Northern Virginia Catholic Bible Study & Apologetics
Every Tuesday, 7PM-8PM
This meeting format is lecture and Q&A. It is free.
House rules/notes…
1. Our meeting/classes are In-Person at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, VA 20191 https://saintjn.org/ (usually held downstairs in Room 5), or ONLINE via Zoom (see #2).
2. To sign up for Zoom notifications and to receive the Meeting Recaps, go to www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy and join us! The Zoom Logon is the same every week: Zoom ID: 861 1782 2081 Password: 406952.
3. After each meeting, I send out Meeting Recaps of what we discussed. These recaps are unedited and without the pictures. The edited version with pictures will be posted before the next class on the Website – www.catholiccatacombs.org. Taylor will notify everyone and provide a link.
4. Questions highly encouraged. If you have questions, we ask that you keep them on topic and brief. You can ask in the zoom chatbox during the class, or email through Meetup.com, or email me directly at ron@hallagan.net afterwards.
5. Respectfulness. We will be discussing differences between religions and between Christian denominations, and we agree to be respectful at all times. Protestants especially are our friends and brothers-in-Christ; in fact, I personally owe part of my return to the faith to them!
6. No politics. It would be easy for us to self-destruct, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to learn/understand/apply the Bible and our Catholic faith.
7. Catholic Prayer & Fellowship. Are you interested in praying the rosary, etc. with other Catholics during the week? Follow fellow member Jason Goldberg at https://www.meetup.com/online-catholic-prayer-fellowship-and-spirituality/.
8. “The Chosen” TV series. All of us seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is not always easy. It can help if we have seen and heard Him. The Chosen captures Jesus better than any show I have ever seen. Highly recommended.
9. RSVP Reminder: Please RSVP whether you are attending the meeting or just reading the Recaps afterwards. The more RSVPs, the more Meetup will give exposure to “Catholic Bible Study” – a good thing!
Catholic Catacombs website: www.CatholicCatacombs.org
Bible Study Format: Each week of the month has a repeating topic, as noted below.
Each meeting: 5 min greet, prayer, 15 min next Sun Gospel, 40 min main topic.
Week 1: Gospel Week: all Gospels!
Week 2: Bible Week (Gen to Rev): We are in JOSHUA & JUDGES.
Week 3: Survey Topics Voted on by Members:
x 1) Jesus’ Greatest Parables x 2) Hell, Purgatory, Heaven x 3) Comparative Religions
4) Great Women in the Bible 5) Book of Revelation 6) Fathers, Heresies, and Church Councils
Week 4: Member Questions:
1. Angels & Demons – who are they, what do they do? Do we really have guardian angels? What about devils/demons? Please explain exorcisms. Do they happen, are they real?
2. What is “conscience?”
3. How do I live my Christian faith at work when my faith is not accepted there?
4. What should our response be to those who ask us about priestly sex abuse?
5. What about the atheist who leads a good life? Can I be a person be good apart from God?
6. Miracles since the NT
7. What’s the difference between Charity and Love? What are the highest forms of charity?
8. Was King David good or bad? Was Emperor Constantine good or bad? Was he even Christian?
9. Why does God allow suffering?
10. What do you think a day in the life of God is like to Him?
11. What is a prophet? What is Tradition? Is Tradition equal to Scripture in importance?
Upcoming major holy days in the Church
Feb 14 – Mar 28:
(ends on Holy Thurs/Last Supper)
Opening Prayer
Dear Lord
As we continue our study of the most influential women in the Bible
We welcome You to walk beside us and give us a better understanding of Salvation History
So that we may continue in the path of our forebears in faith.
And as You taught us to pray:
Our Father
Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily Bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Today
1. Our Daily Bread
2. Lent, Lent Gospel readings – 2/18 Mark 1:1-10; 2/25 Mark 9:2-10 (The Transfiguration)
3. Influential Women in the Bible: The Wives of King David
Quote of the Week:
“Men have to climb the mountain to meet God, but God comes to women wherever they are.” – Joan Watson, Emmaus Academy
Apologetics and Exegesis Terms
“A lie travels all the way around the globe while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” – Mark Twain
Apologetics – to defend a belief.
