Pop Culture, Hymn Suggestions, and Prayer of the Day added 10/27
The Text
Last Time on ‘The Story’
We last left the story near the tumultuous end of David’s kingship. 1st Kings starts with the end of David’s life, and the struggle for who will be crowned next. The main contender is Adonijah, who gains some popular support in a Game of Thrones fashion. He tells everyone that he will be the next king, and parades around in a chariot with fifty men running in front of it. He has the support of Joab (Army commander and semi-sketchy character) and Abiathar (the priest). Adonijah goes to the stone of Zoheleth (lit. ‘the stone of creeping things’ or ‘serpents stone’, probably having to do with serpent worship, and a subtle serpent/seed of the woman comparison being made) to make a sacrifice and feast for his brothers and a bunch of the powerful people of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Bathsheba (yep, that Bathsheba) with the support of Benaiah (one of David’s trusted generals), Zadok (another priest), Nathan (the prophet), and David’s Mighty Men, approaches David to make good on his promise that her son would be crowned king. David agrees, and instructs Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to have Solomon ride David’s mule to Gihon and anoint him as king. Horns are blown, people celebrate, and Adonijah realizes that he has been outmaneuvered. Adonijah goes to the Tabernacle and holds onto the horns of the altar until he gets word that Solomon will not kill him. Solomon says that he won’t kill him if he is chill, and Adonijah goes home.
David then tells Solomon to be strong and courageous, to walk in faithfulness, and follow all the Law of the LORD. Also, go ahead and murder all of my political enemies. David has Solomon kill Joab (the backstabbing commander of David’s army); Shimei (who cursed David once, and David swore not to kill (wink wink)). Solomon exacts psychological and physical revenge (including un-aliveing Joab in the Tabernacle) on David’s enemies, and marries the daughter of Pharaoh (the first of many many politically convenient marriages).
Today’s Story
Verses 1-3: Our Paricape skips verses 1-3, likely because these verses throw some complication into the mix, but they are clearly connected to the story presented here, so I am commenting on them as well.
Solomon loved the LORD, just like David: Even if this story didn’t come a week after the David, Bathsheba, and Uriah story, I imagine that it still sounds a bit odd. There is an interesting element that we touched on last week, that David is the character who has written or been written about the most in the Hebrew Scriptures. He is a major force in both the Scriptures and the history of Israel, and also a very complex character (as we all are). Generally, he is regarded as a ‘man after God’s own heart’ but is also a ‘man of war’ who had some very big flaws. We also have to remember that this is all likely being written after the fact, and there is a vested interest in preserving the good name of one of the few good kings.
My wife is in theater, and one of the plays that she did was about dying ex-coal mining towns. There was a beautiful and haunting line in it, that “Nostalgia is a disease.” It is so true, I saw it play out in the ex-textile town that we lived in, and I see it in the church, we can easily get caught up in always looking back, always being defined (usually uncharitably) by the rose-colored memory of what was. It takes a whole lot more effort and faith to be defined by and focused on the future, to where God has yet to call us.
We also cannot escape the past. We are who we are because of those who came before us, their triumphs as well as their failures create and inform us. Solomon could no more avoid the inheritance that he received from David than we can ignore the history of the church, our own congregation, etc. It is a delicate dance we do, taking what is good, and changing that which needs renewal. We are like the proverbial master of the house in Matthew 13:51-53 who pulls out both old and new treasures.
Except, He Offered Incense at the High Places: ‘High Places’ or bamah/bamoth; is a shorthand, especially in the Deuteronomistic Histories for Canaanite cultic sites of worship. Some, especially the earlier ones, were actual high places (like a hill or mountain) where an idol was set up. There is also archeological evidence that some were raised platforms, created for cultic worship within a town or city. Linguistic evidence suggest that some were even multi-room buildings.
1st Kings paints a picture that at least syncretism is going on, if not full on idol worship. We saw Adonijah meeting at a place which may be connected to serpent worship, Solomon offers incense at the ‘High Places.’
