Year A – Proper 24
Full-text of the Appointed Lessons (RSV and NRSV), with instructions for lectors
October 18 – 21 Pentecost – RCL
ILLUMINATION for the First Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
Exodus 33:12-23
Moses needs some encouragement to continue in the call that God has given him, God reveals his glory to Moses.
A reading (lesson) from the Book of Exodus:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Moses said to the Lord…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Moses said to the LORD, “See, thou sayest to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee and find favor in thy sight. Consider too that this nation is thy people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If thy presence will not go with me, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? Is it not in thy going with us, so that we are distinct, I and thy people, from all other people that are upon the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “I pray thee, show me thy glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand upon the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
New Revised Standard Version
Moses said to the LORD, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.” The LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The LORD’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the LORD continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
ILLUMINATION for the Alternate First Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
Isaiah 45:1-7
God uses and blesses anyone who is willing, even a foreign ruler, for the sake of God’s own purposes, bending the whole of the created world toward flourishing.
A reading (lesson) from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Thus says the Lord to his anointed…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and ungird the loins of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I gird you, though you do not know me, that men may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe, I am the LORD, who do all these things.
New Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him—and the gates shall not be closed: I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the LORD do all these things.
ILLUMINATION for the Second Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
The Thessalonians are encouraged that their faith is genuine, as it has been proven not only through knowledge, but through the great works of the Holy Spirit in their midst.
A reading (lesson) from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Paul, Silvanus and Timothy…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
New Revised Standard Version
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
ILLUMINATION for the Gospel Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
Matthew 22:15-22
Jesus refuses to be trapped by wily Pharisees and declares that taxes ought to be paid to Caesar, as is required by Roman law.
A reading (lesson) from the Gospel according to Matthew:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: The Pharisees went…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc. If read by an ordained person as the eucharistic gospel, conclude with The gospel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
The Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle Jesus in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.
New Revised Standard Version
The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
October 18 – 21 Pentecost – BCP
ILLUMINATION for the First Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
Isaiah 45:1-7
God uses and blesses anyone who is willing, even a foreign ruler, for the sake of God’s own purposes, bending the whole of the created world toward flourishing.
A reading (lesson) from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Thus says the Lord to his anointed…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and ungird the loins of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I gird you, though you do not know me, that men may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe, I am the LORD, who do all these things.
New Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him—and the gates shall not be closed: I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the LORD do all these things.
ILLUMINATION for the Second Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
The Thessalonians are encouraged that their faith is genuine, as it has been proven not only through knowledge, but through the great works of the Holy Spirit in their midst.
A reading (lesson) from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Paul, Silvanus and Timothy…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
New Revised Standard Version
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
ILLUMINATION for the Gospel Lesson
21 Pentecost (Proper 24), Year A, October 18, 2026
Matthew 22:15-22
Jesus refuses to be trapped by wily Pharisees and declares that taxes ought to be paid to Caesar, as is required by Roman law.
A reading (lesson) from the Gospel according to Matthew:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: The Pharisees went…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc. If read by an ordained person as the eucharistic gospel, conclude with The gospel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
The Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle Jesus in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.
New Revised Standard Version
The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Scripture quotations labeled NRSV 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 Living Word | Lectionary Preaching Aids
Exploring the Texts
“As Christians we acknowledge duties both to Caesar and to God. Our perennial challenge is to understand, distinguish, and fulfill these duties appropriately.”
“God’s holiness and essence — eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of a person. Being itself sits in a communion of love from before time and forever. Do you have room for God?”
“Glory be to God, the source of all things, and to whom all things owe their existence. Giving to God the things that are God’s requires a devotion akin to that described in the marriage service during the exchanging of rings. ‘With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.’ (BCP, p. 427).”
Preaching Today
Jennifer Strawbridge: Be Attuned to God’s Presence
“Few of us experience God’s call and presence as dramatically as Moses did, and yet even he doesn’t believe he is worthy to be called by God or has anything to contribute. He tells God directly and repeatedly that he has the wrong guy and has made a huge mistake, but God doesn’t give up. And now that God’s people have really fallen short, Moses demands proof that God is still with them, God is still present, God’s glory still shines.”
