how is bathsheba related to jesus
This indicates respect. [27] It seems more likely to be associated with Juvenal, bishop of Jerusalem in the mid 5th century. If they, with their questionable connections, could be included as ancestors of kings, then so could Mary.. Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel, one of David's first wives ( 1 Samuel 25:43 ). Made in both clay and bronze, this life-size sculpture reflects her story in the Bible by capturing the figure in wet garments that cling to her body, as Bathsheba was described as having met King David after stepping out of the bath. Your email address will not be published. 1 Pet. Judah initially ordered Tamar to be burnt to death because he first thought she had acted immorally (Gen. 38:24). These four women and Mary were righteous even if they dont appear that way to the casual or narrow-minded observer. Jesus in history Perspectives on Jesus Jesus in culture Christianity portal Islam portal v t e Rose window in Basilica of Saint-Denis, France, depicting the ancestors of Jesus from Jesse onwards The New Testament provides two accounts of the genealogy of Jesus, one in the Gospel of Matthew and another in the Gospel of Luke. Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important. The name of the pool is said to be derived from the Hebrew and/or Aramaic language. https://margmowczko.com/a-sympathetic-look-at-bathsheba/, Interesting post. We can infer from 2 Samuel 11 that her name is Bathsheba, but for most of that story, she's not called Bathsheba. 2:4-10). Logging in will also give you access to commenting features on our website. Rembrandt: Bathsheba at Her Bath Bathsheba was a daughter of Eliam and was probably of noble birth. When the walls came tumbling down (Jos 6:20), only Rahab and her family were spared. If youre already a subscriber or donor, thank you! Matthew Why isn't Bathsheba named in Matthew 1? If only David had used loyalty toward two of his key soldiers to stop himself from acting on his lust. 2. He tells us that trust in providence is the key to finding meaning in the polarities of human existence: light and darkness, grace and sin, peace and violence, plan and disruption, health and sickness, life and death. The Pool of Bethesda was sometimes identified by commentators with the modern so-called Fountain of the Virgin, in the Kidron Valley, not far from the Pool of Siloam, or alternatively with the Birket Isr'il, a pool near the mouth of the valley, which runs into the Kidron south of St. Stephen's Gate. Did God Back up the Sun Dial for Hezekiah? God shows up in the manger to get that work started, and it is completed on the cross the ultimate example of God taking something bad that humans did and using it for Gods purposes. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Jesus four great-grandmothers in Matthew 1 show us that if we want in, God facilitates this and welcomes us. Maybe you saw tweets from people like one who identified himself as 7-year-old Bana, who wrote, This is my last moment to either live or die. Maybe you heard it called a massacre along the lines of Rwanda, 1994. 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The Johannine text (chapter 5) describes the porticoes as being a place in which large numbers of infirm people were waiting, which could correspond with the site's possible use in the 1st century AD as an Asclepeion. Beauty, Marriage, Motherhood, and Ministry It must have been a turning point for her too. However, cognates of this word are used, perhaps as a euphemism, in other Aramaic verses where the context clearly indicates prostitutes (e.g., 1 Kings 3:16; Ezek. David starts to panic a little at this point and practically begs Uriah to go home, but Uriah doesnt go home, at which point David completely freaks out and devises a plan to kill Uriah and make it look like an accident. Bathsheba (Heb. Tamar and Rahab were Canaanites, Ruth a Moabite, and Bathsheba was probably a Hittite. (Lincoln, NE), Benjamin Victor: Website | Facebook | Instagram, Stunning Figurative Sculptures Capture the Beauty of the Human Body in Motion, Ethereal Angel Sculpture Appears to Effortlessly Float Above the Ground, Life-Sized Driftwood Sculptures Look Like Uncanny Characters From a Sci-Fi Movie. And ultimately, Gods love prevails, a truth revealed in the person and life of Jesus. We imagine, maybe, that there David was, getting some fresh air up on the palace roof, when all of a sudden this beautiful woman on a neighboring rooftop catches his eye. And it is her son who continues that family line all the way down to to Jesus, the Messiah who will save Israel and all of us. Israelites were forbidden from marrying Moabites, but Boaz recognised Ruths virtue and married her anyway (cf. by Arnold Fruchtenbaum | April 20 2018 Genealogies and the Bible Some have deemed the Bible's many genealogical passages unnecessary. 