In our text for the First Sunday of Christmas we look at the way Luke's story of the presentation of Jesus continues the themes in his infancy narrative. We particularly look at Simeon and Anna, and the way they express their hopes for restoration.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph.D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph.D.

Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph.D and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph.D.

The text for the third Sunday in Advent presents the vision of "Third" Isaiah of the fulfillment of God's justice in the kingdom of God. It is a beautiful, hopeful, and inspiring vision that reminds us that this is God's purpose and that God will be faithful to accomplish it ultimately.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph.D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph.D.

Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph.d and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph.D.

The Judgment of the Nations: In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats Jesus teaches the practice of kindness toward the “least of these”: the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, and the outcasts. We discuss how the Reformers saw this as a parable of hope.Dr. Alan Brehm, Ph.D. and Dr. Christine Dempsey, Ph.D.

This week we discuss the Parable of the Talents. As with the parable last week, this parable in Matthew’s Gospel appears to be one that he has revised to urge his community to a life of consistent discipleship. While his community would undoubtedly have read most of the parable positively, the final verse is troubling. Again, in light of the work o…

This week we discuss the Parable of the Bridesmaids. In Matthew’s Gospel it appears to be a parable that he has revised to urge his community to a life of consistent discipleship, based on his view that the church contains both “good” and “evil” persons. Unfortunately, the legacy of this idea has been one of fear and insecurity. We discuss the vari…

This week we discuss the introduction to what has been called the “unloveliest chapter in the gospel.” It is a chapter where Jesus criticizes the Jewish religious leaders. We discuss the fact that this reflects intra-Jewish polemics and perhaps Matthew addressed this to the leaders of his own community. We also discuss the views of the Reformers ab…

This week we discuss the conclusion of the conflict scene between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders at the Temple. One of the “experts in the law” asks Jesus about the “great” commandment, to which he responds with the combination of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, which was unprecedented. Then Jesus “turns the tables” and questions them …

This week we discuss the passage where the Jewish religious leaders attempt to entrap Jesus by asking him whether it was consistent with the Law of Moses to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus responds by asking them to show him the coin, and simply by possessing the coin, they demonstrate their hypocrisy. He calls them to be more concerned about giving the…

This week we discuss the Parable of the Wedding Banquet, which is the third and final parable with which Jesus confronts the Jewish religious leaders for their unwillingness to accept him and his message. This parable is very much influenced by Matthew’s view that the church is composed for both the good and the evil, who will be separated in the f…

This week we discuss the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, which seems to be intended by Jesus as an allegory to confront the Jewish religious leaders over their rejection of him. Calvin agrees with this reading, but he also applies it to his own time, and reminds us that all those who would act as God’s “servants” are subject to human weakness. Final…

This week we discuss the question from the Jewish religious leaders about the authority by which Jesus carried out his ministry. We also discuss the Reformers’ approach to this passage, focusing on John the Baptist. Finally, we conclude by discussing the issue of “right” versus “wrong” interpretation.…

This week we return to where we started 3 years ago, with the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. We discuss the possibility that Jesus’ original parable was commentary on the economic situation in which one landowner had a large enough vineyard to hire all the laborers in the village. That was an obvious departure from the laws regarding the …

This week we talk about Jesus’ teaching on unlimited forgiveness as one of the organizing principles for life in Christian community. We discuss the challenges that the “Parable of the Unforgiving Servant” poses for our understanding of God. We also learn about how the Church has tended to put conditions on the unlimited forgiveness Jesus advocates…

This week we discuss what is perhaps one of the most difficult passages, where Matthew likely reports a process for admonishing a brother or sister disciple that had developed in his community. We look at this potentially problematic text through the lens of Matthew’s “Community Discourse” in Chapter 18, where Matthew surrounds this procedure with …

TThis week we discuss Jesus prediction of his death and resurrection, and his call to his disciples to follow him in a path that leads them to make the “righteousness of the kingdom” the orientation for their lives, just as Jesus did. This is a counter-cultural message, and is difficult to practice, but for Matthew it’s the heart of discipleship.…

This week we take an extended look at Matthew’s version of Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” along with Jesus’ apparent commendation of Peter as the “rock” on which the church would be built. This text has provoked a great deal of discussion in the history of Christianity, because it is a key text for the role of…

