How does 1 Samuel 10:27 connect to Jesus' rejection in the New Testament? Reading the Key Verse > “But some worthless men said, ‘How can this man save us?’ So they despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul remained silent.” (1 Samuel 10:27) Setting the Scene in 1 Samuel • Saul has just been anointed king (10:1) and publicly chosen (10:20-24). • Most Israelites shout, “Long live the king!” (10:24), yet a faction immediately doubts God’s choice. • Their taunt, “How can this man save us?” reveals unbelief in the Lord, not merely in Saul. • Scripture calls them “worthless” (sons of Belial), exposing rebellion against God-appointed authority. Echoes in the Gospels • Nazareth: “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”; the crowd tries to throw Jesus off a cliff (Luke 4:22-29). • Hometown offense: “Isn’t this the carpenter?” (Mark 6:3) — they take offense at Him. • National cry: “We do not want this man to rule over us” (Luke 19:14). • Summary: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). • Prophetic frame: “He was despised and rejected by men” (Isaiah 53:3); “The stone the builders rejected…” (Psalm 118:22; cf. Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11). Shared Themes of Rejection • Anointed leader: – Saul anointed with oil (1 Samuel 10:1). – Jesus anointed by the Spirit (Luke 3:22; Acts 10:38). • Immediate skepticism: – “How can this man save us?” (1 Samuel 10:27). – “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). • Despising instead of honoring: – No tribute for Saul. – No faith for Jesus; instead ridicule, plots, crucifixion. • Rejection exposes the heart: – “Worthless men” (1 Samuel 10:27). – “Evil and adulterous generation” (Matthew 12:39). Points of Contrast and Fulfillment • Saul’s flaws soon surface (1 Samuel 15); Jesus remains sinless (Hebrews 4:15). • Saul “remained silent” (10:27); Jesus too is silent before accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12-14). • Saul gains short-lived vindication (1 Samuel 11); Jesus is eternally vindicated by resurrection (Romans 1:4). Take-Home Applications • God’s choices often challenge human expectations; faith embraces His anointed even when outwardly unimpressive. • Rejecting God’s chosen King—then or now—reveals rebellion against God Himself. • The call is to honor the true Messiah rather than echo, “How can this man save us?” |
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