11 Instances - Page 1 of 1 - Sort by Book Order - Feedback. Was she a willing participant, or was she forced? Are we so caught up in our own families or our own work that we rarely raise our eyes to the larger world of the poor on other continents? But the Christmas story, like this story, is the story of a God who cares enough to take the broken pieces of our lives and world and put them back together again in a way that is different but beautiful. [18][23] The Mishnah implies that at least one of these new pools was sacred to Fortuna,[24] the goddess of fortune, rather than Asclepius, the god of healing. (Source:JSTOR). All four, as well as Mary, could have been accused of sexual immorality. A Sympathetic Look at Bathsheba They form an impressive precedent for Jesus birth of an unmarried mother[7] from an obscure background.[8], The women in Matthews genealogy all have unusual stories about how they came to be mothers (Tamar, Mary) or how they came to be mothers in the community of Israel (Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba). What do they tell us about Advent? You read this story and every step of the way you just want to scream, Dont do it, David! The Bible only says good things about Rahab. We dont know. So lets back up. Maybe you heard reports of bodies littering the streets. and Jesse fathered King David. [23] Also, the location of the baths outside the then city walls would have made its presence tolerable to the Jews, who might otherwise have objected to a non-Jewish religious presence in their holy city. What is their significance? I always saw it as a way of God vindicating these women in all the ways you mention. (Lincoln, NE). [5] And Tamar is spoken of positively in Ruth 4:12. Throughout the ages, the people of Israel hold fast to the hope that someone from the line of David will sit on the throne again and that they would once again know that time of peace and prosperity. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." Uriah the Hittite (Hebrew: ryy hat) is a minor figure in the Hebrew Bible, mentioned in the Books of Samuel, an elite soldier in the army of David, king of Israel and Judah, and the husband of Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam.While Uriah was serving in David's army abroad, David himself, from the roof of his palace, looked down on his city . ~ Bathsheba was one of several wives of King David (1 Chron. Yudin, Joe. He wrote things like Do you really comprehend how beautiful your smile is? And Solomon is the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam is the father of Abijahall the way down the line to Joseph, the (adoptive) father of Jesus. American artist Benjamin Victor is a world-renowned sculptor whose extensive body of work recalls masters like Michelangelo and Bernini.One of his most recent creations depicts the Biblical character of Bathsheba as a statuesque young woman in a long dress. For places named after it, see, W. Harold Mare "The Archaeology of the Jerusalem Area", Wipf & Stock, 1987, St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Memphis, An archaeological diagram of the layout the diagram displayed at the location itself is visible at this link. Once Bathshebas period of mourning for her husband was over, David installed her as his seventh wife (yes, seventh), and in due time she had the child, a son. It is his name, from among Davids children, that appears on the list of Jesus ancestors. The biblical authors do not judge or condemn Rahab in any way for being a prostitute, whatever that looked like for a Canaanite woman living in the bronze age. Furthermore, Tamar waited until Judahs wife had died, and she waited for him to finish mourning for her, before implementing her scheme. Uriah, according to Davids edict, was placed on the front lines of the hardest fighting, and other soldiers were ordered to back off so that he would be killed (2 Samuel 11:15). The Pool of Bethesda is from the Christian Bible's New Testament, John 5:2 account of Jesus healing a paralyzed man at a pool in Jerusalem, described as being near the Sheep Gate and surrounded by five covered colonnades or porticoes.It is now associated with the site of a pool in the current Muslim Quarter of the city, near the gate now called the Lions' Gate or St. Stephen's Gate and the . 1 Kings 2:19 KJV. Or perhaps the king had news about her father Eliam, also one of the king's "Mighty Men." [7] Matthew says that Joseph took Mary as his wife before Jesus was born (Matt. Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. Our circle is studying the lives of the five women in Matthews genealogy and I stumbled on your article on line. It is refreshing to read this piece of history from the 'mothers' viewpoint but the reading comes with saddness. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. But he remains the chosen king, through whose family line God will fulfill Gods promises. Who was Jezebel? 