Was Mark Mistaken About Abiathar the High Priest?

Was Mark Mistaken About Abiathar the High Priest?

Dear Bro. Waddey:
Mark 2:26 says that David entered into the temple "when Abiathar was the high priest." 1 Samuel 21:1 says that it was actually Abiathar's father, Ahimelech, who was priest. Can you explain this for me?
--Joey

Dear Joey:
Re: your question about in Mark 2:26, the solution to this apparent problem is found in the rendering of the New English Bible. "He went into the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the High Priest...." That it was in the time of Abiathar cannot be disputed. Even if his father Ahimelech were still in the office, it would not be contradictory to say that it occurred in his day. Scripture writers sometimes use the literary device called a "prolepsis." This device makes use of present day knowledge or terminology to help clearly identify some ancient person, place or event. An example of this is seen when Moses records that Abraham came to Bethel (Gen. 12:8), yet the same writer later tells us that Jacob, the grandson of Abraham named the place Bethel (Gen. 37:10-19). When Moses wrote his account ca. 1450 BC it was commonly known as Bethel so he used that name to accommodate their knowledge. Mark uses this as Abiathar soon became the high priest and was by far the most famous.

Another possible solution is that Abiathar also bore the name Ahimelech. Just as many men are given the same name as their father. We read in II Sam. 8:16 that Abiathar named one of his sons Ahimelech.

William Hendriksen suggests that the father, Ahimelech, and his son Abiathar, were both present when David and his hungry men arrived at Nob, and thus jointly participated in giving the sacred bread to David and his men. Very soon the father and 84 of the priests were slaughtered by Saul's agent, Doeg the Edomite (I Sam. 22:17-19). Abiathar was able to escape and became the high priest. (I Sam. 22:20-21). This is a reasonable and satisfying explanation.

The faithful child of approaches the Bible with the presupposition that the Biblical record is true, that it contains no errors or contradictions. When he encounters that which appears to be a problem in the text, he looks for information or an explanation that will reconcile the apparent conflicts. There are reasonable explanations for every one of the alleged discrepancies.

On the other hand the skeptic and the unbeliever comes to the Bible with the presupposition that the Bible is a forgery, full of mistakes, errors and contradictions. He eagerly searches to find anything that might possibly be construed as a flaw...and has no interest in hearing the explanation we can supply.

The book, Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible by John W. Haley is a masterful response to all of the supposed Biblical flaws.

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