Topical Bible: Love to Man: Jonathan

◄ Love to Man: Jonathan ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Jonathan, the son of King Saul, is a prominent biblical figure known for his deep and abiding love for David, the future king of Israel. His account is primarily found in the books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, where his actions and character provide a profound example of selfless love and loyalty.

Background and Character

Jonathan was the eldest son of Saul, the first king of Israel, and was a valiant warrior and a noble prince. Despite his royal status and the expectation that he would succeed his father as king, Jonathan's life is marked by his unwavering friendship with David, whom God had chosen to be the next king. Jonathan's love for David is a testament to his humility, integrity, and devotion to God's will.

Covenant with David

The friendship between Jonathan and David is one of the most celebrated relationships in the Bible. Upon meeting David, Jonathan's soul was immediately knit to him, and he loved him as his own soul (1 Samuel 18:1). This deep bond led Jonathan to make a covenant with David, signifying a commitment that transcended personal ambition and familial loyalty. "Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself" (1 Samuel 18:3).

Jonathan's covenant with David included a symbolic act of giving David his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt (1 Samuel 18:4). This gesture not only demonstrated Jonathan's love and loyalty but also his recognition of David's future as king, willingly setting aside his own claim to the throne.

Intercession and Protection

Jonathan's love for David is further exemplified in his efforts to protect him from Saul's wrath. Despite Saul's growing jealousy and intent to kill David, Jonathan remained steadfast in his support. He interceded on David's behalf, speaking well of him to Saul and attempting to reconcile the two (1 Samuel 19:4-5). Jonathan's advocacy temporarily softened Saul's heart, showcasing his courage and commitment to righteousness.

When Saul's hostility towards David intensified, Jonathan devised a plan to warn David of impending danger. In a poignant scene, Jonathan and David met in a field, where Jonathan confirmed Saul's intent to kill David and urged him to flee (1 Samuel 20:35-42). Their tearful farewell underscored the depth of their friendship and Jonathan's willingness to sacrifice for David's safety.

Legacy of Love

Jonathan's love for David is a powerful example of selfless devotion and loyalty. His actions reflect a love that is patient, kind, and devoid of envy or self-interest, aligning with the biblical definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13. Jonathan's willingness to support David, even at great personal cost, highlights the virtues of humility and faithfulness.

Jonathan's legacy is further cemented by David's enduring respect and love for him. After Jonathan's death in battle, David mourned deeply, lamenting the loss of his beloved friend (2 Samuel 1:25-26). David's tribute to Jonathan, "Your love to me was more wonderful than the love of women" (2 Samuel 1:26), underscores the profound impact of Jonathan's love and the enduring bond they shared.

In the narrative of Jonathan and David, we find a model of love that transcends personal ambition and familial ties, rooted in a commitment to God's purposes and the well-being of others. Jonathan's life serves as an enduring testament to the power of love to overcome adversity and foster deep, abiding relationships.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 20:17,41,42
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Friendship; Or, David and Jonathan
... He was a man who must have had reason enough to know what woman's love was like;
and when he said that the love of Jonathan for him passed even that, he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/david/sermon v friendship or david.htm

The Arts by which Origen Studies to Keep Gregory and his Brother ...
... And being most mightily smitten by this love, I was ... to wit, philosophy, and that
master of philosophy, this inspired man. "And the soul of Jonathan was knit ...
/.../the oration and panegyric addressed to origen/argument vi the arts by which.htm

David and Jonathan's Son
... for Mephibosheth, partly by affection for Jonathan, and partly ... by retaining the poor
young man beside himself ... no doubt, sought to win his confidence and love. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/david and jonathans son.htm

Bands of Love; Or, Union to Christ. "I Drew them with Cords of a ...
... As the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of ... and Substitute of the elect in the
new covenant of love. ... face of the earth." Hence, in the Bible, man is spoken ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/bands of love or union.htm

Cheating and Dishonest Ways of Making Money are Utterly Unfit for ...
... I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast ... Thy love came to
me like the love of women ... as that with which he followed the man who plotted ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter ix cheating and dishonest.htm

The Children's Bible
... SAUL'S MEAN JEALOUSY. JONATHAN'S LOVE FOR DAVID. THE COST OF A LIE. ... JERUSALEM MADE
THE CAPITAL CITY. DAVID'S KINDNESS TO JONATHAN'S SON. A RICH MAN WHO WAS A THIEF ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/

Index to Preachers and Sermons
... By Jonathan Edwards Loneliness, The, of Christ. ... By Charles John Vaughan Man,
God's Love to Fallen. By John Wesley Man in the Image of God. ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume 10/index to preachers and sermons.htm

Fragrant Spices from the Mountains of Myrrh. "Thou Art all Fair ...
... As for the love of David and Jonathan, it is far exceeded in Christ. ... set forth His
heart's affection, for it surpasses all the love that man or woman hath ...
/.../spurgeon/till he come/fragrant spices from the mountains.htm

Passion.
... Jonathan Parsons, who, for twenty-four years, had been Presbyterian minister at
Newbury Port, met ... It will be found impossible to love one man because we do ...
//christianbookshelf.org/jackson/the message and the man/chapter vi passion.htm

How Servile Fear Remains Together with Holy Love.
... But if this will not serve, love will call fear to its aid:"Ah! ... A man makes use of
anything in extreme necessities, as the same Jonathan did, when ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xvii how servile fear.htm