“I grieve for you,
my brother Y’honatan,
you meant so much to me!
Your love for me was deeper
than the love of women.”
-2 Samuel 1:26
Alrighty, there’s another issue I gotta address in David’s eulogy for Saul and Jonathan that frankly I don’t even wanna talk about.
I’m referring to the verse where it says Jonathan’s love for David was deeper than the love of women.
It shouldn’t come as no surprise that many pro-gay folks will use this verse as proof that David was in a homosexual relationship with Jonathan.
Not only is the idea preposterous, but it shows just how ignorant people are when it comes to understanding the culture of the Bible.
Here’s the thing.
In a society where a king/vassal relationship was the norm, it was normal to use the word “love” to describe how a subject was supposed to feel towards his Lord.
Ya feel me?
In this context, the word “love” simply meant “deeply loyal.”
A noble would pledge allegiance and military support to the king who would in return provide territory to live in and protection.
Ideally, it was supposed to be a mutually beneficial and happy relationship, but of course, the king always had the upper hand.
Nevertheless, this was the idea propagated to keep the conquered satisfied enough so they wouldn’t rebel.
As they say, “a well-fed and content slave” doesn’t rebel.
Anyway, what David is expressing is how great Jonathan’s political loyalty was towards him.
He wasn’t saying that out of all the sexual lovers he had, Jonathan was the greatest of them all.
If you think about it, even if it was true (which it ain’t), would it even make sense to boast of such a thing publically?
Let’s not forget that under normal circumstances, it was Jonathan who was to assume the throne after his father Saul.
The fact that he waived that right because under divine inspiration he knew God had chosen David to be the next King speaks volumes about his loyalty and faithfulness to David.
This loyalty was indeed far greater than the limited kind of love between a man and woman, which is just about having children and the work a woman was expected to do for the family.
Keep in mind that in those days a noble could be loyal to only one master.
If otherwise, it would be considered betrayal.
Finally, here’s another interesting point to consider.
In an era when it was common for a man to have more than one wife including some concubines as well, the singular loyalty of a vassal dedicated only to his master was considered deeper than women.
It makes sense if you think about it.
How strong can a woman’s loyalty be to a man when she knows she is only one among many whom her husband is bedding down with regularly?
Ya feel me?
Alrighty, let’s switch over to the takeaway.
The degree of love Jonathan demonstrated toward David is the love we are to show to God.
We are not to divide our loyalty between Him and other idols.
See ya all next time.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“No one can serve two masters.
Either you will hate the one
and love the other,
or you will be devoted to the one
and despise the other.
You cannot serve
both God and money.”
-Matthew 6:24
“Rabbi, which is the greatest
commandment in the Law?”
Yeshua replied: “‘Love the Lord your
God with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind.’
This is the first
and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang
on these two commandments.”
-Matthew 22:36-40
“When they had finished breakfast,
Yeshua said to Simon Peter,
‘Simon, son of John,
do you love me more than these?‘
He said to him,
‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’
He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’
He said to him a second time,
‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
He said to him,
‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’
He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’
He said to him the third time,
‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?‘
Peter was grieved because he
said to him the third time,
‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him,
‘Lord, you know everything;
you know that I love you.’
Yeshua said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.'”
–John 21:15-17
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN SECOND SAMUEL CHAPTER TWO
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