Holy Textures

Matthew 16:13-28

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Verses 13-20 are part of the Lectionary reading for Year A, August 21 to 27, but I am using it during Lent this year to give my congregation a clearer sense of the events that led to Jesus' arrest, trial, torture and execution.

Interestingly, this pivotal passage occurs outside of the "home turf" of Jesus and his followers, in the district of Caesarea Philippi north of Galilee.

Jesus has been traveling about doing signs, teaching and healing. This has resulted in crowds being drawn to him. It is now time to do some assessing.

Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

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The story of the Canaanite woman in verses 21-28 really needs the discussion about what makes a person "clean" / "undefiled" in verses 10-20 in order to help us focus on the significance of what comes out of the mouth of Jesus and this non-Jewish (and therefore "unclean") woman.