We only hear from this book once in the three year lectionary cycle, but the story is quoted and alluded too a number of times in the New Testament. Genre Some want to see this book as historical and factual. It’s not. The closest genre we can get is something along the lines of parody READ MORE
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Joshua-Judges-1&2 Samuel-1&2 Kings
The books of Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings form one continuous work of history. These books take us from entering the Promised Land through the Babylonian exile. They are not so much history as a theological reflection on the past by a people trying to understand how they got where they are – from READ MORE
33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time More information can be found here. Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 The book of Proverbs is wisdom literature. The goal of wisdom in this genre is to live the good life here and now, marked by length of days, prestige and prosperity. Jewish tradition attributes the book to READ MORE
Colossians
Colossians commentary Author Colossians was most likely written by a later disciple in the spirit of Paul. Textual analysis of the book shows 34 words not used anywhere else in the New Testament, 28 of which do not appear anywhere in the undisputed letters of Paul. That, along with the absence of typical Paul-terms (like READ MORE
Sirach
Sirach commentary Genre This book is wisdom literature, which gives rules of proper conduct, usually in the form of maxims, pithy insights, and “words to live by.” Wisdom literature attempts to show the way things are and the way things should be. Also of this genre are Job, Ecclesiastes, and the book of Wisdom. The READ MORE
32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time More information can be found here. Wisdom 6:12-16 See background on the book of Wisdom here. 6:1-21 is an exhortation to seek wisdom and v12-16 within that are a statement on the accessibility of wisdom. We are urged to seek what can be found! This passage gives READ MORE
The Gospel According to Luke
Luke commentary Author Luke was a physician and an artist from Syria. He was highly educated, well-versed in Greco-Roman style. He has the finest Greek writing in the New Testament. He was not an eyewitness to the events but he interviewed eyewitnesses and drew from the oral collections. He was also not very familiar with READ MORE
Romans
Romans commentary Author Paul is the undisputed author of this letter. Date This book was written around 57-58AD. Setting Paul writes the letter to introduce himself to the Roman Christians. He needs to set the stage of who he is: an apostle, a preacher to the Gentiles, and a faithful follower of Christ. Paul was READ MORE
The Gospel According to John
Gospel of John commentary Author In a sense, this gospel was written by the community that followed the teachings of the disciple John. Some scholars identify this same person as the “Beloved Disciple” mentioned frequently in the gospel. The community likely resided in Ephesus, and there is a long tradition of reverence for the disciple READ MORE
1 Thessalonians
Historical Setting Thessalonica was a large and important port city. In Acts 16 Paul gets thrown out of Philippi for preaching and from there he goes to Thessalonica. In Acts 17 Paul preaches at the synagogue there. Some Jews responded; other Jews rejected Paul. There was an uproar and the Christians in the city had READ MORE