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Nazareth Then and Now
Ancient Nazareth lacked the critical advantages for its development as a significant settlement: abundant water supply, an elevated site for defensive purposes, and strategic location adjacent to a major highway. The most comprehensive recent study of the archeology of ancient Nazareth and its local region was completed by Ken Dark over several seasons between 2004…
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The oldest hatred
Presentation to a panel discussion sponsored by the Jewish Council of Australia at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane on Monday, 29 September 2025. The topic of the event was: Should anti-Semitism be exceptionalised or should we combat all forms of racism together? Co-hosts for the event included: Doykeit (a local Jewish group in Brisbane), St John’s…
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Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (5 October 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 First Reading: The Decalogue 2.1 Five + Five 2.2 The heart of torah 3 Gospel: The Tenants & the Rejected Stone 3.1 The Tenants 3.2 The Rejected Stone 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 & Psalm 19 (or Isaiah 5:1-7 & Psalm…
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Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (28 September 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Gospel: The two sons 2.1 Textual questions 3 Traditional Jewish wisdom or distinctive Jesus traditions 4 An orphan saying? 5 Jesus Database 6 Liturgies and Prayers 6.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 17:1-7 & Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 [Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 & Psalm 25:1-9] Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32 Gospel: The two sons This…
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Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (21 September 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Gospel: Pay them all the same! 3 Jesus Database 4 Liturgies and Prayers 4.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 16:2-15 & Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 [Jonah 3:10-4:11 & Psalm 145:1-8] Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16 Gospel: Pay them all the same! The parable of the laborers in the vineyard is known only from Matthew.…
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Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (14 September 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Exodus Paradigm of salvation (for some) 2.1 History and miracle 2.2 Exodus and history 3 Gospel: Love does not keep score 3.1 Don’t do the math 3.2 The unmerciful slave 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 14:19-31 & Psalm 114 (or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21) or…
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Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (7 September 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Season of Creation 3 Gospel: Jesus and the Rabbinic tradition 3.1 Rabbinic parallels 3.2 Jesus Seminar 3.3 Word Biblical Commentary 3.4 Hermeneia commentary 3.5 New Interpreter’s Bible 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 12:1-14 & Psalm 149 (or Ezekiel 33:7-11 & Psalm 119:33-40) Romans 13:8-14…
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Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (31 August 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 First Reading: Theophany at Sinai 2.1 Martin Buber 2.2 Nahum Sarna 2.3 W. G. Plaut 3 The Gospel: Intimations of suffering and glory 3.1 Predictions of death and resurrection 3.2 The way of the cross 3.3 Some standing here 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus…
