Marginal Christianity

Herma and Herman Neutics on Biblical Interpretation Sometimes God speaks through a clash of viewpoints on particular matters. Kingship, for example, is a pretty clear example. 1 Samuel 8-12 reads like a point-counterpoint debate: anti-king, pro-king, anti-king, pro-king. In the end God allows the people the king they want (so they can be like all the other nations - never a good reason to do something) but the anti-king rhetoric serves notice that this will not be an unmitigated good for Israel. In fact, it turned out to be almost an unmitigated evil for them! If Israel was to have a king, as Deuteronomy 17 foresees they might, the king should NOT be like all the other monarchs of surrounding nations! A brother among brothers, one subject to and occupied with God's Law, the kind of kingship Israel might have is one "without all the fun of being king." So does the Bible sanction kingship for Israel? Sanction's probably too strong; allowed, certai...

1 Sam. 8:4-11, 16-20 4  So all the Israelite elders got together and went to Samuel at Ramah. 5  They said to him, “Listen. You are old now, and your sons don’t follow in your footsteps. So appoint us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” 6  It seemed very bad to Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” so he prayed to the Lord . 7  The Lord answered Samuel, “Comply with the people’s request—everything they ask of you—because they haven’t rejected you. No, they’ve rejected me as king over them. 8  They are doing to you only what they’ve been doing to me from the day I brought them out of Egypt to this very minute, abandoning me and worshipping other gods. 9  So comply with their request, but give them a clear warning, telling them how the king will rule over them and operate.” 10  Then Samuel explained everything the Lord had said to the people who were asking for a king. 11  “This is how the king will rule ov...