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Forging a New Community (Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss Jesus’ scarier proclamations in Matthew 10:24-39. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 7), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

Transcript

Voiceover Voice:
So, I felt, I guess, the “sword” as a reminder in thinking about how we forge our own community or continue to do so.

Natalie Owens Pike:
This is Chapter, Verse, and Season: a lectionary podcast from Yale Bible Study. Join us each week as Yale Divinity School professors look at an upcoming text from the Revised Common Lectionary.

I’m your host, Natalie Owens Pike, Yale Divinity School class of 2023, MDiv. In this episode, we have Felicity Harley-McGowan, Lecturer in the History of Art at Yale Divinity School talking with Bruce Gordon, Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School. They’ll be discussing Matthew 10:24-39, which is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A. Let’s listen in.

[Matthew 10:24-39]
“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Felicity Harley-McGowan:
The passage throws up so many threads here that are at once inviting and at the same time repelling. I do love this vivid image of the sparrows, of these humble birds that are very common and numerous in the Roman world. “The poultry of the poor,” I think they’ve been described, as an animal to set on one side, to almost humorously demonstrate just how valuable we are to the Father. And then set aside this, this other, almost humorous image of the hairs on our head. I think this is something that I remembered as a child, as this extraordinary image to illustrate just how valuable you were to God. But then, these other, very difficult statements about what one must do in order to be a disciple of Christ. They’re some very challenging ideas and yet, taken as a whole, I think, in context, perhaps these force us to think more radically about what our own discipleship might mean, and what it meant for the disciples themselves at this period, in terms of enunciating what a new order would look like, what turning away from the old social and political norms in the Roman world, what turning away from those would look like. And it would certainly bring a new dimension to life, but it set aside what was familiar. It was a radical turning to something new.

Bruce Gordon:
Yeah. I could well imagine here that, the preacher putting, contemplating, writing their sermon and reading this passage would feel somewhat perplexed as to what good news could be brought from it, because it’s going to take a lot of hard work, as you say, to arrive at that good news, because we have here almost a checklist of difficult statements, as you were pointing out. We have this lovely image of the sparrow, but it’s framed by a whole series of other deeply problematic statements that don’t give us a kind of warm Jesus, but rather a Jesus who is speaking in pretty often harsh terms. It opens with students and slaves, and their relationship to masters, and the difficult statement that they are not above their teachers or masters, but should seek to be like them. Whatever that means. We’re told that nothing is hidden, and all will be made known. Well, what does that mean? Because, you know, for those of us in this world as Christians, it’s a great deal that remains unknown. So, what’s that referring to? Is this some future moment or is it in the next life?

We’re told here of being afraid of the devil. There is Christ telling us that if we fail to acknowledge him, he will fail to acknowledge us in front of the Father. So, a very clear statement about judgment. And then there is this statement that he comes not to bring peace, but the sword, which again can be very disconcerting. We talked in another place about when Peter speaks in acts about Christ being the peace of God. Well, now we’re told that he’s not bringing peace, but bringing a sword, and the idea of Jesus with a sword is very uncomfortable. And then this last passage about the family, where we’re warned that if we love our parents more than Jesus that he will reject us again. So, we have a lot of judgment, a lot of grounds for being rejected, and statements that I could imagine most preachers thinking, “I’m not sure how I make good news out of this. It’s gonna take a lot of hard work.”

Felicity Harley-McGowan:
I guess that that turns on to us, doesn’t it? That here we have outlining, in a sense, of the destruction of the old community and the creation of the new, and in Jesus’ time, that’s a new community forged in the light of persecution. So, it’s difficult for us. I guess some references here, to the devil and to evil and so forth, are pointing to that sense of unseen forces. But of course, there are the seen forces of Romans, or of individuals, who did actively persecute them. So, I felt, I guess, the “sword” as a reminder in thinking about how we forge our own community or continue to do so. What’s standing up for those who continue to be persecuted, or to experience being downtrodden, and what does it look like to support and involve them into community? And sometimes that might take a sword to structures that imprison or repress or oppress them. But you’re right. It’s very difficult and very vivid imagery, and in a sense, in its checklist nature, has an almost…. it reinforces the vigor.

