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Weekly Lectionary Research

Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Year A)

January 18, 2026

Liturgical Context

We are in the Season of Epiphany (Epiphanytide), which began on January 6th. The Greek word epiphaneia means “manifestation” or “revealing,” and this season celebrates Christ’s revelation as the Incarnate God to the world.

Liturgical Color: Green (the color of growth; white was used on Epiphany Day itself)

Seasonal Themes:

• The revelation of Christ to all nations
• The calling of disciples
• Light overcoming darkness
• The early ministry of Jesus
• The spread of the Gospel from Israel to the ends of the earth

This Second Sunday after Epiphany continues the theme of Jesus being revealed and recognized—today through John the Baptist’s testimony and the calling of the first disciples.

Old Testament Reading

Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.

This passage is the Second Servant Song of Isaiah (the four Servant Songs are Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12). Written during the Babylonian exile, Deutero-Isaiah offered words of hope to God’s displaced people.

Key Observations:

1. Called Before Birth (v. 1): The Servant’s call echoes Jeremiah 1:5 and anticipates John the Baptist (Luke 1:15). God’s purposes are not afterthoughts—they are established from the foundation of the world. This pre-natal calling emphasizes divine initiative and election.

2. The Identity Puzzle (vv. 3, 5-6): God explicitly names the Servant “Israel” in verse 3, yet in verses 5-6 the Servant is called to “bring Jacob back” and “gather Israel.” How can Israel deliver Israel? Lutheran interpreters see this dual identity fulfilled in Christ, who is the true Israel, the faithful Servant who accomplishes what Israel could not. By extension, the Church—as the Body of Christ—participates in this servant identity.

3. From Despair to Global Mission (vv. 4-6): The Servant expresses apparent failure: “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing.” Yet God’s response is remarkable—the mission is not reduced but expanded: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob… I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

4. The Despised One Vindicated (v. 7): The Servant is “deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers.” Yet kings and princes will prostrate themselves before him. This anticipates the crucified and risen Christ whom the nations will worship.

Lutheran Confessional Notes:

Luther emphasized that Israel’s election was always for the sake of the nations—never an end in itself. The Gospel cannot be contained. God’s faithfulness to Israel finds its ultimate expression in Christ’s universal mission. As the Large Catechism teaches regarding the Second Article: “He has redeemed me… that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom.”

Connection to the Gospel: John the Baptist declares Jesus the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”—fulfilling Isaiah’s vision of salvation reaching to the ends of the earth.

Psalmody

Psalm 40:1-11

I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Hebrew Insights:

The phrase “waited patiently” in Hebrew uses an intensifying construction (qavah qavah)—literally “waiting, I waited.” This is not passive resignation but active, anxious anticipation—waiting “with every fiber of the being” for the Lord to act. The verb natah (“inclined”) pictures God “leaning forward” to hear, like a parent bending down to a child.

Structure:

This psalm divides into two parts—verses 1-10 are thanksgiving for deliverance; verses 11-17 plead for help. The lectionary selection focuses on the first section: praise for past mercy leading to present testimony.

Key Themes:

1. Deliverance from the Pit (vv. 1-3): God lifted the psalmist from “the desolate pit” and “miry bog,” setting his feet on solid rock. This is salvation language—rescue that the psalmist could not accomplish alone.

2. The New Song (v. 3): Deliverance produces a “new song.” This is not merely personal gratitude but public testimony: “Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.” Salvation creates witnesses.

3. Sacrifice vs. Obedience (vv. 6-8): “Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear.” The Hebrew literally reads “ears you have dug for me”—either indicating God has given the psalmist ears to hear and obey, or alluding to Exodus 21:5-6 where a slave’s ear is pierced as a sign of permanent, willing service.

The contrast is not that God rejects all sacrifice, but that ritual without heart-obedience is empty. As 1 Samuel 15:22 declares: “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

4. Christological Fulfillment (quoted in Hebrews 10:5-7): The author of Hebrews applies this passage to Christ’s incarnation. The Septuagint renders “ears you have dug” as “a body you have prepared for me”—Christ came to do God’s will in bodily obedience, offering Himself as the true and final sacrifice.

