Has Jesus Read What David Did? Probing Problems in Mark 2:25–26

Abstract

Jesus’ appeal to ‘what David did’ in 1 Sam. 21:2–10 has struck many readers of Mark’s Gospel as more than a little ironic. On the one hand, Jesus presents himself as an authoritative interpreter of the Jewish scriptures, one who is prepared to face off with the legal experts of the day. On the other, his rendition of the events in 1 Sam. 21:2–10 has left many wondering whether Jesus has actually read what David did. This study examines three of the perennial ‘problems’ with Jesus’ appeal to 1 Sam. 21:2–10 within their ancient context. Its aim is not to solve these ‘problems’, but to scrutinize the methodological assumptions informing why certain features in this account are widely deemed problematic.