Greed.
With some lust and gluttony on the side.
These were hardly the qualities of a priest. But for years, the children of Israel had the unfortunate blessing of being ministered to by the sons of Eli - Hophni and Phinehas. These were men entirely guided by their own selfish desires, with devastating consequences.
What were their crimes?
Gluttony. Priests were entitled to a portion of food from the sacrifices that were offered at the tabernacle. There were strict rules in place for what the priests could take, and when. They were instructed to wait until after the meat was cooked and the fat reduced (Lev. 3).
Hophni and Phinehas didn’t wait. In fact, I Samuel 2:16 highlights that if any of the men making sacrifice attempted to convince the priests to follow the rules, Hophni and Phinehas would only insist even more.
This was role reversal of the worst sort; men of God expressly leading the people of God away from the right practice.
But the sons of Eli were even worse with the women who came to worship.
Lust. Hophni and Phinehas seduced women who came to worship, leading them astray in brazen and blatant sin “at the door of the tabernacle.” (1 Samuel 2:22).
Combine sexual indulgence with gluttonous appetites, and the picture of Hophni and Phinehas is one of two men completely given over to self-indulgence. These aren’t men who serve God; their only master is themselves.
The lessons here are striking. Paul talks about men like Hophni and Phinehas in Philippians: “Their destination is destruction, their god is their appetite, their glory is in their shame, their minds are set on earthly things.”
As Paul said, destruction was the outcome for the sons of Eli. But as leaders, they wouldn’t go down by themselves; their example of selfish indulgence dragged down 30,000 Israelite warriors with them (I Samuel 4).
The people of Israel needed a high priest who was dedicated not to his own desires, but to the service of the Lord and His people. They needed a “faithful priest” that would do what God desired.
They got such a priest in Samuel.
Samuel was a contrast in every way. He stayed faithful to the Lord, he didn’t fall into sexual sin, and he helped to establish the anointing of David to the kingship. In other words, Samuel ministered faithfully.
And by helping to establish David, Samuel played a role in setting a man after God’s own heart on the throne - and from David’s line, God would someday bring His own son.
Jesus wasn’t just a faithful priest, like Samuel. He was a perfect priest.
Where Hophni and Phinehas led women astray in sexual sin, Jesus rescued them from it.
Where the sons of Eli feasted prematurely, Jesus fasted.
And while Hophni, Phinehas, and even Samuel died, Jesus lives.
There’s a number of takeaways from the story of Hophni and Phinehas, but two are worth noting today.
First, several of the fruits of the Spirit, including temperance, love, and meekness, directly counter the greed of Eli’s sons. We are to strive for a pattern of life that bears fruits of godliness, not greed. We aim to “walk in the Spirit,” and not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Hophni and Phinehas needed a bit of self-denial in their lives. Instead, they denied themselves nothing - no food was too good and no woman off limits. And Eli, much to his shame, indulged them (I Samuel 1-3 tell the fuller story of Eli’s own complicity).
Deny ourselves. Take up our cross. Follow Him. That’s the best way to avoid falling into a greedy, selfish pattern of life.
The final takeaway is simply this: God held Hophni, Phinehas, and even Eli responsible for their actions. Judgement came on them, swift and terrible.
At the same time, God held Samuel and David responsible for their actions as well, rewarding them for faithful service. Both men held important offices before the Lord, as priest and king-to-be, and both fulfilled their offices.
What office do we hold? What faithful service should we render?
Even two unfaithful, despicable priests can serve as an important reminder: we do not serve a powerless God.
We serve a King and a Risen Saviour.
Best to serve Him, faithfully.
Readings: I Samuel 1-4, Leviticus 3.