- 1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a and Psalm 5:1-8 •
- 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 and Psalm 32 •
- Galatians 2:15-21 •
- Luke 7:36-8:3
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| Nathan Rebukes David James Tissot (1836-1902) |
The Old and New Testaments depict largely male dominated
worlds. Indeed it is from the religious tradition of the Old Testament that our
word ‘patriarchal’ derives. Yet surprisingly, given that tradition, memorable
women make their appearance again and again, often playing key roles in the
story of God’s dealings with humanity. Two such women feature in this week’s
readings – first Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and then the woman who anointed
Jesus feet with perfume, traditionally identified as Mary of Magdala. A
comparison between the stories of these two women tells us a great deal about
the spiritual development that the Bible discloses.
Bathsheba’s astonishing beauty makes her a victim of sinful
lust. David uses his royal status and power, not only to force an adulterous
relationship with another man’s wife, but even to contrive her husband’s death so that he can 'posses' her permanently.
This does not go unpunished, however. In a famous scene, the prophet Nathan prompts
David, inadvertently, to admit his own guilt. It is from that point on that family turmoil erupts and political
problems intensify. David has been recklessly indifferent to the
law of God, and for all his accomplishments, God’s justice calls him to account.
As a common prostitute (if, as tradition holds, that is what
she was) Mary Magdalene is no less of a sinner than David. It is not a matter
of sexual peccadillos, or even outright adultery. She has deliberately misused
her God-given body for money. Yet she is not punished. That is because her
unusual gesture of devotion to Jesus speaks of penitence. Like David, she undoubtedly
merits some sort of retribution, but as she wipes the feet of Jesus with her
tears, so he wipes her sins away. Justice is not done in her case, because
God’s forgiveness renders justice redundant.
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| Christ in the House of Simon Dieric Bouts (1415-1475) |
Like Nathan, we live in a world most at home with justice.
We hope and expect that evil doers will get their deserts. The Godly world of
Jesus, by contrast, invites us to look beyond wrongdoing and retribution, and to
do something that most human beings find very hard – to place a higher value on
penitence and grace than on justice.
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