Consider this difficult story (Matthew 15: 21-28) of Jesus ‘refusing’ to help, and consider the mercy, rather than the fairness of our mysterious and compassionate Lord. The Fathers and the Old Testament help us through this awkward gospel reading.

Luke 15:11-32; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Hosea 14:1-9; Isaiah 55:1-7

Here the Old Testament readings for Great Vespers and the New Testament readings for Divine Liturgy are used to illuminate the importance of councils and primacy in the holy Church—a Church that is visible and concrete, with a recognizable and divinely-ordained shape, just as our Lord actually took on humanity, and did not simply visit us in an “appearance.” This program is a re-air from July 17, 2015.

Phil. 2:5-11, Luke 10: 38-42, Luke 11: 27-28 appear to be odd readings for the celebration of Holy Mary. Let’s consider, with the help of Isaiah 45 and St. John Chrysostom why they are so very “meet and right” in remembering the humble one who has been made “more honorable than the cherubim and more glorious than the seraphim.”

We look at the Psalms, the purpose of the Torah for the Hebrew people, and the story of David dancing before the ark to illumine the theme of liberty seen in our readings for this coming Divine Liturgy.

We read the stories of the Holy Martyr George (celebrated this Sunday April 23, along with St. Thomas Sunday) in the light of Job, Isaiah and Revelation 12, seeing him as a mirror to our victorious Lord, who cleansed the chaotic waters of all that lurked there, and trampled down death by death.

Daring to be Different: Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Second of Luke, and feast day of the Apostle Ananias. Our readings for this week (2 Cor 6:16-18, 7:1; Luke 6:31-36) bring us face-to-face with an uncomfortable part of our faith: we are to be “holy” or different. We look to the challenge God gives to Israel in Exodus, and the promises to fulfill this holiness in the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel to help us to understand our calling.

This week, as we approach Great Lent, Dr. Edith Humphrey helps us prepare our minds by focusing upon godly humility, as seen in Job, in the model laid out for Timothy by St. Paul, and in the well-known parable of the Publican and the Pharisee.

On this first Sunday after Pentecost, we clarify and amplify the readings from Matthew and Hebrews by looking to the story of Solomonia and her seven brave sons (2 Maccabees 7). This woman, known in the early Church as a prophetess, spoke clearly of God’s creating and resurrecting power, and so inspires us, in our challenges today, to follow Christ to glory.

Remembering the apostles, we consider Jesus’ words from Matt 9:13 concerning God’s mercy, and the Resurrection hymns in the fourth tone, in the light of 1 Cor 1:26-31, Hosea 6:6-7, Genesis 3:1-5, and Wisdom 2:23-24.

What is meant by the phrase “He was not tempted by Hades”, and is it the case that Jesus appeared first to the Theotokos? We look to the Scriptural teaching on the despoiling of Hades, to the cultural associations of Hades in the Greek and Roman mind, and to the prophet Isaiah for help in understanding the joy of Holy Saturday’s conquest.

We are helped to reflect upon that mysterious tour of Christ (from the heavens, to the grave, and back to glory) described in the Tone 8’s Resurrectional Hymns by looking to Psalm 67/68:17-19, Ephesians 4:7-11, John 20:19-31, and 1 Corinthians 3:9-17.

We consider the astonishing resurrectional hymns in the second tone, and understand their dramatic language in the light of the book of Job, the prophecy of Isaiah, and the Transfiguration narratives.

Dr. Edith M. Humphrey returns after nearly a year to resume her blog and podcast on how the Old Testament illumines our reading of the New Testament and our worship. This week we consider the resurrectional hymns in the first tone (used the second Sunday after Pentecost), in the light of the OT, especially the prophet Hosea.

This week we meditate upon the resurrectional hymns in tone three, rejoicing in our solidarity with the righteous of the Old Testament. God’s ancient people saw His mighty arm outstretched for them, understood themselves to be the first-born of the LORD, and were vouchsafed glimpses of the great release from Hades. We look especially to Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Wisdom for these insights.

This week’s troparion (apolytikion) and kontakion in tone five range from the foundational to the ineffable, as they focus on the nature of the God-Man. We are helped in understanding them by considering Psalm 117 LXX (118 Hebrew) and the consequences of the fall in Genesis 3.

