Mark 2 · a question people ask
Jesus says David entered God's house "at the time of Abiathar the high priest" (2:26). Doesn't 1 Samuel name a different priest?
Here are the verses side by side. Jesus says David "entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread" (2:26). 1 Samuel tells it this way: "Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest" (1 Samuel 21:1), and "the priest gave him holy bread" (1 Samuel 21:6). In the next chapter, "One of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David" (1 Samuel 22:20). Matthew and Luke tell Jesus's answer without naming a priest (Matthew 12:3-4; Luke 6:3-4). These notes quote each book in its own words and don't explain the difference.
The verses
“He said to them, “Did you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry—he, and those who were with him? How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?””
“One of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.”
“But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?”
“Jesus, answering them, said, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, how he entered into God’s house, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?””