The Expositor's Bible: The First Book of SamuelBlaikie, William Garden
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The First Book of Samuel
Blaikie, William Garden
Bible. Samuel, 1st -- Commentaries
The folly of Saul's order became apparent when the army came to a wood,
where, as is common enough in the country, a stream of wild honey poured
out, probably from the trunk of a hollow tree. Stretching out his rod
or spear, Jonathan fixed it in a piece of the comb, which he transferred
with his hand to his mouth. Immediately "his eyes were enlightened;" the
dull feeling which settles on the eyes amid fatigue and hunger
disappeared; and with the return of clear vision to his eyes, there
would come a restoration of vigour to his whole frame. When told for the
first time of the order which his father had given, he showed no regret
at having broken it, but openly expressed his displeasure at its having
ever been imposed. "Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the
land. See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I
tasted a little of this honey. How much more if haply the people had
eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found! for
had there not been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?" We
must bear in mind that Jonathan was a true man of God. He had set out
that morning in his wonderful exploit in the true spirit of faith and
full consecration to God. He was in far nearer fellowship with God than
his father, and yet so far from approving of the religious order to fast
which his father had given, he regards it with displeasure and distrust.
Godly men will sometimes be found less outwardly religious than some
other men, and will greatly shock them by being so. The godly man has an
unction from the Holy One to understand His will; he goes straight to
the Lord's business; like our blessed Lord, he finishes the work given
him to do; while the merely religious man is often so occupied with his
forms, that, like the Pharisees, he neglects the structure for which
forms are but the scaffolding; in paying his tithes of mint, anise, and
cummin, he omits the weightier matters--justice, mercy, and truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account