Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)
From: 1 Samuel 18:6-9, 19:1-7
Saul’s Jealousy of David
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[6] As they were coming home, when David returned from slaying the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with songs and with instruments of music. [7] And the women sang to one another as they made merry, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” [8] And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; and what more can he have but the kingdom?” [9] And Saul eyed David from that day on.
David Flees
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[1] And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. [2] And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you; therefore take heed to yourself in the morning, stay in a secret place and hide yourself; [3] and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; and if I learn anything I will tell you.” [4] And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you; [5] for he took his life in his hand and he slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” [6] And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” [7] And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
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Commentary:
18:6-16. Saul’s admiration of David after the defeat of Goliath soon turned into envy and jealousy. The more the people’s regard and enthusiasm for David grew (to the point of composing a chant in his honor: cf. 21:12; 29:5), the more jealous the king became. Saul’s attempt on David’s life (cf. 19:9-10) confirms Saul’s malice and baseness. The key to this episode is provided by the text: “The Lord was with (David) and had departed from Saul” (v. 12; cf. 18:28). David’s successes (18:5, 14-15) are due to his skill but above all to God, who protects him.
19:1-24. David’s flight from the court of Saul allows the writer to include some episodes (not interconnected) which serve to highlight the difference between the baseness of Saul, and David’s generosity and shrewdness. At a formal government meeting (vv. 1-7) Saul proposes that David be killed. The only opposing voice is that of Jonathan, who stands up for his best friend. Friendship triumphs. Then in an informal situation at home Saul’s viciousness leads him to throw his spear at his shield-bearer, but David proves too quick. These two episodes are repeated--the first, at greater length in chapter 20, and the second, almost word for word, in 18:10-11. The sacred writer includes them here in passing, the more to contrast the two men.
The third episode takes place in David’s own house (vv. 11-17). Michal, his wife, cleverly arranges a trick to help David escape and frustrate her father’s plans. Saul can see that even his own daughter has abandoned him and is on David’s side. On the “image” ("teraphim"), see the note on Judges 17:5.
The last event (vv. 18-24) also has its parallel (10:10-12); both passages justify the popular saying recorded in v. 24: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” However, in this context the episode is a sort of legal suit in which Samuel is the witness and God the judge the verdict is in David’s favor, and Saul is condemned. Samuel who in his time anointed both of them and later came out in favor of David and against Saul (cf. 13:13-14), can now see that the Lord himself with his spirit is thwarting the evil intentions of Saul and preventing him from reaching David's base. At Gibe-ah (cf. 1 Sam 10:9ff) a prophetical ecstasy was a method the Lord used to make known his plans for Saul, but now, here at Ramah, the ecstasy paralyzes Saul, leaves him naked for a whole day and prevents him from doing away with David. This is the final proof, solemnized by the presence of Samuel that David is the one who enjoys the Lord’s protection, whereas Saul has been rejected.
Cures Beside the Sea of Galilee
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[7] Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed; also from Judea [8] and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing all that He did, came to Him. [9] And He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him; [10] for He had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon Him to touch Him. [11] And whenever the unclean spirits beheld Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." [12] And He strictly ordered them not to make Him known.
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Commentary:
10. During our Lord's public life people were constantly crowding round Him to be cured (cf. Luke 6:19; 8:45; etc). As in the case of many other cures, St. Mark gives us a graphic account of what Jesus did to these people (cf. Mark 1:31, 41; 7:31-37; 8:22-26; John 9:1-7, 11, 15). By working these cures our Lord shows that He is both God and man: He cures by virtue of His divine power and using His human nature. In other words, only in the Word of God become man is the work of our Redemption effected, and the instrument God used to save us was the human nature of Jesus--His Body and Soul--in the unity of the person of the Word (cf. Vatican II, "Sacrosanctum Concilium", 5).
This crowding round Jesus is repeated by Christians of all times: the holy human nature of our Lord is our only route to salvation; it is the essential means we must use to unite ourselves to God. Thus, we can today approach our Lord by means of the sacraments, especially and pre-eminently the Eucharist. And through the sacraments there flows to us, from God, through the human nature of the Word, a strength which cures those who receive the sacraments with faith (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, "Summa theologiae", III, q. 62, a. 5).