Going for Essence
July 17, 2020
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
In 1 Samuel 21, David eats holy bread and shares it with his hungry soldiers. It is a clear violation of law and tradition, but he does it and convinces the priests to help him do it.
He makes a good case, but the essence of the argument is need.
Later, Jesus cites David as an example when the nit-pickers are nit-picking his disciples' lax attitude toward picking food to eat on the Sabbath.
It is not that Jesus is disrespecting law and tradition; nor was David. He was going for essence.
To what does law and tradition point? Indeed, what is the point?
God's glory is primary, but God's glory is manifest also in God's goodness, grace, love, and attention to humanity.