Sermon 74: 1 Samuel 20:4-11

4. 'And Jonathan said to David: Whatever your soul shall say, I will do for you. 5. And David said to Jonathan: Behold, tomorrow are the calends, and I am accustomed by usage to sit beside the king at the meal; let me go therefore that I may hide myself in the field until evening of the third day. 6. If your father, looking around, asks for me, you shall answer him: David asked me that he might go quickly to Bethlehem his city, because there are solemn sacrifices there for all his fellow tribesmen. 7. If he says: It is well, peace shall be to your servant; but if he is angry, know that his malice is complete. 8. Therefore show mercy to your servant, because you have caused your servant to enter into a covenant of the Lord with you; but if there is any iniquity in me, do you yourself kill me, and do not bring me in to your father. 9. And Jonathan said: Far be this from you; for it cannot be that, if I certainly know that my father's malice against you has been completed, I should not announce it to you. 10. And David replied to Jonathan: Who shall report to me, if perhaps your father answers you harshly? 11. And Jonathan said to David: Come, and let us go out into the field.'

We continue in expounding David's trials, whose life seemed so doubtful and uncertain that it depended on a thin thread, since he could not be at rest even for a moment. This doctrine indeed will perhaps bring weariness to some delicate persons, but it is nevertheless very useful and necessary for us. For it generally happens that if we have bravely borne one or another affliction, we are broken by their long duration and lose heart — so that one who seemed to himself most strong, if he is exercised for one or two months by continuous calamities and difficulties, considers the time of those afflictions much too long; and unless God sends some relaxation and remission of the pain, he can scarcely refrain from grumbling. Therefore by David's example we ought to be confirmed, so that if God wishes us to be tested not for one or another month, not for one year or several, but to the very end of the course of our life, we may learn that it is fair to bear with patience and even mind whatever he sends, and to pray to him earnestly that he may guard our life, so that we may offer the same to him as a pleasing sacrifice. For unbelievers seek many supports by which they may be protected against any misfortunes, and they vehemently desire to be safe from all dangers; but the faithful on the contrary devote their life to God whenever it pleases him, and acknowledge that the stadium and course of this life is short. The unfaithful on the contrary investigate and search out various reasonings by which they may protect themselves, and always uncertain and doubtful they tremble with fear. But the faithful, although they know that death threatens their necks at every moment, and that they are subject to this condition, nevertheless lead their life with calm and tranquil mind, placing their hope in God, whom they are persuaded is the guardian of their souls.

Furthermore, it should also be observed that David, although he relied on certain faith in God, and was persuaded that God himself was his protector and avenger, was nonetheless always agitated by new apprehensions. For by faith in God the faithful are not rendered devoid of all sense, so as not to foresee the dangers threatening them and not to be affected and moved by them. So David indeed placed his hope in God, certain that God would fulfill his promises, but was not for that reason stupid, so as not to be moved by his condition; and having experienced the king's obstinate malice and deadly hatred toward him, he was greatly terrified — as we see when complaining to Jonathan he said that he was not a step from death, and that the sword was aimed at his throat. Therefore since we have not yet stripped off natural senses, we ought not to be terrified by these, nor to break off the course of our life, but rather to fight bravely against our weaknesses. And surely we shall never place our trust in God without some struggle and resistance of the flesh. And this is the sum of this history that should be carefully considered by us in general; now then come, let us examine each part separately. It came into David's mind to test the king's mind toward him; the plan he adopts is this, that he should propose as a pretext a solemn sacrifice common to the entire family of his father. Therefore he says (but only conjecturally) that if Saul, inquiring about his absence, accepts Jonathan's excuse — namely, that he was asked by David to allow him the opportunity to go quickly to Bethlehem his native soil, and that he had given him leave on account of the solemn sacrifice — his affairs are in a good state, and he need not fear any danger from the king. But if on the contrary, he says, the king is indignant that I was dismissed by you, it will be a sign that his malice is complete and that he will give no further place to fairness and reason, since he will take it ill that David has slipped from his hands. By this means, says David, we shall recognize his hatred toward me with which he persecutes me to death — when he thinks I have escaped, for he will not be able to contain his venom, and will give a sign of his inveterate and lethal hatred, so that I may never have to appear again before him.

David adds: 'But if there is any iniquity in me, do you, Jonathan, kill me, and do not bring me in to your father.' Moved by these words of David, Jonathan affirms by oath that he will not lay hands on him, whose innocence he has more than sufficiently ascertained. And David, to move Jonathan more, sets before him the covenant of the Lord which they had made together, so that by the pledge given and sworn friendship he might exhort him to keep faith with his friend. Meanwhile, doubtful by what means he might be made certain about Saul's mind toward him, and provide for himself and his safety, he is led out by Jonathan into the field, and learns from him the signs by which he may be made certain about the whole matter. And the covenant previously made he confirms by a new oath; and he adjures David that when he comes to royal dignity, he may use the same kindness and clemency toward him. But these things must be examined separately, and above all it must be noted that David here labored under some weakness when he set forth as a pretext for his absence the annual sacrifice, which however was not the case. Therefore he covered himself with a lie. But if anyone should object that he is harming no one, and wished to defraud no one, that is not a sufficient excuse. For we showed above that God so loves the truth that if anything of falsehood is mixed in, it is a grave sin against him. Therefore though nothing is said maliciously, no one complains of injury done to him, a lie is nevertheless always to be condemned. For God, always like himself, can never be changed; and he loves truth, since he himself is truth; therefore he must abominate and detest whatever is contrary to his majesty. Therefore no one can excuse David's feigned pretext; but rather we ought to be wise by his example, and to call to memory what often occurs in Scripture — namely, that the children of God, even aiming at a good end, often fall and stray. David indeed pursued the right way and looked toward the end he ought, namely, that he might worship God sincerely and candidly, place his trust in him and his mercy, and finally trust in his promises made through Samuel. In all of which David was distinguished, and almost angelic in perfection — yet always experiencing something of human weakness. From which we learn that, although we cannot serve God with as ardent zeal as we ought, we should not therefore lose heart; but rather strive with all our might, recognizing meanwhile that all our best works are imperfect before him, indeed faulty, unless he kindly accepted and tolerated them. Indeed Paul the apostle himself teaches us this very thing by his example, for speaking about himself, and that at a time when he had made the greatest progress in the doctrine of the gospel and had performed so many marvelous deeds, and had spread the doctrine of the gospel so far and wide, he nonetheless confesses that he does not do the good he wishes, but does the evil he does not wish, and which he hates; and on this account he calls himself a wretched man, because he cannot serve God as sincerely as he ought and desires. But if this happened to so excellent a servant of God as Paul, what do we think will happen to us? Therefore it must be held that no one can ever apply his mind to some good work without being hindered by many opposing studies; but yet not for that reason should he lose heart. Furthermore, when our weaknesses have been well known to us, let us recognize that on this account we are more bound to God, and let us pray to him to deal kindly with us, and not to demand our imperfections and defects according to the standard of his law, and not to enter into judgment with us as the prophet says, but to cover our defects, and have the covenant which he made with us in our Lord Jesus Christ as pleasing and acceptable. And though running in the way we stumble, may he sustain us in his goodness, and have our course as pleasing, and direct it even to the final goal. Then let us flee with all our might all crooked and winding ways, for if we deviate even a little from the right path, we shall most easily wander into byways and thickets and be carried headlong. David indeed did not retreat from the right goal, but it must be ascribed to God's goodness that he brought him back into the way even though he had used a lie. And accordingly we must beware not to imitate this example, for if we did so we would undoubtedly tempt God. And indeed we are too prone to vice, so that there is no need of examples by which we may abuse the matter to license. For if often those who strive to dominate vices with all their strength, and pull tight rigorous reins, nevertheless fall in many things, what do we think will happen to us if we voluntarily allow ourselves this or that? Therefore let us learn not to tempt God; and when we see David so struck with fear that he fled to a lie as the only refuge left to him, let us pray to God that, if any anxiety burns us or fear strikes us, he may grant us the spirit of discretion and sound counsel, and that we may look only to him, awaiting from him whatever is useful, so that whatever events come, we may follow truth and justice with unstumbling foot.

