OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS

As the Gospel lesson for this week indicates, the baptism of Jesus remains the point of focus, and thus the theme of commissioning continues to play a central role in this Second Sunday After Epiphany. The continuity of theme in the Gospels is also carried through in the Old Testament lessons, because Isaiah 49:1-7 is the second of the Servant Songs. Both Isaiah 49:1-7 and Psalm 40:1-11 explore what it means to be commissioned as the people of God. Isaiah 49:1-7 outlines the character and quality of our mission in this world, while Psalm 40:1-11 provides guidelines for what our responsibilities are in worship.

Isaiah 49:1-7 - "The Hiddenness of God's Salvation"
Setting. In the discussion of the Old Testament lessons for the First Sunday After Epiphany, we noted that t…