Nathan J. A. Humphrey: Render Unto God
“…When I look at my own life, it seems to me that I all too often render much more to Caesar than I do to God, “Caesar” being shorthand for the proportion of time, talent, and treasure I expend in pursuits that distract me from the pursuit of God and service to God’s people. Maybe that’s just the way of the world. Still, it leaves me feeling uneasy, wondering whether God might be calling me through this text to re-evaluate my stewardship, and to challenge us to do so as a community.”
George Sumner: Jesus Speaks to the Heart of Earthly Power
“Leave it to Jesus to say something clear and simple, and realistic, at one level, and something mysterious and confounding at another! Of course we do make just such an accommodation, don’t we? We understand that there has to be some kind of order in this broken world. So, we have to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s — not to mention that he is offers us no choice.”
Classic Texts
Geremia Bonomelli: How Could They Doubt
“They heard him state that he had seen the risen Christ; they saw him work great miracles, miracles beyond all question, in their presence, in confirmation of the doctrines he taught; they saw that he was a pattern of every virtue, and seeing and hearing all this, how could they question or doubt his teaching?”
Peter Chrysologus: To Catch Sight
“Love breeds a desire so strong as to make its way into forbidden territory. Love cannot bear not to catch sight of what it longs for. That is why the saints thought that they merited nothing if they could not see the Lord. It is why love that longs to see God has a spirit of devotion, even if it lacks judgment.”
Launcelot Andrewes: A Double Query
“Christ took a way between both. For as neither part is simply true, so there is some truth in both. Therefore, he answers not absolutely, as they fondly conceived, he must, but with a double query.”
Articles on Mercy
Rob Price: Mercy Triumphs Over Grace
“Mercy is central to God’s character both as it is revealed and in its inscrutable otherness, since such abundance, peace, and goodness breaking out in the midst of Israel/humanity’s continued rejection of it is a possibility that remains inconceivable in human terms and capabilities.”
Nathan Wall: The Self-Portrait of the Holy Spirit
“The Holy Spirit chose for Itself the wardrobe of contradiction, a symbolic dialect of judgment and mercy. The Spirit self-presents as both Unsettler and Comforter.”
Cole Hartin: Feeding God Together: An Ecumenism of Mercy
“There is no reason why we can’t serve the poor together, or proclaim the gospel with one another. We are divided, but our division is not in this. When we neglect to work ecumenically for mission, we are not only reinforcing the Reformation’s sting, but are opening new wounds that need not exist at all.”
Articles on the Face of God
Abigail Woolley Cutter: Making Festive Fools of Ourselves
“Worship is made of this willingness to make fools of ourselves. It calls us to be taken up into something grand, to enter imaginatively into God’s kingdom (not all of which we can see) and God’s story …. We won’t see the face of God if we are preoccupied with our own dignity; we can’t fall at God’s feet if we are worried about keeping it together.”
Daniel Martins: To Touch the Face of God
“My actual experience is invariably that if music taps into desire, it’s a desire for God, and not anything else. In fact, I am wont to use the metaphor of “touching the face of God” to describe my experience of some of the music that I hear quite outside of church, beyond any liturgical context.”
Jean Meade: Esau: Forgiveness and the Face of God
“[Jacob] is from a man who had seen the face of God hours before — then, it looked like a stranger he wrestled with all night; now, it looks like the forgiveness in the face of the brother he has grievously wronged.”
Articles on Hypocrisy
Neil Dhingra: Being a Hypocritical Church
“The Church, with its ‘irreducible particularity,’ bears witness to the Christ who reveals the scapegoat mechanism, for the self-emptying Christ was not enmeshed in rivalry yet died an innocent scapegoat.”
Dane Neufeld: True Integrity
“Hypocrisy can turn virtue or even compassion into ladders we use to climb over each other. True integrity is not mere consistency, or mastery over a value system, but humility that is grounded in love.”
Sam Jeyes: Nothing is Really Caesars
“We can render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, not because God has nothing to do with them, but because God’s authority has no need of emperors to work.”
