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What is the true spiritual power?1 What constitutes true spiritual authority? How do we distinguish true from false teachers and prophets? Who should we allow to influence us, and whose authority can we trust? And (...)

Perhaps, Jesus’ command to “love your enemies” was not as radical as you think. Who are your enemies? Life tends to place enemies in our paths through all our domains of life. They may be (...)

Unlike Matthew (8:23–27) and Luke (8:22–25), Mark 4:35–41 clocks this episode at evening (verse 35), when a lake’s crossing would have been more hazardous. That some disciples took Jesus with them in a boat “just (...)

Mark 3:19b–35 is among the evangelist’s subtlest intercalations: the insertion of one story inside another, inviting us to hear each as the other’s counterpart. Jesus’ refutation of theological teachers (3:22–30) is sandwiched inside his family (...)

Jesus interpreted the Scriptures in three parts: the Messiah must suffer, rise from the dead, and proclaim repentance for forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:45–47). This slogan aims to show how God’s purpose changes social norms (...)

The author’s reflection on Jesus as our “great high priest,” begun in Hebrews 4:14, continues into chapter 10. Throughout these chapters, the author argues that the high priesthood of Jesus is superior to the Levitical (...)

As is common, the lectionary today sections off a shorter passage from within its larger context. What immediately precedes chapter 2 is most pertinent for our passage at hand. God raised Christ and “seated him” (...)

This poem is a display in exilic hope. The hope this poem provides is ultimately grounded in the claim that the God of the Bible is able to influence history beyond where inertia might otherwise (...)

Discussion on texts for Christmas Day – Proper III (rebroadcast from Dec. 25, 2019). (Gospel) John 1:1-14; (First Reading) Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; (Second Reading) Hebrews 1:1-4, [5-12]. Recorded at Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minn., (...)

Mark 5:21–43 is a nested story of two suffering women and Jesus, who saves each from her respective hopeless state.  An excited crowd meets Jesus on his return to Capernaum after he has healed a (...)