3:5). Matthew seems to have a second motive for inserting these four women into the otherwise all-male genealogy: They are all Gentiles. He founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under a single monarch. [citation needed], According to the Gospel of John, Bethesda was a bathing pool (Greek: , kolumbethra) with five porticoes (translated as porches by older English Bible translations). I always had a problem with people who tried to paint these women as sinful -Ive seen many men on Christian forums make that comment. [18], By the fifth century, at least part of the asclepieion had been converted into, or replaced by, a Byzantine church, known as the Church of the Probatike (literally, the Church of the Sheep, the pool being called the Probatic or Sheep Pool) and initially dedicated to the Healing of the Paralytic, though from the sixth century associated with the Virgin Mary (the German pilgrim Theodosius wrote in De Situ Terrae Sanctae (c. 530) that "next to the Sheep-pool is the church of my Lady Mary"). Her name is mentioned only once, in v.3 where Davidasks her name. [28] After the conquest of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187, it was transformed into a Shafi`i fiqh (Islamic law school). Whether she was complicit in King Davids actions, or whether she was terrified. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king." The thing that David had done displeased the Lord (2 Samuel 11:27), and as a result Nathan told David, The child who is born to you shall die (2 Samuel 12:14). 1 Kings 2:13 KJV, "And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him." , in 1 Chron. The first-century Christians whom Matthew addressed probably had mixed but considerably more favorable reactions to the inclusion of Rahab on the list. Gradually the buildings fell into ruin, becoming a midden (waste dump). Even if we say it is not Gods will, or not necessarily Gods will, for bad things to happen to people like they happened to Bathsheba, I think we still need to be careful about not blithely writing off tragedy and evil simply as something God will redeem, as if its as easy as that. And that doesnt justify the bad happening in the first place, but it does mean that Gods purposes of love and life cant ultimately be stopped, even by us. Later, when she sends word to David that she is pregnant, he is trappedat least, if he wants to keep his reputation as benevolent dictator. She does not appear to have been related by blood to Jacobs (i.e. David, (flourished c. 1000 bce), second ruler of the united kingdom of ancient Israel and Judah. Matthew is saying that just as Gentiles are part of Jesus lineage, they are part of his future. The New Testament traces Jesus lineage through David and Abraham. The story of David and Bathsheba is a sad one in a number of ways. Marys Scandal and Favour Sure, David does a bad thing, but if you really think about it, its all Bathshebas fault. Its a heavy burden. Matthews readers, who knew the Hebrew Scriptures well, must certainly have been jolted at finding Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba on the list. In the biblical account of the reign of King Solomon, she visited his court at the head of a camel caravan bearing gold, jewels, and spices. The prophet Nathan memorably confronts King David with treachery: "Uriah the Hittite [Bathsheba's husband] thou has smitten with the sword, and his wife thou has taken to be thy wife. Have you been told lately how warm your eyes are and how they softly glow with the special nature of your soul? As one article put it, Its a love story worthy of a treacly Nicholas Sparks novel.[1]. [citation needed], .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}314653N 351409E / 31.78139N 35.23583E / 31.78139; 35.23583, This article is about the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. [2] A.L. R.T. France points out that in each case there were at least suspicions of some form of marital irregularity, though all four were in fact vindicated by Gods subsequent blessing. (Google Books). She is sent for, she is taken, she is lain with, she is sent home. You might also say this is not a Christmas story. And it never is. (Mt 28:18-20). Our ethnicity, our past, our pain, our reputation, our gender is no impediment for entrance into Jesus kingdom and full acceptance into his royal family (cf. Made in both clay and bronze, this life-size sculpture reflects her story in the Bible by capturing the figure in wet garments that cling . [21][22], According to Jerome Murphy-O'Connor in the 1st century BC natural caves to the east of the two pools were turned into small baths with a religious/medical function. She did this knowing that palace politics could be dangerous, even deadly. Bathsheba enters Israel's history in the most unusual of ways. Psalms 51:1 KJV, "And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king." Why Was She Being Taken? The parenthetical aside about her purifying herself may refer back to the roof bath as a ritual cleansing at the end of her period, which would affirm . It is one of the stories that makes Christmas possible. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. First, he had Bathsheba's husband called back from the battle front, hoping he would have sex with Bathsheba and hopefully think the baby was his. Both her father Elaim and her husband Uriah are listed among Davids Mighty Men, apparently an elite group of soldiers known for their military prowess. So Uriah comes home, but either he is suspicious or heartbreakingly faithful, because he refuses to go to his house and reunite with his wife while his comrades are risking it all in the field. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? [25] Murphy-O'Connor thinks it likely that this development was founded by the Roman garrison of the nearby Antonia Fortress,[18] who would also have been able to protect it from attack. This church was destroyed in 614 by the Persians.[27]. In the infancy narratives Matthew continues this theme with the story of the magi, Gentiles who come from the East to adore the newborn Lord. [1] R.R. Again, what about Bathsheba? The Clarity of Scripture. Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered King David. She was a prostitute, as the Book of Joshua attests (Jos 2:1), but the New Testament praises her for her faith and good works (Heb 11:31 and Jas 2:25). We might also know her as the wife of the Hittite Uriah, the daughter of Eliam, or the mother of Israel's King Solomon. I agree that Bathshebas bad rap accords with the sexism in the church throughout the centuries. Psalms 51:1 chapter context similar meaning copy save (To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba .) Matthew begins his Gospel with An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham (Matt.1:1) His main aim is to support the claim that Jesus is a descendant of King David. Theirs might be a star-crossed love, but they both know in that instant that nothing is ever going to be the same again. But there are divine consequences to Davids actions, so the child Bathsheba is carrying dies. After the Crusader conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, a much smaller church was built among the Byzantine-period ruins on the stone dyke separating the two pools, known as the Church of the Paralytic[27] or the Moustier ('the Monastery'). But Bathsheba, after her first child dies, gives birth to Solomon, and Solomon becomes king. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 5:9-10). Several early Jewish writers state that endogamous marriages are preferred. Bathsheba, also spelled Bethsabee, in the Hebrew Bible (2 Samuel 11, 12; 1 Kings 1, 2), wife of Uriah the Hittite; she later became one of the wives of King David and the mother of King Solomon. The Women of Advent: Tamar by Gail Wallace (The Junia Project) ~ Rahab committed treason against her own people in Jericho when she helped their enemy Israel. It is only in Matthew 1 that we learn she became the mother of Boaz. 2:1; 6:17, 22, 25; Heb. I appreciate the post, especially your treatment of Bathsheba. Source: Author bigwoo. She hid the Israelite spies who had infiltrated Jericho, thus facilitating the capture of the city. Obed fathered Jesse, Why these, and only these, women? [15], In archaeological digs conducted in the 19th century, Conrad Schick discovered a large tank situated about 100 feet (30m) north-west of St. Anne's Church, which he contended was the Pool of Bethesda. 3 Formidable Bible Women with Strange Stories (Rahab, Tamar, Rizpah), Redemption and Family Responsibility: Boaz and Jesus, Beauty, Marriage, Motherhood, and Ministry, https://margmowczko.com/a-sympathetic-look-at-bathsheba/, 3 Formidable Bible Women with Strange Stories, Why 1 Timothy 2:12 shouldnt be used to ban women ministers, Philip Payne on Hairstyles vs. Head Coverings in Corinth. The Bible names all of Jacobs twelve sons but only one daughter, Dinah, because of her sad story. [18][19][20], Although popular legend argues that this pool was used for washing sheep, this is very unlikely due to the pool's use as a water supply, and its extreme depth (13m). Their presence on the list foreshadows the role of the Messiah, who opens Gods saving plan to the Gentiles. I thought about that and wondered if thats what my sermon was, an attempt to find a neat, optimistic ending to a tragic story. I liked your comment that she was taken., Thanks, Jen. Around 200 BC, during the period in which Simon II was the Jewish High Priest, the channel was enclosed, and a second pool was added on the south side of the dam. Giloh was a town in the Judean hills. Interestingly, she is nameless in the Greek text of Matthew 1 and is identified only as Uriahs wife. This seems to distance Bathsheba from Davids crimes. She loses her husband and newborn son and I believe this mention of her along with Nathans comparing her to an innocent lamb during his confrontation