How the Bible Message Gets Corrupted

Did King David rape Bathsheba, and why does it matter?

Ancient leaders were susceptible to corruption as they are today. Photo by Bogdan Kupriets on Unsplash

Did David rape Bathsheba in the well-known Bible story? Was she a willing participant in their scandalous affair? A recent headline saying David must have raped Bathsheba got my attention. It especially got my attention when the story said people are afraid to talk about the rape.

Here is how the Biblical message can get corrupted, whether in trying to use it to control people or push a popular narrative in the culture. It is easy to find articles showing how Jesus was a Republican, Democrat, Communist, Gay, Black, White, Asian, or even a made-up character.

The “David raped Bathsheba” argument is a classic example of using the Bible to push a narrative.

David and Bathsheba

Most people know the biblical story found in 2 Samuel Chapter 11. David was king in Israel during its golden age. He spotted the apparently desirable Bathsheba who was bathing.

It is a story of treachery, adultery, and murder.

David had sex with her, and she got pregnant. Her husband, Uriah, was off at war when this happened. To cover it up, he ended up having Uriah killed by putting him alone on the front lines. After an…