This week we understand the depths of Christ’s demolition of death, and the great reversal, in the light of Ezekiel 7, Jeremiah 7, and Psalm 125 (MT 126).

Edith Humphrey begins a new series on the eight resurrectional (dismissal) hymns to the Theotokos, beginning with the one in tone three appointed for this week. Help is found in interpreting the mysteries of this hymn from the prophet Jeremiah, from the early chapters of Genesis, and from Isaiah’s vision of the heavenly throne-room.

This week’s Divine Liturgy for the Forerunner is accompanied by a simple yet profound thetokion, which we mine for treasure by reference to Psalm 44/45, the Psalter, Song of Solomon, and other helpful passages from the Old Testament.

This week we take a break from the dismissal hymns to the Theotokos, and consider the rich imagery of the hymn (in tone 5) to Mary after the Aposticha. Its symbols are illumined for us by the Psalter, Ezekiel 33-35, and Isaiah 6.

The resurrectional-dismissal Theotokion in tone four is replete with theological mystery, and itself calls attention to the Mystery of mysteries—the God-Man who died for our sake. We look to the entire sweep of the Old Testament, as well as the epistles, to clarify its words.

This week we consider an unusual Theotokion that addresses our Lord instead of holy Mary. We plumb its theological riches by means of revisiting Genesis 1-2; Hosea 8-13, and Daniel 13, as well as the Christ-hymn of Colossians 1:15-20.

This joyful and profound hymn is understood more fully by contrasting Mary’s “yes” to Eve’s rebellion, by seeing the Incarnation as the beginning of the new creation, and by seeing the parallel between David’s joyful procession with the Ark to Bethlehem, and the Holy Virgin carrying our Lord into that same city for our salvation. (Genesis 1-3, 1 Chronicles 16:8-36, Genesis 22:18)

We think about the profundity of this well-known hymn that focusses upon the Incarnation, looking to passages in Isaiah and Daniel, as well as the New Testament.

This week we consider a deceptively simple hymn to holy Mary, reading it in the light of Daniel, the Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. We see her place in salvation history, and how she shows in her person our own living hope.

On Jan 18, we sing the dismissal Theotokion in tone 5. Its deep theology may be unpacked by reference especially to the prophet Ezekiel and Psalm 130/131, as well as by the book of Revelation and some of the fathers of the Church.

With this podcast, we complete our study of the eight resurrectional-dismissal hymns for the Theotokos, reading the Theotokion that we will sing for the feast of St. Gregory the Theologian on January 25th. We are helped in understanding this lyrical hymn by several passages in the NT, but also by returning to Genesis, Deuteronomy, Hosea, and Psalm 138/139. Here we see the wonder of the God who seeks and finds, and calls all of the cosmos to rejoice as He shows His glory.

On this Sunday of the Cross, we unpack Hebrews 4:14-5:9, plus a few extra verses, with the help of St. John Chrysostom, Leviticus 16, Genesis 14 and Psalm 109/110. Special encouragement is found here for this difficult time of isolation and waiting.

This week we consider our reading from Acts 20: 16-18; 28-36, filling in the ten missing verses, and concentrating on the extra “beatitude” from Jesus that we learn from St. Paul as he speaks to the Ephesian elders. We are especially helped by thinking about the journey of Abraham, and what he both received and gave, blessed by God, and becoming a blessing to others.

This week we hear the apostle Paul’s vulnerable plea to his congregation, and are reminded to pray and encourage our pastors (bishops, priests, deacons) as they work together with Christ, taking on his suffering for our sake, that we might be effective ministers in the world. (2 Cor 6:1-11; Psalm 68/69; Isaiah 52:13-53:12)

This week we consider the message of the risen Jesus to the church as Smyrna, and are encouraged by a generous God who makes us His confidants, so that we will be prepared for all that comes our way. We are helped in this by looking at Genesis 15 and Daniel 1.

As we approach the depth of Holy Week, we hear Jesus’ call to repentance, and promise for those who follow Him into victory, in Revelation 2:12-17. We are helped in understanding this word to Pergamum and to us by reading Numbers chapters 24-25 and 31, and Hebrews 4:12.

