Joshua 24:1-25
- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- The Bible Gateway: 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.
- Yehoshua 24: Massoretic, Hebrew, JPS.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- Chapter II, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
- Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
- From the Geneva Notes.
- "This [v 15] teaches us that if all the world would go from God, yet every one of us particularly is bound to cleave to him."
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
- "We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done."
-
The Great Duty of
Family-Religion: sermon by George Whitefield.
- "If neither gratitude to God, love to your children, common justice to your servants, nor even that most prevailing motive self-interest, will excite; yet let a consideration of the terrors of the Lord persuade you to put in practice the pious resolution in the text."
- From
Wesley's
Notes.
- "They that are bound for heaven must be willing to swim against the stream, and must do, not as most do, but as the best do."
- Of Family Religion
(Joshua 24:15). Sermon by John Wesley.
- "And suppose, after you have done this, after you have taught your children from their early infancy, in the plainest manner you could, omitting no opportunity, and persevering therein, you did not presently see any fruit of your labour, you must not conclude that there will be none."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "It is generally assumed that the ark of the covenant had been transferred on this occasion to Shechem; as on extraordinary emergencies it was for a time removed ... But the statement, not necessarily implying this, may be viewed as expressing only the religious character of the ceremony."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Carolyn J. Sharp, Preaching This
Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
- "Loving and serving the LORD is possible only for those who will never again seek a different way!"
- ON Scripture, Joshua 24, Walter Bruegemann, 2011.
- "Whom Will You Choose?" John C. Holbert, Patheos, 2011.
- The African American Lectionary Commentary, Joshua 24:14-18, Otis Moss
III, 2010.
- "The central concern of this passage can be framed from the underside. An examination of economic, social and cultural factors will help nuance the text from the vantage point of the disinherited."
-
Commentary, Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, Sara Koenig, Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- "The reason to serve God is because of what God has done for them. They were listening to Joshua's sermon! They echo back the history that Joshua himself recounted in detail for them. The second reason emerges naturally from the first. If God has done this for us, then he is our God. This affirmation becomes more profound when it is set against the background of polytheism."
-
Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Ralph W. Klein, Preaching This
Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2008.
- "The verb 'serve' is evocative in these verses. 'Serve' can mean 'worship' or it can mean 'show loyalty toward,' or, as v. 24 notes, it can also mean 'obey.'"
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
-
The Old Testament Readings:
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25. Weekly Comments on the Revised Common
Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church,
Melbourne, Australia.
- "Temptations to unfaithfulness can also be extremely subtle...Deep traditions within the community?s history, even if no longer held, can be persuasive still, pulling at almost invisible cords of family and community loyalty."
-
Joshua 24:1-25,
Pentecost 26A, Commentary, Background, Insights from
Literary Structure, Theological Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna
Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in Australia.
- "I found it interesting that Joshua was not convinced by the people's affirmation that they would serve only the Lord. He really pushed them to repeat their response as though this will help them to embed it within them."
-
Desert Scribblings, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Geoff McElroy.
- "The God of Israel demanded much more than just proper worship and ritual, but demanded justice within the community, concern for the poor, widow, and orphan, concern for the stranger, alongside proper religious practice."
- "Choose Today," from Joshua and the Promised Land, Interactive Bible Study on the Web, A Resource from the Women's Division, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church.
- Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, Studies on Old Testament texts from Series B, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
- "The Cost of Faith," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Lectionary Resource for Catholics.
-
"True Grit," Talitha Arnold, The Christian Century, 2002.
- "As a parish minister, I assume Joshua's role when I invite people to affirm their covenant with God and one another. But I seldom have his courage in the follow-through."
-
"The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity," Walter Brueggemann,
The Christian Century, 1999.
- "This is not a church-growth text."
- Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Carolyn J. Sharp, Preaching This
Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
- Articles & Background:
-
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).
- Arnold, Talitha,
"True Grit," The Christian Century, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Brueggemann,
Walter, "The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity," The
Christian Century, 2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Bugg, Charles B.,
"Joshua 24:14-18 - The Choice," Review and Expositor, 1988.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Chester, Ray F.,
"Covenant Types," Restoration Quarterly, 1966.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Edelman, Diana,
"Are the Kings of the Amorites 'Swept Away' in Joshua XXIV 12?" Vetus
Testamentum, 1991.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Giblin, Charles H.,
S.J.,
"Structural Patterns in Joshua 24.1-25," The Catholic Biblical
Quarterly, 1964.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - House, Paul R.,
"Examining the Narratives of Old Testament Narrative: An Exploration in
Biblical Theology," Westminister Theological Journal, 2005.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Sperling, S. David,
"Joshua 24 Re-examined," Hebrew Union College Annual, 1987.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Arnold, Talitha,
"True Grit," The Christian Century, 2002.
- Reviews:
- Sermons:
- Preaching To A Stone, Charles L. Aaron, Jr. SermonStudio
- "Serve the LORD," Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, Dim Lamp, 2008.
- "Who Shall We Be...In Light of what God Has Done?" John Jewell, 2002.
- With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Proper 27, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2011.
- "Children's Literature: A Resource for Ministry," November 6, 2011, Union Presbyterian Seminary. Connections: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 and I'll Follow the Moon by Stephanie Lisa Tara.
- "Joshua Leads Israel," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
- "Kookaburra Smart," MSSS Animal Tale, Joshua 24:15.
- Joshua 24:15, Joshua 24:15, memory verse activity, MSSS Crafts and Resources for Bible Stories.
- Drama:
- "Looking Out for Number One," Erina Caradus, dramatix.
- "Choices," a musical by Robin & Delwyn McKenzie, dramatix.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
- PowerPoint Slides for Joshua 24:15, Will Humes, Word & Table.
- Hymns and Music:
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Joshua 24:15, 21. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Hymn Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
- "Rivers," Brenton Prigge, NewHymn, new, relevant hymn set to traditional tunes.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes,
listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Decision
- see especially American Beauty
- Decision
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Joshua
