It is true that at the moment when the bread was given to David and his men and consumed by them, Abiathar was not as yet the highpriest. This, however, does not prove that Mark—really Jesus, for Mark is reporting his words—was in error when he said “in the days of Abiathar the highpriest.” It is not at all unusual to designate a place or a man by a name which did not belong to it or to him until later. Thus Gen. 12:8 mentions “Bethel,” though in the days of Abraham it was still called “Luz” (Gen.