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Christmas Season · First Sunday after Christmas Day · Year C

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

The Boy Samuel Ministers Before the Lord

December 26, 2027

The Infant Samuel at Prayer, Sir Joshua Reynolds
The Infant Samuel at Prayer, Sir Joshua Reynolds, c. 1776National Gallery, London
Reynolds's child kneeling in the dark in a nightshirt, one of the most reproduced images in Victorian Britain, and copied onto everything.Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. The boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour.Sir Joshua ReynoldsThe first president of the Royal Academy, who lectured on how to paint in the grand manner and made his living from portraits.National Gallery, LondonFounded in 1824 by buying one banker's collection, and deliberately placed in Trafalgar Square so that people from every part of London could walk to it.National Gallery, London
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelLuke 2:41-52Lk 2:41-52
EpistleCol. 3:12-17Col 3:12-17
Old Testament1 Sam. 2:18-20, 261 Sm 2:18-20, 26
PsalterPs. 148Ps 148

Overview & Insights

"Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people." (1 Samuel 2:26)

The child Samuel serves before the Lord at Shiloh wearing a linen ephod, while his mother Hannah visits yearly with a small robe she has made him. Samuel grows up in favor with God and with the people even as Eli's own sons act corruptly.

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Take it further: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

Commentary

Working Preacher: Commentary on 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26Working Preacher: Commentary on 1 Sm 2:18-20, 26 Working Preacher

Lutheran lectionary exegesis noting the parallel growth formulas for Samuel and Jesus.

CEP: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 CommentaryCEP: 1 Sm 2:18-20, 26 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary linking Samuel's childhood service to Jesus' own growth.

Enduring Word: 1 Samuel 2Enduring Word: 1 Sm 2 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse evangelical notes on the whole chapter.

StudyLight: 1 Samuel 2 CommentariesStudyLight: 1 Sm 2 Commentaries StudyLight

Many complete commentaries on 1 Samuel 2 gathered on one passage page.

BibleHub: Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2:18BibleHub: Commentaries on 1 Sm 2:18 BibleHub

Parallel classic commentaries keyed to Samuel's ephod and Hannah's yearly visit.

Background & Word Study

Sefaria: I Samuel 2 (Hebrew) Sefaria

Hebrew text with English and classical Jewish commentary on the passage.

BibleHub Interlinear: 1 Samuel 2:18BibleHub Interlinear: 1 Sm 2:18 BibleHub

Hebrew text with parsing for the ephod and Hannah's yearly gift.

The Church Fathers

Catena: 1 Samuel 2Catena: 1 Sm 2 Catena

Patristic comment chain gathering the Fathers on Hannah's song and Samuel's service.

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