Advent 3 • Isaiah 35:1–10 • December 15, 2013


Advent 3 • Isaiah 35:1–10 • December 15, 2013

Editor’s Note: The following homiletical help is adapted from Concordia Journal, October 1998. By Jeffrey A. Gibbs Textual observations: The historical situation at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy isimpossible to determine. Oppression by Assyria is one possible setting. These verses are matched with Isaiah 34 as oracles regarding Edom’s doom and Israel’s salvation; the present text is ..

Ecumenical Witness

Ecumenical Witness


Ecumenical Witness

Editor’s Note:  The Fall issue of the Concordia Journal is now being distributed to our subscribers.  This issue is dedicated to various perspectives on ecumenism and church relations, including an essay by the important Luther scholar and Roman Catholic ecumenist, Fr. Jared Wicks, S.J.  Our own Charles Arand provides a helpful introduction, highlighting the timeliness of ..


Listening to the Word of God, Day 1


Listening to the Word of God, Day 1

The first day of the “Listening to God’s Word” theological symposium at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule, Oberursel, focused on “Historical Approaches” to the text, using Genesis 1 and Matt 14:22-33 as test cases. The symposium’s goal is not to “settle” right and wrong interpretations, but to discuss together different ways that the biblical texts are studied. The ..

Listening to God’s Word

Listening to God’s Word


Listening to God’s Word

“And behold, a  lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to  inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:25-26). It is possible to know and read the Scriptures—yet not understand them. The teacher of the ..