Category: Uncategorized

  • Preaching Paths 18 August 2024 Proper 15B 2nd NT Reading**

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary At first glance, today’s text (Eph 5:15-20) may seem to offer little homiletical traction. Not only is it telegraphically brief, but its language (“be wise … not foolish…because the days are evil”) is likely to strike modern listeners as antiquated and obscure. On the other hand, allusions…

  • Proper 14 (19), 11th August 2024

    Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Put away evil, live in love 4:25So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another. 4:26Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 4:27and do not make room for the devil. 4:28Those…

  • Preaching Paths 11 August 2024 Proper 14B**

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s 2nd NT reading, Ephesians 4:25-5:2, is concerned with practices befitting the Christologically-anchored, revolutionary reconstruction of human community described in Ephesians chapters 1-3. There is nothing specifically Christian about most of the vices, virtues and practices described in today’s text. Similar lists abound in ancient literature. What…

  • Proper 13 (18), 4th August 2024

    Ephesians 4:1-16 Maintain the unity of the faith 4:1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 4:2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 4:3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit…

  • Preaching Paths 4 August 2024 Proper 13B

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Ephesians 4:1-16, the 2nd NT Reading for today, opens the paraenetic chapters (4-6) of this epistle. These verses presuppose the Christocentric theological panorama unfurled in chs 1-3. The writer’s addressees are the hard-pressed, mixed Jewish / Gentile congregations of Asia Minor. The very fact of fellowship between…

  • Proper 12 (17), 28th July 2024

    John 6:1-21 Jesus feeds 5000 6:1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 6:2A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 6:3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 6:4Now…

  • 21st July 2024

    Owing to travels I shall resume in the course of next week with comments for Sunday, 28th July.

  • Proper 10 (15)Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, 14th July 2024

    Mark 6:14-296:14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 6:15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets…

  • Preaching Paths 28 July 2024 Proper 12B

    Preaching Paths 28 July 2024  Proper 12B Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The two miracle stories that comprise today’s gospel reading, John 6:1-21, were of utmost importance to early Christians. All three Synoptics have some version of the feeding of the multitude; all but Luke include the story of Jesus walking toward…

  • Proper 9 (14), 7th July 2024

    Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Mark 6:1-136:1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 6:2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given…