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The subtleties of power and temptation

Commentary
Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B
2 Samuel 11:1-15
Ephesians 3:14-21
John 6:1-21
There are few texts in the Bible or illustrations from the lives of public figures that more aptly describe the maxim that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" than this chapter. After following the innocent shepherd boy on his journey of integrity to the throne, we find ourselves almost wishing that this story had not been told. But it had to be told, not only because it bears out what can happen to a man as great as David, but also because it is an all-too-poignant reminder of what we see played out in our own lives and in the world around us. It is the story of the Fall.
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