Catholic Apologetics– to defend the Catholic faith using reason, tradition, & scripture.
Exegesis – the study and interpretation of Scripture (it’s what we do here every week; you are all exegetes).
Eschatology (Greek, eschaton=last/end): the study of the End Times: the Second Coming of Christ (called Advent in
Latin, Parousia in Greek), Judgement Day, Heaven & Hell. In exegesis, you will hear Parousia more than Advent.
Typology – The study of Old Testament events that are completed or fulfilled in the New Testament.
“The Old Testament is revealed in the New; the New Testament is hidden in the Old.” – St. Augustine
Bible = The OT = The Torah (Pentateuch, Books of Moses), the Prophets, the Writings (Wisdom, Novellas). 46 books.
The NT = The Gospels and the Epistles (Epistles: New Test Letters (Paul), Catholic Letters, and Revelation). 27 bks.
Best Bibles – The Didache Bible, Ignatius Edition; Ignatius RSV 2nd Catholic edition; Augustine Bible; Douay Rheims (Jerome). Starters: Bible Basics for Catholics-Ave Maria press.
Church – The whole body of Christian believers. Also, Greek kyriakon “house of the Lord”/building for Christian worship.
Ark of the Covenant: a) The golden chest holding the 10 Commandments; b) Mary’s womb holding the Word of God
Tabernacle - the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites in the wilderness during Exodus the from Egypt and then in the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon (and again later by Herod). Latin tabernaculum – tent; temporary dwelling place.
Temple – Latin templum - space set aside for sacrifice/worship; replaced the Tabernacle; the Temple in Jerusalem.
Synagogue – Jewish house of worship often w/facilities for religious instruction. Greek synagogue: assembly/gathering.
Church Authority – The Church is the only authority given by Jesus Christ to interpret the Word of God: "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven" (Mt 18:18-20). Otherwise, there could be a different interpretation for every Scriptural passage for every person who ever read them, resulting in division vs unity (which is why there are 17+ Eastern Orthodox churches and 10,000 Protestant churches). Catholic Church teachings are nothing more than the Church’s interpretation of that which has already been revealed by God, either through Scripture or what has been handed on from Apostolic Tradition. This body of the Church’s interpretation is called the “Magisterium” and it is not superior to the Word of God, but its servant. The Church cannot make up anything outside what has been handed to it, but rather guards and teaches it (CCC#86, 890). In fact, the Church believes that Divine Revelation ended with the Apostles.
Church Doctrine refers to all of the official teachings of the Church. There are several levels of teachings:
a. “Theological Opinions” are teachings that express a pope’s views in a subject but are not doctrine/not binding.
b. Doctrine: Those that the Church teaches authoritatively but not infallibly. Elements within these can change.
c. “Ex cathedra” means when the pope “speaks from the chair of Peter.” Infallible doctrine, indirect revelation.
d. Dogma: Those teachings which the Church has infallibly taught to be divinely revealed.
Heresy – the rejection of dogma (category d only).
Epiphany – Epiphany means a sudden appearance, revelation, or manifestation from above. In Christianity, it refers to the revelation of Jesus Christ as Savior of the World to the gentiles (Magi) 12 days after Christmas.
Theophany means the appearance of God, such as Yahweh to Moses on Mt. Sinai, or at the Transfiguration. Note “phany” in both words, from the Greek phainein = to appear. [Theo=God + phany=appear]
Eucharist –the Lord’s Supper. The bread & wine become Jesus’ body/blood. From Greek eucharistia = thanksgiving.
Mass – the celebration of the Last Supper/Eucharist. “Mass” is from the Latin missa meaning “to send (out).”
Evangelize – to make the Kingdom of God present in our world.
Forgiveness – letting go of past harm to God or others. When Jesus forgives, there is a presumption of repentance, which also presumes changes in behavior – i.e., when he forgives the prostitute, he says, “Go and sin no more.” When we forgive, we mainly forgive the person because “judgment” belongs to God. The other person’s bad behavior is a separate matter.
Mercy – withholding harsh treatment or judgment that is justified.
Repentance – to turn away from a Self-centered life and towards a God-centered life; each time we sin and turn to God for forgiveness; repentance presumes heartfelt regret for sin and heartfelt desire to do better with God’s help.
Humility – the quality of being continually open to God and others, a requirement for gaining wisdom; the opposite of arrogance (full of oneself). “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Mt 11:28-29. As C.S. Lewis said, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less often.”
God as Father/He/Him – scriptural tradition (God is not a gender); God does set the gold standard for fatherhood.
Man – generic for mankind, humanity.
Deism – belief in a supreme being/creator who does not intervene in the universe, or who is indifferent to it.
Theism – belief in the existence of God or gods, especially the believe in one God who is creator of the universe and is actively engaged in some way, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relationship with his creatures.
Atheism – the belief that gods or spirituality of any kind do not exist.
Agnosticism – the belief that God may, or may not, exist – we don’t know, we can’t know.
Preternatural – means “outside the natural”; refers to a unique state of grace Adam & Eve were in before the Fall.
The “World” – as used in the Bible, this term pertains to the nonreligious/secular world, or our temporary, material lives. In fact, the word “secular” (Latin seaecularis) = worldly/temporal. Biblically, “this world" often has a negative meaning, i.e., “The fall of man resulted from our choosing this world over God.” This physical world is not bad as God made all things good. But figuratively speaking, it refers to materialism, selfishness, and greed, i.e., “worldly temptations.”
Patristics, Tradition, Revelation, Concupiscence, Octave, Love, Justice, Righteous, Patience, Righteous, Hyperbole, Soteriology, Apostolic Succession, Polytheism, Pantheism,
Eucharistia: Thank you, Lord, I am grateful for your saving presence in my life. Kenosis: Lord, I will try to empty my “self” as you did, to be present to others. Metanoia: Today, Lord, I will yoke my mind, my heart, and my soul to You. Maranatha: Come, Lord, enter, and make your home with me/us!
Give us This day our Daily Bread
Last week we discussed that the Lord’s Prayer was given to us by Jesus personally as a road map to Heaven. It includes 7 petitions. The first three petitions focus on God/Heaven; the last three petitions are for our improvement and protection. We began our discussion with the “hinge petition,” “Give us this day our daily bread.”
For the rest of Lent, we are discussing this “hinge” petition (#4), which is the supernatural grace-link between the first three petitions and last three petitions; the link between God and us; the link between Heaven and Earth.
Jesus gave us a prayer that repeats the Incarnation at the Last Supper – connecting the Father in the first half of the prayer with us in the second half of the prayer. It is worth repeating that Jesus IS petition #4. It is God’s love petition.
“Give us this day” is an expression of trust, which is why Jesus compared it to the daily manna in the desert. Christians are not in an occasional relationship with Jesus; it’s a permanent one. He is our reaclink to the Trinity. “This day” means every day.
“Our daily bread” – “daily” is not the same as ‘this day.’ This Greek word, epiousios – supersubstantial or supernatural – refers to 1) daily = unending = forever; and 2) bread = necessary sustenance for a spiritual life. Trinitarian nourishment.
But what is spiritual life? The “bread” we pray for is for both our physical and spiritual lives, but thinking these are separate is a gross misunderstanding, as for humans these are inseparable. We need our physical lives to practice our free will in learning to choose what is good, right, and loving. Take a simple aspect of forgiveness – the apology. In our minds, we humble ourselves to accept that we made a mistake or can fix something even if it isn’t our fault. We must decide to act and put this into words. Then we must try to behave according to the apology. This is one of the greatest acts in human relationships, but it is a spiritual conversion in the mind that means NOTHING until we think it through, decide to act, and then ACT. How can we say a human is a spirit nature without the physical nature? We would cease to be human!
