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First Reading

The Old Testament Lectionary Podcast

Jeremiah 31:1–6

Easter’s Fresh Start

Lectionary Date: April 9, 2023 [Easter Sunday, Year A]

Tim finds the “Easter-y” resonance in an ancient prophetic text—and we welcome our newest co-host, Paul Essah!

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Jer-31-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 13:31 | Recorded on March 27, 2023

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Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29; Isaiah 50:4–9a

Palm and Passion Sunday

Lectionary Date: April 2, 2023 [Palm/Passion Sunday, Year A]

It’s a party episode, featuring our newest regular cohost: Paul Essah!

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Palm-Passion-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 38:04 | Recorded on March 20, 2023

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Ezekiel 37:1–14

I am the Resurrection and the Life

Lectionary Date: March 26, 2023 [5th Sunday in Lent, Year A]

Rosy puts the first reading and gospel reading into conversation.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Ezek-17-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 16:55 | Recorded on March 13, 2023

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1 Samuel 16:1–13

God Rejects Us?

Lectionary Date: March 19, 2023 [4th Sunday in Lent, Year A]

Rachel takes a risky angle with David’s origin story.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/1-Sam-16-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 10:51 | Recorded on March 6, 2023

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John 4:5–42

A Model Disciple

Lectionary Date: March 12, 2023 [3rd Sunday in Lent, Year A]

Rosy listens for Hebrew Bible resonances in a famous Gospel text.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/John-4-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 18:03 | Recorded on February 27, 2023

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Genesis 12:1–4a

The Land I Will Show You

Lectionary Date: March 5, 2023 [2nd Sunday in Lent, Year A]

Rachel perceives an interested intertextuality between Gen 12 and John 3.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Gen-12-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 12:22 | Recorded on February 20, 2023

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Genesis 2:15–17; 3:1–7

Party Episode!

Lectionary Date: February 26, 2023 [1st Sunday in Lent, Year A]

Our three hosts are together to chat about a foundational story.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Gen-2-3-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 30:34 | Recorded on February 13, 2023

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Exodus 24:12–18

Jesus Cosplays Moses

Lectionary Date: February 19, 2023 [Transfiguration Sunday, Year A]

Tim proposes that this isn’t about Jesus’ divinity.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Exod-24-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 12:18 | Recorded on February 6, 2023

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Deuteronomy 30:15–20

Looking Back at a Fork in the Road

Lectionary Date: February 12, 2023 [6th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A]

Rosy highlights the message of Moses’s sermon for future audiences looking back.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Deut-30-2023.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 12:04 | Recorded on January 30, 2023

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Psalm 112:1–9

Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum: The Rhythm of Life

Lectionary Date: February 5, 2023 [5th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A]

Rachel dives into the poetry of life in this week’s psalm.

https://firstreadingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Psa-112.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 14:59 | Recorded on January 23, 2023

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What is FIRST READING?

First Reading is an audio podcast to help you preach with confidence from the Hebrew Bible. We equip you with relevant linguistic, historical, and literary background for each week’s Old Testament lesson (the “first reading”) as scheduled in the Revised Common Lectionary. With help from our guests—some of the best thinkers and teachers in modern biblical scholarship—each episode probes some of the central questions raised by the text, and offers a couple potential angles for preaching it.

We want to see a community of clergy and congregations who have formative access to both testaments of Scripture. Our hope is that this weekly resource can help encourage more preachers to craft sermons that open up the Old Testament to their congregations!

What is the REVISED COMMON LECTIONARY?

The RCL is an ecumenical schedule of selected biblical texts to be read over a three-year cycle. See the whole schedule here.

You may also be interested in The Narrative Lectionary, which covers the narrative portions of the Bible in a four-year cycle. While we are currently following the RCL, the lectionaries intersect from time to time.

100th Episode Celebration!

https://youtu.be/m34A459ENYY
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