Bruce Gordon:
Yes. Yes. It’s not sort of beautiful flowing prose here. It’s a kind of staccato. This will happen, this will happen, this will happen. If you don’t do this, this will happen. And you feel a little bit like you’ve just been sort of jolted when you read this, and you think, “Wow, I’m not sure that I’m going to measure up here.” And you know, it’s not very warming to think that Jesus is telling us that “If you don’t do this, then I’m not going to acknowledge you.”

Felicity Harley-McGowan:
And I think this last, the last two verses, are particularly unhelpful in that respect, in terms of evoking what we think is a reference to crucifixion, or is often taken to be such, so that we have to go through all of this, we have to be against father and mother and so forth, but then we also have to take up our own cross. So, we have to, in forging this, creating this new community, then we still have to go on a path to crucifixion. But to my mind, it’s not necessarily saying that we ourselves must take on this cross that pertains to our own crucifixion. People can read different things into this, but that we must take up our own challenges, if you like, and carry them. And they may, for us be akin to a kind of experience of death, but that might be something that’s lifegiving for others in a sense, that this imagery of carrying your great big wooden cross on your shoulder… and, you know, we all, I think have had friends who’ve likened some sort of negative experience in their life to something they have to do because they have to carry their cross. But in actual fact, this could be a more liberating call.

Bruce Gordon:
So, there’s this sense here, which is that, you know, in doing this, in taking up your cross, you are being worthy of Christ. And, again, it’s challenging because you think, “Are we comparing ourselves to this crucifixion? Herein, is there a comparison between our lives and this moment? But like you said, I remember as a child encountering this passage and this idea that if you love your… you almost take it as, if you love your parents too much, this is a bad thing. And how could this possibly be the case, given that Jesus supposedly had a wonderful relationship with his parents, even if he went and hid from them at one point. But in thinking about this, I wonder if there’s a way of reflecting on it, that it’s not actually either Jesus on the one hand or your parents on the other, which is what can so easily be the impression the text gives, that you have to choose between one or the other. But perhaps it’s more along the lines that we should love our parents, our friends, those who are close to us, in Christ, that Christ is the way to love them, rather than as an alternative to. I don’t know, but in reflecting on the passage this time, I think that Christ is actually pointing us to the way in which our family, our friends, our relationships should be, rather than, you know, setting ourselves towards something that involves preferring something to Christ.

Natalie Owens Pike:
Thank you for listening. And thank you to our professors for your insights on this scripture.

The transcript for this audio and lots more Bible study resources are available at yalebiblestudy.org.

Chapter, Verse, and Season is a production of the Center for Continuing Education at Yale Divinity School and is produced by: Creator and Managing Director, Joel Baden; Production Manager, Kelly Morrissey; Associate Producer, Aidan Stoddart; Executive Producer, Helena Martin; and me, your host, Natalie Owens Pike. Mixing on today’s episode and our theme music, are by Calvin Linderman.

We’ll be back with another conversation from Chapter, Verse, and Season.

Book of the Bible:
Matthew
Subjects:
Matthew

Guests

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Felicity Harley Mcgowan
Dr. Felicity Harley-McGowan
Dr. Bruce Gordon
Dr. Bruce Gordon

Text

New Revised Standard Version Bible
Copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Credits

Host and Executive Producer: Helena Martin
Production Manager: Kelly Morrissey
Creator and Managing Editor: Joel Baden
Assistant Producer: Aidan Stoddart
Music: Calvin Linderman