with David, proves God redeemed her too from the pain (and potentially abusive initial relationship) she may have endured. That is surely an enormous challenge as we experience war, terrorism and poverty. Benedict XVIs secretary has been sent away from the Vatican, but his future is unclear, Podcast: Preaching tips from a Catholic priest, husband and father of five, Bishop Stika of Knoxville resigns early amid Vatican investigation into abuse cover-up and financial mismanagement, Interview: What playing Father Brown taught Mark Williams about priests and the Catholic Church, Its About Eternal Life After All by Edward Jeremy Miller, Why todays students should read James Baldwin in school, Days after Wagner coup attempt, Pope Francis sends cardinal for peace talks, The Grimace Shake Moment of 2023 gave me hope for humanity (and brands). Copyright 2023 America Press Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Do they have anything in common with Mary the mother of Jesus who is mentioned in Matthew 1:16? And still I do believe that sometimes despite all appearances, God is working in this world to redeem the mess we make, even if like Bathsheba we cant for the life us see how, until a thousand years in the future or more. She came to him, and he slept with her. In this article, I look at three aspects of the lives of these mothers. Doesnt think twice about it. But Bathsheba, after her first child dies, gives birth to Solomon, and Solomon becomes king. As Maloney reminds us inserting women into the all male geneaolgy foreshadows God's saving plan for all people even in the 21st century when people fight against those whom we view as different either in culture or beliefs. Rahab and Lydia: Two Faith-Filled Women Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25). Bathsheba ( / bib / or / bb /; Hebrew: , Ba-ea, Bat-Sheva or Batsheva, "daughter of Sheba" or "daughter of the oath") [1] was the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later of David, according to the Hebrew Bible. It involves sin and conversion, success and failure, heroes and villains. Wherever you die I will die and there be buried (Ru 1:16-17). Both Nahor and Haran are sons of Terah and therefore brothers of Abraham and Sarah. [2] Tamar and Bathsheba are previously mentioned in genealogies, in 1 Chronicles 2:4 and 3:5 respectively. The primary evidence for David's career consists of several chapters in the books 1 . According to the New Testament, Bathsheba was an ancestor of Jesus. Weve been hearing news from Aleppo for a long time now, but it reached a climax this point as the city fell to Assad and his forces, who apparently went around massacring people. [2] If that is true, it tells us much about Bathsheba and the type of woman she became in her later years. When David messes everything up, taking others down with him, God can still ultimately make it good again. So, with Matthew, the church encourages us this Advent to ponder the mystery of providence, both in our own lives and in the wider history of humanity today. http://www.politico.com/story/2009/06/inside-sanfords-love-letters-024269. Some say the four women in Matthews genealogy were immoral in some way, or that they each suffered disgrace. [18] The reservoir became known as the Upper Pool ( ). One said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" (WEB KJV DBY NAS NIV) 2021 11 Feb The story of David and Bathsheba is not a love story or at least it didn't start that way. And he concludes his Gospel with the rousing universal missionary mandate: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. She plays an almost entirely passive role in this chapter and utters only three words (two in Hebrew). And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on . In any comparison of Bathsheba with Mary, the mother of Jesus, the notion of "Queen Mother" perhaps can help with understanding that the theme came from the Hebrew Scriptures and later developed into the Queenship of Mary through devotion and liturgy. Others identified it with the twin pools then called the Souterrains (French for "subterranean"), under the Convent of the Sisters of Zion;[1] subsequent archaeological investigation has identified these with the later Struthion Pool. ), The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), pp. If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, youll have unlimited access to the website. Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute. We don't know. This was her legal right under Levirate law. Her home is referred to as an inn or lodging house (kataggion) by Josephus in Jewish Antiquities 5.1.2 (line 7). He says this during her visit to him at night, alone (Ruth 3:13-14). Sometimes, though, the story is told differently. And in the Aramaic Targum (Aramaic translation/interpretation) of Joshua, Rahab is referred to as an innkeeper (pundeqita).
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