For us and for our salvation, “they crucified him.” It is easy to forget that before the cross became a symbol for Christianity, it was an instrument of capital punishment. Jesus...

For us and for our salvation, Jesus “returned to his place at the table” (CEB). Among the evangelists, John is an outlier in that he does not include a narrative of...

For us and for our salvation, Jesus “dipped the piece of bread, [and] he gave it to Judas.” The story of Judas bears all the marks of a classical tragedy. He...

For us and for our salvation, “a voice came from heaven.” Similar miraculous manifestations occur at Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration. In these occasions, the voice speaks for our sake. It proclaims...

For us and for our salvation, “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” In the Gospel of John, God signals salvation in large, bold, italicized, underlined, all-caps font....

Luke 23 ends Christ’s Passion story by drawing our attention to intimate, less visible, and quieter obedience and trust. In what must be a risky choice, given the temperament of the...

While playing chess at a church retreat when I was sixteen, other youth stopped by to watch. We introduced ourselves, visited a few moments, and then continued our game as the...

I find no basis for an accusation against this man,” Pilate says. “I have found in him no ground for a sentence of death.” Pilate repeatedly refutes the crowd’s shouts to...

I didn’t want to do it. I convinced myself that I couldn’t.” Susan continues, “That’s how I felt when God nudged me toward work at the food bank. I said no....

Jesus says, “This is my body.” He does not explain or theologize. He only asks to be obeyed: “Do this in remembrance of me.” He tells the disciples it is “given...