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Striving, Hoping, Practicing (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss Paul’s Jewishness, the work of faith, and Divine aid in Philippians 3:4b-14. The text is appointed for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Water from a Rock (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss leadership, faithlessness, and providence in Exodus 17:1-7. The text is appointed for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Great and Mighty and Awesome and Everything (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss praise, divine mystery, and liberation in Psalm 145:1-8. The text is appointed for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mercy and Debt (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss the challenge of forgiveness and the role of grace in Matthew 18:21-35. The text is appointed for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 19) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Role of the Prophet (Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joel Baden discuss prophecy, change, and divine threats in Ezekiel 33:7-11. The text is appointed for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 18) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Heaping Burning Coals (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss Paul, evangelism, and the transformation of evil in Romans 12:9-21. The text is appointed for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 17) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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People Before Us and After Us (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss history, intergenerational community, and the heroic acts of Biblical women in Exodus 1:8-2:10. The text is appointed for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 16) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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When People Dwell Together (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss unity, transformation… and beards… in Psalm 133. The text is appointed for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Still, Small Voice (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Bill Goettler discuss generational transition, faithlessness, and the voice of God in 1 Kings 19:9-18. The text is appointed for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Hunger and Abundance (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss justice, abundance, and the spiritual power of leftovers in Matthew 14:13-21. The text is appointed for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Hidden Face of the Lord (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss praise, transaction, and God’s action in history in Psalm 105:1-11. The text is appointed for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Jacob’s Rocky Pillow (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss the messages of dreams and mundane reality in Genesis 28:10-19a. The text is appointed for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 11) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Flower in the Desert (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss applying the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) to our own dynamic lives of faith. The text is appointed for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 10), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Our Praise, Creation’s Praise (Sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss environmental justice, co-creation, and the kingdom of God in Psalm 145:8-14. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Be Thy Hand Extended (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss hard truths and be in-dwelled by Christ in Romans 6:12–23. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Sarah’s Annunciation (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss hospitality, laughter, and the complexity of Sarah as a character in Genesis 18:1-15. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 6), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Faith of Rabbis and Philosophers (2nd Sunday after Pentecost)

Harold Attridge and John Hare discuss faith, doubt, shame, and mystic union in Romans 4:13-25. The text is appointed for the second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 5), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Chaos and Creation (Trinity Sunday)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss rest, reveling, and revelation in Genesis 1:1–2:4a The text is appointed for Trinity Sunday, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Harmony in the Spirit (Pentecost)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss diversity, reversal, and the power of the Spirit in Acts 2:1-21 and John 20:19-23. The text is appointed for the Day of Pentecost in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Path for the Vulnerable (Seventh Sunday of Easter)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss righteousness, liberation, and vulnerability in Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35. The text is appointed for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Systems and Suffering (Sixth Suday of Easter)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss suffering, meaning, and unjust power structures in 1 Peter 3:13-22. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Source of Deep Encounter (Fifth Sunday of Easter)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss prophecy, interfaith reading, and incarnation in John 14:1-14. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Dwell in the House of the Lord (Fourth Sunday of Easter)

Jacqueline Vayntrub and Christian Wiman discuss paradox, poetry, and life beyond death in Psalm 23. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God Continues to Startle Us (Third Sunday of Easter)

Joanne Jennings and Bill Goettler discuss divine encounter and human conversation in Luke 24:13-35. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Path Laid Out for Us (Second Sunday of Easter)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss interfaith perspectives on the story of Easter in conversation with John 20:19-31. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Different Kind of Peace (Easter Sunday)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss power, peace and healing in Acts 10:34-43. The text is appointed for Easter Day, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Company in Suffering (Holy Saturday)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss the problem of suffering, the impact of loss, and the resilience of human nature in Job 14:1-14 and 1 Peter 4:1-8. The text is appointed for Holy Saturday, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Crucified Until the End of the World (Good Friday)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss Christology, glory, and exclusion in John 18:1–19:42. The text is appointed for Good Friday in the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Retrojected Festival (Maundy Thursday)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss sacrificial practice, identity markers, and imagined history in Exodus 12:1-14. The text is appointed for Maundy Thursday in the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Even Death on a Cross (Liturgy of the Passion)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss crucifixion, suffering, obedience, and solidarity in Philippians 2:5-11. The text is appointed for the Liturgy of the Passion (Palm Sunday), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Unexpected and Remarkable Ways (Fifth Sunday in Lent)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss miracles, healing, and grief in John 11:1-45. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Dream of Joseph (Fourth Sunday in Lent)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the role of Joseph, the divine potential of dreams, and membership in the Holy Family in Matthew 1:18-25. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Signs of God’s Faithfulness (Third Sunday in Lent)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss life in the wilderness for the Israelites, being tested and testing God in Exodus 17:1-7. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Those Traveling through our Midst (Second Sunday in Lent)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss blessing, migration, and the inspiring legacy of Abraham across religious traditions in Genesis 12:1-4a. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Woman and the Serpent (First Sunday in Lent)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss seduction, curiosity, craftiness, and misogyny in Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7. The text is appointed for the First Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Claiming that Story (Transfiguration Sunday)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss leadership, inherited stories, and transfiguring moments in Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9. The texts are appointed for Transfiguration Sunday, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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You are God’s Field (Sixth Sunday after Epiphany)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss pedagogy, mixed metaphors, ageism, and spiritual growth in 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Hypocrites (Fifth Sunday after Epiphany)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss hypocrisy, reward systems, righteousness, and religious performance in Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12). The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God Loves the Poor First (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss blessedness, poverty, consolation, and the dangers of transactional theology in Matthew 5:1-12. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Simply a Part of our Being (Third Sunday after Epiphany)