Connection to the Readings: Like the Servant in Isaiah, the psalmist’s response to deliverance is proclamation: “I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation” (v. 9). John the Baptist does precisely this—he tells the glad news of the Lamb who has come.

Epistle Reading

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is Paul’s opening address to a deeply troubled congregation. Despite the problems he will address throughout the letter (divisions, immorality, confusion about spiritual gifts), Paul begins with grace and thanksgiving.

Key Theological Concepts:

1. Called by the Will of God (v. 1): Paul’s apostleship is not self-appointed but divinely commissioned. This establishes his authority for the corrections that follow.

2. Sanctified in Christ Jesus (v. 2): The Corinthians are called “sanctified” (hagiazomenois)—set apart for God—despite their many failings. This is crucial Lutheran theology: sanctification is first of all God’s act, not human achievement. In Christ, believers are holy before they act holy.

3. Called to be Saints (v. 2): “Saints” (hagioi) simply means “holy ones”—the common New Testament term for all Christians, not a special category of super-believers. Every baptized Christian is a saint by God’s calling.

4. Enriched in Every Way (vv. 4-7): Paul thanks God for the gifts the Corinthians have received—“speech,” “knowledge,” “spiritual gifts.” These are divine provision, not human achievement. The later chapters will address how these gifts were being misused, but Paul first acknowledges their source.

5. God’s Faithfulness (vv. 8-9): The climax of the opening is not human potential but divine promise: “He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Formula of Concord cites this passage regarding election: “God who has called us will be so faithful that after he has begun the good work in us, he will also continue it to the end and complete it.”

Lutheran Confessional Notes:

The Lutheran commentator Lenski notes that “blameless” in verse 8 is forensic—believers are declared blameless because Christ’s righteousness is imputed to them. This is not moral perfection but justification. Kretzmann emphasizes that Paul charitably addresses the Corinthians as members of “the communion of saints” despite their evident failures.

Connection to the Readings: The Corinthians, like the Servant of Isaiah, are called and equipped for mission. Like the psalmist, they have been delivered and enriched. Like the disciples in John, they are called “saints”—people set apart for witness.

Gospel Reading

John 1:29-42

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

This passage occurs the day after John the Baptist’s testimony recorded in John 1:19-28. Now John sees Jesus and makes the climactic declaration that defines his entire ministry.

Key Themes:

1. “Behold, the Lamb of God” (v. 29): This stunning title carries multiple Old Testament resonances:

   • The Passover Lamb whose blood delivered Israel from death in Egypt (Exodus 12)
   • The sacrificial lambs of the temple system, especially the daily tamid offerings
   • Isaiah’s Suffering Servant who is “like a lamb led to slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7)
   • Intriguingly, the Aramaic word talya means both “lamb” and “servant”—connecting directly to Isaiah’s Servant Songs

2. “Who Takes Away the Sin of the World” (v. 29): Not merely Israel’s sin but the sin of “the world” (kosmos). This is universal atonement—exactly what Isaiah 49:6 promised: “my salvation to the end of the earth.”

3. The Spirit’s Testimony (vv. 32-34): John testifies that he saw the Spirit descend on Jesus “like a dove” and remain on Him. This fulfills Isaiah 42:1: “I have put my Spirit upon him.” John’s witness is not speculation but revelation—“I have seen and I testify.”

4. The First Disciples (vv. 35-42): Two of John’s disciples hear his testimony and follow Jesus. When Jesus asks, “What are you looking for?” they respond, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus invites them: “Come and see.” They stay with Him that day, and Andrew immediately finds his brother Simon, declaring, “We have found the Messiah.”

5. The Pattern of Witness (vv. 40-42): John points to Jesus; his disciples follow; Andrew brings Peter. This is the pattern of Gospel proclamation—one witness leads to another, and another. The Lamb of God is not discovered; He is proclaimed and pointed to.

