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Preaching Paths 27 September 2026
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The context of the dialogue and parable in today’s text, Mt 21:23-32, guides our interpretation. Jesus’ triumphal entry has taken place amid shouts of the Messianic cry, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”—much to the dismay of the Jewish Temple leadership. Jesus has overturned the tables in…
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Sunday, 20th September 2026
Matthew 20:1-1620:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 20:2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 20:3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in…
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Preaching Paths 20 Sept 2026
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s gospel text, Mt 20:1-16, presents a parable unique to Matthew. Like other parables in Matthew, it features a person of power behaving in ways that violate our assumptions. (See also 17 Sept; and upcoming, Mt’s version of the Synoptic parable of the wedding guests, Mt 22:1-14.)…
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Sunday, 13th September 2026
Matthew 18:21-3518:21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 18:23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to…
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Preaching Paths 13 September 2026
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Inexhaustible forgiveness is at the center of today’s Gospel reading, Mt 18:21-35. On the face of it, Peter’s query, Jesus’ reply, and the parable that follows seem straightforward. The message is clear: always be ready to forgive. Yet details of this text, especially the parable, prompt questions:…
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Preaching Paths 6 September 2026
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s Gospel reading, Mt 18:15-20, is brief; yet its implications for the inter-relational life of Christians, assembling down the centuries for divine worship and public witness, has been profound. Jesus is not naïve; he anticipates that rifts and instances of personal failure among his disciples are inevitable.…
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Preaching Paths 30 August 2026 Proper 17A
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Preachers should take care to read today’s gospel text, Mt 16:21-28, in close relation to last week’s lection (Mt 16:13-20), especially Peter’s confession and commissioning (vv. 15-19). Jesus predicts his suffering, sharply undercutting reigning notions of “messiahship” as the exercise of political or military power. Commentators note…
