Tag: texts that aren't in the lectionary
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Studying Galatians 3 18-29
It’s been a long time since we studied anything from Galatians! But we’re returning to Galatians for the next three weeks, starting with digging into Galatians 3:18-29 for Sunday, May 15. [Evidently the curriculum powers that be think chapter 5 is the most important part of the book, though, because that’s what we’ll be spending […]
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Studying Ezra 6 13-22
Continuing the narrative of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem – or alternatively, the building of the “Second Temple” – we’ll get to celebrate the completion of the building project, and Passover, and think about the meaning of those big events in the larger story of the children of Israel. We’ll get to think, […]
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Studying Ezra 6 1-12
People who are trying to “do the will of God” are doing so in the context of a world that has precious little interest in furthering that purpose, and sometimes actively opposes it. Nevertheless, at various times, and by various ways, or so we trust, God fulfills God’s purposes. When that happens, it can happen […]
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Studying Deuteronomy 24 10-21
One element of Biblical justice is compassion for the poor and vulnerable, and we will be focusing on that element as we study Deuteronomy 24:10-21, our text for Sunday, January 30. [Some questions on this text are here.] Here are a few notes on that text: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: This is our third text from […]
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Studying Deuteronomy 16 18-20, 17 8-13
We will be thinking about what it means to provide for the doing of justice in a community, as we study Deuteronomy 16:18-20 and Deuteronomy 17:8-13 for Sunday, January 23. [Some notes on the text are here.] Here are a few notes on these texts: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: The book of Deuteronomy presents itself as […]
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Studying Exodus 23 1-12
We will be examining some of the demands of Biblical justice as we are studying Exodus 23:1-12 for Sunday, January 16. This is in keeping with our quarter-long focus on “justice, law, and history.” [A few questions on this text are here.] Here are a few notes on this text: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: Our text […]
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Studying 2 Samuel 9 1-12
We are faced with a complex instance of loyalty, and perhaps also justice, in 2 Samuel 9:1-12, our text for Sunday, December 12. This is the story of David’s seeking out Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, and installing him as a permanent guest at the king’s table in Jerusalem. [Here are a few questions on this text.] […]
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Studying Revelation 19 1-8
We will get to think about a pair of striking Revelation-style images this week, “the whore of Babylon” and “the bride of the Lamb.” We find both in Revelation 19:1-8, the text for Sunday, November 21. The Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna said, of one of the important doctrines of that religion, that “grasping it wrongly is […]
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Studying Psalm 107
We will not be going down to the sea in ships, I hope, but we may find ourselves thinking about those famous words as we are studying Psalm 107 for Sunday, October 17. [Some questions on the text are here.] Here are a few notes on this text, including some specific focus on verses 1-9 […]
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Studying Psalm 9 1-12
For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever. Psalm 9:18 Psalm 9:18 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It’s utopian, in the sense that it asserts the possibility of a world that is otherwise than the current one with its “realistic” options. We are […]
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Studying Acts 2 32-33, 37-47
We will be thinking about what kind of church we have been, and are, and would like to be, as we are studying Acts 2:32-33, 37-47 for Sunday, September 26. [September 26-October 1 is the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom’s Banned Books Week. We’re celebrating by reading the Bible, which showed up on […]
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Studying 2 Samuel 6 (not just 1-5, 14-19)
We are meant to be focusing on David’s second, more successful effort to transport the ark to Jerusalem; we are meant to be thinking about it as an example of praise and worship. We are studying the selected verses 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 14-19 for Sunday, September 12. If we read all of 2 Samuel 6, […]
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Studying Hebrews 10 23-36
Our text this week forces us to deal with some particularly knotty theological questions, like “the perseverance of the saints” and the relationship of Christianity to Judaism. We are taking a step “back,” to chapter 10 of Hebrews, for Sunday, August 15 – specifically, we are studying Hebrews 10:23-36. The select verses are, frankly, an […]
Matters of Interpretation 