Gibean: Our Paricape notes the obscene offering of a thousand bulls at Gibean, at “the principal high place”. Now, we should note that while at this point the Ark of the Covenant is at Jerusalem, the Tabernacle as in Gibean. There is an interpretation that this offering is made at the Tabernacle. However, it seems a pretty significant oversight to say that Solomon not only offered at a high place, but “the principle high place” when he was really making an offering at the Tabernacle. So, if he is making this sacrifice at a high place, what are the implications?
Ignorance: Is he/are they worshiping at the high place out of ignorance? Has the worship of YHWH become so confused with the worship of the Canaanite Ba’als that he thinks that he is making an offering to YHWH, but is doing so at the Canaanite high place?
Have they have taken over this Canaanite worship space as their own? If this is the case, how does it relate to the First Commandment’s instruction not to have any other gods ‘before my face’?
Note: 2 Chronicles, which gives a slightly different take on the kings of Israel and Judah makes it clear that Solomon and the other leaders of Israel are worshiping at the Tabernacle, on the bronze altar made in Exodus. However, it also calls it a high place.
Purposeful: The other option is that he is purposefully making an offering to one of the Canaanite gods. Not only a regular offering, but a huge offering of one thousand bulls. So why might he do so?
Covering all the bases? Perhaps Solomon, in an attempt to get all the help that he can get makes an offering to all the local gods.
Shifting Allegiance? Perhaps Solomon has begun worshiping this other god on purpose, which certainly has some implications.
Either way, what does it tell us that YHWH responds? Is the implication here that YHWH listens at every altar? YHWH also seems to be responding in a more transactional way that would have been assumed from the Canaanite gods, you make a sacrifice, and now I will grant your wish.
My Father David Walked Before You: Again, maybe a bit of an overstatement. However, this is also a part of the overall Scriptural take on David, that even though he messed up (really bad) he remained as one who walked before God in “faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness.” Grace abounds. This is something that we sometimes need to hear, and especially we in the Reformed Tradition, who tend to see the worst in people and in ourselves. We may have a goal of perfection, but perfection is not expected of us. Thanks be to God.
I Am Only A Little Child: This is one of those that we often remember. The classical interpretation (and certainly the ones that we often grow up with) is that Solomon was a literal child when all of this happened to him. It is a great story to tell our children, that they can ask for wisdom as well, and God will grant it to them. There are only so many stories in the Bible about actual children, that we have adopted this one. However, while history is certainly full of stories of monarchs crowned while children, this is not necessarily what is going on here. It may be that Solomon is using a figure of speech, yet another way to display his humility in the situation.
Give Your Servant An Understanding Mind: Here is the moral of the story, Solomon asks for wisdom from God. This presents an interesting paradox. How does Solomon know that he needs wisdom, if he does not have it already? Or, in other words, doesn’t asking for wisdom show that Solomon already has it? The Dunning-Kruger Effect suggests that people suffer from a cognitive bias where we tend to greatly overestimate our competence because “the metacognitive ability to recognize deficiencies in one’s own knowledge or competence requires that one possess at least a minimum level of the same kind of knowledge or competence, which those who exhibit the effect have not attained.” In other words, “we are incompetent at knowing how incompetent we are” (Brian McLaren).
It is interesting then to consider that God has already given Solomon wisdom, yet Solomon takes the humble position of knowing that there is much that he does not know. He does not seem to suffer from the overconfidence that we so often fall prey to. He is also recognizing that God is the source of the wisdom that he seeks. In an interesting way, this interpretation could lead us to more of an abundance mindset, then a scarcity one. God has already granted us so much, but we are asked to acknowledge that fact. We, like Solomon, have some, but God is the source of all good, so more is available if we recognize our own deficiency in faith. This may be especially helpful for those (like me) who are wondering how we can root this sermon in a Stewardship Campaign. However, we may not want to swallow the ‘Solomon is the bestest most wise person forever and ever’ line.
Who Can Govern This People?: Editorial note much?
