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Sunday, 23rd August 2026
Matthew 16:13-20 The profession of Peter’s faith 16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 16:14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 16:15 He…
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Preaching Paths 23 August 2026 Proper 16A
Sally A Brown Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Matthew’s careful placement of today’s Gospel text (Mt 16:13-20, often referred to as Peter’s “confession of faith”) hints at its pivotal significance, both literary and theological, for this gospel as a whole. First, the setting—Caesarea Philippi—would have been striking for Mt’s earliest, late-first-century readers. In their day,…
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Sunday, 16th August 2026
Matthew 15: 21-28 The Canaanite woman’s daughter is healed 15:21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 15:22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 15:23 But…
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Preaching Paths 9 August 2026 Proper 14A
Sally A Brown, Professor of Preaching Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Few Gospel texts have engendered more diverse trajectories of interpretation than Matthew’s version of the story of Jesus walking on the water in the midst of a storm (Mt 14:22-33). Only in Matthew do we read of Peter climbing out of the boat to walk…
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Preaching Paths 2 August 2026 Proper 13A
Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Matthew 14:13-21 presents Matthew’s version of the wilderness feeding of 5,000 men and unnumbered women and children, the only “mighty work” of Jesus found in all four Gospels. The context in which each evangelist sets this scene is significant. In Mt, it occurs immediately after Jesus and…
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Preaching Paths 19 July 2026
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s gospel lesson (Mt 13:24-30, 36-47) presents the parable of the wheat and weeds and Jesus’ interpretation. The parable, unique to Matthew, trades in tropes familiar to Matthew’s audience: agricultural and eschatological imagery, and a stark divide between good and evil actors. Although such imagery is less…
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Sunday, 19th July 2026 Proper 11 (16)
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 The parable of the weeds 13:24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field, 13:25 but while everybody was asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. 13:26 So when the plants…
Insights into Biblical Greek Grammar and Syntax 