Furthermore, here a certain question arises, whether these annual sacrifices were permitted to individuals, which however we see specifically prohibited by God's law. For God prescribed a single and simple rule of his worship, which he wished to be observed by individuals obeying his word. We may notice the twofold use of this law. For first, God wished himself alone to be heard, as the only legislator and Lord of his people, on whose word all ought to depend; then he wished to foster concord and unity in the people by those public sacrifices which he himself had instituted. We answer this question: that there was indeed only one altar erected by God's command, and only one form of sacrificing instituted; but that it was permitted to individuals to offer voluntary gifts at the Lord's altar, and to have a certain day for a family sacrifice, just as at the beginning of this book we saw that Elkanah, Samuel's father, was accustomed each year to offer a special sacrifice to the Lord with his wife. Therefore by these sacrifices that general law of the Lord was not violated, by which he commanded the people about to sacrifice to assemble at the temple and offer their sacrifices on his altar. And so we must understand what David here says about the annual sacrifice of his paternal family, on account of which he himself went to Bethlehem.

Furthermore, he says that since the calends were tomorrow, by custom he ought to sit beside the king at the meal. He means therefore the new moon, which days were sacred to God, since they were festivals. For God ruled the still rude people by these rites as if they were children. But we, to whom he has revealed himself more familiarly, ought to be more eager in giving thanks to him for so many and such great benefits which we receive daily from him, and above all for the life we have from him. And therefore God had commanded the days of new moons to be festivals, since that change of the moon shows clearly enough that God must continue his gifts, since otherwise we would fail at every moment. Indeed when we behold the moon, a heavenly body and its various phases, we have a kind of image of human life; for at the full moon it becomes crescent and gradually diminishes until it appears no more. This appearance is an image of human frailty. Then when the moon is renewed, there seems to be a kind of new creation made by God, and as it were the heavens renewed. Therefore God in the old law given through Moses commanded the new moons to be dedicated to God, and those days to be festivals, so that the people might devote themselves to blessing God's name and meditating on his graces and gifts. Today, however, the days of the new moons are not festivals; for we do not have those childish rites, and those legal figures and shadows have ceased — not indeed because we are better than those ancient fathers, or because God finds in us some quality or some good, but because our Lord Jesus Christ has appeared as the body and substance of all those shadows and figures. Therefore although we do not have the new moons as festivals, the truth of them must be retained and observed; and accordingly we should acknowledge that we were not created by God once and established in the world, but that we are sustained by him day by day; and accordingly that he must be invoked at every moment, and his goodness toward us meditated upon, so that we may continually exclaim with the prophet: 'What is man, O Lord, that you should be mindful of him?' And let us remember what the prophet says elsewhere: that when God takes away his Spirit, men fail and are reduced to nothing; and on the contrary, when he sends it forth, all created things are renewed; and accordingly let us hope that he will also supply us with strength when he wishes to use our works.

Furthermore, we see that Saul celebrated this festival, but as hypocrites are accustomed to attend to sacred matters. For although he wishes to be considered religious in appearance, and a most observant of the ceremonies of the law, meanwhile he was nourishing in his heart an internal and lethal hatred against David. But how shall he have his life accepted by God who pursues an innocent man to death? But thus hypocrites are accustomed to act. So we see those impious Jews not daring to enter Pilate's praetorium on the festival day of Passover, lest they be defiled. But, I ask, where was the defilement? Surely not in the praetorium itself, which they so disdained, but in themselves. From which it appears how much hypocrisy occupies men's minds everywhere, and how by such external rites they mock God, when they do not even have the principles of true and sincere religion. For this reason the Lord through the prophet Isaiah once reproached the people that they had hands polluted with blood, and were intolerable. Nor should we think that those rites and ceremonies displeased God, of which he himself was the author, for whatever God instituted by his word he approves; but he showed the law violated when the Jews indeed celebrated festival days, and meanwhile labored under mutual hatreds and enmities, and were full of plunderings, extortions, and injuries, and similar things. Therefore although we do not have such festival days according to the manner of the ancients, since we are no longer subject to the shadows and figures of the law, let us learn that whenever we come to a sermon, and especially on the Lord's day, which is dedicated so that we may devote ourselves to good works and love toward our neighbors and to integrity and holiness of life, we should acknowledge God's innumerable benefits toward us, and give him thanks from the heart for them; and accordingly let us not mix our pollutions with those things which God has sanctified for his glory and our salvation. Therefore let each one examine himself and his life, and from the heart condemn and detest his weaknesses, since we know that even our best works cannot be judged otherwise than as polluted before God, which nevertheless out of his immense goodness and mercy he accepts and admits as good, when we entrust our life to him; and although we know we are guilty of many defects, yet we have recourse to him and depend wholly on him, and live with our neighbors in all sincerity and faithfulness. This doctrine must be learned from the example of Saul, whom we see was indeed religious in external appearance, but meanwhile was harboring in his mind implacable hatred against David, and pursuing him to death by whatever means he could. He was indeed by this account more guilty before God. For is it not to mix God in our pollutions, when externally we seem zealous for his worship, and yet in our hearts foster wicked desires?

