Lectionary Bible Study for 20 September 2026
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| Ibid. previously. |
Lectionary Bible Study
(a brief overview of Sunday texts for reflection!)
Part of The Bible in Time Blogsite
Texts for Sunday, September 20, 2026
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 20 (Book of Common Prayer) | RCL | Track 1
The Collect - Pray with me …
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Texts:
Old Testament
Read Exodus 16:2-15
This text is the continuing story of the Exodus as the people of God move from slavery to the fulfillment of God’s promise of a land for themselves as God’s people.
Wow! Whining in the Bible. The people of Israel are focusing after one month of walking whether they are going to eat. Cameron B. R. Howard (Working Preacher Commentary) gives an excellent example to explain the state of starvation these people are having. “People who are starving think about food persistently, even obsessively.” (Ibid.) They are crying to Moses and Aaron for some food and are having a hard time moving on from that state of being. Moses and Aaron say, “Hey, don’t blame us. Talk with God.
Howard points us to focus on the action of God in response to the complaining:
After doing all of the miracles (plagues) onto Pharaoh, God continues to be responsive to human physical needs. God does set some conditions for the bread and meat that is provided daily. God calls for living daily and one day a week to celebrate the Sabbath. (Makes me think of Bobby McFerrin's song, “Don’t worry…be happy.)
Israel has everything they need for the journey ahead. It only requires trust in God!
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry but to focus on today.
The Epistle
Read Philippians 1:21-30
We will be working through the Letter to the Philippians for the next four weeks in our texts.
Bummer! Paul is in prison! As a pastor/faith community leader, Paul writes to the faith community in Philippi. The letter could have been written between ~61 - ~63 CE (Common Era or A.D.). [Carolyn Osiek, New Oxford Annotated Bible, 5th ed.]
As Paul is in a Roman prison, he is in chains, in the dark, in unsanitary conditions, and most people are known to die in these prisons. He could be whipped, beaten, starved, or executed on a cross. Paul is relying on the local faith community for food and comfort. So, in this very bad place to be, Paul’s focus is not on his situation but rather on either “living in Christ or by dying (even better)”. (vs.21-27) Living he might be able to visit this faith community and experience its love, dying he is with Jesus fully. Paul does look forward in seeing them again.
The Philippians require trust in Christ.
Ryan Schellenberg thoughts in Working Preacher Commentary really explains the context and has some links worth exploring.
The Gospel
Read Matthew 20:1-16
Nicholas J. Schaser gives some good insights on this reading. (Working Preacher Commentary).
The disciples and original hearers of this parable in the first century C.E. would have heard it as the vineyard being the land of Israel and the landowner as God.
With 21st century eyes, we would see this as unfair labor conditions where the landowner should be reported or a labor organizer should get in there and correct a radical injustice.
I think the focus is more on the actions of the householder (God) not the workers:
The householder is getting help on the harvest in the vineyard. The householder promises them to receive a fair wage.
The householder continually seeks out others to do the work.
When paying the workers, all get the same wage regardless of how long they have worked. Hear the grumbling in the background from those who have been working all day and get the same wage. God provides a living wage for all the workers (disciples/believers).
God/householder is always generous to all the workers. God gives all grace, forgiveness, comfort, love, everything we need, and eternal life.
God always sets things right regardless of what we may think.
In verse 16, I think the verse reads better with the addition to the end,” So the last will be first, and the first will be last, for many are called and few are chosen,” as other ancient authorities add.
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Notes:
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
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