Contents |
Lectionary
- 1Samuel 15:34-16:13 and Psalm 20 (or Ezekiel 17:22-24 and Psalm 92:1-4,12-15)
- 2Cor 5:6-10,(11-13),14-17
- Mark 4:26-34
First Reading: Samuel anoints David
This week’s OT reading involves the selection and anointing of David as the future king of Israel.
Unlike Saul, who was similarly chosen and anointed by Samuel acting on instructions from God, David is going to be the hero for the prophetic writers telling this story.
The deuteronomistic school which is thought to be responsible for the final shaping of the Former Prophets has a very particular view on the role of the king within the covenant between God and Israel. They affirmed the supremacy of the divine word, communicated through the prophet, over the power of the kind or the ritual of the priest. Prophets assumed the right to rebuke the ruler, to anoint new kings and to curse those in power.
The idea of a davidic ruler was to become a major theological theme in later Jewish and Christian thought:
The historicity of David and his legendary empire is now hotly contested by archaeologists:
Second Reading: Paul’s compulsion to share the Good News
As we begin this series of readings from 2 Corinthians, it may be helpful to visit some of the online sites that provide information on ancient Corinth:
For introductory material on 2 Corinthians, including links to other online resources, see:
The lectionary passage for this week is divided into three sections, the second of which may be omitted:
- verses 6-10: this section provides a glimpse into the way that some early Christians had already begun to think of Jesus as the one through whom God would judge the world, including appropriate rewards and affirmation for those who had been faithful in their own discipleship. These ideas are so well known to us these days that we may overlook their revolutionary significance for the first generation of Christians.
- verses 11-13: this section may be omitted from the lectionary and represents an aside by Paul in which we see something of the strained relationship between Paul and some of his readers.
- verses 14-17: the final section of this passage is one of the classic texts in which we see Paul expressing his own very personal sense of mission, and his excitement at the transformation of human experience by God’s power released in the faithfulness of Jesus: “everything is new!”
Gospel: Jesus and Parables
The series of readings from Mark resumes near the end chapter 4, giving us two short parables and a general comment on Jesus’ use of parables.
The following articles may be of interest:
Jesus Database
- 007 Of Davids Lineage – 1Sam 15
- 035 The Mustard Seed – Mark 4:30-32
- 075 The Harvest Time – Mark 4:26-29
- 227 Speaking in Parables – Mark 4:33-34
Liturgies and Prayers
For liturgies and sermons each week, shaped by a progressive theology, check Rex Hunt’s web site
Other recommended sites include:
Music Suggestions
See the following sites for recommendations from a variety of contemporary genre:
- Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan’s WorldMaking Music site
- David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate site
- Brenton Prigge’s New Hymn site