Furthermore, that conjecture of David: 'If Saul, hearing that David has departed, accepts the excuse, things will go well with him' rests on the foundation I touched on earlier — namely, that Saul, if he is utterly resolved to kill David, will be more exacerbated when he hears this news, and will vomit forth his venom when he thinks David has slipped from his hands. Indeed wicked men often plot their treacheries so secretly that you can scarcely detect them, and most easily impose on incautious men by their external appearance; but at last God reveals their disgrace, and accordingly however cunning and crafty they may be, God still by certain signs and marks betrays their treachery, and brings it forth in public, so that they become known to all and are rendered infamous and execrable. David therefore, relying on this hope, persuaded himself that, although Saul might lay snares for him by tricks and frauds, God would nevertheless allow him to be carried beside himself by anger so much that he would openly reveal what he had hidden in his heart. Here we are admonished, when enemies plot against our life with frauds and treacheries, and seek to kill us, to pray to God that he may detect their plans and hidden contrivings and bring them out into the open, so that we may escape their hands.

Now let us pass to those words of David, by which he adjures Jonathan by the right hands they had given, and asks him that, since he made the covenant of the Lord with his servant, he himself should kill him with his own hand if there is any iniquity in him. When he says that Jonathan made the covenant of the Lord with him, he thus exhorts Jonathan to persevere in the friendship and faith which he himself had voluntarily contracted with David. And on this account David He was greatly bound to Jonathan, since he had voluntarily sought his friendship, going beyond the boundaries of his condition, which is worthy of singular observation. For if David himself had first solicited Jonathan for friendship, and Jonathan had agreed, it would have been reckoned as a great kindness. But when Jonathan first approached David, who needed Jonathan's friendship and favor, he had certainly greatly bound David to himself. Nevertheless David with these words exhorts him to persevere in the friendship that had begun. For it can happen that one who has entered into a friendship with another, wishing to withdraw from it, might complain that he was drawn in by the other's importunate entreaties, and coerced into that friendship. And by this reasoning friendships are often dissolved. But if someone first approached the other and bound himself to him, it is certain that he is inexcusable if he breaks his pledged word. David therefore, adjuring Jonathan by the covenant that Jonathan himself had initiated, does the same as if he were urging him not to rest until he has completed the work he began. From this we learn that if, by God's permission, we have done well, we are obligated to persevere. For you may see many who, if they have done well once or twice, think they have fulfilled their duty, and if they have conducted themselves bravely for some time and then recoil from duty, still persuade themselves they are beyond all blame. But truly on the contrary, if we have learned to apply God's gifts to their proper use, we shall never grow weary of doing good, but will pursue what we have begun all the more zealously, lest we fail in the race. And faithful servants of God ought to spur themselves to duty with these stimuli, as it were, when they recall what works God has accomplished through them, so that since God has given them the opportunity to do good, they may also proceed eagerly to the end, and not rest until the work is completed. Hypocrites indeed take occasion for boasting from deeds well done, as if they had bound God to themselves by them, and take liberty to do whatever they please as they wish, as if they were exempt from all laws, and had bound everyone to themselves by their generosity and brave deeds. On the contrary, faithful servants of God, the more distinguished they have been for great deeds, the more modestly they think of themselves, attributing all glory for noble achievements to God, and they will urge themselves on lest God's work lie buried and be left unfinished through their ingratitude. From this therefore they will receive greater occasion to conduct themselves bravely, the greater the benefits they have received from God, and having been employed for greater undertakings, they will burn more and more with holy desire to advance God's work, so that they may not be deterred from what they have begun by fear of any dangers, because they burn with zeal for spreading God's glory. Furthermore, when David calls himself Jonathan's servant, let us not think it feigned modesty. For he had indeed been designated king and anointed and inaugurated by the ministry of Samuel; but the time had not yet come when he would be put in possession of the kingdom, and therefore he kept himself within the limits of his present condition, which is worthy of singular observation. The same is evident in Jacob, to whom the birthright had been given, and yet he nevertheless conducted himself as a servant before Esau his brother. And certainly unless he had retained the divine promises with the firmest faith, he would not have so eagerly exposed his life to so many dangers. For he preferred to leave his father's house, in the hope of that blessed land which was to fall to him as an inheritance, rather than to yield the right of the firstborn to another. But what miseries he endured, what afflictions, what most harsh calamities he was exercised with! Nevertheless, addressing Esau he says: Behold your servant; and sending his servants ahead to Esau, he addresses him thus: Go to my lord. From where, I ask, this change? Was he led by some repentance for the blessing he had received? Did he repudiate the divine promise? Not at all; but he knew that he could not yet come outwardly into possession of that birthright which still shone like an earthly paradise, and whose time of enjoyment had not yet arrived. Therefore, content with his hope, of which he confessed himself unworthy, he acknowledged before men that he was far inferior to his brother Esau. So also in this passage David, who although he had been designated king by God, had not yet been sent into possession of the royal seat, nor had he yet received royal authority and power; but it was necessary for it to be hidden for a time, and as it were buried. Therefore he calls himself the servant of Jonathan the king's son, although he knew that Jonathan would not come into a share of the kingdom, nor succeed his father, but rather would be subjected to David himself, when David had come into royal power. And therefore Jonathan honors and accepts God's good will that he recognizes, and asks David that even though his father is ungrateful toward him, he would have mercy on him and his family. We see therefore that David does not call himself Jonathan's servant with some feigned and lying civil modesty, but truly acknowledges himself to be such. Moreover, he calls it a covenant of the Lord, the friendship which they had contracted with each other by invoking God's name. A covenant therefore is called divine, or a promise, which is joined with an oath; which is worthy of observation. For if this conviction has been more deeply impressed upon our minds, that God has been called upon by us with an oath as witness, presiding over pacts and agreements, we will shudder to retreat even a nail's breadth from our promises, lest we seem to wish to break faith given to God. But from this it happens that men very often swear so easily by God's name, because they are fickle and inconstant, and all memory of God easily slips from their minds, so that having sworn a hundred times they make little of the oath, by which only paper seems burdened and stained. For I ask, who would not call it a foul stain when the testimony of truth is cloaked by an oath, and meanwhile frauds and treasons are concealed beneath it? But, alas, this vice is all too frequent today. Why is this so, unless because we do not acknowledge that God presides over all those contracts in which his name is invoked, that is, God is called upon as judge, not to let perjuries go unpunished? This therefore must be observed: that a covenant of the Lord is said to be any pact or agreement in which God's name has been invoked, and to which the contracting parties have submitted themselves to a judge, so that he may severely punish and avenge those who have contracted not sincerely and candidly, but deceitfully and fraudulently. Another point is also to be observed here and often recalled to memory, namely that all friendships will be firm and legitimate when God is their author, and when his glory is their end and aim. On the contrary, they are illegitimate if they do not rest on God's word and will. Just as we see wicked men joining together in many and great alliances and friendships, even with an interposed oath, to support one another in wickedness, as if God were to share in the plunder, so that those friendships seem unable to be dissolved by any means. Yet cursed are the friendships and ill-fated the alliances of those that are not directed to a right end. Therefore if we truly wish to cultivate friendship with one another and to have our friendships approved by God, let us learn to look to him alone and to direct them toward his glory as the true aim, lest we detract from his honor and glory. But rather let us mutually exhort one another to virtue, and cultivate friendship even to the altars, so that we spare no one however great in favor and authority, nor foster any vice contrary to God's glory and honor, but rather condemn it with our vote.

