Fresh Text 1 Samuel 16v1-13 with David Drury (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
Mar 16, 2020
David Drury, chief of staff for the Wesleyan Church and seasoned preacher-scholar, joins to unpack 1 Samuel 16:1-13. They explore how Samuel misjudges by appearance, the idea that God discerns the heart, and the political tensions around Saul and Bethlehem. Conversations highlight ritual, public performance, and waiting for David’s anointing.
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God Sees The Heart Not Height
- Samuel mistakes outward stature for divine selection, showing human sight prefers appearance.
- David and Saul contrast: men look at height while God looks into the heart, a repeated theme in 1 Samuel 16.
Seeing As Divine Providence
- The Hebrew verb for 'see' carries an idiom of providence implying God has 'seen to it' and prepared a king among Jesse's sons.
- John Drury and David Drury highlight Robert Alter's literal translation to reveal this providential nuance.
Fear Shapes The Bethlehem Reception
- Samuel fears Saul's violent jealousy and worries Saul will kill him if he anoints a successor.
- The Bethlehemites also fear Samuel, perceiving him as Saul's representative, which heightens the irony of the visit.