This week we consider Jesus’ strengthening words to Philadelphia in Rev 3:7-13, seeking to understand the meaning of the crown, the pillars, and the name of New Jerusalem by reference to various passages in the New Testament and the fathers, and by looking back to Ex 19:6, 1 Kings 7:21, Zec 4, Hos. 2:24 and Is 44:5.

We hear Jesus’ words to Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22), rejoicing that even for a lukewarm Church there is the remedy of forgiveness and revival, as also seen in Isaiah 65:16-19, Ezekiel 36-7 and Jeremiah 31, as well as in Jesus’ own words concerning the enlivening work of the Holy Spirit. Repentance is for all of us, not simply for unbelievers, and yields the riches, healing, and purity that God intends for His people.

We read Revelation 20:1-15 in the light of the gospels, Psalm 85:10-11 and Isaiah 66:24. This chapter leads us not only into the vivid climax of the Apocalypse, but into two heated debates among those who name Christ; millennialism, and universalism. It reminds us that God’s justice and love are in harmony, and that even now, He reigns.

The final section of the book of Revelation leads us to a sense of deep mystery, yet satisfaction. We read Rev 22:8-21 in the light of Deut 30:19; Genesis 1-3; Deut 30:19; Daniel 8:26, 12:14.

We read the second “lamplight” Psalm, Psalm 141 (LXX) /142 (MT), clarifying its historical context by means of 1 Samuel (Kingdoms) 22 and 1 Samuel (Kingdoms) 24, and understanding its relevance to our lives today through the fathers and Hebrews 12:1-6. God is our true hope as we cry out to Him for deliverance, and as He surrounds us with those who journey on the same path.

This week we consider Psalm 19 LXX (20 Hebrew Text), the “royal beginning” to Matins, in which we are taught confidence in King Jesus, who ruled even from the cross. We are helped in our reading by several ancient commentaries, Philippians 2:5-11, Romans 7-8, and Hebrews 7, all of which show gratitude for the LORD’s actions in raising us up and glorifying us with Him.

We move on in this episode to consider the second royal psalm of Matins, Psalm 20 LXX/21 Hebrew, and see it in the light of Psalm 36/37, as well as 2 Samuel 3. Amazingly, the glory that the LORD Jesus shares with His Father makes its mark on us, as well!

We read the fourth of the six Orthros psalms of penitence, Psalm 87 (LXX)/88 (MT), looking to Jesus as the “perfect Die-er” who brings light to the whole world, showing wonders even to the dead! This heavy psalm is understood through the similarly difficult passages of Luke 2:29-35, 2 Cor 5:21, Gal 3:13, John 12:20b-36, and Psalm 21(LXX) /22 (MT).

We turn to the Songs of Ascent, reading them in the light of Psalms 119-121 (MT 120-122), upon which they are based, and Hebrews 12:18-29, where we approach of heavenly Zion.

This week we do an overview of the delightful story of Tobit, concentrating on its supporting characters, and stressing God’s unexpected provisions for us on the natural level.

In this second reading of Tobit, we see its connection with Amos 8:10, Daniel 3:51-90, Revelation 21:18-21, and notice how the prophecies and prayers of the book both accompany its action, and speak in times of distress today.

To help us celebrate five years of "Readings from Under the Grapevine," we asked our child listeners to send us a story about their favorite saint. The three winning stories are "Mary" by Julia Jackson, age 3; "The Lady of Light" by Anna Rahal, age 9; and "Saint Brigid" by Maria Jackson, age 10. Each child wins a copy of their favorite Orthodox Christian book.

"Saint Stephen" and "Saint Christopher" from Saints: Lives and Illuminations written and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, read with permission by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007.

"Saint Martin of Tours" and "Saint Dorothy" from Saints: Lives and Illuminations, written and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, read with permission by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007.

"Saint Basil" and "Saint John Chrysostom" from Saints: Lives and Illuminations, written and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, read with permission by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007.

The Illustrated Life of the Theotokos for Children by Georgia and Helen Hronos, (Light and Life Publishing, 1990). This audio is only available until August 9, 2013.

The Illustrated Life of the Theotokos for Children by Georgia and Helen Hronos, (Light and Life Publishing, 1990). This audio is only available until August 9, 2013.

The Illustrated Life of the Theotokos for Children by Georgia and Helen Hronos, (Light and Life Publishing, 1990). This audio is only available until August 9, 2013.