The book of Proverbs, like other books typically identified as part of Israel’s “wisdom literature,” is full of pithy, provocative statements. (Here I cannot enter into a debate about whether “wisdom literature” is an actual genre.) Consider the following set of verses from chapter 26: Do not answer fools according to their folly,  or you […] The post The Book of Proverbs’ Deceptive Simplicity (Or, How to Get It Right) first appeared on The Sacred Page ..read more

Bruce Longenecker has published the results of a survey of Pauline scholars taken this year regarding opinions of the “authorship” of the Pauline epistles. The results are interesting. Before we get there, however, we need to talk about this language about “authorship.” I put “authorship” in scare quotes because the matter is more complicated than […] The post The 2024 Survey of Pauline Scholars first appeared on The Sacred Page ..read more

Yesterday I completed my seminar on Luke-Acts with our students in the Masters of Biblical Studies program. One aspect of our conversation was the relationship of Peter and Paul in Acts. It is abundantly clear that Acts anticipates Paul’s missionary work to the gentiles by speaking of Peter’s proclamation of the gospel to non-Israelites, especially ..read more

It’s been a while since I posted here. I’ve been meaning to revive this site but, as with most things, I just don’t have the time to blog as much as I’d like. However, I’ve recently been asked: “What is the best Bible Commentary Series?” I’ve had to write up answers elsewhere, so I thought ..read more

These commentaries are collected in published form in my “Word of the LORD” books available here. Dr. Scott Hahn and I dialogue about each week’s Sunday Readings here. There is so much turmoil in the national and international news these days, it makes it difficult to maintain a sense of peace. Instability in our own country seems capable of spiraling out of control, not to mention the various political hotspots around the world. Christians are targeted for elimination in Muslim and communist countries and elsewhere. Closer to home, we witness worrying erosion of religious liberty in developed ..read more

The Easter Season usually ends with a sort of “trifecta” of major feasts: Pentecost, Trinity, and Corpus Christi, as the Church celebrates the central mysteries of the faith before entering into Ordinary Time once more. In any event, this weekend is Trinity Sunday, a meditation and celebration of the central mystery of the Christian faith, the dogma that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions.  Christians alone believe in one God, who nonetheless exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Strangely, our Readings for this Sunday tend not to be classic “proof texts ..read more

I highly recommend reading the commentary I also posted on this site on the Readings for the Vigil in preparation for the Mass of Pentecost Day.  The Readings for the Mass of the Pentecost pick up, as it were, where the Readings for the Vigil left off. The First Reading is, finally, the account of Pentecost itself, from Acts 2:1-11: Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11 When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongue ..read more

Pentecost is a very important feast in the liturgical life of the Church, and it has it’s own vigil.  Not only so, but the Readings for the Vigil are particularly rich.  I cannot think of another that has such a wide variety of options, for example, for the First Reading.  Even though, in most cases, only one First Reading will be proclaimed in any given Mass (unless your parish celebrates the Extended Vigil), it is well worth pondering them all, in order to come to understand the significance of Pentecost more deeply: The First Reading Options for the Vigil: 1.  Genesis 11 ..read more

(These commentaries are available in book form here. ) This Sunday’s readings might seem bipolar or schizophrenic.  We begin Mass with exultant cheering as we relive Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at ..read more

(These commentaries are available in book form here.) The “Hippie” Jesus is one of the common misunderstandings of Christ that are circulating in popular culture.  People think of Jesus as a laid back guru who traveled around Israel in this Volkswagen Vanagon, accompanied by twelve dudes in tie-died T-shirts.  Jesus taught that all we need is Love, and not to be so uptight, like all those rule-bound priests and scribes. Of course, that view of Jesus is wrong.  People adopt it, however, because they misunderstand the nature of Jesus’ conflict with the priests, scribes, and Pharis ..read more