{"id":41825,"date":"2014-02-11T20:29:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-12T02:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=41825"},"modified":"2024-12-01T15:39:09","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T21:39:09","slug":"concerning-the-jews-excusing-davids-eating-of-the-showbread-what-are-your-sources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/concerning-the-jews-excusing-davids-eating-of-the-showbread-what-are-your-sources\/","title":{"rendered":"Concerning the Jews excusing David’s eating of the showbread, what are your sources?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I read\u00a0an article<\/a>\u00a0in the Q&A section of your website in reference to I Samuel 21:1-6 and Matthew 12:1-5. Within the article you made this statement:<\/p>\n

“They (Jews) found ways to excuse the fact that David clearly violated the law of God by eating the bread from the table of showbread.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Can you give me the supporting scriptures for this statement?<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

I cannot give you scriptures because it is based on the Jewish opinion of that event.<\/p>\n

From Adam Clarke’s Commentary:<\/p>\n

“Here hearken to Kimchi, producing the opinion of the ancients concerning this story in these words: “Our rabbins of blessed memory say, that he gave him the shew-bread, &c. The interpretation also of the clause, Yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel, is this: It is a small thing to say, that it is lawful for us to eat THESE LOAVES, taken from before the Lord, when we are hungry; for it would be lawful to eat this very loaf which is now set on, which is also sanctified in the vessel, (for the table sanctifieth,) it would be lawful to eat even this, when another loaf is not present with you to give us, and we are so hunger-bitten. And a little after, There is nothing which may hinder taking care of life, beside idolatry, adultery, and murder. That is, a man, according to them, should do any thing but these in order to preserve life.””<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From Barnes’ Notes:<\/p>\n

“David, among the Jews, had high authority. This act had passed uncondemned.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From\u00a0The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash<\/a><\/p>\n

\nRashi’s understanding is therefore more persuasive; he states that the reference here is indeed to shew-bread, and that the allowance stemmed from David’s dire situation at the time, as is indirectly suggested by\u00a0Chazal<\/em>:\n
\nSince he found there nothing but shew-bread, David said to him: “Give me, so that we not die of hunger,” for [even] a case of uncertain mortal danger sets aside Shabbat. How much did David eat at that time? Rav Huna said: David ate close to seven\u00a0se’as\u00a0<\/em>to satisfy his hunger, for he was seized by ravenous hunger. (Yalkut Shimoni<\/em>, I\u00a0Shmuel<\/em>\u00a0130)\n<\/blockquote>\nIt seems that with this statement,\u00a0Chazal<\/em>\u00a0expressed their position on David’s conduct in the entire story. David behaved as one who is overcome by ravenous hunger, that is, as one who acts out of irrational pressure. David’s irrational behavior expressed itself not only in his request to eat of the shew-bread; the very fact that he was ready to put Achimelekh’s life in jeopardy proves that David was not acting here with appropriate judgment.\n<\/blockquote>\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Most teach that apparently, it is OK to break God’s commands out of necessity. I have never agreed with that but could never quite understand why Christ used David, a man who lied about what he was doing to get the bread, as a defense for His disciples.<\/p>\n

Thank you.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

Jesus used an example where the Jews were willing to show mercy to one of their heroes, even though he clearly violated the law. It contrasts with the disciples who were shown no mercy, even though they did not violate the law. See Sabbath Rules and the Twelve Chosen<\/a>\u00a0for more details.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I read\u00a0an article\u00a0in the Q&A section of your website in reference to I Samuel 21:1-6 and Matthew 12:1-5. Within the article you made this statement: “They (Jews) found ways to excuse the fact that David clearly violated the law of God by eating the bread from the table of showbread.” Can you give me…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[127,111,606,279,708],"class_list":["post-41825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-about-this-site","tag-david","tag-gospels","tag-history","tag-matthew"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3977,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-think-jesus-did-defend-david-in-matthew-124\/","url_meta":{"origin":41825,"position":0},"title":"I think Jesus did defend David in Matthew 12:4","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 11, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In reference to Christian Situation Ethics by Dan Gatlin: \"The example of David. Jesus responded by pointing out what David did when he was fleeing from Saul (I Samuel 21). The bread that David requested had been offered in the tabernacle and was only for the priests to eat\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1992,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-money-be-used-from-the-church-treasury-to-do-good-for-non-christians\/","url_meta":{"origin":41825,"position":1},"title":"Can money be used from the church treasury to do good for non-Christians?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Comment: The following is taken from a list of questions sent to me by my request. The author is from a more liberally-minded group who is preparing lessons on the issues that separate some churches of Christ. He was interested in the other side's point of view and I was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17951,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-was-high-priest-when-david-ate-the-showbread-abiathar-or-ahimelech\/","url_meta":{"origin":41825,"position":2},"title":"Who was High Priest when David ate the showbread, Abiathar or Ahimelech?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 20, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can you please help me with this supposed contradiction? In Mark 2:23-26, Jesus talks about how David went into the house of God and ate the showbread \"in the days\/in the time\" of Abiathar the high priest. In 1 Samuel 21, it says that David came to Ahimelech, not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37448,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-children-be-allowed-to-eat-the-leftovers-from-the-lords-supper\/","url_meta":{"origin":41825,"position":3},"title":"Should children be allowed to eat the leftovers from the Lord’s Supper?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I hope you will answer this: Following the last service on Sunday we clean up the communion service plates for the fruit of the vine and the \"loaf\" in a small room within the building. In the past, the children have been allowed to drink the grape juice remaining\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7966,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-did-the-lampstand-and-table-of-showbread-represent\/","url_meta":{"origin":41825,"position":4},"title":"What did the lampstand and table of showbread represent?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 8, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thank you again for your site and answers to questions about the Bible and Christian living. Now, I have another question concerning the 'lampstand' that was in the Temple where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. What was the lampstand used for and what was its significance? I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":23131,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-teaching-that-sin-is-not-inherited-misleading\/","url_meta":{"origin":41825,"position":5},"title":"Is teaching that sin is not inherited misleading?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 30, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Please go back to the Bible.\u00a0 What you say in this article is not in any way biblical and so is misleading.\u00a0 Sin is inherited.\u00a0 All are born sinful.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit is the way our hearts are opened to God.\u00a0 And I am not Salvation Army - simply\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41825\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}