What the people wanted was a king. They wanted someone to unify their kingdom from being a loose confederacy ruled by judges into a military power that could defend their land from the ever growing army of the Philistines. What they got was Saul who, in the beginning of his career, “displayed a strength in battle and an ability to inspire his followers that place him high in the ranks of the military great.”
To make him king would be place him not only “above the law” but he would “be the law” because kings, as almost everybody knows, have absolute power. This all well and good if the king is fair, moral, and trustworthy but when this unchecked power goes awry it is a recipe for disaster.
There is a phenomenally popular musical in town called “Six.” It is the story of the six wives of Henry VIII who was a king with unbridled power who believed that he could treat women however he wanted because, in the end they were disposable. And, dispose of them he did. The king “entered affairs unmistakably and spectacularly.”1
Since Catherine of Aragon was unable to produce a male heir (and, of course, if you’re the king the fault must be hers and hers alone) Henry became infatuated “with one of the ladies of the court, Anne Boleyn, the sister of one of his earlier mistresses. It took six years for the couple to consummate their relationship while at the same time causing such a rift in the church over Henry’s annulment that a break from Rome was needed and the Church of England founded with none other than Henry himself as its “titled head.” This “new title consolidated his own concept of kingship, his conviction that (as he once said) he had no superior on earth. It rounded off the majestic image of divinely instituted royal rule that it was Henry’s constant ambition to present to an awed and obedient world.”2
To have a leader with unbridled power is a very dangerous thing.
Anne’s arrogant behaviour soon made her unpopular at court. Although Henry lost interest in her and began liaisons with other women, the birth of a son might have saved the marriage.” None was produced so “Henry had her committed to the Tower of London on a charge of adultery. She was tried by a court of peers, unanimously convicted, and beheaded on May 19.
On May 30 Henry married Jane Seymour.”3 He was a quick worker.
Take away the guardrails of government and, like Henry, one can have a king that behaves however he pleases inside, or outside, the law. Jane would die from complications due to childbirth.
Henry would go on to marry Anne of Cleves who functioned as a pure pawn to gather the support of the Protestants in Germany. Unfortunately for Anne, since she was German her command of English was less than expected and so were her looks. She was gone in a matter of months with head intact but with a large dowry.
Not so lucky was Catherine Howard, who had a wandering eye and Henry’s toadies in “Parliament passed a bill of attainder declaring it treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king. Two days later Catherine was beheaded in the Tower of London.”4
A king could hire a hit squad to “off” someone who he believed betrayed him because he was above the law, don’t you know.
Only Catherine Parr survived he marriage to King Henry but only because she managed to outlive him.
How this betrayal, beheading, and intrigued, managed to turn itself into an upbeat, high-energy musical, I’m still working on but the lesson is clear. Anytime a person is granted the power king there is danger.
And this became increasingly so in today’s first reading from “The Good Book” about the monarchy of king Saul.
“As now written, the historical books describe many episodes of Saul’s inexorable decline,” as “the first king is portrayed as growing ever more deranged an incompetent — even seeking to kill David, whom he (rightly) perceives to be a theat to his prestige and rule.”5
So, after the madness, after turmoil, after the divisiveness, after all the chaos in the reign of King Saul the people looked to “a leader with could unify them – a leader who had to be strong in battle, who had divine favor, and whose success was believed to be guaranteed.” The problem is success is never guaranteed. Jesus, wasn’t even a success in his hometown.
This is not the stuff of kingship; this is the stuff of pure embarrassment. He is having a very bad day. If David’s is a story of “the man who would be King” Jesus’ is a story of “a man who wouldn’t be king.”
In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth after a wildly successful ministry debut. In the weeks preceding his return, he has developed a widespread reputation for his wisdom and authority. He has proclaimed God’s kingdom with provocative parables. He has earned the trust of twelve loyal disciples. He has exorcised demons, healed the sick, calmed a storm, and raised a little daughter from the dead. He has become, in other words, the dream returnee. The hometown boy made good.