In the process of getting better at this, we grow our participation with the entire communion of saints who are doing, or have done, the same thing. The communion if saints is all if us who now live in Christ, who have already died in Christ, plus the angels – we are all part of salvation through Christ. Paul calls this the “Body of Christ,” and each of us with our own calling works to advance the Kingdom of God here on earth, which prepares us for Heaven.
Remember, God offers us different rewards in Heaven:
“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” – Jer 17:10
This means Mother Teresa will not have the same experience in Heaven as a deplorable character who turns his life over to Christ just before he dies. These rewards depend on the life we live here. This prayer Jesus gives us is the map not only to Heaven but to greater rewards in Heaven.
The Bread in the prayer is indeed Jesus. Jesus spends most of Chapter 6 in the Gospel of John talking about it – verses 22 to 72 – fifty verses – talking about his flesh being the bread and that we need to eat his flesh. Most Protestants say Jesus was speaking symbolically – or else they skip over this chapter completely. You can decide for yourself. I can tell you on my return to Christianity, the symbolic interpretation was what I liked best about Protestantism. Until I read John 6.
So let’s be good “exegetes” and explore this petition further. We are tackling a very difficult subject, so be ready.
It was Jesus’ third and final year and he was teaching at the synagogue in Capernaum when he said to his packed audience:
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and died. This is the bread that comes down from Heaven that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from Heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
You would think that if Jesus was speaking symbolically, people would not have reacted this way; or, perhaps like Jesus did at other times, he could then have explained the “spiritual meaning” of his statements. But he doesn’t. One thing is clear, his audience heard him speaking literally as they grumbled about eating his flesh!
Instead of calming everyone down and explaining what he meant, Jesus hugely doubles down:
So Jesus repeated, “I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”
Can you imagine if you were a fly on the wall watching his audience? Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you cannot have eternal life in you?
Q: What do you think they reaction was to this?
From that time on many of Jesus’ disciples departed and no longer followed him. – John 6:66
Why would the Son of God, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, say such things? Especially since drinking blood and cannibalism is strictly prohibited in Leviticus. Isn’t that what he is asking them to do?
And if anyone, whether of the house of Israel or of the aliens residing among them, partakes of any blood, I will set myself against that one who partakes of blood and will cut him off from among his people. Leviticus 17:10
So, what do you think? Was Jesus just speaking parabolically?
Not sure? Let’s see what happens next. Now that Jesus is alone with his Apostles, SURELY, he will explain himself.
Instead, Jesus draws a line in the sand and challenges his Apostles to leave if they wish:
Jesus turned to the Twelve and said, “Do you wish to leave, also?”
Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Finally, foot-in-mouth Peter answers correctly, and that is the end of this passage. But you can tell that Peter and the Apostles are tentative. What does all this mean? Jesus never told us this! What is he going to ask us to do?
Next week, we will pick up with this story as Jesus shocks them further with what happens at the Last Supper.
LENT
I have two Gospel readings for Lent, but because of our Bread of Life discussions, we will not get to them and still have time for Influential Women in the Bible. So I will offer this: if anyone wants to stay till 8:30, I will cover them. For those who have to leave at 8pm, not to worry. I will include these in my posting tonight on Meetup.
Two more things about Lent.
1) We are following Jesus’ 40 days in the desert. This was intentional by Jesus, and it is intentional for Lent. “40” in Scripture represents a time of repentance and purification (i.e., Noah and Moses). Remember, repentance means turning closer to God, which starts with seeking forgiveness and cleansing our souls. If there is any time to do this, this is the season for it. If you only do it once a year, do it during Lent.
2) If you are looking for assistance for daily Lent meditations, you might try hallow.com. Very cool.
Gospel Reading for the First Sunday in Lent, 2/18
Context: I know this reading
was from this past Sunday, so I won’t belabor it, but it is very short and there are a couple of things worth pointing out.
Mark 1:12-15
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."
We can see that Mark's account of the Temptation in the Desert is not nearly as detailed as the accounts found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, but he provides information that is not in the other two accounts. Mark just speaks about forty days in the desert and talks of wild animals and ministering angels!
Q: What can we possibly draw from Mark’s comment on 40 days, wild animals, and ministering angels?
