Nothing in the text indicates rape. The root of these objections seems to be a concern not to apply our 21st-century understanding of sexual abuse to the Bible. It allows us to think that the preacher just had a lapse in judgment. Particularly relevant to this conversation is the story of Jules Woodson, whose alleged abuser recently announced plans to start a new church.
Woodson was 17 years old when, she has publicly declared, her youth pastor, Andy Savage, sexually assaulted her. He never faced charges, due to the statute of limitations. The church stood and applauded while Savage wiped away tears and his pastor embraced him. Should Savage and others like him be forgiven? Yes, absolutely. This is about justice and accountability. This is why it matters that we get it right that David raped Bathsheba. Among the details missing is any indication of what Bathsheba is thinking or feeling as these events unfold, and thus her character and motives are open to speculation.
Some see Bathsheba as a clever opportunist who was a willing and eager participant in a torrid love affair, and others see her as an innocent victim, exploited by a powerful king.
Those who see Bathsheba as an equal partner in what transpired contend that she must have known that David could see her bathing from the palace roof, and thus she intentionally provoked him by flaunting her body before him.
When David sends for her, she immediately comes to the palace without hesitation, and there is no description of her putting up resistance to his sexual advances. She is quick to tell David of her pregnancy and to marry him as soon as the mourning period for her husband is over. Moreover, since the author relays that both David and Bathsheba suffered from the punishment of the death of their child, they both must be considered guilty of wrongdoing.
Those who see Bathsheba as an innocent victim maintain that she probably assumed that David was at war leading his troops, not in the palace, and certainly not wandering about on the roof. Most likely she was bathing in an inner courtyard, a private space where she thought no one could see her. When summoned by the king, she probably feared that her husband had been killed or wounded in battle, so of course she immediately came to the palace.
And that the same power that a king had earlier used to defend the vulnerable could be turned to exploit the vulnerable. Power is a gift from God, but the temptation to use it for our own selfish gain is ever-present and endlessly enticing. Those entrusted with power must look to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as the paradigm for faithful practice of power.
He, who possessed everything by right, surrendered it all for love. Christ, to whom the whole world belonged, approached the vulnerable with care and honor.
Christ used his power to dignify the vulnerable and defend the shamed. You can follow him on Twitter kyleworley. Already a subscriber? Log in to continue reading. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below.
Sections Home. Bible Coronavirus Prayer. Subscribe Member Benefits Give a Gift. In the church, our children hardly learn about consent at all. That includes, among other things, that marriage is or should be a relationship without the kind of power imbalance that underlies so much sexual abuse.
And when it does come to sex, research shows that equipping our kids to make informed decisions reduces the odds of them having premarital sex!
In truth, everything from sexual manipulation and coercion to rape can and does take place in the context of marriage. Research shows that between ten and fourteen percent of married women will be raped during their marriage. Third, we should be creating a counter-narrative to a patriarchal power structure that affirms sexual entitlement. That he will win her over with persistence—and she will thank him for it.
Children are taught that boys and men can be trusted to make rational decisions, while girls and women make erratic, emotional decisions. I could go on. Sadly, churches are complicit, regurgitating these narratives with a misunderstood and misapplied Bible story as evidence.
These patterns set up young people for unhealthy relationships, romantic or otherwise. We must learn from Tamar and Bathsheba. If we do not, we are doing a disservice to our spiritual formation, our relationships, and our witness in the world. In the Bible and in our own world, we blame those who God holds blameless.
We fail to see or address our own contributions to the epidemic of abuse that plagues our society. Instead of recognizing the role of power dynamics in abuse, we actually teach couples that God created men to have power over women!
The Bible says otherwise, but we are often blind to its truths. The past is still informing issues relevant to our current lives. Read the full issue here. Check it out here and subscribe! Advanced Search. Tip: to find an exact phrase or title, enclose it in quotation marks.
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