-
Preaching Paths 4 February 2024
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Like a painter applying quick strokes, broad and vivid, to a canvas, Mark widens our view of Jesus’ urgent mission and ministry in our lection’s three short scenes (Mk 1:29-39). We move from the loud, public exorcism scene in the synagogue (1:20-28) to Simon’s home in Capernaum,…
-
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, 28th January, 2024
Mark 1:21-281:21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 1:22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 1:23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 1:24 and he cried…
-
Preaching Paths 28 January 2024
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In today’s text (Mk 1:20-28), we find Jesus in Galilee where he has been proclaiming that the eschatological clock has advanced (“the time is fulfilled”) and the hour of confrontation with unholy powers, spiritual and earthly, has come (“the reign of God has come near”). Now, a…
-
Third Sunday after the Epiphany, 21st January 2024
Mark 1:14-201:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 1:15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 1:16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew…
-
Preaching Paths 21 January 2024
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Early Christian writers were, on the whole, rather dismissive of Mark. Its Greek is the blunt, rugged speech of street and market. It was not until scholars recognized that Mark’s material was probably based on direct oral recitations of Jesus-traditions, conveyed mouth-to-mouth in the early church and…
-
Second Sunday after the Epiphany, 14th January 2024
John 1:43-511:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 1:44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote,…
-
Preaching Paths 14 January 2024
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary This week the lectionary steps aside from Mark to take up John’s story of the gathering of Jesus’ first disciples (John 1:43-51). Preachers will need to get acquainted with the lection’s literary context. The Messianic “secret” is out, so to speak, in John. The opening verses (1:1-18)…
-
Baptism of the Lord, 7th January, 2024 First Sunday after the Epiphany
Mark 1:4-111:4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 1:5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 1:6 Now John was clothed…
-
Preaching Paths 7 January 2024 (Baptism of Our Lord)
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s gospel reading, Mark 1:4-11, includes verses (vv 4-8) already familiar to us from 10 December (Advent 2B). Now, these verses are connected with the brief, striking account of Jesus’ baptism (vv 9–11), clearly shifting our gaze from John to Jesus. Jewish readers of Mark would recognize…
-
First Sunday after Christmas Day, 31st December, 2023
Luke 2:22-402:22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 2:23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 2:24 and they offered a sacrifice…
Insights into Biblical Greek Grammar and Syntax 