Early Christian Beliefs About Saul and Kingly Power

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

...of Abatthan the eight of Ebrom. And after him, the people having transgressed again, came under the power of the foreigners, the Philistines, for forty years. But when they returned to God, they were led by Samson, of the tribe of Dan, who conquered the foreigners in battle. He ruled twenty years. And after him, there being no governor, Eli the priest judged the people for forty years. He was succeeded by Samuel the prophet; at the same time Saul reigned, who held sway for twenty-seven years. He anointed David. Samuel died two years before Saul, while Abimelech was high priest. He anointed Saul as king, who was the first that bore regal sway over Israel after the judges. The whole duration of whom, down to Saul, was four hundred and sixty-three years and seven months.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

And after the judges they had kings, the first named Saul, who reigned 20 years;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

He anointed Saul as king, who was the first that bore regal sway over Israel after the judges;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

And after the death of Saul, David the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, reigned next in Hebron, forty years, as is contained in the second book of Kings.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

Then in the first book of Kings there are twenty years of Saul, during which he reigned after he was renovated.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

...ke the Roman consuls, but held a permanent authority. Then, when the name of judges was taken away, kingly power was introduced. But during the rule of the judges, the people had often taken up corrupt religious rites. And God, offended by them, as often brought them into bondage to strangers, until again, softened by the repentance of the people, He freed them from bondage. Likewise under the kings, being oppressed by wars with their neighbors on account of their sins, and at last taken captive and led to Babylon, they suffered punishment for their impiety by oppressive slavery, until Cyrus came to the kingdom, who immediately restored the Jews by an edict. Afterward they had tetrarchs until the time of Herod, who was in the reign of Tiberius Caesar. In his fifteenth year, in the consulship of the two Gemini, on the twenty-third of March, the Jews crucified Christ. This series of events, this order, is contained in the secrets of the sacred writings. But I will first show for what reason Christ came to the earth, so that the foundation and the system of divine religion may be made clear.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

Then, the name of Judges being taken away, the kingly power was introduced.

Acts 13:21 Direct teaching

And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

1 Samuel 11:15 Direct teaching

And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

1 Samuel 13:1 Direct teaching

Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,

1 Samuel 9:17 Direct teaching

So when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.”

1 Samuel 10:1 Direct teaching

And Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said to him, Has not the Lord anointed thee for a ruler over his people, over Israel? and thou shalt rule among the people of the Lord, and thou shalt save them out of the hand of their enemies; and this shall be the sign to thee that the Lord has anointed thee for a ruler over his inheritance.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

... that had been shown to him in visions, their evil spirit broke out in envy. Moreover, why did King Saul hate David so much that he tried through repeated persecutions to kill him, though David was innocent, merciful, gentle, and patient in meekness? What else stirred him except the goad of jealousy? Because, after Goliath was killed and such a great enemy was defeated by the help and gracious condescension of God, the amazed people broke out in loud praise of David, Saul in jealousy conceived a raging hostility and persecution. And, not to go through each case one by one, let us consider the destruction of a people who perished once for all. Did not the Jews perish for this reason: that they chose to envy Christ rather than believe Him? By speaking against those great works that He did, they were deceived by blinding jealousy, and they could not open the eyes of their heart to the knowledge of divine things.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

Moreover, that Saul the king hated David, so as to seek by often repeated persecutions to kill him — innocent, merciful, gentle, patient in meekness — what else was the provocation save the spur of jealousy?

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

But in David, from whom, according to the flesh, the nativity of Christ springs, how great and marvellous and Christian is the patience, that he often had it in his power to be able to kill king Saul, who was persecuting him and desiring to slay him;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

... a proper punishment on deeds displeasing to Him. For example, when David suffered persecution from Saul for righteousness’ sake and fled from King Saul without seeking revenge, he sang about the coming of Christ and instructed the nations in wisdom, doing everything under the Spirit’s guidance and pleasing God. But when his lust led him to take Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, Scripture said about him, “Now, the thing which David had done appeared wicked in the eyes of the Lord.” Nathan the prophet was sent to him to point out his crime so that, by condemning himself, he might receive mercy and forgiveness from Christ: “And [Nathan] said to him, There were two men in one city; one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe-lamb, which he cherished; it grew up with him and his children, ate from his food, drank from his cup, and was like a daughter to him. A traveler came to the rich man, but rather than taking from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s ewe-lamb and prepared it for his guest. David's anger burned against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to di

