Post: Week 4

Smith_Week 4

Smith_Week 4

by Kevin Smith -
Number of replies: 4

According to John Collins, the story of David reads like he "was an outlaw, a deserter and a Philistine mercenary." David is certainly lifted up as a King after God's own heart, but his flaws and sins are right there out in the open as well. He is very human, and certainly not a perfect hero. 

We can see the Deuteronomistic view coming out in the portrayal of David. The Deuteronomists theology was that God's covenant only continued as long as the King was faithful to the law. Jacob Wright in A Nation Conceived in Defeat, posits that this viewpoint helps to explain two main questions for the Jewish community, "Who are we?" and "What if anything still holds us together?" By showing King David's flaws it explains how his violating the law caused the calamity to come, and how important this theology was to them being a people. This style is consistent with most of the Old Testament material and further strengthens this view.

In reply to Kevin Smith

Re: Smith_Week 4

by Michelle Price -
I took Collins reading, as the reading against the grain, and pulling David's flaws out. Almost like a glimpse of see what happens when... Even though David was loved by God he was still manipulative. I actually found the fact that he was very musical to fit the trend of his actions, as though he was orchestrating lives. 


Having the ability to write down afterwards help the Israelites define who they were to know who they want to be, as the article pointed us toward. So the questions become who were they and who are they? This section is so focused on, revolved around, David, so what does that mean for the people?

In reply to Michelle Price

Re: Smith_Week 4

by Calvin Collins -

Michelle

I really liked your inference into connecting David’s ability in music and his orchestrating the lives of others.


Kevin


I think the question of what holds those people around David together and even people to this day is important. Knowing David’s flaws and the fact that God still called him to be king brings a lot of hope towards our current situation that we are encountering. 


Peace

Calvin 

In reply to Calvin Collins

Re: Smith_Week 4

by Julia O'Brien -

and yet 1Kgs is clear that kings lose their crowns due to disobedience

In reply to Kevin Smith

Re: Smith_Week 4

by Julia O'Brien -

you've well explained the dominance of the law in the DtrH--even David is subject to it.

as we will see later, not all of the old testament shares this theology