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=> General Discussions => Topic started by: Oatmeal on December 12, 2010, 10:15:08 PM

Title: Question
Post by: Oatmeal on December 12, 2010, 10:15:08 PM
Why was it OK for David and his followers to eat the showbread (1 Samuel 21:1-6) which Jesus confirmed (Matthew 12:3-4) was not lawful for David and for those with him to eat?  I apologise for taking your time again but I am not asking this question just for casual reasons and I don't know where else to go for the answer.  Thanks
Title: Re: Question
Post by: Kat on December 13, 2010, 01:06:18 AM

Hi Oatmeal,

1Sa 21:6  So the priest gave him the holy bread; for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the LORD, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

David has received information from Jonathan that he must flee in order to save his life from the anger of King Saul who is pursuing him. David is running for his life and is hiding from King Saul and went to the high priest to ask him for help, for food so he and his men could survive. But all the priest had was the hallowed bread and by law only the priests could eat that bread.

We know from the account of Jesus and his disciples picking and eating ears from the cornfields on the Sabbath (Mark 2, Matt. 12, Luke 6) that it is not a sin/unlawful to do something on the Sabbath, out of necessity...

Matt 12:11  Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
v. 12  Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

So it was not a sin for the high Priest to give David and his men the only food that he had, the hallowed bread. David was the the 'sheep in the pit,' so to speak and with that being the circumstance it was not a sin for receive and partake of this hallowed bread.

mercy, peace and love
Kat