Your Wish is Granted: Again, perhaps because I have heard this in the frame of a children’s story, it has a bit of a fairy tale feel. Solomon gives the right answer, so he not only gets what he has asked for, but also what he did not ask for, riches and honor. He wishes for more wishes. There is a very clear stylistic change from the stories of David to the stories of Solomon and beyond. David’s story is full of detail, we get the good, the bad, and the ugly. The stories that we are given about Solomon have almost a legend-like quality, and this may be exactly what they are. They may be stories that were passed down from generation to generation, and then compiled in the Exile or Second Temple periods. Before the Biblical literalists attempt to lynch me (if they are still reading), I do not mean that this is not a valuable and informative story. There is certainly a reason that the biblical authors and editors chose to include this story, I am just saying that reason may be less about biography, and more about something else(?).
It Was All A Dream: And you were there, and you were there, and you were there. Let us just step back for a moment and recognize that while this is a very common trope for just about every genre, that was not the case when this was originally told/written. It represents a pretty sophisticated literary device for the time. I have no idea if this is the first recorded use of a dream sequence, but it has got to be one of the first. Also, it may shed some light on the whole thousand bull thing and answers the question of literality as well. this whole interchange is not intended to be taken literally. My mind definitely goes to Constantine, the Roman general who legalized Christianity because he too had a dream where he saw the ‘Chi-Rho’ (an early Christian symbol) in the sky, had his army paint it on their shields, and then one the battle which led to his being made emperor. To be sure, Constantine’s dream and subsequent actions forever changed the church, but to say those changes were all for the good would be an oversimplification (just ask the desert mothers and fathers).
He Came to Jerusalem, Before the Ark of the Covenant: Ta-da, Solomon makes a good decision. He worships at the Ark of the Covenant and makes a sacrifice to YHWH at least once in his life. This is the one shiny nugget in a pretty stunning turd-pile.
Solomon’s Wisdom(?): We then get a story (ostensibly) displaying Solomon’s wisdom. The famous story of the two women and Solomon’s solution of cutting the baby in half.
The classic interpretation that we are most likely used to is that this is a shrewd and insightful move by Solomon. There is no way that he can know who is telling the truth and who is lying, so he threatens to cut the child in two. The woman who has already lost her child is already scarred, so does not care if this other baby lives or dies. The true mother is willing to give up her son to the other woman as long as he remains alive. And they all lived happily ever after.
There is also, within both Kings and Chronicles, evidence that Solomon was not actually that great, and was more concerned with remaking Israel into an empire like Egypt, rather than as the image of God. One place where this is pretty clear is in 2 Kings 3:1 when Solomon makes a political alliance/marriage with Egypt, historically an enemy of the Hebrews. Another is in 2nd Chronicles, immediately after Solomon asks for wisdom, he collects horses and chariots, just like Pharaoh.
The overall take on Solomon in the Deuteronomistic history is mixed. There is this interesting juxtaposition of praise of Solomon, while subtly questioning his actions and motive. Perhaps this is the result of the strong allegiance to the Davidic line in the Deuteronomistic Histories, where even while they are trying to share the cautions of the Solomon story, they are also beholden to his legend status. Imagine writing a biography of George Washington to a more politically conservative audience, but still wanting to condemn his participation in the enslavement of African people, you might be careful in how you word things.
Perhaps, then, this is not meant to function as proof of Solomon’s wisdom, but more sarcastically tell the story of how Solomon stumbled his way into a ‘right answer’.
Prostitutes: The text tells us that these women are prostitutes, without batting an eye. Given the information that we have, there are two major ways that this could be interpreted.
These women are regular prostitutes. As such they would be socially ostracized, with even fewer legal rights than other women of their day.
We are told that the women both live together in a house without a man. This means that they have very little political and legal rights. The fact that they have a house, means that they are in a slightly better place than the average, but it is in no way a good place.
The fact that they have both born a son adds an important layer to this story. These babies are not just children, but a future for each of these women. One of the many tragic parts of prostitution is that it has a limited run, when these women get older they will likely make less in this profession. Having a son will provide legal and economic stability for each of them. This heightens the stakes when one of the sons dies, not only is this a loss of a child, but a future. The economic impact is also likely heightened by the likely fact that they have not been able to work for the last number of months.
An interesting note, however, that these women are able to have a hearing from the King of Israel himself.
