Why Does Jesus Hold Up King David As A Role Model?

[Michie]

Getting to grips with the Old Testament figure of King David can be a struggle for Christians. On the one hand, his pedigree is impossible to deny: he is the most mentioned figure in the Hebrew Bible; Jesus depicts him as a role model of sorts (see Lk 6:1-5); and Scripture even describes him as “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam 13:14).

But all of this presents a conundrum for anybody who knows David’s story. Sure, he has some heroic and virtuous moments. But isn’t this the same king who notoriously abused his power by sleeping with another man’s wife and having her husband killed in battle (see 2 Sam 11)? Indeed, the scale of David’s sin can hardly be overstated: a close look at the narrative concerning Bathsheba and Uriah shows the king’s conduct to be truly horrific.

For one thing, the obvious implication in the biblical text is that David didn’t merely commit adultery with Bathsheba; he raped her. Then, upon learning she is with child, he adds deception to his crimes by trying to persuade Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba. And yet, Uriah proves himself too virtuous for David’s machinations, informing the king that he wouldn’t dream of going home and lying with his wife while his fellow soldiers are in the middle of their campaign.

Here the contrast between Uriah and David is stark.

Continued below.

Why Does Jesus Hold Up King David As A Role Model?

Getting to grips with the Old Testament figure of King David can be a struggle for Christians. On the one hand, his pedigree is impossible to deny: he is the most mentioned figure in the Hebrew Bible; Jesus depicts him as a role model of sorts (see Lk 6:1-5); and Scripture even describes him as “a

stpaulcenter.com

 

[Hoping2]

Getting to grips with the Old Testament figure of King David can be a struggle for Christians. On the one hand, his pedigree is impossible to deny: he is the most mentioned figure in the Hebrew Bible; Jesus depicts him as a role model of sorts (see Lk 6:1-5); and Scripture even describes him as “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam 13:14).

But all of this presents a conundrum for anybody who knows David’s story. Sure, he has some heroic and virtuous moments. But isn’t this the same king who notoriously abused his power by sleeping with another man’s wife and having her husband killed in battle (see 2 Sam 11)? Indeed, the scale of David’s sin can hardly be overstated: a close look at the narrative concerning Bathsheba and Uriah shows the king’s conduct to be truly horrific.

For one thing, the obvious implication in the biblical text is that David didn’t merely commit adultery with Bathsheba; he raped her.

Where is a rape written of in the bible ?
Implications don't hold up in court.

Then, upon learning she is with child, he adds deception to his crimes by trying to persuade Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba. And yet, Uriah proves himself too virtuous for David’s machinations, informing the king that he wouldn’t dream of going home and lying with his wife while his fellow soldiers are in the middle of their campaign.

David was the epitome of godliness, from the OT.
He was the best of a mankind that still walked in and after the "flesh", but had the Law's atonements to "get back in line".
For the OT Jews that Jesus was speaking to, David was of very high esteem.
We can now see it in retrospect, from the perspective of men walking in and after the Spirit, instead of in and after the "flesh".

 

[Michie]

Where is a rape written of in the bible ?
Implications don't hold up in court.

Now in order to understand what is taking place in the reading, we have to tell the backstory. King David, like a coward, stayed home at his palace while his army went off to wage war. Soon he spied a married woman, Bathsheba, bathing outdoors, and the text offers a stark portrayal of his response: “so David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her” (2 Sam 11:4 RSV). Through this power-rape, she becomes pregnant, so David tries to cover his tracks by bringing Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, back from the battle, hoping that he will sleep with his wife and hide the evidence of David’s dalliance. Yet Uriah is a brave, battle-hardened man and refuses to go to his house while his comrades are out in the field of battle. David realizes that his cover-up plans have failed, so he turns his heart to murder. He sends sealed orders by Uriah’s hand (!) to his general to put Uriah in a vulnerable spot on the field and then withdraw the other troops. Uriah is thus murdered “with the sword of the Ammonites” (2 Sam 12:9). After Uriah’s death, David steals his wife as his own.

King David’s Big Sin

St. Paul urges us, “For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification” (Rom 6:19). We can hope that when the moment of Satan’s finger-pointing comes in the divine court, we will be able to rely...

catholicexchange.com

David was the epitome of godliness, from the OT.
He was the best of a mankind that still walked in and after the "flesh", but had the Law's atonements to "get back in line".
For the OT Jews that Jesus was speaking to, David was of very high esteem.
We can now see it in retrospect, from the perspective of men walking in and after the Spirit, instead of in and after the "flesh".

David was a fallible man with a heart for the Lord.

Remember: this is the Catholic forum.

 

[Hoping2]

Now in order to understand what is taking place in the reading, we have to tell the backstory. King David, like a coward, stayed home at his palace while his army went off to wage war. Soon he spied a married woman, Bathsheba, bathing outdoors, and the text offers a stark portrayal of his response: “so David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her” (2 Sam 11:4 RSV). Through this power-rape, she becomes pregnant, so David tries to cover his tracks by bringing Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, back from the battle, hoping that he will sleep with his wife and hide the evidence of David’s dalliance. Yet Uriah is a brave, battle-hardened man and refuses to go to his house while his comrades are out in the field of battle. David realizes that his cover-up plans have failed, so he turns his heart to murder. He sends sealed orders by Uriah’s hand (!) to his general to put Uriah in a vulnerable spot on the field and then withdraw the other troops. Uriah is thus murdered “with the sword of the Ammonites” (2 Sam 12:9). After Uriah’s death, David steals his wife as his own.

So now, David is a rapist and a coward ?

David was a fallible man with a heart for the Lord.
Remember: this is the Catholic forum.

I was not aware of that.