Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for Jan. 15, 2023 (Epiphany 2A)

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4

Swirling snow and bitter chill remind us that this is January, the depth of winter for us. Yet Epiphany draws us to the light of hope that calls us to join Jesus in “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.”

Gracious light shines through Sunday’s Lectionary readings. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of hard times as Israel’s northern lands of Zebulon and Naphtali have fallen to the powerful Assyrians. The nation’s fate is in doubt, but the prophet foretells that God’s light will banish the darkness. In words familiar from Handel’s Messiah, he foretells a world of bounty and joy as the people who walked in darkness will have seen a great light.

Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 5-13

God indeed is our light, the Psalmist exults. God is our stronghold and our salvation, so there is nothing to fear. This is not just a happy-clappy song, though. The verses remind us that bad things can happen even in the lives of God’s people. The people face adversaries. They are threatened by armies of enemies. Sometimes it even feels as if their own parents have turned against them. But we pray with them that God will hear us, love us, protect us and keep us safe.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Last week in the opening lines of Paul’s first letter to the people of Corinth in Greece, we heard Paul greeting this beloved community fondly. With that out of the way, he now gets to right to the point: He has heard that this small church is falling into disunity. Its members are quarreling over both doctrinal issues and leadership. Paul counsels them to remember that baptism brings the community together in unity in Christ. The very ideas of God resurrecting a crucified criminal and offering salvation to all through Christ might sound like foolishness to those who haven’t found Christ, he says. But this is what saves us through the power of God.

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

The public ministry of Jesus begins. Grieving the murder of his cousin John, Jesus steps up. He leaves his home in Nazareth to go to Capernaum, a larger city on the shore in Galilee (the ancient region of Zebulon and Naphtali that Isaiah invoked in the first reading). Jesus is starting to gather crowds and preach as John had done; he repeats John’s words, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew, who often reaches back to the Old Testament to find texts that can be interpreted to show Jesus fulfilling Messianic prophecy, lifts up the Isaiah passage that we hear in Sunday’s first reading. Then Jesus calls four fishermen to follow him. They eagerly drop their nets and follow as he preaches, teaches, cures and heals, leaving old Zebedee behind to mend his departed sons’ nets and tend the abandoned boat.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Jan. 22, 2017

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” As we live through the darkest season, the shortest days of the year, we can feel the joy that gracious light brings in the darkness, a joy that Isaiah and Matthew share in Sunday’s readings. Isaiah recalls the hard time when Israel’s Northern Kingdom, the lands of Zebulon and Naphtali that Jesus will later know as Galilee, have fallen to the Assyrian Empire, and the nation’s fate is in doubt. Isaiah prophecies that the future holds no gloom for those who are in anguish now: God will bring the people back to a world of bounty and joy.

Psalm 27:1, 5-13

In words that mirror both the ideas and the emotions of our Isaiah reading, the Psalmist shouts with triumphant confidence that God is indeed our light. There is no denying that bad things can happen even to God’s own people. Enemies may surround them. But knowing that God is our light and our salvation, we know that we have nothing to fear. God will hear us, love us, protect us and keep us safe.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Following up on Paul’s assurance last week that the people of the church in Corinth had already received gifts that made them strong in faith, we now see that this small, troubled community was breaking into factions and quarreling. Remember to stand steadfast in faith, Paul reminds them, even when their Gentile neighbors consider them foolish for worshiping a crucified criminal. Baptism brings all together in unity in Christ. The cross saves us through God’s power.

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

The public ministry of Jesus begins. Grieving the murder of his cousin John, Jesus steps up, starting to gather crowds and preach as John had done, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew, who often reaches back to the Old Testament to find texts that can be interpreted to show Jesus fulfilling Messianic prophecy, lifts up the Isaiah reading that we hear today. Then Jesus calls four fishermen who eagerly drop their nets and follow as he preaches, teaches, cures and heals, leaving old Zebedee behind to mend their nets and tend the abandoned boat.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4
Swirling snow and bitter chill remind us that this is January, the darkest month of the year. Yet Epiphany draws us to the light of hope that calls us to join Jesus in “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.” That gracious light shines through today’s readings. In this first reading, the Prophet Isaiah still promises, despite hard times when the northern lands of Zebulon and Naphtali have fallen to the Assyrians and the nation’s fate is in doubt, that God’s light will banish the darkness. In word’s familiar from Handel’s Messiah, he foretells a world of bounty and joy.

Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 5-13
God indeed is our light, the Psalmist exults, and our stronghold and our salvation, so there is nothing to fear. This is not just a happy-clappy song, though. The verses remind us that bad things can happen even in the lives of God’s people. The people face adversaries, armies of enemies; sometimes it even feels as if their own parents have turned against them. But we pray that God will hear us, love us, protect us and keep us safe.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Last week we heard Paul greeting the church at Corinth with fondness. Now he gets to the point: He has learned that this small church is falling into disunity, quarreling over doctrinal issues and leadership. Remember that baptism brings us together in unity in Christ, Paul reminds them. Our belief in the Resurrection and salvation through Christ may sound like “foolishness” to those who haven’t found Christ, but it saves us through God’s power.

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23
Quoting Isaiah to name Jesus as fulfillment of Messianic prophecy, Matthew presents a fascinating narrative of Jesus, grieving the murder of his cousin John, moving from his home in Nazareth to Capernaum, a larger city on the shore in Galilee, the old Northern Kingdom of Zebulon and Naphtali. There Jesus begins his public life, preaching in the same words as John: “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus calls four fishermen who eagerly drop their nets and follow as he preaches, teaches, cures and heals. But how do we think James’ and John’s father Zebedee felt about being left behind with the nets? The gospels often warn us that following Jesus may require leaving everything else behind.