Studying lectionary texts? Here are some starting places for study at ATLA this week. If you are the graduate of an accredited U.S. theological school, you may have free access to these articles through your school. Check ATLAS access options. You can find full lists of ATLAS recommended articles for this week at The Text This Week's page for this week's texts:
Epiphany 5A
February 5, 2017
Carter, Warren, "Jesus' 'I Have Come' Statements in Matthew's Gospel," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1998.
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“This conclusion suggests that the soteriology of Matthew's Gospel embraces Jesus' death and his actions and teaching. By engaging with these seven sayings containing the expression "I have come" the audience understands that all of Jesus'existence—his words, actions, death, and resurrection —carries out God's purposes for him: that he save from sins and that he manifest God's presence.”
Craddock, Fred, "Two Arenas for Faithfulness," The Christian Century, 1990.
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“Jesus stood within his own heritage but was not blind to its distortions and falsifications So it was that he often appealed to the tradition to admonish interpretations of it that violated its intent and spirit His mission, he said, was not one of abolition but of completion, and those who follow him are to manifest such a mission in their behavior and relationships Anyone who appeals to faith and freedom in Christ to do less, be less, give less, serve less and love less than our forebears has grossly misunderstood Jesus' message.”
Minear, Paul Sevier, "The Salt of the Earth," Interpretation, 1997.
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“Despite much misunderstanding among modern readers and preachers, Jesus' saying in Matthew 5:13 ("You are the salt of the earth") concerns sacrificing one's life to follow Christ. Moreover, this high cost of discipleship has cosmic significance.”
Walaskay, Paul W., "Between Text & Sermon, Matthew 5:17-20," Interpretation, 2002.
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“Yes, Jesus requires his followers to honor the codification of God's desire for relationship with us and with one another. The text of that code, down to the smallest fragment of a letter, will never pass from our sight or our obligation. It will outlast this world. Jesus asks his disciples to persist in discerning the will of God embedded in those words. Being aligned with God's will, through love, will keep us on the path of righteousness that leads toward the kingdom of heaven (7:21).”
Cousar, Charles B., "1 Corinthians 2:1-13," Interpretation, 1990.
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“Every Generation of Christians has to wrestle with the fundamental issue of I Corinthians 1—4: What do we know of God and God's purposes for the world and how do we know it?”
Grindheim, Sigurd, "Wisdom for the Perfect: Paul's Challenge to the Corinthian Church (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)," Journal of Biblical Literature, 2002.
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“We have seen that, although there is no identifiable heterodox teaching Paul is combating in 1 Cor 1-4, his evaluation of the schisms is profoundly theological. The factionalism is rooted in a misapprehension of the gospel. Instead of having their self-identity in the word of the cross, the Corinthians rely on a kind of rhetoric that was supposed to allow them to excel in personal status, to the detriment of others.”
Barton, Mukti, "I Am Black and Beautiful," Black Theology, 2004. (Metaphor of "light" and "darkness.")
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Abstract: “Racism is perpetuated when the colour black is used in negative, and white in positive, ways. Many believe that these uses have come from the Bible because of the metaphors of light and darkness. In this article I present an examination of the actual biblical usage. I argue that European prejudicial interpretation of the Bible may be responsible for value-loaded usage of black and white.”
Bruckner, James K., "Justice in Scripture," Ex Auditu, 2006.?
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“The Scripture also has claims to make, presenting God's perspectives on justice. This external perspective may bring comfort to some, but it may also challenge and reshape our categories.”
Chase-Ziolek, Mary, "Repairing, Restoring, and Revisioning the Health of Our Communities: The Challenge of Isaiah 58," Ex Auditu, 2005.
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“The health of each of us is related to the health of all of us. This statement is not only a basic principle of public health, but is also well supported in Scripture…”
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