2
Samuel 11:26 - 12:7
Do you
remember hearing this story before?
Have you preached
this text before?
My earliest
memory of this text is of my dad preaching. For all of my childhood,
adolescence and young adulthood I listened to my dad preach. I’m pretty sure he
would have used the moral language of right and wrong to talk about the sexual
narrative of David and Bethesheba; after all, his two teenage daughters and young
son were in the audience. I remember the focus of the story was on the
relationship between David and Nathan. That Nathan, living out of his own
relationship with God could speak truth to power to David, the King, the
military commander, the ruler of a nation. That being in a covenantal
relationship with God meant you frequently stepped out of your comfort zone. In
some ways I think my dad identified with Nathan. Humbly, couragously, speaking
truth to power.
The next
memory I have of this text is during my seminary years. Reading the
commentaries, which I want to add was before
the time of pulling up the library database online in the comfort of your home
or office. It meant sitting for hours in the library, pouring over the stacks
of commentaries; throwing some of my notes away, holding onto others. Listening
and talking with other students about whether or nor we agreed with Ireanus of
Lyons who wrote in Adversus Haeres —The sins of the men of old time, which
incurred the displeasure of God, were, by His providence, committed to writing,
that we might derive instruction thereby, and not be filled with pride. We must
not, therefore, infer that there was another God than He whom Christ preached;
we should rather fear, lest the one and the same God who inflicted punishment
on the ancients, should bring down heavier upon us.
In other words, it wasn’t about David or Bathsheba or
Nathan, it was a story about God, about the unchanging nature of God.
Or were we more likely to agree with Tertullian when he
writes, in Against
Modesty.—Trace God’s Government in History and in His Precepts, and You Will Find
It Full of His Goodness.
…and gave free forgiveness to David
on his confessing his sins against the
house of Uriah; which also restored the house of Israel as often as it
condemned it, and addressed to it consolation no less frequently than reproof. Do
not therefore look at God simply as Judge, but turn your attention also to
examples of His conduct as the Most Good. Noting
Him, as you do, when He
takes vengeance, consider Him likewise when He shows mercy. In the scale,
against His severity place His gentleness.
I remember most of us wanting to align ourselves
with Tertullian, placing gentlenss against severity, but we wanted to preach like
Ireanus, ‘ we should rather
fear, lest the one and the same God who inflicted punishment on the ancients,
should bring down heavier upon us.
Whether we
agreed with one or the other commentary, I do remember the charge to beginning
preachers was to find in the text the ‘Good News’ for your parisioner. Where in
the text is hope, where in the text is grace, where in the text is salvation.
What are your memories with this
text?
What are you hearing today?
This is the story Spirit is sharing
with me today.
From Nathan’s perspective, living in
a relationship with God means that you at times walk intentionally into conflictual
situations. That the power, the weight, the clarity of your message has nothing
to do with you at all. You? You are secondary to the message. From Nathan’s
perspective, it really isn’t about you. Nathan gets to show up, be present and
speak courageously.
From David’s perspective, it is a
story about recognizing limits and boundaries of positional power. And
acknowledging the brokenness resulting from abusing those limits and
boundaries. It is about taking responsibility for one’s actions, for seeking to
make amends. David gets to listen, be reflective and act humbly.
Judging by a very cursory review of
contemporary commentaries, if you cover David’s sin of sexual rape, of murder,
of cover-up; if you cover Nathan’s insightful use of a parable, following in
the tradition of prophets confronting Kings, add some comments about the
importance of staying in relationship and listening to God’s prophets, mention
the theological arc of God’s redemptive mercy- you’re ready to move on to the
Gospel lectionary text for the Sunday.
But what about Bathsheba, what about
her child who will die soon? Where is the Good News for her?
For women, men and children who have
been abused by the misuse of positional power, who are not asked to participate
in reconciliation, who are ignored or forgotten, how in the world is this good
news?
But maybe I’m asking something of
the text it cannot give.
Before you turn this page and have
me read the story of Ruth and Boaz, or of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and Leah who
went on to become a judge, I invite you to sit with Bathsheba and her newborn
son for a minute longer.
To perhaps recognize our discomfort
with not having a word of hope, of grace, of salvation for her. And what that
might mean.
So I take a step back from the text.
And in a prayer of gratitude, acknowledge that God is more that what can be
found between the pages of genesis and revelation. With my theological feet
planted firmly in Process theology soil, I understand God reveals Godself in and
through all of God’s creation through reason, tradition and experience. And
sometimes, in sacred text.
The next time you preach this text,
please mention Nathan’s courageous challenge to David. Mention that our living
in a covenantal relationship with God will have us stepping out of our comfort zones,
and stepping up to God’s challenge.
Please mention David’s temper, his
absolute and reckless abuse of positional power. And mention his contrite
acknowledgement of his abuse towards others.
But most of all, please mention
Bathsheba and her son. Who, in this story about people in power, narrated,
edited, redacted and commented on by people in power, are presented as props in
someone else’s story.
The story I hear Spirit sharing with
me today is to offer to Bathsheba and her son a voice in their own story. To
offer those in our congregations who find their story told through that of
Bathsheba and her son the Good News of companionship. Of being present with
them, of inviting them to participate in creating opportunities for healing and
perhaps reconciliation, and, when requested, to speak truth to power on their
behalf.
When you preach on this text, I want
you to preach about Bathsheba and her son.
