Encountering the text: The commentator on this Sunday’s gospel could go a couple of different ways because we have not one but two different pericopes before us. 1. Jesus… read more

Sailing home after my triumphant series at Yale Divinity School (at least that’s what everybody said to me, “a triumph”) people began texting me, “Sorry to … read more

Encountering the text: Another Sunday from John’s Gospel in which Jesus continues to refer to himself as "bread." Having preached from this section last Sunday, this Sunday… read more

Encountering the text: This Sunday’s gospel appears to be a rather disconnected series of wise sayings from Jesus. I recommend that we focus our attention on Mark 9:43-47… read more

Encountering the text: I notice that my Common English Bible begins Mark 9:30-37 with the subheading, "Jesus Predicts His Death." And he does indeed speak of his death, again, in… read more

Encountering the text: I think it significant that this Sunday’s assigned gospel passage, though it comes all the way at a midpoint in Mark’s Gospel, is the very first … read more