Second Reading

Detail from painting depicting Herod's banquet, by Pedro García de Benabarre, ca. 1470
Commentary on Ephesians 1:3-14

Commentary for this text is forthcoming.

dusty sandals
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

What is the true spiritual power?1 What constitutes true spiritual [...]

Hand reaching out to touch a rough surface
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

How is the proclamation of the gospel related to the [...]

waves in darkness
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

This passage comes right after Paul’s majestic statements about the [...]

Flowering plant
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 [11-13] 14-17

What gives us the courage to do the right thing—to [...]

Snake in dimly lit foliage
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:13—5:1

Paul—the textual Paul, the letters P-a-u-l, not the man who [...]

field of grain
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Imagine 2 Corinthians as a poem. In any poem, each [...]

Sculpture with bearded figure surrounded by three angels
Commentary on Romans 8:12-17

In Romans 8:12–17 Paul elaborates on what it means to live in the new realm [...]

Ambulance with flashing lights streaming past lit building
Commentary on Romans 8:22-27

In exploring our lectionary text, it is helpful to review briefly the argument Paul has [...]

Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles by Duccio di Buoninsegna
Commentary on 1 John 5:9-13

John 5:9–13 presents one of the central tenets of Johannine theology, which is in turn [...]