Author: Administrador

The first verse of the book of Isaiah invites the reader to hear the prophecy in the context of the eighth century BCE. The scholarly consensus is to hear at least chapters 1-12, along with other portions of Isaiah 1-39 (especially chapters 20, 28-33, 36-39) as eighth-century material (First Isaiah or Isaiah of Jerusalem), usually … Continue reading “Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Commentary by J. Clinton McCann”

Everyone loves a courtroom drama, but what happens when God prosecutes God’s own people? Isaiah 1 stands squarely within the prophetic tradition of the covenant lawsuit. As in Micah 6, also written during Isaiah’s era, YHWH calls heaven and earth to stand as the witnesses to a case against the leaders of Israel and Judah. … Continue reading “Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Commentary by David G. Garber Jr.”

This four-week summer series highlights three biblical books — Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon — that garner little attention in the Revised Common Lectionary and in most mainline churches’ preaching.1 And it is easy to see why. Proverbs is not scintillating reading to most modern readers. Ecclesiastes seems a “downer” sort of a book. … Continue reading “4-week preaching series on O.T. Wisdom and Poetry]

Isaiah

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Commentary by Blake Couey”

[This is Week 4 of a 4-week preaching series on O.T. Wisdom and Poetry] Week 4 (Aug. 2, 2015) Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7 We end this preaching series with the Song of Solomon. I have written of the Song at some length elsewhere on this website, so for the sake of space, I’ll refer … Continue reading “Song of Solomon 2:10-13, 8:6-7 Commentary by Kathryn M. Schifferdecker”

“What in the world is this doing in the Bible?” It’s a not an uncommon reaction to a first encounter with the Song of Solomon (or, as it’s known from the Hebrew title, the Song of Songs). A love song between a man and a woman full of lush and sometimes erotic imagery hardly seems … Continue reading “Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Commentary by Kathryn M. Schifferdecker”

The Song of Songs is a celebration of erotic love, not surprisingly its literal reading was quickly abandoned in favor of allegorical readings in much of Judaism and Christianity where it has been read as symbolizing the love of God or Christ for Israel or the Church. A literal reading requires coming to terms with … Continue reading “Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Commentary by Wil Gafney”

Meetings are called to order. Calls for action are issued to correct problems of social justice. The ring of a cell phone is a call to conversation. Believers are called to worship, pray, and sing praises to God. The words in the Song of Songs 2:8-13 are a call to love. Each call is made … Continue reading “Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Commentary by Alphonetta Wines”

It is the beginning of August. You are two-and-a-half months into Pentecost with three-and-a-half months to go. Perhaps you are need of a little adrenaline rush. Enter stage right: Qoheleth, the Hebrew name of the book which has come to be known as Ecclesiastes. Qoheleth made the canonical cut against all odds. He is honest, … Continue reading “Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23 Commentary by Shauna Hannan”

What has been is what will be,and what has been done is what will be done;there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:9) Don’t you just feel that way sometimes? Maybe even a lot of the time? There is nothing new in this world; it’s always the same old thing, day after day after … Continue reading “Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23 Commentary by Elizabeth Webb”

This four-week summer series highlights three biblical books — Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon — that garner little attention in the Revised Common Lectionary and in most mainline churches’ preaching.1 And it is easy to see why. Proverbs is not scintillating reading to most modern readers. Ecclesiastes seems a “downer” sort of a book. … Continue reading “4-week preaching series on O.T. Wisdom and Poetry]

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23 Commentary by Walter C. Bouzard”