Thursday, July 24, 2014

Thursday, July 24, 2014

1 Samuel 28:3-20

I’ve always enjoyed this passage. During my undergrad at UW I took a great course (I forget if it was about David or the whole of the Hebrew Scriptures), and read Robert Alter’s translation, The David Story. The tale of a desperate Saul seeking out the witch brings to mind Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and also, as I vaguely recall, a particularly effective scene in the film Match Point (I’ll have to watch it again). David, Saul, and Samuel are such key figures in the Bible that I really recommend reading the entirety of 1 Samuel, and Alter’s translation happens to be available at the Central location of the Kitchener Public Library.

I read this passage in the context of the greater story of David and Saul, which concerns a number of themes such as obedience, punishment, friendship, and trust. In digging into my Orthodox Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Inc., 2008) I found some interesting notes that suggest that the Church Fathers, the influential thinkers of the early Church, had some issues with the idea of witches and ghosts in Holy Scripture. 

• A few, though a pretty influential bunch (Justin Martyr, Origen, Ambrose, Augustine) interpreted the conjuring of the spirit as real. 

• Chrysostom and Theodoret weren’t sure if the apparition was actually Samuel or a demon, but it was God who made him present, and not the witch.

• A large number of interpreters (including Tertullian, Hippolytus, Basil, and Gregory of Nyssa) believe the apparition to be a deceitful demon, giving a false prophecy. (p. 349)

I’m not particularly occupied by this issue. My interpretation is that the story wasn’t passed down to us in order to develop our theology regarding the afterlife. Again, I think it has something to do with the various themes that are at play in the wider story. (I am not in any way saying I’m better or smarter than these Church Fathers, just that my cultural lens is different than theirs.) 

It would appear that my reflection on today’s passage is a bit playful and scatterbrained. But there are a few takeaways.

• Read the whole story; it’s even better than Shakespeare and Woody Allen.

• Translators such as Robert Alter can help us to read these scriptures with an appreciation for the inspiration, talent, and diligence that went into crafting them. 

• KPL does not have a copy of Match Point (nor does WPL). 

• The story brings up the issue of God’s absence. Even if you aren’t on Saul’s side, it’s possible to empathize with him, feeling so forlorn. He is so desperate he seeks out a witch, after having jettisoned all the wizards and diviners from the land. For those in need, including those with whom it is hard to empathize, the feeling of God’s anger, absence, or abandonment can be a terrible, terrible ordeal. How can we make people more aware of God’s care and presence in our lives?

-- Matthew Kieswetter