The books Ezra and Nehemiah are closely related and often lumped together, “Ezra-Nehemiah.” Author and Date Dating Nehemiah is generally done along with Ezra, which references “the seventh year of King Artaxerxes” in Ezra 7:7 as the time when Ezra and others came home to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. They were latecomers, most others READ MORE
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29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. If you get the feeling with these readings that you’ve slipped into Holy Week, it may be because on Good Friday we read the same passages from Isaiah and Hebrews. As we near the end of the liturgical year, we get hints READ MORE
28th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Wisdom 7:7-11 Background of the book The section from the end of chp 6 through chp 11 talks about the nature of wisdom in the context of the author’s quest for wisdom. Today’s passage is a hymn of praise to Wisdom. V7 READ MORE
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Genesis 2:18-24 Background of the book In Genesis, there are two creation stories. One explains why we need to rest. This was directed at the Babylonian exiles who returned to the homeland and needed to be reminded about the importance of the READ MORE
26th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Today’s readings continue to explore the theme of discipleship, this time in the context of the institution, around the question of institutional control. The leading question is, “Who has the power?” We are still in Ordinary time but, like the changing of READ MORE
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Last week explored the question “What is discipleship?” This week looks at a different, but perhaps related, question: “What is wisdom?” We are still in Ordinary time but, like the changing of seasons from summer to fall, the tenor of readings is READ MORE
24th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. What does it mean to be a disciple? Isaiah 50:5-9 Background of the book We read part of today’s passage on Palm Sunday. Chps 49 through the beginning of 51 move us from sorrow to the hope of redemption This is one READ MORE
Micah
Genre The book is classified among the prophetic literature and is included among the twelve minor prophets Date Micah prophesied in the last half of the 700s BC into the early 600s BC. The early 700s were a time of war and also internal corruption. Worship of God had intermingled with worship of other gods READ MORE
23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. What holds you back? What binds you? Isaiah gives a picture of the future kingdom where all is set right.Jesus’ actions say that the kingdom is already here among you.And James gives us more instructions for how to live to continue bringing READ MORE
Zephaniah
Genre The book is classified among the prophetic literature, and is included among the twelve minor prophets Date Zephaniah prophesied in the region of Josiah 640-609BC. This was a time of an attempt at reform. The temple was cleaned out and restored, and in that project, long lost writings were discovered, typically believed to be READ MORE