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The Sunday lectionary reading for this week, Easter 6 in Year C, is Acts 16.9–15. We are continuing in this season to focus on the reading from Acts, which (the lectionary tells us) must be the first or second reading. This is a pivotal moment in the gentile mission, since it is the time when, … Continue Reading
We continue focussing on the passages in Acts, and for Easter 6 in Year C the reading is Acts 16.9–15. This starts half-way through a paragraph, so we should really start reading at verse 6. We are now in the second half of Acts, focussing on what the Spirit is doing through the ministry of … Continue Reading
The lectionary readings for Easter 4 in Year C include three substantial readings: Acts 9.36-43, Revelation 7.9-17 and John 10.22-30. There is a note which says: ‘The reading from Acts must be used as either the first or second reading’, which suggests that this reading is thought to be particularly important—and this is characteristic of … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for Easter 3 in Year C is Acts 9, the so-called conversion of Saul/Paul. These readings from Acts are prioritized, so that we are encouraged to preach from them in this season (despite it coming before Pentecost!). Is it right to talk about Paul being ‘converted’? What does this change involve—what is … 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
The NT Epistle reading for Lent 5 (sometimes called Passion Sunday) is Paul’s account of his ‘great reversal’. (The gospel reading is the anointing at Bethany in John 12). Paul uses the language of ‘the flesh’ here as he has done in 2 Cor 5 to talk about mere human evaluation of things. On the … Continue Reading
The Sunday lectionary NT epistle for Lent 4 is 2 Cor 5.16–21. The gospel lectionary reading is Luke 15.1-3, 11b-32, the parable of the Forgiving Father (or the Prodigal Son), which works well with it. Many people will be preaching on the theme of Mothering Sunday—but that is in danger of missing out on this … Continue Reading
The Sunday lectionary NT epistle for Lent 3 is 1 Cor 10.1–13. The gospel lectionary reading is Luke 13.1–9. Paul engages in his characteristic Christological reading, drawing parallels between the experience of Israel on their Exodus journey through the wilderness and the experience of the new Israel in Jesus as they share bread and wine. … Continue Reading
The NT epistle for the First Sunday of Lent (Lent 1) in Year C is Romans 8b–13. It is a slightly odd choice by the lectionary, since the passage starts in verse 5, and you really need to read from there. Paul does two important things as he reads the Old Testament. First, he notices … Continue Reading
Tim Murray writes: Philippians 2.6-11 (often known as the ‘Philippian Christ Hymn’) is one of the most important texts in the New Testament for our Christology. It seems to speak of the pre-existence of Jesus being “in the form of God”, who did not count this as “something to be grasped/held on to/exploited” but instead … Continue Reading
The NT epistle for the Sunday next before Lent is 2 Corinthians 3.12–4.2, in which Paul draws a comparison between Moses’ encounter with God in Ex 34 and our encounter with God in the person of Jesus, using the metaphor of the ‘veil being removed’. There are clear connections with the gospel passage, which is … 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
