Mephibosheth comes out to greet David and to give his side
of the story for why he didn't come out with David. He says that his servant lied to the king
about Mephibosheth's intentions. David
doesn't want to bother trying to sort it all out and simply divides the
territory between Mephibosheth and Ziba, his servant. Does that part of this story sound vaguely
like Solomon with the two women who both claimed a baby as their own? Mephibosheth's response is to say let Ziba
have it all, he is simply happy to have David back. Barzillai the Gileadite who had provided food
for David and his men also greets him and offers to go a little way beyond the
Jordan with David, just as his fathers had done, those who settled on the other
side of the Jordan but who helped their brothers conquer the Land. Once David re-enters the land you would think
the people had never abandoned him in favor of Absalom, everyone is fighting
for the honor or restoring him. Some
from fear and some from brotherly affection.
A new era of good feelings has begun.
David may be magnanimous today but he will see that Solomon executes
justice on his behalf against the rebels.
It seems that Jesus is pointing away from the other leaders
and towards Himself. First He asks if it
makes sense that people say the Messiah is the son of David when David refers
to that one as Lord. If Messiah is
David's son, David certainly wouldn't call his son, Lord. The people receive that gladly. Next, he says to beware of the scribes and
Pharisees, the spiritual leaders of the people, who Jesus says will come under
condemnation. Finally, here, He upends
the natural social order in praising the widow and her miniscule offering over
and against the richer folk who make a show of their great offerings. It sounds as though Jesus' mother's prayer is
coming true, that "he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and
exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and
the rich he has sent away empty."
Has the time come for true justice to be done in Israel?
We are told that the content of Paul's preaching to Felix
and Drusilla was "righteousness and self control." An interesting topic and we understand a bit
better why Felix sends him away when we understand something about that
particular marriage. Drusilla was the
daughter of Herod Agrippa, a friend of the Jews and a man who took his
Jewishness seriously enough that he wouldn't consent to her marriage even to
Antiochus Epiphanes unless he converted to Judaism. When Felix came around he fell in love with
Drusilla and enticed her by promising the good life to leave her present
husband and be his wife. We see the lack
of righteousness and self-control evident in their lives and now we see also
why Paul chose that particular line for his teaching. For two years while Felix served at Caesarea
he made no decision about Paul but kept him there to converse with
frequently. The Jews hatred of Paul has
not abated these two years and they still desire his death. Paul, however, will not go back to that
particular briar patch but instead appeals as a Roman citizen to be taken to
Caesar. Festus is happy to oblige rather
than continuing this inquiry. Is justice
to be done?
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