And so much for those words: You made me enter into a covenant of the Lord with you. Let us proceed to the following words: If however there is any iniquity in me, you yourself kill me. By these words is confirmed what we said before, that David does not adjure Jonathan to cover some deed of his with his favor, which is the end of nearly all worldly friendships, that they are inclined to cover the vice of friends. By which reasoning mortals struggle against God himself, and become his enemies, and oppose his justice, when they prefer the friendship of men to the glory of God. David therefore here prescribes for us a standard to which we ought to measure our friendships: that we should not embrace with our favor those who have sinned, so that they are fostered in their sins. Certainly it is fitting for us to have mercy on friends who have fallen into some sin, and to raise them up as much as we can with serious reproofs and exhortations; but not on that account should anything be detracted from God's glory, or justice corrupted. Surely sin is committed in this matter not infrequently: for often such is the intemperance of men that a husband is led by foolish love of his wife, and conversely a wife by her husband's, and the rest joined by some bond of kinship similarly sin, so that they scratch each other's backs and defend malice. But David teaches us here by his example the very opposite, when he asks to be killed by Jonathan's own hand, however dear a friend, if he is found guilty in any matter. By which words he shows that he does not want to be spared if he has committed any iniquity, nor does he want any disgrace, if he has committed one, to be covered by Jonathan's favor and authority, but rather wants the utmost rigor of justice applied to him; and therefore he hands over a sword, as it were, into Jonathan's hands, so that if any iniquity is found in him he may be slain and punished. You therefore, he says, are my friend; you kill me; I freely grant you my death if you have found me to be treacherous or unfaithful to the king your father; you yourself avenge the disgrace.

Jonathan in turn confirms David's innocence by his response: Far be this from you, he says; for it cannot be that if I certainly know that my father's malice against you is complete, I would not inform you; nor would I allow injury to be done to you by anyone. By which words, I say, Jonathan frees David from all blame. And certainly Jonathan would have acted wickedly and been impious toward his father, if he had spared David without having thoroughly ascertained his innocence and faithfulness. For since he was the king's son, he ought to have preferred the honor and reverence of his father to all things however dear and precious; and since to his father's authority was added also the royal dignity, he was bound by a twofold duty. Yet Jonathan abandons his father to embrace David. But for what reasons, I ask? For sacred Scripture commands us to be obedient to our superiors. Indeed so: but on that condition, which the Gospel teaches, that we do not sin against God, and that nothing is detracted from his glory. Therefore when Jonathan perceived that he could not obey his father without shedding innocent blood, and thereby sinning against God himself, he therefore abandoned his father's side and remained in David's friendship, and took him under his protection. By which we are taught to reconcile carnal friendships, as Scripture says, in such a way that the first place is left to reason, truth, and equity. For generally, as I said before, friendships are sought by which vices are mutually fostered, and God's glory is placed far below men. Therefore let each person exercise his vocation in such a way that he places God's glory, honor, and justice above all human affairs. Moreover, when we hear Jonathan speaking familiarly with David and making mention of his father's malice, let us not think this was done out of contempt for his father, whom he reverenced with such honor, as we saw before, that he did not refuse to die at his command; but rather out of love of equity and justice, which so illuminated his eyes that he did not allow himself, indulging in foolish affections, to be unable to discern right from wrong. Just as we see that many are often so blinded by foolish friendships that they lose all sense of reason; so, for example, a husband will so indulge his wife's love that he is blind to her many extravagances and other intemperate deeds; and conversely a wife is so occupied by love of her husband that she allows herself to be persuaded if he denies having committed some sin of which he is actually conscious. So parents are captivated by foolish love of their children, so that they are too indulgent toward their vices, and neither wish to exact punishment from them when they sin nor allow it to be exacted; and conversely children are blind to their parents' vices. But by this reasoning the way of justice is blocked, and God is, as it were, pulled down from his throne, when we prefer the love of mortals to his glory. Therefore, the more prone mortals are to sinning in this matter, the more attentively this doctrine must be meditated upon, so that if we are bound to friends by the bonds of friendship or kinship, we do not on that account abolish the distinction between just and unjust, and as it were mix light with darkness. Therefore wherever evil has been committed, it must be honestly condemned, whether in kinsmen, or in friends, or in ourselves. For if we cannot examine and judge our own vices, how shall we justly pass sentence on others? Therefore no one is to be spared, not even parents, especially when God's honor and glory are at stake. Parents indeed must be tolerated; but yet in such a way that their vices are not fostered. If a son knows his father's vices, he ought to hate them, and to admonish his father, and if he can, to recall him to a better mind. Let Jonathan be an example of this, who speaks indeed of the malice of his father, which he had previously recognized, but nevertheless remained in obedience to him, and indeed accompanied him even to death, as we shall see later. From which it appears that he was not drawn away from divine love by the friendship of mortal things. So therefore we ought to hate the vices of our neighbors in such a way that we do for them what the duties of our office require, and that we do not hold God's word in contempt. Moreover, when we observe that the covenant between David and Jonathan was renewed with an oath, from this it appears that there is always some diffidence in men, which we ought not to be greatly surprised at. For if our dealings were with God alone, by how many thoughts and doubts, I ask, are we distracted, by which our mind, tossed as if by waves, seethes? What then do we think will happen if we have dealings with men, whom we know to be so changeable and inconstant and so full of pride and perverse will? The fact, therefore, that we see the covenant between Jonathan and David renewed with an oath, was done so that neither of them would doubt the other's faithfulness, and especially so that Jonathan would assure David, whom he saw reduced to such straits, of his friendship and excellent goodwill toward him. By which example we ought to be stirred to admonish our neighbors when we see certain hidden vices in them, lest by concealing their vices we be called into a share of blame with them.

