Mark 2:26 - How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?”
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What does "Mark 2:26" mean?
This verse refers to the story of David eating the showbread (also called the bread of the Presence) when he was on the run from King Saul. Let's break down what it means and why it's important:
"How he entered into God’s house...": This is referring to David's actions when he was fleeing from King Saul and desperately needed food for himself and his men. The "God's house" is the tabernacle, the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.
"...at the time of Abiathar the high priest...": This part has been debated. 1 Samuel 21:1-6, the passage describing this event, mentions Ahimelech as the priest. Some scholars suggest Abiathar was either a well-known figure associated with the priesthood at that time or that Abiathar was somehow connected or associated with Ahimelech or later became the high priest and was therefore more well known at the time Mark was writing.
"...and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests...": The showbread (literally "bread of the presence") was twelve loaves of bread that were placed before the Lord on a golden table in the tabernacle. They were a symbolic offering. According to Levitical law (Leviticus 24:5-9), only the priests were allowed to eat the showbread after it was removed from the table to be replaced with fresh loaves.
"...and gave also to those who were with him?": David didn't just eat the bread himself; he also shared it with his companions. This highlights the severity of his action from a strict legalistic point of view.
The Significance and Context in Mark:
Jesus uses this story to defend his disciples who were picking and eating grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath law (working on the Sabbath was forbidden). Jesus uses the story of David to argue that:
Human need sometimes takes precedence over strict legalistic interpretations of religious law. David and his men were hungry, and their need was greater than the literal interpretation of the law concerning the showbread.
He is greater than the Temple. By implicitly comparing himself to David, a figure associated with royalty and divine favor, Jesus suggests that he is acting with authority that transcends even the established religious institutions and their rigid interpretations of the law.
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. This is the key point of Jesus' argument. The Sabbath, and by extension all religious laws, should serve human well-being, not the other way around.
In essence, Jesus is challenging the rigid, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath and other religious laws. He is asserting that compassion and meeting human needs are more important than blindly following rules. The story of David eating the showbread provides a precedent for prioritizing human need over a strict, technical interpretation of the law. This highlights a key theme in Mark's Gospel: Jesus's authority and his emphasis on the spirit of the law rather than just the letter of the law.
Mark 2:26 - How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?”
What does "Mark 2:26" mean?
This verse refers to the story of David eating the showbread (also called the bread of the Presence) when he was on the run from King Saul. Let's break down what it means and why it's important:
"How he entered into God’s house...": This is referring to David's actions when he was fleeing from King Saul and desperately needed food for himself and his men. The "God's house" is the tabernacle, the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.
"...at the time of Abiathar the high priest...": This part has been debated. 1 Samuel 21:1-6, the passage describing this event, mentions Ahimelech as the priest. Some scholars suggest Abiathar was either a well-known figure associated with the priesthood at that time or that Abiathar was somehow connected or associated with Ahimelech or later became the high priest and was therefore more well known at the time Mark was writing.
"...and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests...": The showbread (literally "bread of the presence") was twelve loaves of bread that were placed before the Lord on a golden table in the tabernacle. They were a symbolic offering. According to Levitical law (Leviticus 24:5-9), only the priests were allowed to eat the showbread after it was removed from the table to be replaced with fresh loaves.
"...and gave also to those who were with him?": David didn't just eat the bread himself; he also shared it with his companions. This highlights the severity of his action from a strict legalistic point of view.
The Significance and Context in Mark:
Jesus uses this story to defend his disciples who were picking and eating grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath law (working on the Sabbath was forbidden). Jesus uses the story of David to argue that:
Human need sometimes takes precedence over strict legalistic interpretations of religious law. David and his men were hungry, and their need was greater than the literal interpretation of the law concerning the showbread.
He is greater than the Temple. By implicitly comparing himself to David, a figure associated with royalty and divine favor, Jesus suggests that he is acting with authority that transcends even the established religious institutions and their rigid interpretations of the law.
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. This is the key point of Jesus' argument. The Sabbath, and by extension all religious laws, should serve human well-being, not the other way around.
In essence, Jesus is challenging the rigid, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath and other religious laws. He is asserting that compassion and meeting human needs are more important than blindly following rules. The story of David eating the showbread provides a precedent for prioritizing human need over a strict, technical interpretation of the law. This highlights a key theme in Mark's Gospel: Jesus's authority and his emphasis on the spirit of the law rather than just the letter of the law.