The other interpretation is that these women are, in fact, Temple prostitutes. This would lessen the cultural stigma against them, as well as make the economic possibilities of having a son (and devastation at the loss) lesser (though not eliminated). It would, however, heighten the overall picture of a nation who has fallen from worship of the Living God, YHWH, and accepts or even celebrates the worship of other deities.
Terror: This is absolutely a text of terror. We as modern readers (if not ancient readers too) look at this story with horror. An immature and/or out-of-touch king threatens to further traumatize two women, who have just experienced the loss of an infant son (whether through death or kidnapping), with the murder of the other infant.
Again, the classical interpretation is that Solomon is a wise and shrewd leader who uses this situation in order to discern who the true mother is. If this is the case, it is still emotional Waterboarding, and a deeply problematic move.
However, we could just as easily interpret Solomon’s actions as bumbling. If he gets the right answer (more in a sec), we could imagine him making the suggestion to cut the baby in half as a joke or drunken suggestion (or both). This takes the terror to a much darker place, he is capricious, he doesn’t care either way if the boy lives or dies, and the fact that he doesn’t and the case is resolved is just a happy accident.
The Right Answer?: Then we have to consider if he has actually gotten the right answer.
According to the text (which is written by people with their own narrative and editorial reasons, which also need to be interpreted) the mother who has already lost her child does not care if the boy lives or dies, and the fact that the other woman is willing to give him up is given as proof of her status as the true mother.
This assumes that the grieving mother is in a state of deep depression, which is certainly possible.
However, (and this question was raised by someone in one of my Lectionary discussion groups), is it not equally possible that the mother who has lost the child and knows exactly what that is like, is so filled with compassion that she would be willing to let the other woman have the baby so that she does not also have to experience such loss? Could it be that she cannot bear the further trauma of a infanticide?
Arguably, either way, the baby goes to the better mother, but it is not a sign of Solomon’s wisdom.
All Israel Heard and Stood in Awe: Again, we come to the great interpretive question, is this a sign of Solomon’s wisdom, or another nail in the coffin? Are we meant to join in awe, or shake our heads at how far gone this people is that they would praise such a heinous act. Perhaps this is an opportunity to teach some Biblical Critical thinking skills, and present both options.
Pop Culture References
There is an episode of Seinfeld where they threaten to cut a bike in half.
There is also a great section of the She-Hulk Comic (Issue #7 2020, written by Dan Slott, in the Trade “She-Hulk: Superhuman Law”) where She-Hulk is drafted into the Magistrati a cosmic judicial system. Her first case is a “familial dispute between the Emperor and Empress of the planet Honchi” who have differing opinions on which religion to raise their child (one worships the sun, the other the moon). “Wait, I’ve got this one” says She-Hulk, “We covered this in Sunday School. The answer is easy, just cut the child in half and then whoever–” at which point the Emperor of Honchi swiftly cuts the child in half with his sword. She-Hulk naturally freaks out until the bailiff praises her, “What a clever application of the Honchi’s natural ability to segment and subdivide” as the alien infant does just that in each of the parent’s arms. The two walk away from the courtroom pleased at the outcome, while She-Hulks angsty charge, ‘Southpaw,’ mocks her for being lucky rather than right.
Hymn Suggestions (also Reformation Sunday, and we are doing Heritage Sunday)
God of Grace and God of Glory (GTG 307, PH 420)
Be Thou My Vision (GTG 450, PH 339)
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (GTG 366, PH 376)
We are Marching in the Light of God (GTG 853)
I Danced in the Morning/ Lord of the Dance (GTG 157, PH302)
God of Our Fathers/ Faith of our Mothers
Links
Bible Binge Podcast about Solomon (Part 1)
Bible Project video on 1st and 2nd Kings
“Solomon: Love Him or Hate Him? by Tim Mackie from Bible Project Blog
“Solomon: The Wisest of the Fools” Bible Project Podcast
Prayer of the Day
God of wisdom, you call us to wisdom. There is much that we have inherited from our ancestors, some good and some bad. Help us to grow in knowledge and wisdom, to use the gifts that we have been given. Help us to also learn from the mistakes of the past, to redeem the sins of those who have come before us. Give us a future and a hope, and make a better world for those who will come after us. Amen.