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...el was the first to be slain by his brother. Jacob was driven into exile, Joseph was sold, and King Saul persecuted the merciful David. King Ahab tried to oppress Elijah, who firmly and bravely upheld the majesty of God. Zechariah the priest was killed between the temple and the altar, so that he himself might become a sacrifice there, where he was accustomed to offer sacrifices to God. In fact, so many martyrdoms of the righteous have often been celebrated. So many examples of faith and virtue have been set before future generations. The three young men, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, equal in age, united in love, steadfast in faith, constant in virtue, and stronger than the flames and punishments pressing on them, proclaim that they obey God alone, that they know Him alone, and that they worship Him alone, saying: “O King Nebuchodonosor, there is no need for us to answer you in this matter. For the God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of burning fire, and He will deliver us from your hands, O king. And if not, let it be known to you that we do not serve your gods, and we do not adore the golden image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 And Daniel, devoted

Anonymous, Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian Supporting witness

Saul, that once good 1 Samuel 9:2 man, besides other things, is subsequently overthrown by envy, and strives to do everything that is harsh and hostile against David.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

As in the case of David, when he suffered persecution from Saul for righteousness’ sake, and fled from King Saul, and would not avenge himself of his enemy, he both sung the advent of Christ, and instructed the nations in wisdom, and did everything after the Spirit’s guidance, and pleased God.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Because, when Goliath was slain, and by the aid and condescension of God so great an enemy was routed, the wondering people burst forth with the suffrage of acclamation into praises of David, Saul through jealousy conceived the rage of enmity and persecution.

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Supporting witness

Saul, who was good beyond all others, is afterwards subverted by envy.

1 Samuel 18:8 Direct teaching

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

1 Samuel 22:7 Supporting witness

And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,

1 Samuel 26:25 Supporting witness

Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

... down and appointed for them. And if anyone meddled beyond the tradition, death was his punishment. Saul's example shows this very clearly. Thinking he could offer sacrifice without the prophet and high priest Samuel, he brought on himself a sin and a curse without remedy. Nor did even his having anointed him king discourage the prophet. God showed the same by a more visible result in the case of Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26, when He immediately exacted the punishment due for this transgression, and the man who madly longed for the high-priesthood was also rejected from his kingdom. As for those things that have happened among us, you yourselves are not ignorant of them. For you certainly know that those named by us bishops, and presbyters, and deacons, were made so by prayer and by the laying on of hands, and that the difference in their names shows the difference in their duties. For not everyone who wants to be ordained is ordained, as was the case in that spurious and counterfeit priesthood of the calves under Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13:33, but only he who is called by God. For if there were no rule or distinction of orders, it would be enough to perform all the offices under one name.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

And that He might avenge this, He set over them Saul as a king, who afflicted them with grievous injuries, and trod on the people, and pressed down their pride with all insults and penalties, that the despised priest might he avenged by divine vengeance on a proud people.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Samuel says to Saul, The Lord has rent the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbour of yours that is better than you;

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

Solomon also, and Saul, and many others, so long as they walked in the Lord's ways, were able to keep the grace given to them.

Tertullian, Against Praxeas Background

...ot produce heresy, while the Trinity, rationally considered, constitutes the truth. "We hold to the Monarchy," they say, that is, the sole government of God. And in fact, even Latins, and ignorant ones too, pronounce the word in such a way that you would think their understanding of monarchy was as complete as their pronunciation of the term. Well then, Latins take pains to pronounce monarchy, while Greeks actually refuse to understand the divine arrangement, or dispensation, of the Three in One. As for me, if I have gathered any knowledge of either language, I am sure that monarchy has no other meaning than single and individual rule. But even so, this monarchy, because it is the government of one, does not prevent the one whose government it is from having a Son, or from having made Himself actually a Son to Himself, or from administering His own monarchy by whatever agents He wills. More than that, I maintain that no dominion belongs so much to one alone as his own dominion does. Nor is anything so singular, or so truly a monarchy, that it cannot also be administered through other persons most closely connected with it, and whom it has itself provided as its own officials. If

