What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 20:2? Far from it! • Jonathan’s immediate exclamation shows strong rejection of David’s fear. • The phrase mirrors the urgency of Paul’s “By no means!” in Romans 6:2, underscoring moral outrage at any suggestion that the innocent should perish. • Jonathan’s loyalty echoes Proverbs 17:17—“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” • Faith is voiced before facts are checked; he instinctively believes the best about his father (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:7). You will not die. • Jonathan speaks life over David, aligning with the covenant they made in 1 Samuel 18:3–4. • His declaration anticipates God’s promise of David’s survival and eventual kingship (1 Samuel 16:13). • Similar assurance appears in Psalm 118:17, “I will not die, but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.” Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. • Jonathan trusts past transparency with Saul (compare 1 Samuel 19:1–7 where Saul once revealed plans). • “Great or small” recalls Jesus’ words in Luke 16:10 about faithfulness in little and much; Jonathan assumes consistency in Saul’s disclosures. • Familial closeness can blind us to hidden sin (see Matthew 10:36). So why would he hide this matter from me? • Reasoning kicks in: if Saul kept him informed before, secrecy now seems illogical. • Yet Proverbs 28:26 warns, “He who trusts in himself is a fool,” hinting at Jonathan’s impending lesson. • The shift from confidence to questioning demonstrates the tension between relationship and reality. This cannot be true! • Jonathan reaches a firm conclusion based on limited data, illustrating Proverbs 18:13—answering before hearing. • His disbelief predicts the painful revelation in 1 Samuel 20:32–34 when Saul’s rage proves David right. • Spiritual takeaway: human assurances falter, but God’s word stands (Isaiah 40:8). summary Jonathan’s spontaneous denial springs from covenant love, familial loyalty, and past experience, yet it also reveals how even the godly can misread hidden threats. His words challenge us to cherish faithful friendships, speak life, and test every assurance against God’s unfolding truth. |
    |