The Questions People Ask: 11

QUESTION # 11: How does one reconcile the seeming contradiction between Abiathar being the high priest in Mark 2:26 and the Old Testament passage that Jesus is citing (see 1 Sam. 21:1-6) that clearly states that Abiathar’s father Ahimelech was the high priest at this time?

 

ANSWER: The author of the above question is assuming that the Lord Jesus in Mark 2:26 is teaching that Abiathar was the high priest at the time when David and his men ate the showbread given to them by Abiathar’s father Ahimelech. Is this true? Is this what the Lord Jesus was saying in Mark 2:26? It is obvious that Ahimelech was. So was Jesus misquoting 1 Samuel 21:1-6? Is Mark 2:26 contradicting 1 Samuel 21:1-6?

 

            No. Not at all, for the answer is simple. The Lord Jesus did not say that David and his men ate the showbread “when” Abiathar was the high priest. What Jesus said was, “in the days of Abiathar the high priest.” (Mark 2:26). The word “days” suggests that the event occured during the lifetime of Abiathar the high priest and not “when” he was the high priest. So when did Abiathar become the high priest? This question can be answered in two parts.

 

First, Abiathar’s father Ahimelech and all the other priests were murdered by king Saul who accused them of taking sides with David and his men in conspiring against him (see 1 Sam. 22:9-19), which left Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech as one of the only surviving priests who escaped Saul’s execution of his family and fellow priests and fled to David and his men for refuge and protection (see 1 Sam.22:20-23).

 

Secondly, when David became king, he appointed Abiathar with Zadok as one of the high priests (see 2 Sam. 8:17[1] ; 17:15; 20:25; 1 Kings 4:4).

 

So as we have examined and observed in the Scripture passages cited above, what appeared to be a seeming contradiction between Jesus’ words in Mark 2:26 and the Old Testament passage in 1 Samuel 21:1-6 is no contradiction at all when the Scriptures are studied and properly interpreted by comparing Scripture with Scripture, an answer can be found.

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[1] There is a problem with this verse in 2 Samuel 8:17. It says that Abiathar’s father Ahimelech was the high priest during the reign of David. This is not possible since he was killed by king Saul during his reign (see 1 Samuel 22:9-19). Though this verse poses a problem, It is easily cleared up in light of the other passages of Scriptures that clearly identifies Abiathar as the high priest with Zadok (see 2 Sam. 17:15; 20:25; 1 King 4:4). The translators or editors of the KJV Bible no doubt accidentally inserted Ahimelech in place of Abiathar as the high priest.