TThis week we talk about a troubling passage in which Jesus seemingly responds harshly to a Canaanite woman’s request for healing. We discuss it in the context of the ongoing tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the First-Century church, as well as the prejudices against gentiles Jesus’ disciples harbored, as perhaps also did some of t…

This week we discuss Matthew’s version of Jesus’ walking on the water, which includes the story of Peter asking to walk on the water to him. Following the hint from John Calvin and others, we discuss the question whether Peter “doubted” when he saw the wind and the waves or when he asked to get out of the boat! We conclude by talking about ideas fo…

This week we discuss Matthew’s version of Jesus’ feeding the “great crowd” of 5000 men, plus women and children. We take the opportunity afforded by a passage that is found in all four Gospels to discuss Gospel origins. We also discuss the various ways this passage has been interpreted, focusing on the idea that Matthew emphasizes Jesus has both th…

This week we discuss Matthew’s “Parables Discourse” in Matthew 13. We focus on the parable of the “Wheat and the Tares,” and the significant difficulties with the parable and the “interpretation” offered. In our opinion, this parable reflects Matthew’s situation and perhaps his apocalyptic theology rather than Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God.…

This week we re-visit Matthew 11, which deals with the response to the Words and Deeds of the Messiah, from John, from the crowds, from the cities of Galilee. It concludes with an affirmation of Jesus’ relationship with the Father that parallels “Wisdom” and may have laid the groundwork for the theology of John’s Gospel, as well as an invitation to…

This week we wrap up our discussion of Matthew’s “Missionary Discourse” with the three verses in the Lectionary. In order to “rightly explain” the passage, we have to take it in context of the chapter as a whole. We wrap up our discussion by talking about how to share the insights of our work without leading our congregations “into the weeds.”…

This week we discuss the rest of Matthew’s “Missionary Discourse” in Matthew chapter 10. In comparison with Mark and Luke, Matthew has shaped the tradition about Jesus’ sending out the Twelve with a view toward instructing his own community in their own mission endeavor. In part, it serves as a challenge for them to extend the work of Jesus, and in…

This week we discuss the first part of Matthew’s “Missionary Discourse” in Matthew chapter 10. In comparison with Mark and Luke, Matthew has shaped the tradition about Jesus’ sending out the Twelve with a view toward instructing his own community in their own mission endeavor. In part, it serves as a challenge for them to extend the work of Jesus, …

This week we discuss Matthew’s presentation of Jesus’ ministry with authority in word and deed. We also talk about how the Reformers related faith and practice. And finally we discuss the origins of faith.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week we are back with a brand-new episode where we discuss the “Great Commission” in Matthew’s Gospel from the perspective of how it functions in the narrative and theology of Matthew’s Gospel, how it relates to the concept of the Trinity, and why Trinity matters for our lives as Christians.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week we discuss Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances according to John’s Gospel, including his encounter with “Doubting” Thomas. On that basis we talk about the process by which our faith grows.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week, we are rebroadcasting another "Best of Listen for the Word" episode as we get ready to finish out year A in Matthew. In the original episode, the Gospel reading was from John 17:6-19. We discuss the first part of Jesus’ “prayer” for his disciples in John 17 as a whole in light of the historical setting of the Johannine community. Althoug…

This week, we are rebroadcasting another "Best of Listen for the Word" episode as we get ready to finish out year A in Matthew. In the original episode, we discussed John 14:8-17 in the context of chapter 14 as a whole. We talk about the way the Farewell Discourse in John’s Gospel addresses the issue of Jesus’ departure, and how the disciples would…

This week’s lesson takes us into a wide-ranging discussion of a passage in John’s Gospel meant to provide assurance to believers in his “absence.” In light of the details of the text and the way the Reformers treated it, we discuss the authorship of John’s Gospel, biblical interpretation, the work of the Spirit, and the question of whether faith is…

This week we discuss Jesus’ discourse in which he calls himself “The Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for the sheep, and who knows them, because God has “given” them to him. In Christy’s segment, we take a look at a woodcut based on this parable, Beham’s Sheepshed. You can find the image here: https://www.akg-images.co.uk/archive/-2UMDHUWBW90M…

This week we talk about Jesus encounter with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus must "open the eyes” and “minds” of the disciples for them to recognize him as the risen Lord. We discuss the way the Reformers used this passage to debate the Eucharistic controversy with the Roman Catholic Church and with one another. Finally,…

This week we discuss Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances according to John’s Gospel, including his encounter with “Doubting” Thomas. On that basis we talk about the process by which our faith grows.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week we discuss the Empty Tomb narrative in John’s Gospel, which is very different from the way the Synoptic Gospels tell the story. Jesus reveals himself as alive to Mary Magdalene, but tells her that he must complete the process of being “lifted up” by ascending to God. We also talk about Calvin’s interpretation which is unfortunately quite …

This week we walk through Matthew’s passion narrative, beginning with the Last Supper, through the trials and the crucifixion to Jesus’ burial. We also discuss the way this passage was used in the history of the church, and by the Reformers, as a basis for Anti-Semitism. Highlights of our discussion include Judas’ presence at the Last Supper and th…

This week we deal with the Jesus’ raising of Lazarus as a demonstration of the truth that Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” because he is the “Word” of God incarnate. We talk about how the Reformers used this passage at times as a prooftext for their theological tenets. Finally, we discuss the difference it makes to live from the perspective…

This week we discuss the Jesus’ healing of the man born blind and the issues of sin and salvation it raises in the setting of John’s Gospel. We also discuss the Reformers’ take on this healing miracle. Finally we discuss the promise and the peril of John’s “realized eschatology.”Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week we discuss the dialogue between Jesus and the woman at the well in Samaria. In contrast to Nicodemus, this woman continues to engage with Jesus and her faith gradually awakens as Jesus leads her in the dialogue. As a result she “bore witness” to the people of her town and they responded with faith in Jesus as the “Savior of the world.” We…

This week we take an in-depth look at John 3:1-21, examining the text in light of the themes in John's Gospel, the way in which the Reformers interpreted them, and how we can read this passage in light of a theology of grace today.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week we talk about Matthew’s version of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. We see that Matthew uses this passage to make some pretty remarkable claims about Jesus; particularly that because Jesus truly “fulfilled all righteousness,” after his death and resurrection “all authority in heaven and on earth” was given to him by God. We also…

This week we deal with Matthew’s version of the transfiguration of Jesus, in which Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ fulfillment of God’s purposes, the confirmation of Jesus’ identity as “Son of God,” and the assurance that Jesus is the one who mediates the presence of God. We also discuss the themes in the Reformers, including an emphasis on the person on…

This week we discuss the specifics of the “greater righteousness” that Jesus outlines in the “Sermon on the Mount,” including Jesus’ interpretation of the command against killing, against adultery, and against false oaths. In each case, Jesus addresses the intention of the command, summed up in the “golden rule”: “In everything do to others as you …

This week we take a look at a second “introduction” to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus calls his disciples to demonstrate the new quality of their lives in the kingdom of God, a quality of life that we are going to find fulfills the “law and the prophets” through love for God and love for others that even includes enemies. We discuss several t…

This week we discuss the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12, which not only play a significant role introducing the Sermon on the Mount, but also they serve to fill out the meaning of the “blessings” of God’s kingdom. We also discuss the Reformers’ interpretation of the passage, especially Calvin’s perspective that the “blessedness” of the kingdom combin…

This week we discuss Matthew’s account of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, focusing on the kingdom of Heaven and the mission to the Gentiles. We also discuss the Reformers’ views on this passage, particularly on the need for training for ministry. We conclude by talking about how this relates to “calling” in the 21st Century church.…

This week we discuss the various titles used for Jesus in John's Gospel in light of Jesus' self-references and in light of the setting for the Fourth Gospel. We also discuss the influence of Erasmus on our reading of John's Gospel, and how we can reclaim some of these titles for Jesus today.Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. and Rev. Christine Dempsey, Ph. D.

This week we talk about Matthew’s account of the visit of the “wise men.” In it, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of David because he was born in Bethlehem, as the Scripture indicated. Matthew also portrays the “wise men” as the first of the gentiles who will come to acknowledge Jesus, pointing toward the mission to the gentiles. The Reform…