The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 559

conferred a benefit upon you in the best way you can; be thankful, especially to God, for all his benefits towards you. "Nothing more detestable does the earth produce than an ungrateful man" (Ansonius). 3. Seek above all things to obtain in life and death the honour that comes from God. "This Book began with Samuel's birth, and now ends with Saul's burial, the comparing of which together will teach us to prefer the honour which comes from God before any honours of which this world pretends to dispose" (M. Henry).-D. Ch. xxxi.-Saul of Gibeah, and Saul of Tarsus. It is instructive to compare the characters of different men with each other. This is done by Plutarch in his Lives of celebrated Greeks and- Romans ; and it may be done with advantage in the case of some of the characters described in the Scriptures. There was an interval of a, thousand years between Saul of Gibeah and Saul of Tarsus, "who also is called Paul" (Acts xiii. -9). But if we look at them attentively, "and examine the several parts of their lives distinctly, as we do a poem or a picture" (Plutarch), we shall find in these two illustrious Hebrews, the one under the Old Covenant, the other under the New- I. RESEMBLANCE in their-1. Ancestral relation, religious privileges, and ouhvard circumstances. Both belonged to "the tribe of Benjamin" (Acts xiii. 21 ; Phil. iii. 5), received the name of Saul when "cirqumcised the eighth day," were brought up "under the law,'' after early years of obscure diligence held important public posi- tions,-the one as first king of Israel, the other as a "chosen vessel" unto the Lord, to bear hie name "before the Gentiles, and kings, and the people of Israel" (Acts ix. 15),-lived a long life (over sixty years), and died a sudden and violent death. 2. Natural qitalities: passionate, impulsive, warlike, zealous, daring even to rash- ness, resolute, persistent; inherited from their common ancestor, of whom it was said," Benjamin as a wolf shall ravin," &c. (Gen. xlix. 27); and characteristic of their tribe, as appears in Ehud (Judges iii. 15). The Apostle of the Gentiles, "in the, prompt audacities of his apostolic career, does not allow us to forget of what tribe he was.' 3. Sudden conversion: the one on the way to Gibeah, on beholding " a com- pany of the prophets" ( eh. x.); the other on the way to Damascus, overcome by the glorious revelation of the Lord (Acts ix.), whose followers he was persecuting; a startling surprise to all, and the commencement of a different course of life. "Is Saul also among the prol)hets?" "They were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple." 4. Energetic enterprises, to which they were called by the Divine Spirit, on behalf of the kingdom of God against its adversaries; in the one case with the sword, in the other with the word (eh. xi.; Acts xii. 25; xiii. 1-3). II. CONTRAST in still more numerous particulars. They were the opposite of each other; as in physical appearance and mental culture, so also in their-I. Ex- traordinary change, which in the one was partial, superficial, and temporary; in the other complete, deep, and enduring. 2. Heal character. The one lii•ed itnto himself, and did not freely and fully surrender himself to the Divine will ; the other lived unto tlte Lord, not being disobedient to the henYenly vision (Acts xxvi. 19; Gal. i. 16 ; Phil. i. 21 ). 3. Gradual progress: in the one cuse, after brilliant promise, downward, in" pride, caprice, jealousy, cruelty, excusive avenging of himself, and at last open contempt and defiance of God ; " in the other upward, in heavenly- mindedness, spiritual power, and higher usefulness. 4. Fierce persecution. "The second Saul for a while followed only too faithfully in the footsteps of the first. If the one persecuted David, the other, with nn energy of hate that did not fall short of his, David's greater Son. Presently, however, their lives divide, and one is the Saul of reprobation, the other of election" (Trench). The latter bP.gnn where the former ended (Gal. i. 23), and became himself an object of the persecution in which he once shared. 5. Representative relation. The one represented, embodied, and pro- moted what was worst in his tribe and nation, the other what was best. 6. Tragical end: the one in despair by his own hand, the other in glorious hope as a martyr of Christ (2 Tim. iv. 6-8). 7. Lasting memorial: the one is a warning, the <tther is a pattern (1 Tim. i. 16; Phil. iii. 17). The second S:1ul was "the likeness in the Christian Chnrch" not so much of what the first was as of '· wlirlt he mig·ht lrnvo  572 THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. XXXI. 1-13.