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Next in the prayer comes, "Your kingdom come." We ask that the kingdom of God may come to us, just as we also ask that His name may be sanctified in us. For when does God not reign? Or when does that begin in Him which has always existed and never stops existing? We pray that our kingdom may come, the kingdom promised to us by God, which was obtained by the blood and suffering of Christ. Then we who are first His subjects in the world may afterward reign with Christ when He reigns, as He Himself promises and says, "Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). However, dearest brothers, Christ Himself may also be understood as the kingdom of God. We desire Him to come day by day, and we long for His coming to be quickly shown to us. For since He Himself is the Resurrection, and since in Him we rise again, so also the kingdom of God may be understood to be Himself, since in Him we shall reign. But we do well in seeking the kingdom of God, that is, the heavenly kingdom, because there is also an earthly kingdom. But the one who has already renounced the world is also greater than its honors and its kingdom. And

1 Samuel 15:17 Direct teaching

And Samuel said to Saul, Art thou not little in his eyes, though a leader of one of the tribes of Israel? and yet the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel.

2 Samuel 5:2 Supporting witness

And heretofore Saul being king over us, thou wast he that didst lead out and bring in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be for a leader to my people Israel.

1 Chronicles 11:2 Supporting witness

And heretofore when Saul was king, thou wast he that led Israel in and out, and the Lord of Israel said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be for a ruler over Israel.

1 Samuel 13:13 Supporting witness

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Samuel 15:1 Direct teaching

And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD.

2 Samuel 3:10 Supporting witness

To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Direct teaching

... the Spirit of the Lord was present, or He came to them, as upon Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Saul, David, and many others. This comes to this result: by them the Lord has taught us most plainly the freedom and power of the Holy Spirit, who approaches by His own will, saying, “The Spirit breathes where He will, and you hear His voice, and do not know from where He comes or where He goes.” So the same Spirit is sometimes also found to be upon those who are unworthy of Him, not certainly in vain or without reason, but for the sake of some necessary work, as He was upon Saul, upon whom the Spirit of God came, and he prophesied. However, in later days, after the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and after an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him, then he came, after the messengers whom he had carefully sent ahead before, intending to kill David. And they fell into the company of the prophets and prophesied, so that they were neither able nor willing to do what they had been commanded. And we believe that the Spirit who was upon them all did this with wonderful wisdom, by the will of God. This same Spirit also filled John the Baptist even from his mother's womb, and it fel

1 Samuel 19:20 Direct teaching

And Saul sent messengers to take David, and they saw the assembly of the prophets, and Samuel stood as appointed over them; and the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesy.

1 Samuel 11:6 Supporting witness

And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled against them.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

..., I have demonstrated to you with the example that the soul of Samuel was summoned by the witch, as Saul requested. It seems also that all the souls of similar righteous men and prophets came under the power of such beings, as can be inferred from what happened with that witch. Therefore, God through His Son teaches us, for whom these things seem to have been done, always to strive earnestly, and at death to pray that our souls do not fall into the hands of any such power. For when Christ was surrendering His spirit on the cross, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit,’ as I have also learned from the writings. He urged His disciples to surpass the pharisaic way of living, warning them that if they did not, they could not be saved; and these words are recorded in the writings: ‘Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’"

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

...was seen was only phantoms of them? Even this, however, is not enough. How, he presses further, did Saul recognize what appeared, and bow down to it? Well, Saul did not actually see it. Rather, the woman told him that the figure of one of those who had come up was the figure he wanted. Saul then assumed it was Samuel, consulted it as if it were Samuel, and bowed down to it. And it would not have been difficult for the demon to produce the form of Samuel, since it was known to him. Then, he says, how did it foretell the disasters that were about to come upon Saul and Jonathan at the same time? It did indeed foretell the outcome of the war, and how Saul would be defeated, drawing that conclusion from God's wrath against him. Just as a physician who does not have exact knowledge of the science might still see that a patient cannot be cured and tell of his death, though he would be mistaken about the hour, so also the demon, knowing God's wrath from Saul's actions, and from this very attempt to consult the sorceress, foretells his defeat and his death at the same time, though it was mistaken about the day of his death.