Now then, come, etc.

4. Jonathan said to David, 'Whatever you say, I will do for you.' 5. David said to Jonathan, 'Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am expected to sit with the king at the meal. Let me go and hide in the field until evening of the third day. 6. If your father notices my absence and asks about me, say to him: David asked my permission to go quickly to Bethlehem, his hometown, because there is a yearly sacrifice there for all his family. 7. If he says, Fine, your servant is safe. But if he gets angry, you will know that he has made up his mind to harm me. 8. Show kindness to your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant with you before the Lord. But if there is any guilt in me, you yourself put me to death — do not hand me over to your father.' 9. Jonathan said, 'Far from it — that could never happen. If I find out that my father has definitely decided to harm you, I will tell you.' 10. David said to Jonathan, 'Who will let me know if your father gives you a harsh answer?' 11. Jonathan said to David, 'Come, let us go out into the field.'

We continue working through David's trials. His life seemed so uncertain and precarious that it hung by a thread — he could not rest for even a moment. This teaching may tire some who prefer more comfortable subjects, but it is both useful and necessary for us. It generally happens that if we have bravely borne one affliction or another, we are worn down by their long duration and lose heart. Someone who seemed very strong may find that after a month or two of unrelenting troubles and difficulties, the length of the ordeal feels unbearable. Unless God provides some relief and easing of the pain, they can hardly keep themselves from complaining. David's example should therefore strengthen us. If God wishes to test us not for a month or two, not for a year or even several years, but to the very end of our lives, we must learn to bear with patience and equanimity whatever He sends — and pray to Him earnestly that He guard our lives so we may offer them to Him as a pleasing sacrifice. Unbelievers seek many supports to protect themselves against misfortune and deeply desire to be safe from all dangers. The faithful, by contrast, entrust their lives to God whenever it pleases Him and recognize that the race of this life is short. Unbelievers search out every possible strategy to protect themselves, always trembling with uncertainty and fear. But the faithful, even knowing that death threatens their neck at every moment and that this is the condition of their life, nevertheless live with a calm and peaceful mind — placing their hope in God, whom they are confident is the guardian of their souls.

We should also observe that David, though he rested on firm faith in God and was confident that God was his protector and defender, was still constantly shaken by new fears. Faith in God does not strip the faithful of all feeling, so that they cannot foresee threatening dangers or be moved and affected by them. David placed his hope in God and was certain God would fulfill His promises — but he was not so numb as to be unmoved by his situation. Having experienced the king's stubborn malice and deadly hatred, he was greatly frightened. We see this when he complained to Jonathan that he was not a step from death and that the sword was pointed at his throat. Since we have not yet been freed from natural human feeling, we must not be overwhelmed by it or let it cut short the course of our life — but instead fight bravely against our weakness. We will never place our trust in God without some struggle against our own flesh. This is the overall lesson of this account that we should keep in mind. Now let us look at the specific parts. David decided to test what the king's intentions toward him actually were. The plan he came up with was to use a solemn family sacrifice as a pretext for his absence. He explained that if Saul, upon noticing his absence, accepts Jonathan's excuse — that David had asked permission to go quickly to Bethlehem for a family sacrifice and Jonathan had let him go — then David's situation is in good shape and he has nothing to fear from the king. But if the king is angry that David was allowed to leave, that will be a sign that his malice has reached its full measure and that he will no longer be swayed by fairness or reason — taking it as a personal affront that David slipped through his hands. By this means, David said, we will see clearly how much Saul hates me and how determined he is to kill me. When he thinks I have escaped, he will not be able to hide his poison. He will show the sign of his deep and deadly hatred — so that I will never need to appear before him again.

