Month: December 2020

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi [Matthew 2:16, New International Version]. There are two ways to preach the story of the visit of the magi to the Holy Couple and the Messiah. One method–the more popular one–is not only suitable for children, its three wise men, three gifts, and popular Christmas hymn, “We Three Kings,” supply the pastor with a ready-made “three points and a poem” sermon for the congregation.…

Copyright 2018 by Thomas A. Robinson. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission from Questions of Faith: Encountering Christ at the Point of Doubt and Confusion, by Thomas A. Robinson [p. 159-62; Mazarin Press, Raleigh, NC]. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too” [Luke 2:34-35, portion of the Gospel lesson, First Sunday After Christmas, RCL, Year B]. My close friend — and theological sparring partner…

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever [2 Samuel 7:16]. As I noted almost six months ago in another post, Walter Brueggemann, notable, contemporary OT theologian (Professor Emeritus, Columbia Theological Seminary) allows that the word of God never comes to fruition as we expect it [see Genesis: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, Pp. 181, et seq., emphasis added]. Brueggemann’s point can certainly be made about the OT reading for this upcoming Sunday [2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Fourth Sunday of Advent, RCL, Year B]. As we would have noted from 2 Samuel 5, in his early years…

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, … [Isaiah 61:1-2, NIV]. Anyone returning to Jerusalem–or what was left of it–in the early years following the Edict of Cyrus [538 B.C.E.], would have quickly determined that pessimism, even hopelessness, had taken root. Yes, there was some cause for relief. The Persians, led by…

On a high mountain go up, O herald of Zion. Raise your voice mightily, raise it, do not fear. Say to the towns of Judah: here is your God [Isaiah 40:9, The Hebrew Bible, tr. by Alter] November 22nd marked the sixth anniversary of our Father’s death. He was 91 years old when he died. Married to our Mother for almost 72 years, he enjoyed excellent health for most of his life. For his final five years, however, he lived in exile. That is to say that–because of advanced dementia–although he “resided” in Durham, he felt as if he had been taken to a far-off land that he didn’t recognize…