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Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Attention to literary and historical context will be essential as the preacher moves from text to pulpit this week. The parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids (or virgins) and their lamps (Mt 25:1-13) is the second of four parables set within Matthew’s “Eschatological Discourse” (Mt 24:1-25:46).…

Matthew 23:1-1223:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 23:2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 23:3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 23:4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to…

Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem amid much popular acclaim (Mt 21:1-11) has provoked a series of sharp confrontations with different cohorts of the Jerusalem leadership (Mt 22). Now, as chapter 23 opens,  Jesus’ detractors have left the scene. He speaks to his disciples and other followers—and of course,…

Matthew 22:34-4622:34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 22:35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 22:37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,…

Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The two pericopes in today’s gospel reading are best treated separately. First, a lawyer’s question about the greatest commandment (Mt 22:34-40) prompts a response from Jesus that grants equal priority to love of God and neighbor. Then Jesus poses his own question about the identity of the…

Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary A good place to begin work on Mt 22:15-22, a debate between Jesus and a strange coalition of Pharisee disciples and Herodians, is to set aside a couple of pathways toward the pulpit that may be tempting, but are not warranted by the text considered within its…

22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 22:16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard…

Matthew 22:1-1422:1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 22:3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 22:4 Again he sent…

Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Matthew scholars generally agree that Matthew presents Jesus in the mode of “apocalyptic prophet.” In the tradition of Amos, Isaiah, and his cousin John the Baptist, Jesus announces the approach of God’s day of reckoning, focusing especially on Israel’s leadership. He calls for a return to the…

Philippians 3:4b-143:4b If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 3:5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 3:6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as…