1) 40 days in the desert: Remember, the Messiah was prophesied to bring to Israel a “New Exodus.” In the Old Exodus, the Israelites spent 40 years in the desert before setting foot in the (earthly) Promised Land. In this New Exodus, Jesus will exit the same desert and begin leading us to the heavenly Promised Land – the Kingdom of God.
2) Recall that Jesus came to undo the Fall of Man, so he goes to meet Satan and say no to his temptations, unlike our first parents. This is why Jesus is referred to by Paul as the New Adam. Jesus is now 30 years old, the age of David when he became King 1,000 years earlier.
3) The mentioning of wild animals and ministering angels calls to mind the life in Eden before the Fall – the story of humanity’s spiritual origins, when wild animals were just happy (see picture above).
Q: What can we draw from verses 14 above, about John being arrested and Jesus in Galilee?
1. The time of John coming to an end meant the time of Jesus was now to begin. This links their message and provides continuity, since John prepared the way for Jesus by proclaiming the time for repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God.
2. Galilee was the perfect location for Jesus' ministry. The region was a crossroads for the great Via Maris, the ancient trade route that came out of Syria and Mesopotamia, passed through Galilee, extended along the Mediterranean coast, and into Egypt. Jesus didn't have to go to the various neighboring nations where Jews lived because they came to Him in their three yearly pilgrimages to the Jerusalem Temple commanded in the Law of Moses.
Gospel Reading for the Second Sunday in Lent (2/25): The Transfiguration
Context:
You have probably heard the story of the Transfiguration many times. I will just point out some things you may not have heard.
This “event” takes place on a mountain – most likely Mt. Tabor, southeast of the Sea of Galilee. In the Bible, mountains are typically holy places, like Mt. Sinai. Jerusalem is also on a mountain – in ancient times it was called Mt. Moriah, the same place where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him. This seems to be Jesus’ inner core of Apostles. The same three were with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when he was praying, sweating blood, and awaiting his arrest. They saw the highest and lowest points of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Mark 9:2-10
Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them, alendnd his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Q: Why did Moses and Elijah appear?
Two possible reasons:
1) Moses represented the Pentateuch, the most important, first five books of the Old Testament. Elijah represented the Prophets.
2) These are the only Old Testament figures to have “seen” God. By “seen,” I do not mean face to face, because the belief is that man could not survive an encounter with such perfect holiness. But they each encountered God on Mt. Sinai (at different times). Now, they could finally look on the face of God – in the person of Jesus Christ.
Q: Peter seems to think Jesus, Moses, and Elijah are all equal. He wants to build “booths,” which were tents. What was this about and how was this impression corrected?
The Jews celebrated the Festival of Booths which hearkened back to the Israelites living in tents after escaping Egyptian slavery. However, the festival was a joyful one for Jews as they looked forward to the glorious resurrection of all humans in the new age (end of time).
God spoke from the cloud and called Jesus his Son. This corrected any misconceptions by Peter.
Q: See the last verse. Why didn’t they understand Jesus’ words about the resurrection? Were they dense?
No, they weren’t that dense. As noted above, the Jews were expecting a resurrection in the “new age,” possibly when the Messiah arrived, which had now happened (Jesus). It is very possible they thought that the end of time was at hand.
Q: Why did Jesus take them to see this?
He knew they would need this encouragement given what was about to happen to Jesus. This would give them hope that there was more to come after Jesus’ death on the cross.
Most Influential Women in the Bible
Completed: Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, Miriam, Rahab, Deborah, Ruth, Hannah
Tonight: Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba
Humility, Vanity, and the Wives of King David
1&2 Samuel
After the Book of Judges, we begin the two books of Samuel. We are now entering into the period referred to as the “Monarchy” in Jewish history. On the whole, for 150 years the people have done poorly following God and they are desperate for a king who can protect them, just like other nations.
But they aren’t like other nations. They are the chosen people, and they have a King – The LORD – who they only listen to after they are captured or enslaved, and then only for a little while.
