4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
-2 Samuel 12:4, NIV
Some people are quick to refer to the story of King David and Bathsheba when talking about pastors who committed clergy sexual abuse. This story is usually invoked as an example to bolster calls for restoration of said pastor.
They might even call the relationship between the pastor and a parishioner an affair. It is NOT an affair–rather, it is clergy sexual abuse. Anyone under the care of a pastor cannot consent to sexual relationship with said pastor.
So much is often missed about this story and restoration of King David:
First, Prophet Nathan does not blame Bathsheba in his confrontation with King David.
The story does not feature a seductive lamb. It is merely has a beloved ewe lamb stolen and slaughtered by a powerful man according to his desires.
Similarly, King David took Bathsheba. She was assaulted and used having as much say in the matter as that poor ewe lamb in Prophet Nathan’s story. As such, it is a story of a powerful man abusing his power for personal gratification–i.e. what happens in clergy sexual abuse.
Second, the confrontation is public and King David’s repentance is played out publicly.
The story is forever memorialized in the Bible. This means it was made known to the nation. Also, we have Psalm 51 where King David repents openly. This is NOT a private matter. The nation was put on notice of what EXACTLY King David did.
Finally, David paid a dear price for his sins still.
His his first son by Bathsheba dies and later his own son sleeps with his wives and concubines in the open as a humiliation piece.
Forgiveness means that God does not kill him on the spot (see 2 Samuel 12:13). It does not mean he walks away with no consequences for his sins, though.
This story does not blame the victim, Bathsheba, or Uriah, her husband, in the least. It takes a very tough stance towards King David, though. To King David’s credit, he repents specifically and publicly taking the consequences for his sins as well.
Before invoking this example, I wonder how many can say the abusive pastor has publicly, specifically repented of his sins and is willing to face the consequences of said sins?
That seems to be the biblical priority here; not a cheap grace without those important steps first.
Good points.
I am not an eloquent man, so please be patient with my ‘rabbit trail’
I’ve actually used this example when told that I must submit to church leaders, even when “I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason” that I must not obey them. I point out that David himself most likely did not go get Bathsheba himself; but sent others, whether court officials or common soldiers. And yet not one man said “Oh King David, Live forever!! May God give you more wives! But do not commit this wickedness.”
Oh, for more church leaders and men in the pews to stand up and say “NO!! You will not reinstate this man! You ‘invoke this example’ to restore him? Look at the damage that followed King David’s intentional choice to sin, and he was a man who was chosen by God Himself. Do not blaspheme by asserting that our former preacher has been chosen by God Himself.”