, ends with many of Jesus’ disciples turning away, together with Jesus’ response. Typically Johannine, the passage and Jesus’ speech folds in new ideas about the Father, the Spirit, life, and believing in Jesus. Come and join Ian and James as they explore the … Continue Reading
We continue through our careful reading of John 6 as an intermission from Mark’s gospel, and on Trinity 10 in Year B the gospel reading is John 6.24–35. Having romped through 21 verses last week, which include the Fourth Gospel’s lengthier version of the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water (though in … Continue Reading
The account of the feeding of the 5,000 is often thought to point to subsequent Christian practice of Communion or the Eucharist. In fact, there are several pointers in the account in John 6 which point away from this. Much stronger are links with the Old Testament, particularly Moses leading the people as they are … Continue Reading
The lectionary gospel reading for Trinity 5 in this Year B is Mark 5.21–43, the intercalated stories of the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the woman with an issue of blood. This is Mark the storyteller at his narrative best, and unlike many lectionary passages, this is a long reading worth exploring … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for Trinity 4 in this Year B is Mark 4.35–41 (the reading for Trinity 3 in other Years B), the account of Jesus calming the storm. It is a fabulous story both full of little eye-witness details, and yet at the same time impossible to read without feeling its symbolic significance. Unlike … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 3 in Year B is Mark 4.26–34. Once again, the lectionary makes a slightly odd choice, picking up the teaching of Jesus midway through a sequence of pericopes mostly related to parables and the kingdom. But the two quite simple parables contain a wealth of insight into the nature … Continue Reading
The gospel reading for Trinity 2 in Year B is Mark 3.20–35 (the end of the chapter). It is a fascinating episode, since in characteristic style, Mark ‘intercalates’ or sandwiches one story inside another—the opposite from the Jewish authorities sits within the story of his family trying to stop his ministry. We learn about the … Continue Reading
Because Easter was earlier this year, the readings in ‘ordinary time’ begin in Trinity 1 with Mark 2.23–3.6 which is not always included when Easter is later. At first, this appears to be a pair of incidents about Sabbath law and whether it still applies to followers of Jesus. In fact, it sits within Jewish … Continue Reading
This Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost, when we remember, celebrate, and re-engage with the first giving of the Spirit at Pentecost as recounted in Acts 2, and the lectionary reading in this Year A is, as every year, Acts 2.1–21. Although it is a comparatively long reading, in one sense it is not long … 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
