1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 17:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The brothers started to mock his statements because they were unable to perceive the divine anointing within him, nor could they recognize his noble spirit, which ascended toward heaven and was filled with profound wisdom. What then, brethren? Again resentment, again jealousy. ‘For whom have you left the few sheep?’ We are aware of ‘your pride and your corrupt heart; you have come to witness conflict.’ The brothers, unable to bear the boldness of his spirit, grew envious and questioned, ‘Have you come merely to observe the struggle? Did you not come to see us?’

When David arrived, one of his brothers challenged him, asking, "Why have you come here, and who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness?" This elder sibling, in his disparagement of David, who foreshadows our Lord, reflects the actions of those in Israel who maliciously spoke against Christ, despite His mission to redeem all of humanity. They often showed Him contempt. The essence of their accusation seems to echo the devil's jealousy regarding man's salvation, as if he were questioning Christ, "Why did you abandon the ninety-nine sheep that remained in safety to search for the one that had strayed, in order to restore her to the fold, liberating her with the cross from the grip of the spiritual giant, the devil?" He spoke a bitter truth, albeit from a prideful heart. Yet, we know that Jesus was destined to leave the ninety-nine to pursue the lost sheep, bringing her back into His fold, which comprises not just humanity but the heavenly host.

Do not evaluate a person solely based on their external appearance; avoid assuming pride or humility from what you see on the surface. 'Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment' (John 7:24; Matthew 7:16). The Lord instructed us to discern individuals by their deeds, their conduct, and the outcomes of their actions. 'I perceive thy pride and the wickedness of thy heart,' a neighbor remarked to David; yet God bore witness about David: 'I have found David My servant; with My holy oil have I anointed him' (Ps. 88:21). 'For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart' (1 Sam. 16:7). This truth highlights the distinction between genuine and false humility.