David adds: 'But if there is any guilt in me, Jonathan, kill me yourself — do not hand me over to your father.' Moved by these words, Jonathan swears that he will never lay a hand on David, whose innocence he has more than fully established. To press Jonathan further, David appeals to the covenant they had made before the Lord — using the pledge of sworn friendship to urge Jonathan to remain faithful to their bond. Meanwhile, uncertain how he could know for sure what Saul's intentions were and how to keep himself safe, he goes out into the field with Jonathan and learns from him the signals by which he will be able to judge the whole matter. Jonathan then confirms with a new oath the earlier covenant between them, and asks David that when he comes to royal dignity, he would show him the same kindness and mercy. But each of these things must be examined carefully. And above all, it must be noted that David showed a weakness here when he used the annual family sacrifice as a pretext — something that was not actually the case. He covered himself with a lie. If anyone objects that he was harming no one and intended to defraud no one, that is not a sufficient excuse. As we showed before, God loves truth so completely that whenever anything false is mixed in, it is a serious sin against Him. Even when nothing is said with malicious intent and no one claims to have been wronged, a lie is still always to be condemned. God never changes, and He loves truth because He Himself is truth. He must therefore abhor and detest whatever is contrary to His majesty. So no one can excuse David's false pretext. Rather, we should be made wiser by his example and remember what appears frequently throughout Scripture — that God's children, even when aiming at a good goal, often stumble and go wrong. David was pursuing the right course and looking toward the right goal — to worship God sincerely, trust in Him and His mercy, and believe in the promises made through Samuel. In all of these things David excelled and was almost angelic in his perfection — yet he always felt something of human weakness. From this we learn that even though we cannot serve God with all the zeal we should, we should not lose heart. Rather, we should strive with everything we have — while recognizing at the same time that all our best works are imperfect before God, indeed flawed, unless He mercifully accepts and tolerates them. The apostle Paul himself teaches this very thing through his own example. Speaking of himself — at the very time when he had made tremendous progress in the gospel and had performed remarkable deeds, spreading gospel teaching far and wide — he still confesses that he does not do the good he wants to do, but does the evil he does not want and hates. For this reason he calls himself a wretched man, because he cannot serve God as sincerely as he desires. If this was the experience of so outstanding a servant of God as Paul, what will happen to us? We must accept that no one can turn their mind to any good work without facing many opposing pressures and tendencies. But this should not cause us to give up. When our weaknesses become well known to us, let us recognize that we are all the more in need of God — and let us pray to Him to deal kindly with us, not to weigh our imperfections against the strict standard of His law, not to enter into judgment with us as the psalm says, but to cover our failures and accept as pleasing and acceptable the covenant He made with us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Even when we stumble along the way, may He sustain us in His goodness, accept our course as pleasing, and direct it to the final goal. Then let us flee with all our strength from every crooked and winding path — for if we deviate even a little from the right way, we will very easily wander off into byways and be carried headlong. David did not ultimately turn away from the right goal, but it must be attributed to God's goodness that He brought him back onto the right path even after he had resorted to a lie. Accordingly, we must be careful not to imitate this example — for if we did, we would undoubtedly be testing God. We are already far too prone to vice. We do not need further examples that we can use as license for more. If those who strive with all their strength to master their vices and hold themselves on a tight rein still fall in many things — what will happen to us if we willingly allow ourselves this or that lapse? Let us therefore learn not to test God. And when we see David so gripped by fear that he fled to a lie as his only apparent refuge, let us pray that God, when any anxiety burns in us or fear strikes us, would grant us a spirit of wisdom and sound judgment — so that we look to Him alone, wait on Him for whatever is useful, and follow truth and justice with steady feet, whatever events may come.

A question arises here: were these annual family sacrifices actually permitted to individuals, since God's law specifically required all sacrifices to be made at the central altar? God had set down a single and clear rule for worship, which He intended all people to follow as they obeyed His Word. This law served two purposes. First, God wished to be heard as the sole lawgiver and Lord of His people — everyone was to depend on His Word. Second, He wished to foster unity and harmony among the people through the public sacrifices He had established. The answer to the question is this: while God had indeed established only one altar and one prescribed form of sacrifice, individuals were permitted to bring voluntary offerings to the Lord's altar and to set aside a particular day for a family sacrifice. We saw this at the beginning of this book, where Elkanah, Samuel's father, was in the habit of going up each year to offer a special sacrifice to the Lord with his wife. These family sacrifices therefore did not violate the general law requiring the people to assemble at the temple and offer their sacrifices on God's altar. This is how we should understand what David says here about the annual sacrifice of his family, for which he would go to Bethlehem.

David also mentions that since the new moon was the next day, it was customary for him to sit beside the king at the meal. He is referring to the new moon day, which was observed as a sacred festival. God governed the still-rough and simple people through such rites, as a father guides children. But we, to whom He has revealed Himself more fully, should be all the more eager to give Him thanks for the many and great benefits we receive from Him every day — and above all for the life we receive from Him. This is why God commanded the new moon days to be observed as festivals: the moon's phases visibly demonstrate that God must continually renew His gifts, since without that renewal we would fail at every moment. When we observe the moon and its various phases, we see an image of human life — at the full moon it begins to wane and gradually disappears until it is no longer seen. This pattern is an image of human frailty. When the moon then renews itself, it is as if a new creation is made by God — as if the heavens themselves are renewed. So God in the old law given through Moses commanded that the new moons be dedicated to Him and observed as festivals — so that the people would devote those days to blessing God's name and meditating on His grace and gifts. Today, however, we do not observe the new moon days as festivals. We no longer have those ceremonies suited to childhood — those legal figures and shadows have passed away. Not because we are better than the ancient fathers, or because God finds something in us that He did not find in them — but because our Lord Jesus Christ has appeared as the body and substance of all those shadows and figures. Therefore, though we do not keep the new moons as festivals, their truth must still be retained and practiced. We should acknowledge that God did not simply create us once and set us loose in the world, but that He sustains us day by day. We should therefore call on Him at every moment and meditate on His goodness toward us, constantly exclaiming with the prophet: 'What is man, O Lord, that You are mindful of him?' And let us remember what the prophet says elsewhere: that when God withdraws His Spirit, people fail and are reduced to nothing; but when He sends it forth, all created things are renewed. Let us therefore hope that He will likewise supply us with strength when He wishes to use our labors.

We also see that Saul observed this festival — but in the way hypocrites typically attend to religious matters. He wanted to appear religious outwardly and to be seen as a careful observer of the law's ceremonies. Yet all the while he was nurturing deep, deadly hatred against David in his heart. But how can God accept the worship of someone who is hunting an innocent man to his death? This is how hypocrites operate. We see those wicked Jews who would not enter Pilate's praetorium on Passover, lest they become ceremonially unclean. But where was the real defilement? Not in the praetorium — but in themselves. This shows how completely hypocrisy can occupy the human mind — using external religious observance to mock God, while lacking even the basic principles of true and sincere religion. This is why the Lord once rebuked Israel through the prophet Isaiah, telling them their hands were stained with blood and that He could not tolerate them. We should not think that God was displeased with the rites and ceremonies He Himself had instituted — whatever God establishes by His Word He approves. But He was showing that the law was being violated when the Jews observed the festivals while simultaneously harboring mutual hatreds and enmities, and were full of robbery, extortion, injustice, and similar sins. Therefore, though we no longer have such festival days in the manner of the ancients — since we are no longer under the shadows and figures of the law — let us learn that whenever we come to hear a sermon, and especially on the Lord's Day, which is set apart for us to devote ourselves to good works, love of neighbor, and holy living, we should acknowledge God's countless benefits to us and thank Him from the heart. And we must not mix our pollutions with what God has sanctified for His glory and our salvation. Let each person examine himself and his life, and sincerely condemn and detest his weaknesses — knowing that even our best works cannot be judged as anything other than polluted before God. Yet out of His immense goodness and mercy He accepts and receives them as good when we entrust our life to Him. Though we know we are guilty of many failures, we still come to Him, depend entirely on Him, and live with our neighbors in sincerity and faithfulness. This is the lesson to be drawn from Saul's example. He appeared outwardly religious, yet all the while was nursing implacable hatred against David in his heart and pursuing him to death by every means available. For this reason he was all the more guilty before God. Is it not a pollution of God's worship to appear outwardly zealous for it while inwardly harboring wicked desires?

