II Kings 5: 1-14 (For a precis, see the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany Year B) Psalm 30 The psalmist rises from  utter despair– “the pit,” “Sheol”– to mountaintop confidence due to the Lord’s help. OR Isaiah 66: 10-14 The … Continue reading →

II Kings 2: 1-2, 6-14 A spectacular departure befits the great prophet Elijah.  The Lord’s prophet rose up in response to the crisis created by the apostasy of King Ahab and his consort, Queen Jezebel.  In this final scene, Elijah … Continue reading →

I Kings 19: 1-4, (5-7), 8-15a The ongoing conflict between King Ahab and the Lord’s prophet, Elijah, now escalates to direct confrontation with the Queen, Jezebel, the non-Israelite wife of Ahab who retained devotion to her own god, Baal.  Ahad … Continue reading →

Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31 There is not another text in the whole Hebrew scriptures quite like chapter 8 in the Book of Proverbs, (see Walter Brueggemann’s further comments in the discussion, below).  Here the poet returns to the creation stories … Continue reading →

Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-21 As a major feast in the Jewish liturgical calendar, Pentecost was celebrated fifty days after Passover in thanksgiving for the covenant given by God to God’s people through Moses.  Luke’s narrative places the friends … Continue reading →

Acts of the Apostles 16: 9-15 Paul was constantly on the road, according to Luke’s account.  Some places he went he was welcomed, others he was banned, while other places he slipped into and out of with little notice.  On … Continue reading →

Acts of the Apostles 11: 1-18 Something new is disrupting the church: “Gentiles are accepting the word of God.”  As soon as Peter returns to Jerusalem, he is met with criticism by the church there, who were also originally Jews, … Continue reading →

Acts of the Apostles 9: 36-43 The miracles did not stop with the execution of Jesus; they multiplied in the church!  That is Luke’s message.  Raymond Brown writes that Luke’s message is illustrated clearly in Peter’s raising Tabitha/Dorcas from the … Continue reading →

Acts of the Apostles 9: 1-6 (7-20) Having written the stories of the spectacular experience of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and then Peter’s amazing transformation into a powerful witness of the gospel, Luke now writes about another total transformation– … Continue reading →

Acts 5:27-32 Conflict between religious authorities and the apostles is a recurring theme in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles.  In this excerpt, the apostles, led by Peter, have just been sprung from jail the night before and have returned to … Continue reading →