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Contrary to popular Protestant belief, the law is not the enemy of grace. It is a gift from God, intended to guide God’s people toward an abundant life, toward a life where everyone thrives. So, (...)

This week’s Old Testament lectionary reading contains my favorite ambiguous antecedent in all of Scripture. Let me acknowledge from the outset that “favorite ambiguous antecedent in Scripture” is a pretty niche category. It’s not like (...)

Six years ago I returned from a life-changing visit to Kisumu, Kenya (described in this column from 2016). I had been invited by the Rev. Tom Ochuka, then a pastor (now a bishop) in the (...)

On Maundy Thursday, we commemorate Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist during his last meal with his disciples before his death. As told in the Gospels, this meal took place during the Jewish feast of Passover (...)

Using his own life as a paradigm, Paul presents us in this passage with a brief existential description of what it actually means to live “through the faith of the Messiah Jesus” rather than trusting (...)

Building on last week’s text, we are now working one passage at a time through John to reach Resurrection Sunday. There is a coherence to the story as it progresses. Today is Jesus before Pilate, (...)

This week’s epistle reading depends significantly on people’s knowledge of the Exodus and wandering in the wilderness. If the text is read during worship, some listeners might wonder what Paul means by being “baptized into (...)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling grumpy at this beginning of the new year. Partly it’s because my son got Covid (for the second time, and despite being fully vaccinated) and had (...)

This passage goes to the heart of biblical teaching, standing in dialogue with other passages and making important contributions to the discussion. The passage exhorts the reader to trust in the Lord. The issue of (...)

Most of us are familiar with the story of the Cleansing of the Temple, when Jesus in righteous, prophetic anger cleanses the temple court of all the abuses going on within it, particularly the trade (...)