Did Saul Love His Son Jonathan What Are Your Thoughts-

Did Saul Love His Son? What are Your Thoughts?

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Saul cursed his son Jonathan in around 11 seconds, then he basically said he had Jonathan’s best interest at heart because he said he wanted Jonathan to be king. Moments later, Saul threw a javelin at him. 1 Samuel 20:30-33. Did Saul love Jonathan?

After I wrote “LEAKED! Saul’s 2 Tactics To Guilt Trip His Son”, it evoked a question to whether or not Saul loved his son. I’ve asked this question to several people, and I’ve gotten mixed responses. I will share my thoughts later, but I would like to know what you think.

Did Saul Love His Son Jonathan? What are Your Thoughts?

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Franklin Morris II

Franklin is the author of "Except the Lord Build the House: Overcoming the Dysfunctional Mind." Click here to learn why one reviewer said, "...Except the Lord Build the House needs to be read and shared throughout families, friends, acquaintances . . . all mankind."
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  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    Please give your reasons as to whether or not you believe Saul loved his son. This should be an interesting discussion! 🙂

  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    If you want to know more details on Saul’s feelings towards Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20:30, I encourage you to read at least the introduction of “12 Things One Verse Tells Us About The Abusive Mind” at http://www.psalm1271.com/12-things-one-verse-tells-us-about-the-abusive-mind/

  • Nathan

    After reading the verses in 1 Sam 20, it becomes quite obvious to the reader that Saul was a lover of himself more than anyone else. When Saul learned that David had gone to visit his brethren in Bethlehem, he became very angry to the point that he even attempted to harm Jonathan, his own son.
    When selfishness reigns in the heart the selfless spirit of Christ cannot abide. Like anger, pride blinds the reasoning of the mind, and anger is a product of pride. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall (Pro 16:18).”

  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    “When selfishness reigns in the heart the selfless spirit of Christ cannot abide.” That is definitely food for thought. I really want to share my view view on that, but I am going to hold off on that for now.

    I gather from your comments, Nathan, that you believe Saul didn’t love his son. What is your definition of love?

  • Nathan

    Love is illustrated in length throughout the bible. God loves His people; Christ loves His people, love is unconditional, or so it is commonly believed. Unconditional means “not subject to any conditions,” but is God’s love for us unconditional? The answer to that question is Yes and No.
    Here is why I think so: God loves us, that is no doubt. He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place because He loved us so; Christ, the Son of God also willingly gave of Himself to torment and death because He loved us so–that love is unconditional. But even though Jesus and our Heavenly Father love us so much, they have conditions for us to meet before we can receive the blessings and rewards of their love–that love is conditional. Jesus Christ offered His blood as atonement for our sins so that through Him we might receive eternal life–that is the covenant God made with His people on earth–but just because we are all offered that gift equally, it does not mean we all receive it equally. Weather or not we receive the gift Christ has given to us is dependent on whether or not we accept it and the conditions to heed to.
    God established his Covenant (the promise of eternal life), but He gave conditions to meet with the covenant (Perfect submission to His will and perfectly sinless obedience), and with the Conditions of the Covenant, God gave us the means by which we can meet the conditions (that is Christ, who’s blood is able to wash away all our sins and bring us into perfect obedience unto God).
    “6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

    7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” ~Heb 12: 6 and 7.

    “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” ~Pro 3:12

    As for Solomon and his son, Jonathan, Saul did not show any form of love whether conditional or unconditional. Saul chastened Jonathan in anger and wrath, showing no form of Love. In that moment mentioned in 1 Samuel 20, Saul had no love for his son. In the moment he was taken over by anger and hardened his heart with pride. In Saul’s life there may be times that he loved his son, but his love for self was even greater.

  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    “In Saul’s life there may be times that he loved his son, but his love for self was even greater.”

    I believe love cannot exist without expression. John 3:16. Therefore, I’ve asked people where was a demonstration of Saul’s love for Jonathan, and I haven’t gotten a satisfactory response to my liking.

    “Whether or not we receive the gift Christ has given to us is dependent on whether or not we accept it and the conditions to heed to.”

    I see that you believe that love is based on principles, which I’m eager to write about and share on Sunday.

  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    Here are the results of the one question survey so far: 3 people have said Saul didn’t love Jonathan, and 2 people said he did. Hopefully, more people will take the survey before I give my view on Sunday.

  • Nathan

    Absolutely, love is based on Principal. This world has been so deteriorated by sin that most have lost the understanding of love. Love is not condoning a person in their folly, but love is the desire to help a person out of his/her folly. Love the sinner; hate the sin–that is what Christ did.

    Saul was mentioned as having only one wife, but he did have a concubine that was mentioned in II Samuel 21. While Jonathan was notably the son of Saul, He is most certainly Saul’s son. There are many details about Saul and Jonathan, but there are not many details mentioned about Saul’s relationship with his son. While a person may not exhibit love for a person while they are, it does not mean they can manifest love for them once they are gone. Saul died in the battle with the Philistines along with his three son’s. Had Saul lived after the death of his sons he may have experience the anguish of losing those of his own family, but he never experienced that loss, so it appears he never manifested true love for his son.

  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    “…It appears he [Saul] never manifested true love for his son.”

    Since it’s coming closer to Sunday when my next blog post comes out, I will say I agree with that distinction you placed on love. There is a true and a false love, and both are mentioned in the Word of God. False love cannot be called true love; the two cannot be merged because they are separate. The world has tried to call false love true love as I will explain in greater detail on Sunday.

    It’s interesting that you pointed out that Saul had a concubine. I didn’t know that, but I checked out that reference in 2 Samuel 21. I also tried to make sure that Jonathan wasn’t born from the concubine, and apparently he wasn’t. If he was, then I would need to prayerfully think about the meaning of Saul’s curse in 1 Samuel 20:30 more.

    As for your first paragraph, I agree again that love is based on principles. Love does not excuse sin and helps sinners be converted from the error of their ways as well. 1 Peter 4:8; James 5:20.

  • Pingback: Selfishness, In The Name of "Love"Psalm1271.com()

  • http://psalm1271.com Psalm1271.com

    I posted my response to the question or not Saul loved his son at http://psalm1271.com/selfishness-in-the-name-of-love/.