2 Samuel 15:6, commentary and pictures

The theft described took advantage of slack administration of justice, when listlessness and irresolution in the king had spread to his subordinates so that negligence and delay marked decisions and left crowds of suppliants waiting for redress. Day by day the noble-looking prince stationed himself at the city gate where those crowds gathered, mingled with all who came to the king for judgment, and listened to grievances with sympathy and regret over government inefficiency. He affirmed to each man that his cause was good and right but that no man had been deputed to hear him, expressed the wish to be made judge in the land so that every suit and cause could come to him for justice, and when anyone approached to bow took him by the hand, embraced him and kissed him. In this he drew sympathy to himself, sympathized with supposed wrongs, and planted the feeling of being treated less well than deserved.

By such artful insinuations discontent with the government spread quickly, praise of Absalom was on every lip, he came to be generally regarded as the worthy heir of the kingdom, and desire was kindled for him to occupy the throne. Meanwhile David, blinded by affection, suspected nothing and viewed the princely display as an honor to the court and a joy over reconciliation. The act thus exposes a wrong way to win influence. The same course is followed when visitors to the sick suggest matters of dissatisfaction, criticize furnishings or those in charge, and deepen complaints of neglect and of being deprived of what is justly due.

Such visiting sows a seed bearing a harvest of discontent and dissatisfaction, turns feeble and diseased minds against the institution, and does the destructive, soul-destroying plotting work of the enemy instead of fostering conditions favorable to cheerfulness, contentment and recovery. The same course appears when a minister makes it his burden to draw upon the sympathies of others, obtaining sympathy from church members while giving undue and inappropriate sympathy to those who in no way deserve it. That makes him more like Absalom than like a true, firm, open, decided and unselfish friend called to straightforward work with no conniving at evil and no calling good evil and evil good. Unless such a minister changes his spirit and is converted, he should not be maintained in the ministry, and continuing over that ground works to his own injury.