David's reasoning was this: 'If Saul, upon hearing that David has gone, accepts the excuse, all is well.' This reasoning rested on what I touched on earlier — that if Saul had fully resolved to kill David, he would be all the more enraged when he heard the news, and would pour out his poison when he thought David had slipped from his grasp. Wicked men often plot their treachery so secretly that you can barely detect them — they easily deceive the unwary by their outward appearance. But in the end God exposes their disgrace. However cunning and crafty they may be, God still reveals their treachery by certain signs and marks, bringing it into the open so that they become known to all and are held in contempt. David, relying on this hope, was convinced that even if Saul laid traps through tricks and deceit, God would let Saul's anger carry him away until he openly revealed what was hidden in his heart. This warns us that when enemies plot against our lives with fraud and treachery, we should pray to God to expose their plans and hidden schemes and bring them into the light, so that we may escape their hands.

Now let us turn to David's words, where he adjures Jonathan by the bond they had made and asks him — since Jonathan himself had initiated the covenant of the Lord with David his servant — that if any guilt is found in David, Jonathan should be the one to execute him. When David appeals to the covenant of the Lord, he is urging Jonathan to hold firm to the friendship and faithfulness that Jonathan had freely and voluntarily entered into. On this point, David owed Jonathan an enormous debt — Jonathan had reached across the boundaries of his own rank and position to seek David's friendship, which is worth careful attention. If David had approached Jonathan first and Jonathan had agreed, that would already have been a great kindness. But Jonathan came to David first, coming to the one who needed Jonathan's favor — and so he had bound David to himself all the more deeply. Still, David here urges Jonathan to stay the course in the friendship he had begun. It can happen that someone who entered into a friendship, when wanting to withdraw from it, blames the other for pressing too hard and drawing him in against his will. This kind of reasoning is often how friendships are broken. But if someone approached the other first and committed himself freely, there is no excuse for breaking the promise he made. David therefore, by appealing to the covenant Jonathan himself had initiated, was essentially urging Jonathan to finish what he had started. From this we learn that when God gives us the opportunity to do good, we are obligated to follow through. There are many who, having done well once or twice, think their duty is fulfilled — who have conducted themselves admirably for a season and then pull back, yet still consider themselves blameless. But the opposite is true. If we have learned to put God's gifts to their proper use, we will never grow weary of doing good. We will press on with even greater zeal, so that we do not fail in the race. God's faithful servants should use the memory of what God has accomplished through them as a spur. Since God has given them the opportunity to do good, they should press on eagerly to the end and not rest until the work is finished. Hypocrites, by contrast, use their past good deeds as grounds for pride — as if they had placed God in their debt, and now had license to do whatever they pleased, exempt from all obligation, as though everyone owed them a debt for their generosity. God's faithful servants do the opposite. The greater the deeds in which they have been used, the more humbly they think of themselves, giving all glory for noble achievements to God. And they push themselves harder, lest God's work lie unfinished through their own ingratitude. The greater the benefits they have received from God, and the more significant the tasks they have been given, the more they burn with a holy desire to advance God's work — undeterred by any danger, driven by zeal for His glory. When David calls himself Jonathan's servant, we should not take this as polite but hollow modesty. David had indeed been designated king, anointed and set apart through Samuel's ministry. But the time had not yet come for him to take possession of the kingdom, and so he kept himself within the boundaries of his present situation — and this too is worth careful attention. The same pattern appears in Jacob, to whom the birthright had been given, and yet who conducted himself as a servant before his brother Esau. Certainly, if he had not held onto the divine promises with the firmest faith, he would never have willingly exposed himself to so many dangers. He chose to leave his father's house, holding onto the hope of the blessed land that was to be his inheritance, rather than surrender the birthright to another. And yet what miseries he endured — what afflictions, what harsh trials he was made to go through. Even so, when addressing Esau he said, 'Behold, your servant' — and when sending his servants ahead to Esau, he instructed them to say, 'Go to my lord.' Where did this come from? Was he regretting the blessing he had received? Was he renouncing the divine promise? Not at all. He simply understood that the time had not yet come to openly take possession of the birthright that shone before him like a promised paradise. Its season of enjoyment had not yet arrived. Content with his hope — and confessing himself unworthy of it — he acknowledged before men that he was far inferior to his brother Esau. David was in the same position. Though God had designated him king, he had not yet been put in possession of the royal throne or invested with royal authority and power. That reality had to remain hidden for a time, buried, as it were. So he called himself the servant of Jonathan, the king's son — even though he knew that Jonathan would not come into a share of the kingdom or succeed his father, but would instead one day be subject to David when David came into his royal power. Jonathan, for his part, honored and accepted the gracious will of God that he clearly recognized — and asked David that, even though his father had treated David so ungratefully, David would show mercy to Jonathan and his family. We see then that David did not call himself Jonathan's servant out of some feigned, hollow civility. He truly acknowledged himself to be such. He also calls their friendship 'a covenant of the Lord' because they had entered into it by invoking God's name. A covenant is called divine — a divine promise — when it is sealed with an oath. This is worth careful attention. If this conviction were more deeply fixed in our minds — that when we swear an oath God is called upon as a witness and presides over our agreements — we would tremble to deviate even slightly from our promises, knowing that to do so is to break faith with God Himself. But this is precisely why people swear so carelessly by God's name: they are fickle and changeable, and the memory of God quickly fades from their minds. They can swear a hundred oaths and think little of them — as if only paper has been stained. For who would not call it a foul corruption when truth is invoked as a witness in an oath, and fraud and treachery are hidden beneath it? And yet this sin is all too common today. Why? Because we do not truly acknowledge that God presides over every agreement in which His name is called upon — that God is invoked as judge, who will not let perjury go unpunished. This must be kept firmly in mind: a covenant of the Lord is any pact or agreement in which God's name has been invoked, and to which the parties have submitted themselves to His judgment — so that He may severely punish those who have entered into the agreement not honestly and sincerely, but deceitfully and fraudulently. There is one more point worth noting and remembering often: friendships are firm and legitimate when God is their author and His glory is their aim. Without this, they are illegitimate, having no foundation in God's Word and will. We see wicked men forming many great alliances, even with solemn oaths, to support one another in wickedness — as if God were somehow a partner in their schemes — and these alliances can seem unbreakable. But friendships and alliances not directed toward a right end are cursed and ill-fated. If we truly want to cultivate genuine friendship with one another and have our friendships approved by God, we must learn to look to Him alone and direct our friendships toward His glory as their true aim — never detracting from His honor. Instead, let us mutually encourage one another in virtue, maintaining friendship even to the point of sacrifice — sparing no one, however great in favor or authority, when they pursue vice against God's glory, but condemning that vice clearly and without compromise.

