Saturday, July 10, 2004
Hieromartyr Joseph the Damascene and His Companions
Kellia: 1 Samuel 20:24-42 Epistle: Romans 9:1-15 Gospel: St. Matthew 9:18-26
1 Samuel 20:24-42, especially vs. 42: "Then Jonathan said to David, "Go
in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the Name of the Lord...." A facet of genuine friendship is providing
help, or, as the epigram has it, "After the verb 'To Love,' 'To Help' is the most beautiful verb in the world." The glory of
authentic help sings from the present reading as Jonathan gives flesh to the Divine command: "If one of your brethren
becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him" (Lev. 25:35). While economic poverty was not
David's problem, his well-being was poor in the face of Saul's rage. As "our God is refuge and strength, a helper in
afflictions which mightily befall us" (Ps. 45:1 LXX), so also are His Saints. Jonathan amply demonstrates his stature as a
Saint, disclosing many marks of authentic help, including exerting himself, advocating selflessly, sympathetically
protecting his friend, sharing his pain, and placing their relationship in God's hands.
Jonathan exerted himself on David's behalf by making a plausible report to the king in order to search out the truth of
Saul's intentions (1 Sam. 20:27-29). Afterwards, he reported his findings to David (vs. 39). It turned out that he even put
his own life at risk to do this (vs. 33). Observe that he followed the demand of being a friend which the Lord Jesus also
recognizes: being a genuine friend requires effort (Lk. 11:8).
Notice how Jonathan placed David's life and well-being ahead of the progress of his own future, something not missed
even by his father, King Saul (1 Sam. 20:31). His selflessness is a type of the self-emptying of Christ, "Who being in the
form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant"
(Phil. 2:6, 7).
Advocating for one's friend is a hallmark of true friendship. Jonathan exhibited this trait by ignoring his father's
displeasure at him and by challenging Saul's intent to execute David (1 Sam. 20:30-32). In the Lord Jesus we also "have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins" (1 Jn. 2:1).
Saul's attack grieved Jonathan for David, "because his father had disgraced him" (1 Sam. 20:34). "Him" in this case refers
to David, and the term "disgraced" translates a word connoting "public humiliation." From sympathy, Jonathan was
chagrined that his father had openly dishonored David who had so faithfully and selflessly served his king. His compassion
for David is reminiscent of the Lord's sympathy with our fallen estate (Lk. 7:13; Jn. 11:35,38).
Jonathan was ever careful to protect his friend from danger and mishap, and not just by speaking up to his father, but in
meeting his friend covertly to assure that there were no witnesses to report David's presence to Saul (1 Sam. 20:35,41). Let
us never forget that our God at every hour preserves our "whole spirit and soul and body...blameless unto the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ" faithfully, both in calling us to Himself and in protecting us (1 Thess. 5:23,24).
As a friend, Jonathan bore the sorrows of his friend, weeping with him (1 Sam. 20:41). He exhibited the true friendship
that "weeps with them that weep" (Rom. 12:15). Even more, he was a type of the Lord Jesus Who bore "our griefs, and
carried our sorrows" (Is. 53:4).
Finally, see how Jonathan, as a true friend, was ever careful to invoke the Lord as a partner to the bond with his friend,
David (vs. 42). As Jonathan's help to his friend points us toward our Divine Friend and Lord Whose help is immeasurable,
let us "be illumined...and embrace one another. Let us speak, brothers...and forgive all for the sake of the Resurrection."
O God, our help and assistance, Who art just and merciful, and Who heareth the supplications of Thy people; look down
upon us and have mercy upon us.