From Moses to Joshua to the Judges, the Israelites were militarily victorious only when they “Led with the Lord.” The Lord won all their battles. They only seem to learn this lesson for 10-20 years, and then people want to take control back. Just like the Fall of Man, over and over.
The good prophet Samuel warns them to be careful what they wish for, but the people cry out all the louder. Finally, the Lord tells Samuel to grant their wish.
Their first king is Saul – a very tall, handsome man who wowed everybody at first – but in the end was a disappointment. The second king – King David – ushers in the golden age of Israel, and although it doesn’t last long (40 years for him and 40 years for his son, Solomon). Yetinflu, the kingdom prefigures the true King and true kingdom to come – Christ and the Church he creates.
We are going to be looking at three women in the life of David. We will learn about the pitfalls of vanity, but in the process, we will learn more about who we are, and who God is.
Q: Speaking of which, who are we, exactly?
When humans received God’s spirit in Gen 2:7, we received His image and likeness into us, although like children. God is love and so now we are created in love – and for love. We have great honor in this because it means we have our identity in God, which was an immense spiritual jump from our hominoid predecessors.
It is this identity in God that gives us our dignity (intrinsic value/nobility) that only God has the right to take away.
There is great glory in coming from God and being God’s children. But we must remember that this glory originates in Him, not us. Without God, there is no “dignity” that human life can claim over any other life that isn’t totally arbitrary.
The Bible is the story of the human journey back to God, how we keep forgetting that our greatness & glory come from Him, and when we forget we get ugly. Over and over again, until God comes here personally to extend his hand. The hope in studying the Bible is to learn from this history, because we aren’t in Heaven until the death thief comes in the night.
Three Women in the Life of David
At first, King Saul took a liking to the young David, and he arranged for his marriage to his daughter, Michal. In time, however, Saul developed a great disliking of David, especially after David slayed Goliath. People were suddenly praising David more than Saul, so Saul took his daughter back and gave her someone else while he sought to kill David.
Michal seemed good in the beginning, warning David about her father and helping him escape. But after being married off to someone else, she disappears from out story for a number of years. Later, when David eventually becomes king, Michal returns, but this time is not so kind. We will see this a little later.
Q: Why did Saul care so much about his daughter to take her from David and give her to another man?
Saul deprived David of one potential claim to the throne by severing his connection by marriage to the royal family.
Abigail
Still in 1 Samuel… Saul sets out to kill David who flees to the countryside with his military companions. David comes to a wealthy farm owner who David once knew, named Nabal. Perhaps David helped watch his sheep, since David himself was once a shepherd. David sent his men to approach Nabal and ask for a place to rest and hide. Nabal acts insulted and rejects the request. Why is this dirty shepherd boy bothering me? Get rid of him!
Getting word of this, David becomes very angry, and he and his companions decide to take the man’s farm by force and dispose of the man. Abigail, the beautiful wife of the rich man, gets word of this and learns that David is no longer a lone shepherd boy to be trifled with. She realizes that her husband’s pride is about to get a lot of people killed.
Abigail gathers up provisions and goes off to intercept David. When she meets him, she apologizes for her husband’s arrogant behavior, asks David’s forgiveness, and brings out many provisions for him and his men.
David relents and spares Abigail and her husband.
Q: What is the most notable thing about this story so far?
We have all known spouses that would have said, “My husband/wife is an idiot as usual, let him sleep in the bed he made, I’m out of here!” However, Abigail acts downright Christ-like by humbling herself, offering an apology, and asking for David’s forgiveness. Does this not sound like Jesus’ “Turn the other cheek” from the Sermon on the Mount?
Abigail acts bigger than her “self,” and certainly acts bigger than her husband.
When Abigail returned to her house, her husband was unaware of the whole ordeal and in fact was enjoying a large feast like a king, and he was drunk. Abigail waited until the morning to inform him of what almost happened. It appears that Nabal fell into a comma and 10 days later, he died.
When David heard that Nabal died, he seeks the hand of Abigail in marriage. Abigail agrees immediately.
Saul dies in battle. David becomes king. Jerusalem becomes the new capital.
