Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for Feb. 12, 2023 (Epiphany 6A)

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Our Lectionary readings for recent Sundays have followed a consistent theme: In the Gospels we are hearing Matthew’s account of Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

In our Hebrew Bible readings we have glimpsed the roots of Jesus’s wisdom in God’s firm commandments to be righteous, to care for the poor and the oppressed; the widow, the orphan and the stranger in our land. Our first reading shows Moses instructing the people at the end of their long journey in the desert, as they prepare to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. They hear the core of the covenant at Sinai: Follow God’s commandment to be righteous, and inherit the land. Defy God’s commandments, fail in that covenant, and – as the prophets will foretell – lose the land and die.

Alternate First Reading: Sirach 15:15-20

In this optional alternative for the first reading we hear a passage from Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus), one of the books known as Apocrypha that were originally written Greek, not Hebrew, and that come at the end of editions of the Hebrew Bible that choose to include them. Consistent with the day’s other readings, it sums up God’s teaching in brisk, memorable advice: We are given free will. God does not force us to keep the commandments – we may choose either fire or water – but God, all-knowing and wise, does not wish us to sin.

Psalm: Psalm 119:1-8

Psalm 119, the longest of all the Psalms, devotes its 176 verses to a consistent message: God’s decrees, God’s law and teaching given in the Torah, are wonderful, and following them brings joy. The ideas that the Psalmist expresses in these first eight verses of the Psalm will continue throughout. They echo the covenant between God and Moses at Mount Sinai: Those who follow God’s teaching and walk in God’s ways will be rewarded. The Psalmist calls on God’s help to stay steadfast in following this teaching, and begs in turn not to be forsaken.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

We continue working through the opening chapters of First Corinthians this week, listening in as Paul writes pastorally to a bickering church that has split into factions. In last Sunday’s portion Paul might have seemed to be praising the Corinthians for a spiritual maturity that enabled them to understand the ways of God that aren’t so clear to those less mature. But now Paul makes it clear that the Christians of Corinth have a long way to go. Their quarreling factions show that they aren’t ready for spiritual food, Paul warns, adding that we are all God’s servants. When we work together, God uses us to build and grow.

Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37

In the Sermon on the Mount, which occupies three full chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, we learn much about discipleship, the hard work of following Jesus toward the Kingdom of God. Last Sunday we heard Jesus assure the crowd that he did not come to change the Law and the Prophets (that is, the Hebrew Bible). But now he begins interpreting the Law – as rabbis do – in new and challenging ways. Considering the commandment, “Do not kill,” Jesus says to go beyond that. Not only must we do no harm but we must even respond to our enemies in peace. We are not merely bound to not commit adultery, but to treat women with respect. We must do more than simply avoiding false witness: We are called to be honest, be true, say exactly what we mean!

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 16, 2020

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

As we live through the Epiphany season, waning winter’s days are growing longer and the slant of noonday light perceptibly rises. Lent may lie just ahead, but Spring is drawing near.

In Sunday’s first reading the people have reached the banks of the Jordan after 40 years wandering in the desert. As they prepare to cross into the promised land, Moses preaches the core of Old Testament teaching: Follow God’s commandments, and you will inherit the land. Defy God’s wishes, and you will lose the land and die. From Sinai to the Jordan, he people have repeatedly heard this covenant: Be righteous, be just. Care for the poor and the weak; the widow, the orphan and the stranger. And when the people fail, the prophets will rise up to remind them of God’s promise, which will play out in the loss of the land, the destruction of the Temple, and exile.

Alternate First Reading: Sirach 15:15-20

We rarely hear readings from Sirach, one of the books known as Apocrypha that come at the end of the Old Testament. Called “The Wisdom of Jesus, ben Sirach” in the original Greek, Sirach was renamed Ecclesiasticus in Latin after the Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity as the state religion. Sirach is in the genre of wisdom literature: brisk, memorable advice akin to the Book of Proverbs. Sunday’s alternate first reading reminds us that we are given free will. God does not force us to keep God’s commandments – we may choose either fire or water – but God is all-knowing and wise and does not wish us to sin.

Psalm: Psalm 119:1-8


Today we hear only the first eight of the 176 verses that make up this, the longest of the Psalms. This introductory passage introduces us to the long psalm’s message: Torah, God’s teaching, is so wonderful that it inspires us to love it and follow it as law. Those who follow that teaching and walk in God’s ways will be rewarded. In chanting this psalm we pray that God will keep us steadfast in following this teaching, these laws.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Paul continues making his case to the quarreling factions that have formed in his little church at Corinth. Last week’s passage might have given the impression that Paul was praising the Corinthians for a spiritual maturity that enabled them to understand the ways of God. But no! Paul makes it clear in the verses we read Sunday that the Christians of Corinth still have a long way to go. Their quarreling factions, he warns, show that they are like babies not yet weaned from milk, utterly unready for spiritual food. When we work together as God’s servants, he adds, God uses us to build and grow in common purpose.

Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37


The Sermon on the Mount takes up three full chapters in Matthew’s Gospel, and in this, our third Gospel drawn from it, we are still in the first of the three! In last Sunday’s portion we heard Jesus say that he did not come to change the Law and the Prophets (the literal translation for the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible). Now, however, he begins interpreting the law as the Talmudic scholars did, reading it in new, radical, and challenging ways. It’s not just “Do not kill” but do no harm of any kind; we must even respond to our enemies in peace! Do not commit adultery? Not just that, but treat women with respect! Do not bear false witness? No, do more: Be honest, be true, say exactly what you mean!

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Feb. 12, 2017

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Our recent readings have followed a common theme. We hear Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, and we hear the roots of his wisdom in Old Testament readings that emphasize God’s firm commandment to be righteous, to care for the poor and the oppressed; the widow, the orphan and the stranger in our land. We hear it today from Moses, instructing the people at the end of their long journey, preparing to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. This is the core of Old Testament teaching: Follow God’s commandments, and inherit the land. Defy God’s wishes, and lose the land and die.

Alternate First Reading: Sirach 15:15-20

Our recent Epiphany readings have followed a common theme. We hear Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, and we hear the roots of his wisdom in Old Testament readings that emphasize God’s firm commandment to be righteous, to care for the poor and the oppressed; the widow, the orphan and the stranger in our land. Sirach, one of the books known as Apocrypha that come at the end of the Old Testament, sums up God’s teaching (“Torah”) in brisk, memorable advice: We are given free will. God does not force us to keep the commandments – we may choose either fire or water – but God, all-knowing and wise, does not wish us to sin.

Psalm 119:1-8

Psalm 119, the longest of all the Psalms, devotes all its 176 verses to a consistent message: God’s decrees, God’s law and teaching given in the Torah, are wonderful, and following them makes us happy. The ideas that we hear today in the first eight verses of the Psalm continue throughout, and they echo the covenant between God and Moses at Mount Sinai: Those who follow God’s teaching and walk in God’s ways will be rewarded. The Psalmist calls on God to keep him steadfast in following this teaching, and begs in turn not to be forsaken.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Paul continues making his case to the bickering factions that have formed in his little church at Corinth. Last week we heard him praise the flock for having the spiritual maturity to understand God’s ways. But now he makes it clear, gently but firmly, that they aren’t there yet. He has fed them spiritually with milk, not solid food, because as long as they remain jealous and quarrelsome, they are not yet ready to eat like grown-ups. We are all God’s servants, he emphasizes. Only when we work together in common purpose can God use us to build and grow.

Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37


In the Sermon on the Mount, three full chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, we learn much about discipleship, the hard work of following Jesus toward the Kingdom of God. Jesus, having assured the crowd that he did not come to change the Law and the Prophets, begins interpreting the Law in new and challenging ways. Do you think you understand the commandment, “Do not kill”? Jesus tells us to go further, and do no harm; we must even respond to our enemies in peace. We are not merely bound not to commit adultery, but to treat women with respect! We must do more than simply avoiding false witness: We are called to be honest, be true, say exactly what we mean!

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
On the banks of the Jordan as the people prepare to cross into the promised land, Moses preaches the core of Old Testament teaching: Follow God’s commandments, and you will inherit the land. Defy God’s wishes, and you will lose the land and die. From Sinai to the Jordan, he people have repeatedly heard this covenant: Be righteous, be just. Care for the poor and the weak; the widow, the orphan and the stranger. And when the people fail, the prophets will rise up to remind them of God’s promise, which will play out in the loss of the land, the destruction of the Temple, and exile.

Alternate First Reading: Sirach 15:15-20
We rarely hear readings from Sirach, one of the “deuterocanonical” books (also known as Apocrypha) that come at the end of the Old Testament. Called “The Wisdom of Jesus, ben (Son of) Sirach” in the original Greek, Sirach took the Latin name “Ecclesiasticus” after the Emperor Constantine. It sums up God’s teaching (“Torah”) in the genre of wisdom literature: brisk, memorable advice akin to the Book of Proverbs. Today’s reading reminds us that we are given free will. God does not force us to keep God’s commandments – we may choose either fire or water – but God is all-knowing and wise and does not wish us to sin.

Psalm: Psalm 119:1-8

Today we hear only the first eight verses of this, the longest of the Psalms. But its central message, reinforcing the covenantal agreement that we heard in Deuteronomy, remains consistent through all 176 verses: God’s laws are wonderful, and those who follow that teaching and walk in God’s ways will be rewarded. The Psalmist calls on God to keep him steadfast in following God’s teaching.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
We continue working through the opening chapters of First Corinthians this week, listening in as Paul writes pastorally to a bickering church that has split into factions. Last week it might have sounded as if Paul was praising the Corinthians for a spiritual maturity that enabled them to understand the ways of God that aren’t so clear to those less mature. But no! Paul makes it clear that the Christians of Corinth have a long way to go. Their quarreling factions show that they aren’t ready for spiritual food, Paul warns, adding that we are all God’s servants. When we work together, God uses us to build and grow.

Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37

The Sermon on the Mount, which takes up three full chapters in Matthew’s Gospel, is all about discipleship, the hard work of following Jesus. In today’s passage, Jesus takes three commandments that we think we know, and reinterprets them in radical new ways. It’s not just “Do not kill” but do no harm; even respond to your enemies in peace! Do not commit adultery? No, treat women with respect! Do not bear false witness? No, do more: Be honest, be true, say exactly what you mean!