Reporters and media figures demanded to know Tuesday why Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was tweeting out Bible verses.
Rubio, who is Catholic, sent out two tweets in the early morning.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid," Rubio wrote in one message, quoting John 14:27.
"Peace I leave with you;my peace I give you.Not as the world gives do I give to you.Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."John 14:27
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 16, 2017
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do & your plans will succeed.The Lord works out everything for his own ends....."
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 16, 2017
Chief among those concerned with Rubio's use of Bible verses was the senior writer for ShareBlue, a David Brock-run outlet that markets itself as the "Breitbart of the left." Leah McElrath called Rubio's tweets "unsettling" and appeared to question whether they were "significant" after reports surfaced that Trump may have given Russia diplomats classified information.
GOP Senator @marcorubio is tweeting out Bible verses this morning, and it's...unsettling: pic.twitter.com/vaYpWmVJHg
— leah mcelrath 🗽 (@leahmcelrath) May 16, 2017
@marcorubio My understanding – and the input from those in my mentions – is these are the Bible verses to which one turns in one's darkest hour.
— leah mcelrath 🗽 (@leahmcelrath) May 16, 2017
@marcorubio We have no way of knowing if Rubio is seeking comfort and courage, trying to provide it to others, or trying to justify his own actions.
— leah mcelrath 🗽 (@leahmcelrath) May 16, 2017
@marcorubio Nonetheless, Rubio publicly tweeting these verses today – after everything that has been happening – feels significant.
Time will tell.
— leah mcelrath 🗽 (@leahmcelrath) May 16, 2017
Liberal Esquire blogger Charles Pierce agreed, calling the tweets "oddly terrifying."
Marco Rubio is tweeting out Bible verses this morning. This is oddly terrifying. https://t.co/tBZLk1on4E
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) May 16, 2017
Even the Washington Post's conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin questioned whether Rubio was "hacked" or going crazy.
@leahmcelrath @MarcACaputo @marcorubio either he was hacked or he's totally lost it
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) May 16, 2017
Other reporters drew attention to the tweets as though they were unusual or telling.
Marco Rubio quotes the Bible: "do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid" https://t.co/8PAC3ButHK
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 16, 2017
Does Rubio often tweet out bible verses on a Monday? (I'm a church going Catholic so I'm not judging him) pic.twitter.com/VdkJj6L8RL
— Yashar (@yashar) May 16, 2017
As it happens, Rubio was just tweeting from that day's daily readings, indicating that he either attended Catholic mass that morning or was reflecting on the verses.
It is also not unusual for Rubio to tweet Bible verses. A quick Twitter search shows Rubio quoted six times from the book of Proverbs alone in the past four months.