When David became king, he requested the return of Michel, and she returns.
Sometime later, as David was returning from battle and bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he was so filled with the Lord that he sang and danced in the procession before the Ark.
“And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the LORD with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.” – 2 Samuel 6:5
Apparently, Michal was having none of it.
“As the Ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the lord; and she despised him in her heart.” – 2 Sam 6:16
When David gets to his house, Michal chastises David for acting so ridiculous. David responds that he did it for the Lord, and she hasn’t seen anything yet! Scripture notes that Michal could bear no children the rest of her life.
Q: Why did God allow King David to have multiple wives?
God allowed King David to have multiple wives because in the Old Testament, the polygamy of patriarchs and kings was not explicitly rejected, and the moral conscience concerning the unity and indissolubility of marriage was still developing under the teachings of the old law. However, it is important to note that although some ancient patriarchs, including David and Solomon, had multiple wives, that changed when Jesus arrived on the scene. Jesus then makes it clear that polygamy is not in keeping with the nature of matrimony, and that marriage was instituted by God to be the union of two, and only two persons.
Bathsheba
Now for the most famous wife of David, Bathsheba. We are now in 2-Samuel. Many of you know this story.
David is home when he probably should be in battle with his men. He sees Bathsheba – the beautiful wife of one of his army captains (Uriah) – bathing from his rooftop. He inquires of her, finds out her name is Bathsheba, invites her over, they end up having relations, and she conceives. Then she tells David.
David sends for Uriah to be given a break from battle, hoping he will come home and have relations with Bathsheba and cover his tracks. However, Uriah is too consumed with his battle plans to have sex with Bathsheba. So David arranges to have Uriah killed in battle so he can take Bathsheba as his wife and cover up his sin.
Q: What do you think about David efforts to cover his tracks?
It’s stunning to think that having Uriah killed in battle would not be found out by his entire military, if not the whole city of Jerusalem. It shows how a smart person can become so stupid we one is dishonest and trying to cover up lies. Think of Adam in the garden who blamed everything on Eve in a New York minute.
This episode takes place at the height of David’s success as king. He has “lost his identity” in God and taken his own identity. Leaving God behind and claiming one’s own identity is called the sin of pride. It’s humanity’s Achilles heel.
Q: What was Bathsheba’s guilt?
We can speculate about her being seen by David (did she know?), but we don’t know. What about her coming to David and having relations? One could make the case that when the king calls, you do whatever, especially in a patriarchal society. What we do know is that her relative innocence (compared to David) seems to be confirmed when God sends the prophet Nathan to condemn David. Scripture says nothing about Bathsheba role in the matter. Nevertheless, she will suffer along with David for this sin as the child dies a week after its birth.
Once Nathan exposes the pathetic nature of David actions to him, David almost has a breakdown as he realizes that he has betrayed not only Bathsheba, Uriah, and his people, but God. David dons sackcloth and ashes and mourns in full public view. He was so tight with God before this – how could this happen? Might we also have had the occasion to ask the same question in our lives?
Conclusion
Yes, it was a full-on disaster for David and Bathsheba. Yet, God works through our disasters if we are willing and return to Him. Bathsheba’s next son turns out to be the next great king, Solomon.
Yes, David sinned greatly, and that too is a lesson for us. God never gives up on us if we just remember that our identity is in Him.
It is also interesting to see mention of this in Jesus’ genealogy recorded by Matthew at the beginning of his Gospel:
“…David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife” – Mt 1:6
So much for covering one’s tracks!
Speaking of which, note that the Bible does not cover people’s bad tracks. It highlights them for out salvific edification.
David also recognized this. He wrote Psalm 51 after this tragic experience. I will share just a few of his verses in our closing prayer.
Closing Prayer
Psalm 51
A Psalm of David
Have mercy on me, O God, in accord with your merciful love;
in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.
Thoroughly wash away my guilt and from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your eyes
So that you are just in your word, and without reproach in your judgment.
Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities.
A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit.
Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit.
Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit.
Hail Mary
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
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