The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 442

in ~l1_e spiritual ser:ice which unites us those who are_ ~n_Pposed to hold inferiw pos1t1~ns, and cer~.amly do not carry so heavy rospons1b1ht1es, are able to render, most nnportnnt aid to others ~hove them in these respects. David wns relatively the_ greater man, and yet David needed the spiritnRl encouragement and support winch Jonathan was able to afford; and Jonathan, by strengthening" his he.nd in God," was for the time so far the benefactor and the superior. The unity and' subordination of spiritual servue is a trutl_1 applic1.ble to _the _world as a w~ole, and to the pnrt taken by any of us at particular stnges of its history. There 1s to, he at last "a gloriou~ Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing'· (EJ?hes. _v. 27), nnd t!nngs are to be gathered together in one in Christ (ibid. i. 10). Tln_s umty ~f result 1s to be the product of all the manifold influences and agencies which God 1s pleased to employ through the whole course of time,-from the .first to- the last man,-as truly as the complete temple is the product not of the more promi- nent toilers, but of the totality of workers, from the hio·hest to the lowest first to last. As every separate ray of light and drop of dew is ;ecessnry, and ther~fore of value, in the tot.ality of vegetation we witness-as the vegetation would be less• perfect were any one of these to be absent from the process, so there is need, in con- ,erting the Divine idea of salvation into the grand reality indicated in the New Testament, for every small as well ns great spiritual influence, and the most perfect fruition of the great thus becomes dependent on the action of other influence inferior to itself. Abraham, Moses, David, lsaie.h, and Paul were respectively great in faith- fulness, wisdom, devotion, fervour, and zeal, yet the educating influence of their li,·es is in the same line, and is ultimately strengthened by association with the holy p,itience of a despiRed Lazarus and the large liberality of a poor widow. Men d<>- not see the interlaci'.ngs of spiritual agencies. The influence exerted by Jonnthan'e counsel and friendship on the man chosen to do so wonderful u work for all time raises the thoaght whether in the main the great results achieved by some whose names are prominent may not be closely allied to the influences exerted by others nnknown to fame. There are doubtless great revelations yet to be made in reference to the interdependence of the forces of the spiritual world. We do not as yet see the full bearings of the prayers of the lowly on the raising up of distinguished workers and their enrichment with spiritual power. The devoted missionary, the successful pastor, the great teacher and leader of men, may therefore owe much of their peculiar spiritual usefulness to the untraceable influence of prayers offered by the obscure. '!.'his principle helps to explain the great stress laid in the Bible on t~e pray~rs of ordinary Christians, and thus enables us to see how nfter all a poor afflicted child of God may be an unconscious strengthener of persons unknown by name. JV. A. TRUE SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION RECOGNISES THIS UNITY AND SUBORDINATION, AND SEEKS TO GIVE EFFECT TO IT. The actions and words of Jonathan sprang from his distinct recognition of the fact that David, though greater than himself, was inspired by the same aim, and longed for the realisation of Israel's glory. He cp_uld not bless Israel by a virtuous reign; it was denied him to be in Zion a king typical of the Messiah ; but he could strengthen the heart of him who was destined to t~at honour; and with unparalleled magnanimity and self-denial, with utter absorption_ in Israel's good, and cheerful submission to the manifest wi(l of God, he contri_b'!-ted' his part toward the final issue. It is a question whether _amidst our modern rehg1?us parties we sufficiently realise the unity and subordinat10n of our work for Clmst. The narrowness of our isms is not healthful in itself, and it tends to rob the great body of workers of much of the sympathy and large-hearted prayer !hat would un- consciously to themselves make them strong in God. What elevat10n of thought and grandeur of life should we more uniformly attain to ~oul~ we1 like Jonathan, put into practice the feeling that our prayers and sympathies, m gomg forth f?r alt who labour for Christ, and especially for those who are called to bea~ the ~tram of liigh and perilous service, are our contribution to the one great enterpnse w~1ch fro!Il first to last has filled the heart of Christ and is absorbing the best energies of Ins Church I V. THE BEST FORM OF SERVICE WE sometimes can RENDER TO Goo IB TO INSPIRE WITH COURAOE the hearts of those who DO A WORK TO WHI<m WE ARE NOT CALLED • .Jonathan WllB not called to be a king, but he served God by inspiring the heart of Cll. XXIII. 14-29,] THE FIRST BOOK OF SA:\llJEL. 449