Summary: In this biblical passage, set in Athens, Paul preaches in front of the city leaders (the Areopagite Council). His sermon draws on understandings he shares with them before turning to an issue many in his audience find incredible: the idea of God raising someone from the dead.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Summary: It’s important to know something about what was going on in the world when the Bible was written. In this article I briefly introduce three big events or social phenomena that were shaping people’s religious understandings when the New Testament was being written. The Bible itself shows us people of faith articulating how their beliefs speak to their concerns and everyday lives.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: In this biblical passage, the book of Acts describes the grisly death of Stephen, traditionally known as the church’s first martyr, the first person to die as a consequence of professing faith in Jesus.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Summary: During Holy Week, when Christians commemorate the final events of Jesus’ life, they usually read and hear the biblical accounts of Jesus’ appearance before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate held the power to decide Jesus’ fate. As the Gospels tell the story, Pilate does not express sympathy or apathy toward Jesus. How he deals with his helpless prisoner reflects a commitment to mocking Jesus’ identity as a purported king, to disgracing Jesus, and to reasserting Roman authority over the Jewish people.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: Why does the New Testament have so much to say about Jesus returning again? How does the New Testament speak about this promise? Should Christians still expect Jesus to show up one day? This post offers my thoughts on these provocative questions.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: The New Testament contains four gospels. These books describe the same man named Jesus, but they do so in sometimes strikingly different ways. Instead of combining the gospels into a single, composite story, we do well to let each one speak for itself and keep varied perspectives in view.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: In the gospels, Jesus tells parables but he rarely explains them for his hearers. Instead, he allows people to enter the unfamiliar and sometimes strange world that the parables describe. These stories and Jesus’ use of them suggest that God promises us a different way of living and being.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: In this biblical passage, the Letter to Titus asserts that God saves us through Jesus because of God’s “goodness and loving kindness.” The Revised Common Lectionary assigns this passage for Christmas Day.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Commentary on Acts 1:6-14
Summary: In this biblical passage, the resurrected Jesus gives final instructions to his followers then ascends into the sky. His followers respond by returning to Jerusalem, where they wait and pray.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Bible commentary: preachers & teachers workingpreacher.org commentary
acts 1:6-14 acts of the apostles ascension book of acts church disciples holy spirit jesus prayer