2 Kings 5:18

THE COMPROMISES OF LIFE

‘When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon.’

2 Kings 5:18

Here we find Naaman making an excuse, it is said, for dissembling his religious convictions, and Elisha accepting the plea. He is convinced that Jehovah is the true God, but is not prepared to make any sacrifice for his faith. What is this but to open a wide door for every species of dissimulation, and to make expediency, not truth, the rule of conduct?

To state the question thus is not to state it fairly.

I. Even if Elisha did accept Naaman’s plea, it would not follow that he was right.—An inspired prophet is not equally inspired at all times.

II. Did Elisha accept Naaman’s plea?—The evidence turns entirely on Elisha’s words, ‘Go in peace.’ These words are the common form of Oriental leave-taking. They may have been little more than a courteous dismissal. Elisha may have felt that the permission craved by Naaman involved a question of conscience which he was not called upon to resolve. Hence he would not sanction Naaman’s want of consistency on the one hand nor condemn it on the other. He declines the office of judge. He leaves conscience to do her work.

III. Who shall say this was not the wisest course to adopt?—The prophet saw Naaman’s weakness, but he also saw Naaman’s difficulty. Put the worst construction on his words, and you will say he evades the question; put the best, and you will say he exercises a wise forbearance.

IV. We may fairly ask how far Naaman is to be excused in urging the plea of the text.—Superstition mingled with his faith. He was a heathen, only just converted, only newly enlightened. We may excuse Naaman, but we cannot pretend as Christians to make his plea ours, or to justify our conduct by his.

V. The Christian missionary preaches a religion whose very essence is the spirit of self-sacrifice, the daily taking up of the Cross and following Christ.—It is plain, therefore, that he could not answer the man who came in the spirit of Naaman, ‘Go in peace.’

VI. Two practical lessons follow from this subject.—(1) The first is not to judge others by ourselves; (2) the second is not to excuse ourselves by others.

—Bishop Perowne.

Illustrations

(1) ‘A man’s worship was not in these days merely a matter of his own faith and religious life; it was a national affair, and as such was to be understood, not as expressing a man’s personal conviction, but his loyalty to the customs and the life of his people. Thus Naaman’s proposal was quite intelligible, and the prophet allowed him to carry it out. It was that as an official he might bow in the house of Rimmon, the national god whom the King of Syria worshipped. This would not be misunderstood, for he also asked for two mules’ burden of earth that he might worship Jehovah.’

(2) ‘Have you and I, who are living in the full glory of the sunshine of the Gospel, always the courage to aver our convictions if the avowal will cost us anything? Are we never ashamed of Christ, never ready to climb a step higher by not being righteous overmuch?’

(3) ‘The fact of Naaman’s worshipping Jehovah upon earth actually brought all the way from Samaria to Damascus could not be hid. No one would be left in doubt as to his own religious convictions, or would think that in his heart he was a worshipper of Rimmon. There was no lie, though there was a compromise.’