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2 Kings 2:1-14
(2 Kings 2:1-12)
With thanks to page sponsor 2015:
The Rev. Chad Hale,
Executive Director of Urban Recipe in Atlanta, GA

• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • Chapter L, On the Soul, Tertullian (c 210)
  • Chapter LVIII, On the Resurrection of the Flesh,  Tertullian (c. 211)
  • V.12, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
  • II.16, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Origen. (c.228)
  • VI.27, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Philocalia [anthology of Origen prepared by St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen], Origen. (c.230)
  • XIII.2, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Origen. (c.247)
  • Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "Let your spirit have double force in me, because of these dangerous times: or let me have twice as much as the rest of the prophets: or if your spirit were to be divided into three parts, let me have two."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "When God will take up his faithful ones to heaven, death is the Jordan which they must pass through, and they find a way through it. The death of Christ has divided those waters, that the ransomed of the Lord may pass over. O death, where is thy sting, thy hurt, thy terror!"
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "It is supposed, (tho' not expressly revealed) that Elijah flourished about twenty years, before he was translated, body and soul, to heaven, only undergoing such a change, as was necessary to qualify him for being an inhabitant in that world of Spirits. By translating him, God gave in that dark and degenerate age, a very sensible proof of another life, together with a type of the ascension of Christ, and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "...went up by a whirlwind--a tempest or storm wind accompanied with vivid flashes of fire, figuratively used for the divine judgments (Isa 29:6)."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Stephen Reid, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016.
    • "Prophecy is all about relationships and the expressions of loyalty."
  • The Center for Excellence in Preaching, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, Illustration Ideas.
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 | Matt Pollock | Student Ministries Pastor - Lafayette First Church of the Nazarene | A Plain Account, 2016
    • "Though Elijah's ascent into heaven is peculiar in that it is not death, it must feel like death to Elisha."
  • "Of Mentors and Mentees," John C. Holbert, The Peripatetic Preacher, 2016.
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-12, Christopher B. Hays, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2015.
    • "The story of Elijah's ascension to heaven in a whirlwind is paired in the lectionary with the Transfiguration of Jesus."
  • "Communicating the Spirit," Commented Bible Passages from Taizé, 2008..
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Karla Suomala, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
    • "Transition is never easy."
  • "Of Masters and Pupils," John C. Holbert, Opening the Old Testament, 2013.
    • "God is continuously raising up new masters to serve, offering to them a double portion of God's spirit, and for that we can only thank God."
  • "Mentors," Beth Scibienski, 2013.
  • "Blessing of Elijah," Jan Richardson, The Painted Prayerbook, 2013. (Use of images.)
  • Pulpit Fiction, podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2013.
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-12, Steed Davidson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
    • "The book of Kings almost teases readers about the succession from Elijah to Elisha."
  • Radical Gratitude, 2 Kings 2:1-12, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
  • "The Politics of 2 Kings 2:1-12," Timothy F. Simpson, Political Theology, 2012.
    • "Our reliance on technical reasoning to fix whatever the problem d'jour plots us in the narrative in a circumstance similar to faithless Israel, albeit on a much more powerful and grandiose scale."
  • "Make Mine a Double," Michael Coffey, 2012.
    • "Whose mantle have you had to pick up and carry?"
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-12, W. Dennis Tucker, Jr., Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
    • "The opening verse of this pericope hints at the focus of the following narrative, reminding the reader that everything that follows must be read in light of the end of the story."
  • 2 Kings 2 1-12, Last Epiphany B, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • 2 Kings 2:1-12, Transfiguration, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Howard Wallace Audrey Schindler, Morag Logan, Paul Tonson, Lorraine Parkinson, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
    • "Divine authority, in prophet, or disciple as in Jesus, is not something blissfully removed from the struggles and maladies of this world. Rather, it is both the thing that gives one strength and confidence in the face of such matters, and the thing which reveals their true nature."
  • 2 Kings 2:1-12, Studies on Old Testament texts from Series B, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
  • "Elisha's Response to Elijah's Translation (2 Kings 2:12-15)," by J. Hampton Keathley III at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
  • Commentary, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Samuel Giere, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
  • 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Pentecost 5, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
    • "...we should not forget the fact that these true prophets are flawed disciples to their bootstraps, like the rest of us."
  • 2 Kings 2, 1-14, Commentary, Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in Australia.
  • Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Discussion, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 / 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21, "A place of conversation regarding Progressive Christianity."
    • "A mantle of power (covering term is 'spirit') is very attractive and addictive. It is an equivalent of a ring in Tolkien's major work."
  • 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Proper 13C, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
  • Brueggemann, Walter, "The Stunning Outcome of a One-Person Search Committee," sermon, Journal for Preachers, 2001.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Cohn, Robert L., "Reading in Three Dimensions: The Imperative of Biblical Narrative," Religion and Intellectual Life, 1989.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Copenhaver, Martin B., "Chariot of Fire," The Christian Century, 2006.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Geoghegan, Jeffrey C., "'Until This Day' and the Preexilic Redaction of the Deuteronomistic History," Journal of Biblical History, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Hawkins, Peter S., "Still Small Voice," The Christian Century, 2001.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Otto, Susanne, "The composition of the Elijah-Elisha stories and the Deuteronomistic History," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Rice, Gene, "Elijah's requirement for prophetic leadership (2 Kings 2:1-18)," Journal of Religious Thought, 2006-2007.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
    
  • Satterthwaite, Philip E., "The Elisha Narratives and the Coherence of 2 Kings 2-8," Tyndale Bulletin, 1998.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Walfish, Ruth, "Ruth and Elilsha: a comparative study," Jewish Bible Quarterly Quarterly, 2013.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Watson, Paul L., "A Note on the 'Double Portion' of Deuteronomy 21:17 and 2 Kings 2:9," Restoration Quarterly, 1965.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Sermons:
  • "Holy Friendship," Ellen F. Davis, Faith & Leadership, 2015.
  • "The Politics of Elijah: Struggling with Elijah's Legacy," Amy Merritt Willis, Political Theology, 2013.
  • "Inheriting the Mantle," Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, Duke Divinity School Baccalaureate, 2009.
• With Children:
  • Worshiping with Children, Proper 8, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2016.
  • Storypath, Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story, Union Presbyterian Seminary, 2016.
  • "Elijah," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
  • "Men of God," "Chariot of Fire," Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com.
  • "Elijah Leaves Footsteps for Jesus to Follow," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
  • "Elijah Is Taken to Heaven," "Elijah Crosses the River," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
• Drama:
  • "Elisha and the 'Appointinator'," Peter & Mary Minson, dramatix.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
  • Clip Art: Elijah Taken into Heaven, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
• Hymns and Music:
  • Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: 2 Kings 2:9. The Cyber Hymnal.
  • Hymn Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
  • "People of the Mantle," original hymn by Stephen P. West. United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
  • Elijah
• Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of 2 Kings

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