The Pain of Rejection of the Father

Jonathan

(From 1 Samuel 14)

The roots of Jonathan’s character sprout not only from his relationship with his father but also from his lineage as a Benjamite.

The Benjamites were a people who were brought under the condemnation of the other tribes for their practice of sodomy. (Judges 19-20)

Jonathan was first mentioned when he was in his father’s military.

Jonathan’s father trained him as a warrior. He is first mentioned as one sent out with a troop of one thousand and conquered the Philistines at Geba. He and his father were the only two with swords. The Israelites did not have swords, as this was a weapon of the more progressive Philistines. The Israelites made weapons with their plowshares. This is significant later because Jonathan gives David his sword. It may be true that Saul’s relationship with Jonathan revolved around what he could do as a soldier. We see many fathers placing this type burden on their sons in that they will show them affection or praise only if they meet a standard or live the life the father plans for them.

Jonathan’s father sowed seeds of rebellion in his son.

Jonathan rebelled and showed little respect for his father, when he “crossed over into the Philistine’s garrison” without consulting his father, the leader of the campaign. (1 Sam. 14.1)

He also showed no respect for his father and undermined his authority when he said, “my father has troubled the land”. (14.29)

This rebelliousness and disrespect for his father may have been the result of a wounded spirit.

Saul was a man given to anger. His iniquity was passed down to his son.

Next, a man's relationship with God and his father as seen in Jonathan.

Gossip:

Revealing private information with someone who is not a part of the problem or a part of the solution.

Judge Not Lest You Be Judged

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus tells us not to judge, lest we be judged. With this Scripture in mind, we are often afraid to speak out when we observe sin. The misnomer is that we are judging when we call on someone to behave differently.

The confusion stems from the three Greek words to express one English word. The Greek word "judge" in this verse is Krino. It means to pass judgment on, to condemn. You rarely see this behavior encouraged in Scripture but rather, we are called to do this Greek word, Anakrino to ask questions, to examine, to evaluate, to investigate, to search out or this Diakrino-to make distinction between (persons), to weigh thoroughly.

Judgment involves opinions that are not checked out for accuracy resulting in krino, condemning, judging. Discernment (anakrino) involves a desire to restore.

We are to examine, to evaluate, to question and check facts for accuracy. Then, we are to follow the steps in Matthew 18.

"And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

"But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.

"And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. Matt. 18

The purpose of this principle is restoration not condemnation.