The King-Priest in Samuel
A Messianic Motif
Foreword by Jason S. DeRouchie
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
Scholars studying the ANE have noticed that Canaanite kings ruled as a representative of their god and served in a priestly role. Yahweh allows Israel to have a king "like all the nations" (Deut 17:14), but he shapes the monarchy according to his covenant. A key question remains, does God's allowance for a king "like all the nations" include a king-priest model? This study presents a synchronic view of the king as a priest within the MT of Samuel, analyzing the motif and considering how the narrator heightens the hope for the coming anointed one, whom the narrator describes as both king (1 Sam 2:10) and priest (2:35-36). This study will argue that, from the monarchy's inception, Yahweh considered Israel's kingship a sacral task. My study examined the king as a priest through a synchronic literary-theological approach.
Nicholas Majors currently serves as an adjunct professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Colorado Christian University. He serves as the book review editor for the Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies. He has written numerous articles and presented at various conferences that wrestle with the message of the Old Testament and its relationship to Christians.
“Nicholas Majors has produced a significant study building the case that Saul, David, and David’s royal descendants functioned as divinely authorized king-priests in ancient Israel—a role that was fully realized in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. To build his argument, Majors marshals an impressive array of evidence from Scripture and contemporary scholarship, and in the process, succeeds in creating a comprehensive treatment of a topic that has implications for both Old and New Testament studies.”
—Robert D. Bergen, professor emeritus of Old Testament, Hannibal-LaGrange University
“Nicholas Majors is to be congratulated on this accomplishment. He has drawn attention to important questions with fresh exegesis and a penetrating study that will require all of us to be more cautious about unguarded assumptions on the nature of Israelite kingship. His literary-theological methodology has much to commend it, and as a result, none of us can afford to neglect this new investigation.”
—Bill T. Arnold, professor of Old Testament interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary
“I have been dissatisfied with the usual explanations of who the promised ‘faithful priest’ of 1 Samuel 2:35 may be, and Nicholas Majors has cut the Gordian knot by proposing that the figures of the faithful priest and God’s anointed in 2:35 are the same person, namely David as he anticipates the promised future king-priest. This is a provocative thesis, but it is thoroughly argued. This rich biblical-theological argument deserves serious attention.”
— Greg Goswell, academic dean, Christ College
“In this well-researched and clearly written study, Nicholas Majors examines relevant texts related to the theme of the king-priest not only in 1–2 Samuel, but also in the Pentateuch. Majors presents a compelling argument that these texts reveal how the messianic figure was not meant to be merely a ruler, but that from the beginning, he was meant to serve in a priestly capacity as well. Anyone interested in the Israelite monarchy, or the biblical portrayal of Messiah, will find this a fascinating read.”
—David T. Lamb, professor of Old Testament, Missio Seminary
“This book is much more than an exegetical contribution to particular texts of the book of Samuel. It is a contribution to biblical theology by showing that the Davidic-Messianic expectation unites kingship and priesthood. The book of Samuel proves to be a burning lens that brings together theological lines of the Pentateuch in David, and after his rejection, this ray of light shines into the future toward a coming priest-king. A very stimulating book.”
—Benjamin Kilchör, professor of Old Testament, Staatsunabhängige Theologische Hochschule Basel
“Nicholas Majors has persuasively argued that 1–2 Samuel provide a picture of David as a king-priest. His argument is steeped in biblical theology and shows the progression of the biblical idea of king-priest through Adam, Abraham, and the texts leading up to David. The argument is reinforced by a thorough examination of 1–2 Samuel. His argument is rich in literary-theological analysis and is a template for rigorous evangelical scholarship.”
—Dan S. Diffey, professor of Old Testament, Grand Canyon Theological Seminary
“Understanding the themes of kingship and priesthood will enrich our understanding of Scripture as a whole, and in his careful and thorough research and work on this motif, Nicholas Majors is an insightful and edifying guide. He shows the important pentateuchal background of this king-priest motif and how it is heightened in 1 and 2 Samuel. Furthermore, Majors demonstrates that David himself hoped for a greater king-priest who was to come—the Messiah.”
—Mitchell L. Chase, associate professor of biblical studies, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Should the roles of priest and king be separate and distinct, or does the Hebrew Bible envision overlap as a temporal or eschatological ideal? Readers interested in such complex questions will want to consult this new work by Nicholas Majors that explores a host of relevant texts alongside the turbulent royal story in the books of Samuel.”
—Keith Bodner, professor of religious studies, Crandall University
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