By the Well

Fran and Robyn discuss Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98 and John 15:9-17 We mention Willie James Jennings Commentary on Acts and Eugene Peterson's The Contemplative Pastor

This week we welcome Revd Sandy Brodine to By the Well. Sandy and Sean discuss the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:26–40, the reflections on divine and community love in 1 John 4:7–21, and Jesus' teaching about the vine and the branches in John 15:1–8.

Robyn and Sean discuss Acts 4:5-12; 1 John 3:16-24; Psalm 23; and John 10:11-18. We also answered your questions about preferred translations and mentioned the following specific translations: NT Wright, Kingdom NT David Bentley Hart, The New Testament Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible and the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition which can be found online at Bible Gateway .

Sean and Robyn discuss resurrection, witness, and atonement in Luke 24:36-48, Acts 3:12-19 (21), and 1 John 3:1-7.

Fran and Robyn talk about the way resurrection shapes community life in Acts 4:32-35 and John 20:19-31 (with a brief look at Ps 133). We mention Gail Ramshaw's "Treasures Old and New" . 

Fran and Kylie talk about 1 Cor 15.1–11 and Mark 16.1–8. For Good Friday episodes, you can listen to A121 (Fran with Frank Rees) , and C115 (Robyn, with Dorothy Lee and Andrew McGowan).

Robyn Whitaker talks with liturgist, Prof. Stephen Burns, about the Palm and Passion Sunday traditions. We discuss Mark 11:1-11 and Mark 14:1-15:47 and ideas for "preaching" without preaching this week. We mention Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings and the apocryphal text "Acts of John". 

Monica and Stephen Burns discuss Jeremiah31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12 and Hebrews 5:5-10. 

Monica and Fran discuss Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107 and John 3:14-21  

Monica and Kylie discuss Exodus 20.1–17, Psalm 19, and 1 Corinthians 1.18–25. The themes include the context of the ten commandments readings, as the Hebrew people come out of harsh enslavement and Yahweh establishes relationship with them; creation, Torah, and salvation/forgiveness in the Psalm; and Paul's theological reflection on true wisdom and on weakness and strengh. On reflecting on sabbath...

Kylie and Robyn discuss Genesis 17.1–7, 15–16, Romans 4.13–25, and Mark 8.31–38. As we contemplate Lent, the themes in the readings we touch on include the promise to both Sarai and Abram, the reality of death and how we approach faith in impossible circumstances, and discipleship. 

For the first week in Lent Robyn and Fran discuss Mark 1:9-14; Psalm 25:1-10 and Genesis 9:8-17 We mention Gail Ramshaw's Treasures Old and New Fleming Rutledge's The Crucifixion Garry Worete Deverell's Contemplating Country: More Gondwana Theology

Robyn and Fran discuss 2 Kings 2:1-12, Psalm 50:1-6, 2 Corinthaisn 4:3-6 and Mark 9:2-9. We mention Gail Ramshaw's book " Treasures old and new: Images in the Lectionary"

FROM THE ARCHIVES AND REPOSTING FOR 2024: Both readings this week give profound insight into the nature of God in diverse and complementary ways. Robyn and Fran talk about “Jesus the exorcist” in Mark’s gospel and how healing and exorcism are signs of the capacity of Jesus to liberate humanity from evil. Isaiah 40 poses the question “to whom can you liken God?”. Addressed to exiles to inspire hope...

Alistair and Fran discuss Jonah 3:1-6; 10 and Mark 1:14-20 We mention Daniel Smith-Christopher's A Biblical Theology of Exile And Anna Carter Florence's address A Preacher's Alphabet - section on Jonah

This is a repost of a bonus episode for the lectionary Year of Mark recorded in 2021.  Robyn sat down with Rev. Dr. Sally Douglas to unpack the themes and theology of Mark’s gospel. Mark is the earliest, shortest and perhaps most dramatic of the gospels. It proclaims the good news of liberation from evil through divine inversion of power, epitomised in the cross. Costly discipleship, cosmic battle...

Sharon and Fran discuss readings for Advent 4, focussing particularly on Luke 1:26-38 and Luke 1:46b-55, with brief reference to 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 We mention Fleming Rutledge's book Advent Sam Wells' How to Preach and an ABC's Radio National Sunday Extra with Rev Dr Gary Mason

Craig Thompson steps in as guest co-host and speaks with Robyn about the readings for Advent 3. We discuss Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; John 1:6-8, 19-28; and 1 Thess 5:16-24.  We mention Fleming Rutledge's Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ .

Fran and Howard discuss two readings from Advent 2 - Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8, with brief reference to Psalm 85 and 2 Peter 3

Howard and Fran discuss Isaiah 64:1-9 and Mark 13: 24-37 We mention Sam Wells' How to Preach: Times, Seasons, Texts and Contexts

Sally Douglas and Robyn Whitaker finish the lectionary year with the a discussion of kingship and other themes in Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Psalm 100; Ephesians 1:5-23; and Matthew 25:31-46. We mention Ben Myers' "The Apostles Creed" and David Bentleigh Hart on reading "eternal punishment" in the New Testament.  

Sally and Robyn discuss Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thess 5:1-11, and Matthew 25:14-30.  The Thessalonians quote is from Nijay Gupta's commentary . The quote from Yahia Lababidi was from t his episode of Soul Search . 

Kylie and Robyn discuss Matt 25.1–13, 1 Thess 4.13–18, and Josh 24.1–3a, 14–25. We set the Matthew reading in the context of the wider set of eschatological sayings in this section, noting some traps in translation (bridesmaids! lamps!), and the irony that all ten young women (including the wise ones) fall asleep! On 1 Thessalonians, we counter the idea of a rapture and talk about the pastoral iss...

Fran and Robyn discuss Joshua 3:7-17; Matthew 23:1-12; and 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13.  We quote from Robert Alter's Hebrew Bible introduction to Joshua. 

Kylie and Rachel discuss Deuteronomy 34.1–12, Psalm 90.1–6, 13–17, and Matthew 22.34–46. In the story of Moses's death they reflect on the images of perfection the passage leaves us with and transition of leadership when the task is not yet fulfilled, and in Matthew, the conflicts over the greatest commandment and Jesus's identity. Robyn Whitaker's Book Even the Devil Quotes Scripture , and John B...