Tag: faith

  • Preaching Paths 21 September 2025 Proper 15C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Preachers and scholars agree: the parable of the “dishonest manager” (Luke 16:1-13) is arguably the most difficult of Jesus’ parables to interpret. Consternation centers on vv 8-9. In v 8a, the master commends the cleverness of the “dishonest” account manager he intended to dismiss. In v 8b,…

  • Preaching Paths 14 September 2025 Proper 19C

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Context matters for rightly interpreting the first two of Jesus’ three parables of God’s persistent seeking of that which is lost (Luke 10:1-15). Jesus is responding to grumbling Pharisees and scribes who criticize his habit of dining with the tax collectors and “sinners” who follow and listen…

  • 3rd August 2025, 8th Sunday after Pentecost

    St Luke 12: 13-21 Be rich toward God, your treasure 12:13Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 12:14But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 12:15And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your…

  • Preaching Paths 1 June 2024 Eastertide 7C

    [I apologize for the omission of the expected homiletical commentary  for this date,  a section of the “High Priestly” intercession of Jesus, John 17:20-26.—Sally A. Brown]

  • Preaching Paths 27 April 2025 Eastertide 2 Yr C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The Gospel text before us today, John 20:19-31, is regarded by many scholars as the original ending of the Gospel of John.* In v 31, the writer states the purpose of his book: that those who read or hear it “may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,…

  • Preaching Paths 6 April 2025 Lent 6C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Anointing honored guests as a sign of hospitality and respect is found in ancient Egyptian and Greek sources, as well as the New Testament. Each of the four gospels includes a scene in which a woman anoints Jesus with scented oil at a dinner where he is…

  • Preaching Paths 2 March 2025  Feast of the Transfiguration, Year C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary On Transfiguration Sundays, whatever Synoptic gospel is featured in that lectionary year, many congregations can predict what the preacher will say: “We can’t cling to our mountaintop experiences, trying (like Peter) to freeze-frame the glory; we must engage trouble  in the valleys.” It is a reliable approach,…

  • Preaching Paths 23 February 2025 Epiphany 7, Year C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s text, Luke 6:27-38, begins with Jesus’ command, “Love your enemies.” Later, when Jesus teaches about love of neighbor, there will be questions; but apparently no one needed to ask, “Who is my enemy?”  Status-defining social, ethnic, religious, and economic divides and hierarchies set groups against one…

  • Preaching Paths 26 January 2025

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Jesus announces the scope and purpose of his mission in today’s reading (Luke 4:14-21). “Filled with the power of the Spirit” and “praised by everyone” (vv 14-15), he arrives in Nazareth with his Galilean teaching tour already well under way. On the Sabbath, Jesus goes to the…

  • Preaching Paths 3 November 2024 Proper 26B

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In this week’s lection (Mark 12:28-34), Mark surprises us. We meet a scribe who is sympathetic, not antagonistic, to Jesus. We find him lingering nearby, listening in while three sets of Jewish leaders question Jesus, hoping to catch him opposing either Jewish or Roman legal codes. First,…