Joanne Jennings and Bill Goettler discuss living with both faith and fear in Psalm 27:1, 4-9. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Behold the Lamb of God (Second Sunday after the Epiphany)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the story of John the Baptist, a wild and perhaps uncertain character, in John 1:29-42. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Light to the Nations (First Sunday after the Epiphany)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss Messianism, prophetic gentleness, and hermeneutical approaches in Isaiah 42:1-9. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Little Lower Than God (First Sunday after Christmas)

Vasileios Marinis and Volker Leppin discuss human nature, sovereignty over creation, and preacherly responsibility with reference to Psalm 8. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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How the Holy is Present (Christmas)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss the spirit of children, the multiplicity of interpretation, and pastoral responsibility at Christmas, with reference to Luke 2:1-14 (15-20). The text is appointed for Christmas Eve in the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mary, Joseph, and the Infant Messiah (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss Christian and Muslim interpretations of the Nativty of Jesus, with special reference to Matthew 1:18-25. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Patience and Prophecy (Third Sunday of Advent)

Judith Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss patience, endurance of suffering, and the challenges of family conflict in James 5:7-10. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Advent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Look Towards, If Not To Look At (Second Sunday of Advent)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss the imagined future of the glorious kingdom in Isaiah 11:1-10 and Romans 15:4-13. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Advent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Best Cliffhanger of All Time (First Sunday of Advent)

AndrewMcGowan and Ned Parker discuss the holiness of divine absence and the anticipation of things to come in Matthew 24:36-44. The text is appointed for the First Sunday of Advent in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Where You Start the Story (Thanksgiving U.S.A.)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss colonial narratives, indigenous theology, and the downsides of going to a “Promised Land” in Deuteronomy 26:1-11. The text is appointed for Thanksgiving Day (USA), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Shepherds and Kings (Feast of Christ the King)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss Hebrew vocabulary, shepherd imagery, and the legacy of King David in Jeremiah 23:1-6. The text is appointed for the Feast of Christ the King (Proper 29), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Not Heaven-on-Earth, but a New Earth (Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss eschatology, aspiration, and ancient Near Eastern curse formulations in Isaiah 65:17-25. The text is appointed for the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Reversal in the Kingdom (Feast of All Saints)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss poverty, apocalyptic imagery, and economic justice in reference to Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 and Luke 6:20-31. The text is appointed for All Saints’ Day, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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How God Comes Looking for Humans (Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost)

