II Samuel 13 and the SBC Crisis

Perhaps you have been reading the articles and blogs from evangelicals leaders around the country that came as a result of The Houston Chronicle’s article released on February 10. This article details the problem of sexual abuse that has existed in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for a minimum of 20 years and has involved at least 700 victims.

The study included 29 states looking at instances of abuse from 1997-2018. 380 people (including pastors, teachers, and church volunteers) had trustworthy accusations made against them during that time period. Of that group, over 200 were convicted of sex crimes, 90 of them are still in prison, and 100 of them are registered sex offenders.

The Houston Chronicle’s article included the following examples of sexual abuse: molestation of teens, sexually explicit photos or texts sent and received, porn exposure, photographing people naked, and rape from youth minsters.

Thankfully, many have condemned these awful discoveries, and the President of the SBC – J.D. Greear – has begun issuing statements regarding how the SBC and Christians everywhere need to respond and address this “in house” problem.

I don’t know that I have anything to contribute that hasn’t already been said to the conversation in regard to what our responses should be. Since I have never been part of the SBC, I don’t have specific recommendations for them either. And I am thankful that we have safeguards in place at my home church for this kind of illegal and evil activity.

But, there is a passage of Scripture that has been on my mind as the news of these discoveries were released. And the passage is not a pleasant one, but one we need to read and heed. It is II Samuel 13.

In this narrative, David’s son Amnon lusted after his half-sister Tamar and the text says that he desired her in a violent fashion. In other words, he would take her by force, if necessary.

Amnon wasn’t sure how to fulfill his lustful desires until David’s nephew Jonadab suggested that he pretend to be sick and send for Tamar to come and nurse him. David didn’t see what Amnon as up to; so, he sent Tamar to his son Amnon.

When Tamar came into the room of Amnon and to his bed, Amnon told her to sleep with him. She refused because of the clear violation of God’s law (Leviticus 18:11), because of the shame it would bring upon both of them, and because they were not married to one another.

Amnon chose to rape her anyway.

Then, he sent her away from him to face her shame in a public fashion. He had treated her like an object for his sexual desires and booted her from his bedroom, like the object he viewed her to be.

She immediately wore her shame in a literal way as she tore the robe that had made to symbolize her virginity. She also put ashes upon her head to symbolize her great sorrow.

Absalom came to her and basically said, “You’re overacting. Don’t worry about it.” He minimized the significance of what happened to her.

Perhaps I have chosen an extreme example, but Absalom’s initial response reminds me of what I was reading in that article about sexual abuse in the SBC and what I have been accustomed to reading about the Catholic priesthood for a few decades – people minimizing others sexual sufferings or – even worse – trying to cover it up.

King David heard about this and was angry, but guess what? He was not just. He did NOTHING to Amnon. He let it be.

One of the godliest men we read of in the Bible didn’t protect the sexually abused…even in his own family! And during the rebellion of Absalom, David’s reputation for being unjust would be Absalom’s campaign slogan (II Samuel 15:4).

Brothers and sisters, sexual abuse is no joke. It should not be happening anywhere, and the church should not be a story on the front page of any newspaper about it’s mishandling of sexual abuse cases or condoning that behavior or employing men and women who are sexual predators.

It is time for us to examine our own hearts for impurities. It is time for us to dismiss any hint of immorality in our bones (Ephesians 5:3). It is time for us to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1-2). It is time for judgment to come to the house of the Lord (I Peter 4:17).