Author: Administrador

Hope sprouts from the ruins The passage begins with an announcement of divine presence and action. While it is clear that the power and the commission are from the LORD, the “me” with whom God is present and whom God has anointed and sent is not identified. It is logical to assume it is the … Continue reading “Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Commentary by Elna K. Solvang”

As has been the case for the past two weeks, the Old Testament reading for this Sunday comes from the latter chapters of the book of Isaiah. Starkly different from chapters 1-39, which are filled with words of judgment and warning, chapters 40-66 are filled with words of promise and hope. The exiles banished to … Continue reading “Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Commentary by Kristin J. Wendland”

Bleak midwinter seems a fitting stage for this lectionary text that likely dates to the early days of Israel’s return from Babylonian captivity. Those days are cast easily in hues of grey — the city of Jerusalem and its temple yet in ruins, the community rag-tag and divided, the once proud monarchy now a small colony … Continue reading “Isaiah 60:1-6 Commentary by Christine Roy Yoder”

Every prophetic oracle is spoken within a historical context.  I believe that, as preachers, we must always begin from this simple but poignant realization. Too easily can we craft the words of proclamation by slipping beyond the limit imposed by context. We shape an overarching narrative to bolster a particular viewpoint (our own viewpoint, our … Continue reading “Isaiah 60:1-6 Commentary by Dirk G. Lange”

Isaiah 60 casts a magnificent vision of Zion’s future — full of light, prosperity, and prestige. This city, whose history is riddled with the wreckage of war and marked by the scars of empire, will exchange the sounds of violence and ruin for the clamor of reconstruction and international traffic. To gain a fuller appreciation … Continue reading “Isaiah 60:1-6 Commentary by Michael J. Chan”

Isa 60:1-6 is a piece of poetry brimming with energy and hope. Due to the fact that Hebrew distinguishes between a male and a female second person, we can see that the prophet is addressing a feminine “you.” Thus, scholars identify the poem as belonging to a group of poems within Isa 40-66, which are … Continue reading “Isaiah 60:1-6 Commentary by Callie Plunket-Brewton”

This pericope was likely teamed with the gospel reading because of its emphasis on the Sabbath. However, there is a lot more going on here that is worthy of attention. The setting of this pericope is especially important. “Third Isaiah” (chapters 56-66) is a prophet addressing the people of Israel upon their return to Jerusalem … Continue reading “Isaiah 58:9b-14 Commentary by Shauna Hannan”

Isaiah 56–66, so-called Third Isaiah, addresses the post-exilic community struggling to make a new life in Jerusalem during the 530s and 520s BCE. Rebuilding the temple and the city was moving slowly, perhaps stalled completely. Leadership within the community was contested. Divisions and violent quarreling hindered progress in both physical and social restoration. Drought and … Continue reading “Isaiah 58:9b-14 Commentary by Brian C. Jones”

If you have ever attended a Friday evening synagogue service, you know that at the conclusion the rabbi will often say, “We invite our visitors to join us for an Oneg Shabbat after the service in the community room.” You discover that an Oneg Shabbat is a post-worship social hour where there is good food, … Continue reading “Isaiah 58:9b-14 Commentary by James Limburg”

A prominent strand of Old Testament theology portrays the history of God’s people as cyclical — a cycle in which the people cry out for help, God saves them, but then they forget, go astray, and find themselves in trouble again. (Judges 2:18-20 offers a concise and paradigmatic summary.) [Find commentaries on Joel 2:1-12, 12-17, … Continue reading “Isaiah 58:1-12 Commentary by Christopher B. Hays”