1 Samuel 12 opens with an interesting situation. Samuel challenges the people to witness against him in the presence of the Lord. If they have any claims against them he wants them to bring them up so he can make restitution. The people find no fault in him.

This is something we rarely see happen, taking time to reconcile with those whom we may have hurt in our lives. If only we could be more honest with ourselves and others and be willing to put our pride on the line, the peace we would give to others when we are gone would be priceless.

Samuel now has the credibility to tell the people of their sins against God. He recounts the history of the people of Israel and how God saved them when they cried out to him through the judges. But the people rejected God by asking for a king when God is their king. Samuel tells them that if they and their king keep God’s commandments and follow God things will go well for them, but if they rebel God will be against them.

Nevertheless God punishes the people for wanting a king by sending rain and thunder on the day of the wheat harvest. The people ask Samuel to pray for them because they have sinned in calling for a king. Samuel reassures them that even though they have sinned they can turn again to God. God will not abandon His people . He promises to pray for them and to teach them the right way to live.

1 Samuel 13 begins with a puzzle that may never be solved. Saul’s age and part of the number of years he reigned to date are not given. They are missing from the oldest sources of the Hebrew text available. While the Greek version of the Old Testament omits this sentence the Hebrew version, from which our Old Testament is translated, keeps this incomplete sentence. We may never know how to fill in the blanks. What we do know is that Saul now has a son named Jonathan.

Saul attacks the Philistines and Jonathan defeats one of their garrisons. The Philistines are angered by this and gather their troops for battle. The Israelites are frightened by the power displayed by the Philistines, some of them flee and hide.

Saul goes to Gilgal and waits for Samuel to come to offer a sacrifice for God’s blessing. Samuel is delayed in coming so Saul offers the sacrifice himself, a breaking of God’s commandments. When Samuel arrives he asks Saul what he has done. Saul makes the excuse that was afraid that he was losing more of his people and the Philistines were going to attack. He didn’t want to fight without God’s blessing and since Samuel wasn’t there he was forced to make the sacrifice himself. This is a clear rationalization and scapegoating for his own fear and lack of faith.

Samuel points out that Saul has sinned. He tells Saul that God would have blessed his kingdom forever if only he had been obedient. Now God is choosing someone else to rule Israel.

Saul’s men number 600 against the Philistines thousands. Additionally, the Philistines are the ones who sharpen the Hebrews implements so there are no sharp weapons except the ones Saul and Jonathan have. Things are looking grim.

Mark 12 opens with Jesus speaking to the religious leaders through parables. He tells the story of a man who owns a vineyard which he leases to tenants and leaves the country. He sends servants back to collect his share of the produce but they are all beaten and killed. Then he sends his son and he is also beaten and killed. Jesus then asks what the owner will do. He answers the question saying that he will destroy the tenants and give the property to someone else. Then Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22, 23 about the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone. The leaders realize Jesus is talking about them and want to arrest him but are afraid of what the crowd will do.

Some Pharisees bring some government officials to trap Jesus by asking him about taxes. Jesus doesn’t fall for the trap telling them that the government should get what it deserves and God should get what He deserves.

Then some Sadducees try to trick him with a question about resurrection of the dead, even though they do not believe in it.  Jesus doesn’t play into their hands and educates them about their ignorance regarding eternal life.

Jesus is asked what the great commandment is and he responds with the Shema we read in Deuteronomy that we are to love God with everything and he adds another commandment we read there that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The scribe who asked the question acknowledges that these commandments are more important than all of the commands relating to offerings and sacrifices. Jesus recognizes his faith.

Jesus again teaches against showy displays of piety that cover sinful intentions and lauds the giving of everything to God.

Jesus is not interested in placating the powers that be. He knows that this will lead to his death but that is part of God’s plan. Unlike Saul who did what he did for his own gain only to be punished for his sin, Jesus gladly sacrifices all to gain the world.