Chapter 21 - Samuel and Saul

The tribes become a nation. This is pretty global - not just a story of Israel.

A political union rooted in the covenant with YHWH - the beginning of a just and loving God (in my opinion not yet totally there in the Old Testament)

* * How can the fundamental character of an original religious experience be preserved when the conditions which gave birth to that experience are significantly altered? * *

Could the gospel, with its roots in the faith of the Hebrew scriptures, be expressed in the terms of gentile culture without losing its fundamental meaning?

How does a faith in opposition to the state religion become the state religion without losing its essential identity?

* * How can any religious community develop the institutional organization it needs to preserve its identity throughout the passage of time, and still remain open to God's direct inspiration and guidance? * *

Samuel... Saul... Philistines... Jonathan...

Early source: Saul favorable "Saul Source"
Late source: Saul unfavorable "Samuel source"

Saul's imposing an oath of fasting on his troops... what was he thinking? A curse on anyone who breaks the fast?

So what does Jonathan do? No! Jonathan! Don't eat that... oops... too late.

Jonathan, "What was dad thinking? What a stupid thing to order. If the troops don't eat then they can't fight - duh."

Good comparison of Jonathan and Saul.

...may be seen as an example of the thoroughness of later writers in their attempts to discredit Saul. Nice. Wonderful. Holy books, eh?

To obey is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than religious activities.