Tag: christianity

  • 12th April 2026, Eastertide 2A

     John 20:19-31 Beholding the wounds of the risen Christ 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20:20 After he said this, he…

  • Preaching Paths 29 March 2026  Liturgy of the Passion

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In settings where one can expect that many congregations will not attend Holy Week services, especially Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, both Mt 20:1-11 (the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem) as well as the Passion narrative, should be read in the service. Easter means little if…

  • Sunday, 22nd March 2026,Lent 5 & 15th March 2026, Lent 4

    Sunday, 22nd March 2026, Lent 5 John 11:1-45 The raising of Lazarus 11:1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 11:2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 11:3 So…

  • Preaching Paths 8 March 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The standard interpretation of Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well presents the woman as an incorrigible “repeat offender.”  Jesus observes that she has “had five husbands,” and “the man you have is not your husband” (v 18). Modern readers often assume that this woman…

  • Preaching Paths  1 March 2026

     Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological  Seminary                   The encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a leading Jerusalem Pharisee, is presented as a dialogue—even a sort of interview. Nicodemus’s queries are so brief as to function simply as prompts for sections of Jesus’ discourse, the first of several such discourses in John’s gospel.                   In…

  • Preaching Paths 22 February 2026 Lent 1, Year A                                             

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Jesus’ forty-day experience of hunger and testing in the wilderness, following his baptism and before his ministry begins, is the subject of today’s Gospel reading. Matthew’s language aligns closely with Luke’s (Lk 4:1-13); the major difference is that Luke transposes the ordering of the second and third…

  • Preaching Paths 15 February 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor of Preaching Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In the verses before us today (Mt 5:21-37), Jesus speaks as any rabbi of his day might have done. To interpret the Law faithfully was a rabbi’s chief responsibility. The formula, “You have heard it said …” was a characteristic rabbinic phrase when one was…

  • Preaching Paths 8 February 2026 5th Sunday after Epiphany

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s gospel text, Mt 5:13-20, introduces two well-known themes in the Sermon on the Mount. In vv 13-16, Jesus uses metaphors of salt and light to describe his disciples’ role as witnesses to the reign of heaven he ushers into the world. Vv 17-20 concern upholding Jewish…

  • Preaching Paths 1 February 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-12,  open the three-chapter “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew (chapters 5-7). These promises of blessing to the “poor in spirit,” the “pure in heart,” the “meek,” mourners, and “peacemakers” have been beloved to Christians down the centuries. At the end of time, says…

  • Preaching Paths 25 January 2026, 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Yr A

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s Gospel reading, Mt 4:12-23, opens with the inauguration of Jesus’ preaching and healing ministry. After Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (4:1-11), he learns that John the Baptist has been arrested and thrown into prison by Herod. Jesus, recognizing that it is dangerous to preach news of…