Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Despite the translation of these verses, my understanding of the original text is that the individuals mocking Elisha, instead of being "little children", could have been as old as twenty, and thus well past a point of accountability to God for their actions.

Their mocking might also sound innocuous in translation, but it was directed at the very essence of Elisha's (and possibly even Elijah's) calling and mission as a prophet of God. The words "go up" might have been a derisive reference to the carrying up of Elijah into heaven (2 Kings 2:9-12, just prior to the incident cited in the question)(suggesting that it had not really happened), and a jeering taunt to Elisha to repeat that action (with the implication that he could not).

Also, the reference to Elisha's baldness might be construed as mocking Elisha for what could have been regarded as an infirmity, and thus an added insult, which was further intensified by its repetition (as was also the case with the repetition of the words "go up"). 

Yes, Elisha pronounced a curse upon them in God's name, but it was God Himself who executed the judgment against them, indicating that it had His sanction. In my opinion, this was out of a desire to vindicate His name, similar to actions He had already performed that might seem to us to be extreme (as in killing or allowing the deaths of those who worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32)(in which 3,000 people died); Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10); or those who rebelled with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16)), but that indicated the grave nature of either rebelling against the commandments of God Himself, or challenging those who spoke in His name (whether Moses or Elisha).

The inclusion of those incidents in the Bible was to make unmistakably clear to all succeeding generations the importance of respect and reverence for God's name, His commandments, and His appointed prophets, and (from the standpoint of Christians) to make them all the more thankful for the grace and mercy shown to humanity by God through Christ.

February 13 2018 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

kyle alfriend Supporter Business owner.

This is one of the problems with treating the Bible primarily as a modern history textbook. There are other possibilities besides trying to justify the story exactly as written.

Maybe it never happened and developed as a cautionary story about respecting God's prophet. Or maybe something happened, but over time people interpreted it as God's judgment. Ancient people often attributed events directly to God in ways we might not today.

What I find most compelling is to read it in light of Jesus.

If I had never read 2 Kings, and someone described Jesus to me, would I ever imagine him sending bears to maul forty-two people for mocking his appearance? I don't think I would.

Jesus forgave the people who mocked him, beat him, and crucified him. He taught us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and turn the other cheek. That makes this passage genuinely difficult.

That doesn't prove the Elisha story is historically false, but it does suggest we should acknowledge the tension rather than trying to explain it away by arguing they were older than children or perhaps not killed.

To me, it's similar to the stories of genocide in the Old Testament. Instead of feeling obligated to justify every action attributed to God, perhaps we should honestly admit that some passages are difficult to reconcile with the character of God revealed in Jesus. If Jesus is the fullest revelation of God, then he should be the lens through which we wrestle with these texts.

4 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report