Harold Attridge and Greg Sterling discuss redemption, the proper use of wealth, and the strange company Jesus keeps in Luke 19:1-10. The text is appointed for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 26, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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They Shall Never Again Be Put to Shame (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss shame, redemption, and rehabilitation in Joel 2:23-32. The text is appointed for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 25, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Less a Promise Than a Threat (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss punishment, free will, and the dangers of metaphor in Jeremiah 31:27-34. The text is appointed for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 24, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Guts of a Chicken (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jacqueline Vayntrub and Christian Wiman discuss joy, salvation history, and chicken guts in Psalm 66:1-12. The text is appointed for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 23, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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An Act of Waiting (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss trauma, hope, and poetic Hebrew in Lamentations 1:1-6 and 3:19-26. The text is appointed for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Grace and Transaction (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss faith, ritual performance, and divine blessing in Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16. The text is appointed for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Calling the Market to Account (Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss capitalism, shrewdness, and the logic of parables in Luke 16:1-13. The text is appointed for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Creation and Consequences (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss the undoing of creation, fidelity, and false prophets in Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28. The text is appointed for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 19, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God of Creation Destroying (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss precarity, God as creator and destroyer, and the potter metaphor in Jeremiah 18:1-11. The text is appointed for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 18, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Reversing the Status Quo (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss humility, reversing the status quo, speaking truth to power in Sirach 10:12-18. The text is appointed for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 17, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Restorer of the Path (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Christian Wiman and Jacqueline Vayntrub discuss justice, prayer and action, and getting God's attention in Isaiah 58:9b-14. The text is appointed for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 16, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Great Numbers of Heroes (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Erika Helgen and Chloë Starr discuss faith heroes through history, triumphant faith, and the role of sin in Hebrews 11:29-12:2. The text is appointed for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 15, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Act in Faith (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)

Greg Sterling and Harry Attridge discuss women in early Christian communities, eschatology, and faith as a matter of the heart in Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16. The text is appointed for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 14, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Rich Toward God (Eighth Sunday after Penecost)

Judith Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss possession, wealth, and covetousness in Luke 12:13-21. The text is appointed for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 13, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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For the Sake of Ten (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Tisa Wenger and Joel Baden discuss bargaining, God and Abraham's new relationship, and the righteous of Sodom and Gamorrah in Genesis 18:20-32. The text is appointed for Track 2 on the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 12, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Authenticity and Belonging (Sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

Andrew McGowan and Ned Parker discuss Mary and Martha, extroversion, and authenticity in Luke 10:38-42. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 11, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Help, Not to Judge (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss poverty, God's expectations, and our responsibilities to one another in Psalm 82. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 10, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Where the Power Lies (Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss kings, skin diseases, and prophetic power in 2 Kings 5:1-14. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 9, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Chariot of Fire (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Erika Helgen and Chloë Starr discuss prophetic leadership, sudden loss, and mentorship in 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 8, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Everything You Are and Everything You Do (Second Sunday after Pentecost)

Harold Attridge and John Hare discuss gender identity, ethnic dynamics, and changes of the heart in Galatians 3:23-29. The text is appointed for Proper 7, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Delighted by the Human Race (Trinity Sunday)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss joy, multiculturalism, and feminine language in Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31. The text is appointed for Trinity Sunday, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Drunk at Nine O’clock in the Morning (Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss signs and wonders, Hebrew Bible connections, the promise of salvation, and more in Acts 2:1-21. The text is appointed for Pentecost, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Holy Surprise, Holy Heartbreak (Ascension)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss love-songs, community, and connection in reference to John 17:20-26. The text is appointed for the Feast of the Ascension, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Heaven Down to Earth (Easter 6)

Erika Helgen and Chloë Starr discuss social justice, human failure, and heavenly hope in Revelation 21:10, 22–22:5. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Hymn About Hymns (Easter 5)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss poetic structure, creation language, and the mechanics of praise in Psalm 148. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Blood of the Lamb (Easter 4)

Andrew McGowan and Ned Parker discuss whiteness, danger, and comfort in Revelation 7:9-17. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Resurrection Calls to Action (Easter 3)

Harold Attridge and Gregory Sterling discuss Resurrection encounters and calls to action in Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Stop Doubting and Believe (2nd Sunday of Easter)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss doubt, trauma, and the value of “Doubting Thomas” in John 20:19-31. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Seeing and Believing (Easter Day)

Harry Attridge and John Hare discuss faith, uncertainty, and the power of emotion in John 20:1-18. The text is appointed for Easter Day, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Big Story (Easter Vigil)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss the construction of stories, Christian supersessionism, and the legacy of Christian storytelling in relation to Genesis 22:1-18. The text is appointed for the Easter Vigil, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A King Not of This World (Good Friday)