Lutheran Confessional Notes:

The Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us”) is sung or spoken in nearly every Lutheran liturgy at the distribution of Communion. This title goes to the heart of Christian faith: Jesus is the sacrifice that accomplishes what all other sacrifices could only anticipate.

Lutheran theology emphasizes that the Lamb “takes away” (airōn) sin—present tense, ongoing action. Christ’s atoning work is complete, yet its application continues through Word and Sacrament. As one Lutheran preacher notes: “There is no sin that the Lamb has not atoned for and no sinner for whom this Lamb has not made peace with God.”

Thematic Connections Across the Readings

1. Called and Sent

• The Servant is called before birth (Isaiah 49:1)
• The Corinthians are “called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• The disciples are called to “come and see” (John 1:39)
• Being called inevitably leads to being sent in witness

2. Universal Salvation

• “A light to the nations… salvation to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6)
• “All those who in every place call on the name of our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)

3. Witness and Testimony

• “I have not hidden your saving help” (Psalm 40:10)
• “I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34)
• “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41)
• The response to encounter with God is always proclamation

4. Divine Initiative

• God calls the Servant, equips the Corinthians, sends the Lamb
• Human response is secondary to divine action
• Faith is receiving what God has already accomplished

Suggested Sermon/Blog Themes

Theme 1: “Come and See”

Focus: John 1:39

Jesus’ invitation to the first disciples is His invitation to us all. Faith begins not with argument but with encounter. “Come and see” is both personal invitation and evangelistic method—we cannot argue people into the Kingdom, but we can invite them to meet the Lamb. In a small town where relationships matter, the Gospel spreads through invitation: “Come to church with me.” “Come and see what Jesus has done.”

Law: We try to convince through argument, pressure, or manipulation. We are hesitant to invite others into our faith. Gospel: Jesus does not demand credentials; He invites presence. The encounter itself creates faith.

Theme 2: “Behold the Lamb”

Focus: John 1:29

John the Baptist’s entire ministry is distilled into three words: “Behold the Lamb.” This is the essence of Christian preaching and witness—to point away from ourselves toward Christ. We are not the Messiah; we point to Him. In a culture obsessed with self-promotion, the Church’s counter-cultural calling is to decrease so that Christ may increase.

Law: We want to be noticed, admired, followed. We make ourselves the center of our faith story. Gospel: Christ is the Lamb who takes away sin—including our sin of self-centeredness. We are free to point to Him.

Theme 3: “Called Saints”

Focus: 1 Corinthians 1:2

Paul calls the messy Corinthian congregation “saints”—holy ones. Not because of their behavior (which was often terrible) but because of their calling in Christ. This is the scandal of grace: God declares us holy before we act holy. For ordinary Christians struggling with ordinary sins in an ordinary town, this is life-giving news. Sainthood is not achievement; it is gift.

Law: We feel disqualified by our failures, unworthy of the name “Christian.” Gospel: God has already sanctified us in Christ. Our identity is settled before our behavior catches up.

Liturgical Considerations

Color: Green (Sundays after Epiphany)

Hymn Suggestions:

• “The Only Son from Heaven” (LSB 402)
• “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright” (LSB 395)
• “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise” (LSB 394)
• “Lamb of God, Pure and Holy” (LSB 434)

Proper Preface: Epiphany

Liturgical Notes:

• The Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”) takes on particular resonance this Sunday
• Consider highlighting the baptismal themes present in John’s testimony about the Spirit descending on Jesus
• The call narratives connect well to confirmation, commissioning, or any recognition of vocation

Sources

• Vanderbilt Lectionary Library - Second Sunday after Epiphany Year A
• Working Preacher - Isaiah 49:1-7 Commentary
• Steadfast Lutherans - Sermon on Isaiah 49:1-7
• Working Preacher - Psalm 40:1-11 Commentary
• Working Preacher - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Commentary
• Pericope.org - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Lutheran Notes
• Working Preacher - John 1:29-42 Commentary
• Risen Savior Lutheran - John 1:29-42 Sermon
• Epiphany Season - Wikipedia
• St. Paul Borchers - Liturgical Season of Epiphany