This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. In yesterday’s post we looked at some of the verses that speak to John the Baptist as witness to the Messiah. In today’s post we will continue that line of thought as he gives a summary reason for his ministry of Baptism at the River Jordan. Where Mark’s gospel asserts it was “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4), John simply offers “I came baptizing with water … that he might be made known to Israel.” (John 1:31)  Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. In yesterday’s post we considered the expression “Lamb of God.” In today’s post we look at the verses that speak to John the Baptist as witness. One of the distinct features of the Fourth Gospel is the Evangelists’ use of martyreo (“bear witness”). The verb occurs once in Matthew, once in Luke, none in Mark, and 31 times in John including the five use in the first chapter (vv. 7, 8, 15, 32, 34). This should not be surprising as we were already told in the Prologue that “He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” (1:7) Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. In yesterday’s post we looked a little deeper into the scriptural context of John’s gospel. In today’s post we begin to look in depth at the text that follows after John’s interrogation by priests, Levites and Pharisees, the evangelist tells us, The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. In yesterday’s post we took a moment to place the Sunday gospel in a liturgical and scriptural context. Today, we will go a little deeper into the scriptural context as we consider the simple phrase, “the next day.” (John 1:29) Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time in Lectionary Cycle A during which the Gospel of Matthew is the primary source of Sunday gospel readings. Having made that point, our gospel for today is taken from the Gospel of John. It is a well chosen gospel that follows our celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord in which the epiphenia  or revelation of Jesus was the primary theme – one shared with our Sunday gospel. Continue reading →