Tag: jesus

  • 10th August 2025,9th Sunday after Pentecost

    St Luke 12:32-40 The treasure of the kingdom 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no…

  • Preaching Paths 10 August 2025 Proper 14C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In today’s Gospel reading, Luke 12:32-40, Jesus continues urging his followers to invest in the coming reign of God, free of material concerns. The text unfolds in three sections. Verses 32-34 warn against being preoccupied with a deluded quest for possessions, imagining that these can offer us…

  • Preaching Paths 3 August 2025

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In today’s text (Luke 12:13-21), a man in the crowd calls out to Jesus, asking him to settle an inheritance dispute with his brother: “Tell him to divide the inheritance with me!” While it would not have been unusual for a respected rabbi to consider such a…

  • 27th July 2025, 7th Sunday after Pentecost

    St Luke 11:1-13 Jesus teaches prayer 11:1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 11:2 so he said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, may your name be revered as holy. May…

  • Preaching Paths 27 July 2025 Luke 11:1-13, Proper 12C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s Gospel text (Luke 11:1-13) includes Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer. It is quite brief; when Jesus’ disciples request that he teach them to pray, he offers just four concise petitions. Phrasing  found in Matthew’s version is missing here (“Our;” “who art in heaven,” “Thy will…

  • Preaching Paths 20 July 2025 Proper 11C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary This week, as last, the gospel reading before us is a familiar one. Today’s text tells the story of Jesus’ visit with Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). But if last week’s task was to discover new layers of meaning in a familiar parable, this week’s task may…

  • 13th July 2025, Proper 10 C

    St Luke 10:25-37 The parable of the merciful Samaritan 10:25 An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 10:26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 10:27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord…

  • Preaching Paths 13 July 2025 Proper 10C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary We know Jesus’ parable in Luke 10:25-37 as “the story of the Good Samaritan,” although the word “good” never appears in the text. In Jesus’ time, both Jews and Samaritans would regard the other as anything but “good.” In the US and elsewhere, the phrase “Good Samaritan”…

  • Preaching Paths 6 July 2025, Proper 9C, Luke 10:1-11,16-20

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Getting a clear understanding of the narrative context of today’s lection—geographical, temporal, and cultural—is a first step toward fruitful interpretation of Luke’s story of the “mission of the seventy.”* In the closing verses of ch 9, Jesus has 1) begun his journey to Jerusalem [9:51]; 2) decided…

  • Preaching Paths 29 June 2025,  Luke 9:51-62,  Proper 8 Yr C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s reading, Luke 9:51-62, begins the long section of Luke’s gospel  known as Jesus’ “Jerusalem journey” (9:51-19:27). His face is now “set firmly” toward Jerusalem (v 51) where he is destined to fulfill his mission, at the cost of his life. The route is, in fact, geographically…