But then, almost without warning, something happens. Someone in the crowd — perhaps a jealous old neighbor of Mary’s, or a childhood rival of Jesus, or the notorious village gossip who loves stirring up dissension — starts asking prickly questions: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters here among us?"
At this point, the text tells us, the mood in the synagogue shifts. Appreciation morphs into accusation, curiosity becomes contempt, and the people “take offense.” They decide that Jesus is presuming too much. Exceeding his bounds.6
Dr. Matt Skinner, of Luther Seminary in St. Paul writes of this scene.
I imagine their thoughts along the lines of, “Who does this guy think he is? What kind of son leaves behind his mother and siblings to lead a movement that’s probably going to get him and a bunch of people in trouble? He was better off staying home and continuing to work as a carpenter.” The “offense” they take entails rejection or disengagement. We’re witnessing more than confusion or hurt feelings.7
What we are witnessing is rejection, complete and total rejection. But, Jesus interprets the rejection as part of a prophet’s job description. Jesus knew “when you get knocked down, you get back up!”8
Lest readers mistakenly presume that the hometown rejection might inhibit Jesus’ power going forward, immediately he takes steps to expand his ministry’s reach. His twelve disciples ... receive marching orders."9
With absolutely no sense of irony Jesus turns right around and sends his disciples out into the world. “Now Jesus turns to these twelve ordinary people and calls them and sends them out into the world to do the very same things he has been doing. He is sending them out ... to call people to transformed living.”10
That is our job. Because Christ is sending us out with his life-giving message our life counts for more than that of a queen or a king. Because of Christ sending us out it means that we have something more interesting to do than simply looking out after our own interests. In our efforts we may risk rejection or be rewarded for our efforts but we know that no matter who we are, no matter what we become, our lives will be lived in service of a real king.
Real leaders know this! As did one who was showing the editors of Time Magazine around his current residence and after offering them some cookies that he assured them were homemade he began to wrap up his conversation. But, before turning to leave, he offered a final salutation: “Keep the faith.” But then he paused and turned back, as the phrase triggers one last story. It’s about his aunt who, when he was young, had her own response to that admonition. And here he taped one of his visitors on the chest and says, “Don’t keep the faith! Spread the faith.”11
That was the disciple’s job. That’s our job. It won’t give us any high exalted titles. It may not even earn us the esteem of our neighbors or even our friends. But it is ours to do. As followers of Jesus follow the example of a real leader, “let’s not just keep the faith; lets spread the faith.”
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1. “Saul,” Encyclopædia Britannica, May 31, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saul-king-of-Israel.
2. “Henry VIII,” Encyclopædia Britannica, June 29, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-VIII-king-of-England.
3. “Anne Boleyn,” Encyclopædia Britannica, June 29, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Boleyn.
4, “Catherine Howard,” Encyclopædia Britannica, June 21, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-Howard.
5 Daniel Smith Christopher, “1 Samuel 15:34--16:13,” Connections: A Lectionary Commentary for Preaching and Worship, Year B, 3, no. 3 (Louisville, KY: Westminister|John Knox Press, 2021): 73– 75.
6. Debie Thomas, “Hometown Prophets,” Journey with Jesus, June 27, 2021, https://www.journeywithjesus.net/essays/3058-hometown-prophets.
7. Matt Skinner, “Commentary on Mark 6:1-13,” Working Preacher , June 21, 2024, https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-14-2/commentary-on-mark-61-13-6.
8. Tyler Pager and Maeve Reston, “Biden Rallies Crowd, Attempting to Tamp Down Debate Concerns in Raleigh - The Washington Post,” wahingtonpost.com, June 28, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/28/biden-rally-debate-north-carolina/.
9. Skinner, loc.cit
10. William H Willimon, “The Founding of the Church ,” A Sermon for Every Sunday, July 1, 2024, https://asermonforeverysunday.com/.
11. Massimo Calabres, “President Biden on World Leadership, War, and 2024 Election,” Time, June 5, 2024, https://time.com/6984970/joe-biden-2024-interview/.
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