David sleeps with his ancestors. Solomon reigns in his stead. Chapter 3 opens with a portent of Solomon's downfall - he enters into an alliance with Egypt (Deuteronomy 17:6 warns against this) and marries pharaoh's daughter (Deuteronomy 7.3 forbids marrying foreign wives lest apostasy ensue). Solomon's leadership by example is the detail of Israel's apostasy, worshipping at the high places (instead of the one place described in Deuteronomy 12), entering into covenants with foreign kingdoms, and marrying foreign wives. Solomon looks more like a king than a prince (David's title).

Still, Solomon has something going for him - wisdom, of a sort. The 'wisdom' that he enjoys has already led him into questionable moral conduct (killing his older brother, Adonijah, who petitioned through Bathsheba (Solomon's mother) to wed Abishag the Shunamite. As this was one of David's concubines (a young girl who lay with him to keep him warm in his old age) Solomon interprets this as an act of competition for the kingdom (indeed, Adonijah was to have received the kingdom in the eyes of Israel, but the Lord turned the thing about, giving it to Solomon.

Solomon is as ruthless as his father David in securing his kingdom. He slays Adonijah, and banishes the priest, Abiathar to his home town of Anathoth. By the way, Anathoth is where Jeremiah is going to come from, and I think they have their own worship site there, and Jeremiah is at odds with Jerusalem and the temple, possibly because of this ancient slight against Abiathar and (by extension) Anathoth. When Joab hears of this "purge" he flees to the horns of the altar, where Solomon has him killed. Finally, Solomon slays Shimei, one of the last icons of his father's reign, and one of the last who would have sufficient reputation and support to be a threat to Solomon and his reign. In fact, in reading the first verses of chapter 2, we discover that David has instructed Solomon to repay his enemies, by name. Clearly, this is the instruction of a father to a son who is about to be king - and not a king as David was, but a king as no other king has been or will be. David is sharing his own wisdom here with Solomon, and Solomon accepts it and carries it out.

This is an acrostic psalm giving thanks to God for the Exodus, the covenant, the food in the wilderness and the gift of the land. The attributes of God are lauded, and the fear of the Lord is 'the beginning of wisdom.'

The days are evil, and folk should take care how they live. The singing of psalms and hymns of praise with thanksgiving are encouraged, presumably in opposition to the local pub (do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery). Actually, I think it safer to say it may readily lead to debauchery. Ben Franklin once said that beer and wine were proofs that God loves us. In the ancient near east, these were symbols of happy days and God's blessing as well. Yet, if someone's character is at risk by partaking, or the company is dangerous by means of lust or lewdness, it would be better to refrain. Certainly, the company of the saints and the habit of praise are to be preferred.

John's gospel does not include an account of the last supper, but in this chapter the theme of flesh and blood are developed with decidedly Eucharistic overtones. The audience finds the words offensive. In fact, in v. 66, we will discover that "many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him." Some interpreters suggest that Jesus was spiritualizing, and that his hearers didn't comprehend his greater message. I tend to believe that Jesus was speaking hard things about a cruel death, both his and theirs. I think they got his point. I think they opted for something other than martyrdom (his or theirs).

(Comments to Michael at mphillip@epix.net.)

First Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Berwick, Pennsylvania (Susquehanna North Branch)