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Fulfilling righteousness

5 February 2017
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Epiphany 5A (RCL)
Isaiah 58:1-12
Psalm 112
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
Matthew 5:13-20

Jesus began his ministry in Matthew’s Gospel by proclaiming, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived.” I contend that the word we translate ‘repent’ means something more like ‘go back to school, retrain your mind.’ Matthew’s own Gospel is the textbook he intends us to use to retrain our mind. The opening paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount (the beatitudes) invited us to reconsider how a community is constituted — by constraints on behavior (the ten commandments) or by holding up exemplars for honor, which overturn the usual system of honor. This paragraph now invites us to relearn what righteousness is. Continue reading “Fulfilling righteousness”

Who is honored?

29 January 2017
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Epiphany IVA (RCL)
Micah 6:1-8
Psalm 15
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Matthew 5:1-12

One does look with a certain ennui on the prospect of preaching on the Beatitudes yet again. We are so familiar with this particular passage, it seems hard to find something new to say about it. Gratefully, we have the passage from 1 Corinthians to provide a bit of relief. Continue reading “Who is honored?”

Mending nets

22 January 2017
Third Sunday after Epiphany
Epiphany 3A (RCL)
Isaiah 9:1-4
Psalm 27:1, 5-13
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Matthew 4:12-23

Don’t you wonder what would have compelled Simon and Andrew, James and John to drop everything and follow this random wandering preacher, announcing the coming of the Kingdom? Matthew provides us with precious little detail about the nature of the interaction between Jesus and these first followers. They simply follow. We are left to wonder what attracted them. Continue reading “Mending nets”

Behold the lamb of God

15 January 2017
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Epiphany 2A
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-12
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42

This bit of John’s Gospel comes in the midst of the first piece of narrative in the Gospel. John (the Evangelist, not the Baptist) signals the scope of his theological project in this passage (the prologue has set the table for that project). When John (the Baptist) says, “Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the cosmos,” we should be shocked. John (the Evangelist) is introducing a brand new theological category. Throughout the Old Testament, we encounter plenty of lambs, and many even that are sacrificed. The one that comes most readily to mind is the Passover lamb . . . but it does not take away sin. Continue reading “Behold the lamb of God”

A covenant with all flesh

8 January 2017
The Baptism of our Lord
First Sunday after Epiphany A (RCL)
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17

Among the Synoptic Gospel accounts of Jesus’ baptism, Matthew’s stands out for a couple of reasons. First, John tries to prevent Jesus from seeking baptism, by saying, “I should be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Secondly, in Mark and Luke, the voice from heaven says to Jesus, “You are my son, the beloved. With you I am well pleased.” In Matthew’s account, the voice says, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” Both these difference carry forward Matthew’s unique theological project. Continue reading “A covenant with all flesh”

Holy Name

1 January 2017
Feast of the Holy Name
Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 8
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:15-21

This feast used to be called the Circumcision, rather than Holy Name. The earlier name carried perhaps more weight — the event in Luke is about more than just naming the child. Male children became members of the covenant people by circumcision on the eighth day. This is about Jesus becoming a child of the covenant. Continue reading “Holy Name”

Oh, the irony

24 December 2016
Christmas Eve
Christmas I (RCL)
Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-20

Luke sets for himself a daunting task: translate the history of Israel into an idiom a Gentile audience can understand, and then show that Jesus fulfills the themes of that history, while at the same time living and dying as a virtuous Gentile. And keep the treason in this endeavor hidden from sight. Continue reading “Oh, the irony”

Joseph the dreamer

18 December 2016
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Advent 4A (RCL)
Isaiah 7:10-16
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-25

While Luke has angels appearing to Mary and to the shepherds, Matthew has angels appearing to Joseph in a dreams. Joseph dreams three times; the first time the angel tells him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife; the second time, the angel tells him to flee to Egypt; and the third time, tells him to return from Egypt. The first Joseph also had three dreams (well two of his own and then interprets Pharaoh’s dreams). Joseph’s first two dreams (about his brothers bowing down to him) lands him in Egypt as a slave. Pharaoh’s dreams in Joseph’s interpretation makes it possible for him to save his people (after enslaving the Egyptians to Pharaoh, of course). Continue reading “Joseph the dreamer”

The works of the Christ

11 December 2016
Third Sunday of Advent
Advent IIIA (RCL)
Isaiah 35:1-10
Psalm 146:4-9
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11

I grow increasingly frustrated with the NRSV translation. In this instance, we are told that when John, in prison, “heard what the Messiah was doing,” he sent his disciples to ask. In the Greek, the phrase is, “heard the works of the Christ.” And the genitive could be read as an adjective, “heard the Christly works.” “What the Messiah was doing” just doesn’t communicate that John is referring to specific works and specific kinds of works or acts. Continue reading “The works of the Christ”

Repentance

4 December 2016
Second Sunday of Advent
Advent 2A (RCL)
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12

The collect for this day calls out the them of repentance in the Gospel reading. The matter is a bit more complicated than just a focus on repentance. Matthew tells us that the people were baptized, “confessing their sins.” When the Scribes and Pharisees come for baptism, he warns them that they must bear fruit worthy of repentance. And when he announces the coming of the mightier one, he says, “I baptize you in water into repentance.” The more powerful one will baptize in Holy Spirit and fire.

What does it mean to be baptized into repentance? Continue reading “Repentance”