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The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Lent 4 in Year C is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15.1–3 and 11b–32, though it is perhaps as well called the parable of the loving father, or the parable of the father and the two sons. In the video below, James and Ian discuss the … Continue Reading
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Lent 4 in Year C is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15.1–3 and 11b–32, though it is perhaps as well called the parable of the loving father, or the parable of the father and the two sons. I realise that many will be focussing on Mothering … Continue Reading
The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday before Advent in Year B is the dialogue that includes Jesus’ summary of the law in Mark 12.28–34. As we count down the lectionary year, preparing to enter Advent with its focus on Jesus’ return, Mark is counting down the days and hours to Jesus’ trial … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 4 in Year B is Mark 5.21–43, the intercalated stories of the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the woman with a flow of blood. (For some reason, the lectionary jumps over the previous episode, the deliverance of the Gerasene demoniac; I assume that one of the … Continue Reading
Justin Thacker writes: A fundamental principle of biblical justice is that we are all equal before the law. The book of Leviticus reminds us: ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly’ (Lev 19:15). Yet a new report from TaxWatch reveals that such … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for the so-called ‘Last Sunday after Trinity’ as we near the end of Year A is Matthew 22.34–46. Having had three symbolic actions from Jesus (entering the city, overturning the tables, withering the fig tree) and three parables (the two sons, the wicked tenants, the wedding banquet), we have now reached the … Continue Reading
Justin Thacker writes: The spirit of the law matters. It seems obvious to say that but, in doing so, I’m not referring to the third person of the Trinity, I’m referring to the unwritten, uncodified aim or purpose of our legal instruments—especially as they relate to taxation. Of course, both Jesus and Paul recognised the significance … Continue Reading
Oliver Harrison writes: Often, in normal times and in a normal church service, we start our prayers of confession with a very short excerpt from the Bible. The minister reads out Jesus’ words from Matthew chapter 22.37–40: The first and greatest commandment is this: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your … Continue Reading
Dr Andy Angel is vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill in West Sussex, and has just published an intriguing book The Jesus You Really Didn’t Know, exploring the importance of judgement and obedience in the teaching of Jesus in the gospels. I asked Andy about the book and the issues that it raises. IP: You talk … Continue Reading
Should Old Testament law be of value to Christians, and if so, in what sense? Dr Carmen Imes is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Prairie College in Alberta, Canada, and did her doctoral research on the understanding of the third Commandment ‘You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain’, published as a monograph … Continue Reading
The lectionary gospel reading for Trinity 11 in Year C, Luke 14.1, 7–14, continues to engage with material that is unique to Luke, arranged in Luke’s distinctive order, and bridging the worlds of the original context of Jesus and Judaism and Luke’s context in wider Roman culture. The passage comes in a sequence of episodes … 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 preaching Revelation same sex marriage same sex unions sexuality theology video Year A Year B Year C