So much for those words: 'You have brought me into a covenant of the Lord with you.' Let us move on to what follows: 'But if there is any guilt in me, you yourself kill me.' These words confirm what we said before — that David is not asking Jonathan to cover his deeds with his favor, which is the purpose of nearly all worldly friendships. Such friendships exist to hide the faults of friends. When people do this, they are fighting against God Himself and becoming His enemies — opposing His justice by preferring human friendship to the glory of God. David therefore sets before us here the standard by which our friendships should be measured: we should not use our favor to shield those who have sinned, thereby encouraging them in their sin. It is certainly right to have compassion on friends who have fallen into some sin and to raise them up as much as we can with serious reproach and encouragement. But nothing of God's glory should be sacrificed for it, and justice should not be corrupted. This failure is not uncommon: a husband is led by misguided love for his wife, or a wife for her husband, or people bound by kinship similarly go wrong — scratching each other's backs and defending wickedness. David teaches us the very opposite by his example here. He asks to be put to death by Jonathan's own hand — as dear a friend as Jonathan is — if he is found guilty in any matter. By these words he shows that he does not want to be spared if he has committed any wrong, and does not want any sin of his to be covered up by Jonathan's friendship and influence. He wants the full rigor of justice applied to him. He hands Jonathan a sword, as it were, saying: if any guilt is found in me, use it. 'You are my friend — you kill me. I freely hand over my life to you if you find me to have been treacherous or unfaithful to the king your father. You yourself avenge the wrong.'

Jonathan in turn confirms David's innocence in his reply: 'Far be it,' he says, 'for it cannot be that if I find out my father has definitely decided to harm you, I would not tell you — or allow any injury to be done to you.' By these words, Jonathan completely clears David of all blame. Jonathan would have acted wickedly and disrespectfully toward his father if he had protected David without having thoroughly established his innocence and faithfulness. As the king's son, Jonathan was bound to place his father's honor and authority above all else, however dear anything else might be. And since his father's natural authority was further reinforced by royal dignity, Jonathan was doubly bound. Yet Jonathan left his father's side to stand with David. Why? Scripture commands us to be obedient to our superiors. Yes — but on the condition the gospel establishes: that we do not sin against God, and that nothing is taken from His glory. When Jonathan saw that he could not obey his father without shedding innocent blood and thereby sinning against God Himself, he left his father's side, remained David's friend, and took David under his protection. This teaches us that natural and human friendships must be held within the limits that Scripture sets — where reason, truth, and justice retain the first place. As I said before, people generally seek out friendships that will help cover up their faults, putting human relationships far above God's glory. Therefore let each person carry out his role in such a way that God's glory, honor, and justice come before all human concerns. When we hear Jonathan speaking frankly about his father's malice, we should not think this came from disrespect for his father — whom he had honored so deeply, as we saw, that he had not refused to die at his command. Rather, it came from love of justice and fairness, which so illuminated his eyes that he would not allow foolish attachments to blind him to the difference between right and wrong. We often see people blinded by misguided affection, losing all good judgment. A husband, for example, will be so indulgent toward his wife that he overlooks her extravagances and many intemperate behaviors. A wife, in turn, is so caught up in love for her husband that she lets herself be convinced he did nothing wrong, even when he knows perfectly well that he did. In the same way, parents are captivated by foolish love for their children — too indulgent toward their faults, neither willing to correct them when they sin nor allowing anyone else to do so. And children are equally blind to their parents' vices. But in all of this, the way of justice is blocked. God is, as it were, pulled from His throne when we place love of mortals above His glory. Because people are so prone to this failure, this teaching must be meditated on with greater care — so that the bonds of friendship or family do not lead us to erase the distinction between just and unjust, and mix light with darkness. Wherever wrong has been committed, it must be honestly named and condemned — whether in relatives, friends, or in ourselves. If we cannot examine and judge our own faults, how will we ever judge others fairly? Therefore no one is to be spared, not even parents — especially when God's honor and glory are at stake. Parents must be treated with respect — but not in a way that encourages their vices. If a son is aware of his father's faults, he ought to hate those faults, admonish his father, and if he can, bring him to a better mind. Let Jonathan be our example: he spoke plainly of his father's malice, which he had already recognized — yet he remained in obedience to him and in the end accompanied him even to death, as we will see later. This shows that he was not pulled away from God by attachment to mortal things. So we should hate the faults of our neighbors in such a way that we still do for them what our duty requires — and we do not despise God's Word. We should also observe that the covenant between David and Jonathan was renewed with an oath — and this shows that there is always some degree of uncertainty in dealing with people, which should not surprise us greatly. If even our dealings with God alone are filled with so many doubts and shifting thoughts that our minds are tossed about like waves — what will happen when we deal with people, who are so changeable and inconstant, full of pride and stubbornness? The renewal of the covenant between Jonathan and David with an oath was therefore done so that neither of them would doubt the other's faithfulness — and above all so that Jonathan could reassure David, whom he saw reduced to such desperate circumstances, of his friendship and deep goodwill toward him. From this example we should also be stirred to admonish our neighbors when we see hidden faults in them — lest by staying silent and concealing their sins, we become partakers in their guilt.

Now then, come, etc.