Great Friendship & Horrible Jealousy

1 Samuel 18:1-4

The Bible Teaching Commentary

Paul J. Bucknell

Friendships 1 Sam 18:1-4 | Jealousy 1 Sam 18:5-9 | Anger 1 Sam 18:8-9
Plot #1 1 Sam 18:10-16 | Plot #2 1 Sam 18:17-30

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Purpose of 1 Samuel 18: David's Friendships and Saul's Jealousies

1 Samuel 18, part 1 of 5, reveals how jealousy leads to anger, delusion, murder and paranoia. King Saul is on stage here. Do not, however, forget to take a look at what David was facing, however.

David goes from becoming Saul’s favorite assistant to being his worst enemy. There is much to learn about enduring misunderstand, bitterness and jealousy from David, something many of us need to face at different times in our lives.

A. Deep Friendships (1 Samuel 18:1-4)

“Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.

Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt” (1 Samuel 18:1-4).

Some friendships one don’t make; they make themselves. We cannot wait in life for these special friendships. They might never occur, but if they do, be extremely thankful for such a friendship.

After Saul interviewed David for the battle against Goliath (chapter 17), Jonathan, King Saul’s son, came to love David. They became best of friends. ‘Loved him as himself’ speaks of a true love which has no false motives. Many people have never discovered such a friendship and scoff at its existence. It is rare, but it does exist. This is the way Jonathan loved David.

There could not have been a greater joy than to find that Jonathan’s father would actually bring David to live at their royal home. I remember how excited I was when young and found that a friend could come over. I wanted those play times to last forever. But now, David could actually live there in his house.

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Jonathan, a prince, makes special kind acts. He would be in the position to give gifts. David had little but his God-given sincere friendship. Along with these gifts was a covenant of friendship. No details are given in regards to what it meant, but we can gain a glimpse of its importance when Jonathan shielded David from his father who was seeking his death.

• What makes for a great friendship?
  

• How are true friendships different from fornication and homosexual relationships? (See 'Undercover' below).

Continue -> B. Success Breeds Jealousy (1 Samuel 18:5-9)

Or read related articles:

• Love's Mighty Touch on 1 Corinthians 13

• Genuine Friendship John 15:15-16

  A friend accepts you as you are.

  A friend likes to spend time with you.

Undercover

Several committed homosexuals have written to me and partially justified their homosexuality by this scene in 1 Samuel 18:1-4. This perhaps is the most wretched wrenching of scriptures possible.

They have turned a pure and beautiful friendship into an immoral lust-filled situation. Homosexuality is defined by being sexually attracted with one from the same sex. One is lust motivated. This sexual attraction is also what often motivates men and women in heterosexual relationships.

True friendship, however, between men has none of this self-gratification in mind. They just like being together. They have much to share. Those caught in the web of lust cannot understand pure friendship because there is always some form of self-gratification subtly motivating them.

“To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled” (Titus 1:15).

In the end we must realize God has given us these physical attractions. There is nothing wrong with their innate place in our lives. The problem is that we need to exercise self-control to keep in proper marriage relationships otherwise these lusts will rule us and negatively affect our motivations in seeking friendships with others.

=> For more reading on a person's sexual design and how to overcome homosexuality tendencies.

Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell