In early 2025, Amazon Prime Video released a new biblical drama series, 'House of David.' The first season of House of David just concluded last spring. Its eight episodes, streaming on Amazon Prime, covered only three chapters in the Bible: God’s rejection of King Saul, Samuel’s anointing of David, and David’s victory over Goliath. The series began with a story of a young David who was a simple shepherd boy in the hills of Bethlehem. Finding one of his young lambs that has been wounded by a large lion, he hides until the lion has gone and carries the lamb home. Fast forward, after another attack by the lion, David insists that he is done waiting and sets off to face the lion. David tracks the lion to a cave in the hills. As the lion attacks, David slays it, and then he emerges from the cave, covered in blood, roaring like a lion. The story of David reveals two sides of a good shepherd: he is a compassionate shepherd who cares for his flock, but he is also a protector who demonstrates his courage in killing the lion.
In the Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians, he wrote that, "Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us, we are not discouraged.” In the vulgate, it was written “ideo habentes administrationem, juxta quod misericordima consecuti sumus, non deficimus.” A different translation suggests that after we have obtained mercy, “we faint not.” The words describe that the exercised of the ministry of mercy should also engaged in the work to avoid evil and proclaim the truth. St. Paul teaches the Corinthians that they must avoid evil both in conduct and in doctrine when exercising the ministry of mercy. Evil can be avoided when we do not mix false doctrine with true doctrine. Moreover, evil is avoided when we are not preaching for our own benefit and glory. So, here, St. Paul reminded the Corinthians that in their ministry, they must act like a good shepherd who preaches the truth (protecting and defending the flock) and, at the same time, also exercise the ministry of mercy.