Judy Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss the innocence of Jesus, divine kingship, and more in John 18:1-19:42. The text is appointed for Good Friday, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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No Longer Servants, but Friends (Maundy Thursday)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss enslavement imagery, Passover liberation, and models of service in Exodus 12:1-14 and John 13:1-17. The texts are appointed for Maundy Thursday, in all three years of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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As Sacraments of Thee (Palm Sunday)

Andrew McGowan and Ned Parker discuss community, sacrament, and suffering in Luke 22:14-23:56. The text is appointed for the Palm Sunday, the Liturgy of the Passion, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Rivers in the Desert (Lent 5)

Tisa Wenger and Joel Baden discuss divine violence, colonialism, and the notion of “wilderness” in Isaiah 43:16-21. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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New Creation in Christ (Lent 4)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss reconciliation, spiritual role-models, and what it means to “become the righteousness of God” with reference to 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. The text is appointed for the 4th Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Merciful Pleading (Lent 3)

Judith Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss repentance, leniency, and divine warnings in Luke 13:1-9. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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This Land to Possess (Lent 2)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss inheritance, offspring, and the promises of God in Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Justification by Faith (Lent 1)

Harold Attridge and John Hare discuss the possibility of being in relationship with God in Romans 10:8b-13. The text is appointed for the First Sunday in Lent, March 6, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Miracle of Compassion (Transfiguration Sunday)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the healing and transforming power of God in Luke 9:28-43. The text is appointed for Transfiguration Sunday, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Forgiveness and Agency (Seventh Sunday after Epiphany)

Sarah Drummond and Joel Baden discuss forgiveness and the sibling dynamics at work in Genesis 45:3-11,15. The text is appointed for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Blessings and Woes (Sixth Sunday after Epiphany)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss Jesus’ blessings and warnings in Luke 6:17-26. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, Sunday, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Holy, Holy, Holy (Fifth Sunday after Epiphany)

Jacqueline Vayntrub and Christian Wiman discuss the difference between verse and prose in Isaiah 6:1-13. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Jeremiah: Prophet, Collaborator (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany)

Sarah Drummond and Joel Baden discuss reluctant prophets and God’s will in Jeremiah 1:4-10. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Belonging and Separateness (Third Sunday after Epiphany)

Erika Helgen and Chloe Starr discuss the church universal and love as the basis for the exercise of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary

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Unity and Diversity (Second Sunday after Epiphany)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss recognizing God in the midst of community and the diversity of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Noisiness of the Lord (1st Sunday after Epiphany)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss the power of God in Psalm 29. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Dazzling Darkness (2nd Sunday after Christmast)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss the mystery, language and lyricism in John 1:1-18. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after Christmas, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Young Jesus in the Temple (1st Sunday after Christmas)

Gregory Sterling and Harold Attridge discuss the humanity of young Jesus and the role of Mary as mother in Luke 2:41-52. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Expectations (Christmas)

Sarah Drummond and Joel Baden discuss birth, kingship and signs of God’s redemption in Isaiah 9:2-7. The text is appointed for Christmas (Proper 1), December 24, Years A, B, and C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mary’s Vibrant Language (Advent 4)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the Magnificat and our understanding of Mary through the ages in relation to Luke 1:46b-55. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (Advent 4), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

 

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Hope vs. Anesthesia (Advent 3)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss hope, apathy, and why the context of prophecy matters in Zephaniah 3:14-20. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Advent (Advent 3), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Reason to Hope (Advent 2)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss disaster and hope, glory, and reversal in Baruch 5:1-9. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Advent (Advent 2), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Righteous Branch (Advent 1)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss messianic prophecy, timelessness, and historic context in Jeremiah 33:14-16. The text is appointed for the First Sunday of Advent (Advent 1), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Introducing Chapter, Verse, and Season

Chapter, Verse, and Season gives listeners the opportunity to overhear the kinds of conversations that take place in the halls of Yale Divinity School. Each week, professors from different theological disciplines chat about biblical texts from the Revised Common Lectionary. They bring their own interests to the table and hopefully spark new insights into the scripture appointed for each Sunday.

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