Musing - What is friendship without love?

Hebraic Musing - What is friendship without love?

Have you heard people brag about the number of FaceBook ‘friends’ they have? “Hundreds!” What has happened to our definition of ‘friend’?

While some close friends may have been with us from childhood, others have come to our attention from diverse sources. And friends, even close friends come and go. However there are genuine friendships that have developed from unlikely sources – like the friendship between Jonathan and David.

What is unique about the friendship between Jonathan and David?  What can we learn from it?

It was a unique love in that it was destined to endure forever. Neither David nor Jonathan received any gain or profit from their relationship; neither had any ulterior motive. Their friendship was entirely genuine and selfless and as such serves as the Biblical paradigm of the ideal relationship. In fact, Jonathan was eligible to be and was the likely heir to his father Saul’s throne; David was the new kid on the block emerging as the military hero; and thus the competitor for the future kingship which Jonathan had expected to receive.  Jonathan would have naturally joined in his father’s desire to rid the kingdom of David because of the threat posed by David. But we read 1 Sam. 18:3-4 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. NJKV

A poignant, entertaining, pithy, short Rabbinical Jewish work, Ethics of the Fathers, teaches “Any love that is dependent on an external factor, when that factor is removed, the love fades away; while love that is not dependent on anything will endure forever; this is the love between David and Jonathan.” This brings ‘friendship’ to a higher level.

Hmm, I wonder if this Ethics of the Fathers teaching should be included somewhere in my new “Biblical Marriage” book?

Points to ponder

How many of our friends do we call “friend” because we receive,
or expect to receive, something from the relationship?

Has FaceBook made it too easy to ‘unfriend’ somebody?

Shalom

Yosef                                                                                           April 10, 2012

a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd

Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”

Yosef1@cox.net         www.InsightsByYosef.com