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Day 134: Devastating Effects of Sin
Chapter 16: David's Friends and Enemies
2 Samuel 16:1-4 ~ Ziba's Loyalty
Illustration from the Morgan Bible of David fleeing Jerusalem. Ziba is on the right, bringing David provisions.
A little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives David meets Ziba who has come from the estate he manages north of Jerusalem to bring supplies for David and his men. David put Ziba in charge of the estate of King Saul's grandson and Jonathan's son Meribbaal (2 Sam 9:2-3, 9-11). Ziba is expressing his loyalty to David in a practical way that is appreciated. However, David is suspicious about the absence of Ziba's master. Meribbaal is crippled but he could still ride a mule and could have come with Ziba to express his support for David in the civil war.
Question: When questioned concerning Meribbaal, what is Ziba's reply to David and what is David's reaction?
Answer: Ziba tells David that Meribbaal is hoping to regain Saul's lost kingdom in David's defeat and has stayed in Jerusalem. David gives Ziba the estate he managed for Meribbaal.
If Ziba's account is correct, it would appear that Meribbaal sees the political upheaval as an opportunity for those who supported the House Saul to put another member of Saul's family back on the throne; for example Meribbaal's son Micah. The account is probably true since Ziba did not volunteer the information but only repeated Meribbaal's sentiments when asked by the king.
2 Samuel 16:5-14 ~ Shimei curses David
This is undoubtedly the lowest time in David's life; probably even lower than when he was a lonely outlaw on the run because of the distance he has fallen from a powerful warrior king to an old man seeking refuge and cursed by his enemies.
Bahurim is believed to be a site on the northeastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Shimei is a kinsman of the House of Saul from the clan of Matri of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam 10:21). He probably blames David for the massacre of Saul's remaining sons by Saul's concubine Rizpah and Saul's grandsons that is recorded in 2 Samuel 21:1-14.
They are David's nephews and the sons of his elder sister Zeruiah. David reins in the avenging anger of his nephews toward the man who has cursed their kinsman and their king. It is an astonishing reaction of David to the Benjaminite who is cursing him. The proud David now resigns himself to the acceptance of being humiliated.
In David's fatalism, he reasons if someone commits such a sacrilegious act against the man who is God's anointed, it must be because God has decreed it. He endures the man's curses as a sign of his penitential submission.
Behind David's fatalism is probably a sense of guilt in that he is responsible for everything that has happened: for his adultery with Bathsheba, for Uriah's death, for the death of his child by Bathsheba, for his inaction in Tamar's rape and failure to punish Amnon, for his failure to punish Absalom for Amnon's murder, and for not doing something to prevent the murder of Saul's sons and grandsons by the Gibeonites (already taken place but recorded in 2 Sam 21:1-14). His guilt is coupled with his despair as he adds: "Why, the son sprung from my own body is now seeking my life; all the more reason for this Benjaminite to do so! Let him curse on, if Yahweh has told him to! 12 Perhaps Yahweh will look on my wretchedness and will repay me with good for his curses today." He recognizes that God's judgment in 12:10-12 is being fulfilled.
2 Samuel 16:15-19 ~ Absalom enters Jerusalem
Absalom and his army take possession of Jerusalem. David's spy successfully convinces Absalom of his support and this will set up the clash between Ahithophel and Hushai. God will take mercy on David and God's providence will bring Absalom to accept Hushai's counsel over that of Ahithophel.
2 Samuel 16:20-23 ~ Absalom and David's Concubines
Royal women played an important political role in ancient Near Eastern societies. Sexual relations with a king's wife, concubine, or daughter constituted a claim on the throne in the pagan kingdoms of the ancient Near East, as in the case of David's marriage to Saul's daughter Michal and then after many years of separation demanding her return. Absalom's possession of David's concubines constitutes a claim to the throne (see 2 Sam 3:7, 12:8).
CHALLENGE:“Catholics shouldn’t ask Mary and the saints for intercession. Scripture says, ‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim. 2:5).”
DEFENSE:Christ has a unique role as mediator, but this does not mean that he alone intercedes with God.
The term “mediator” (Greek, mesitēs) began as a business term referring to an intermediary who helped two parties do business. In Judaism and other ancient religions, it came to refer to one who served a similar role securing good relations between God and man, reconciling them.
In several senses, Jesus is uniquely the Mediator. First, by virtue of the Incarnation, he alone is the God-man, who shares the natures of God and man (CCC 618). Second, because he is God incarnate, he became the Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:6, 9:15, 12:24), just as Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant (Gal. 3:19).
Jesus’ status as the “one mediator” does not mean he is the only person with a role between God and men. Paul’s apostleship meant he had such a role, and he appealed to his apostleship in the same passage he refers to Jesus as the one Mediator (1 Tim. 2:7). Other ministers have similar roles (2 Cor. 5:20; cf. 1 Thess. 5:12, Heb. 13:17), as do all Christians (2 Cor. 3:2 –3; 1 Pet. 3:15).
Although Jesus intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1), he is not the only one to do so. The Holy Spirit does (Rom. 8:26–27), and all Christians are called to as well. Thus Jesus instructs us how to pray for ourselves and others (Matt. 6:5–13), and tells us to pray even for our enemies (Matt. 5:44).
Paul asks for prayer for himself and for others (Rom. 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; 2 Thess. 3:1–2), and he introduces the very passage in which he refers to Christ as the one Mediator by exhorting his readers to pray for others: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men” (1 Tim. 2:1).
If this objection worked, it would prove too much: If Jesus’ status as the one Mediator meant only he could intercede for us, then it would contradict his teaching that we should pray for others.
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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