The pagans despise the life, fellowship and teaching of those who believe in Christ, who are rightly called Hebrews, that is, pilgrims. For they know to pass over at the present time from vices to virtues, and in the future they hope to pass over from death to life. Looking from the summit of their heavenward mind, they know how to transcend the base desires of fleshly things and all the hostilities of the world.

As the church among the Gentiles praises the faithfulness of Christ through which it is awarded eternal life, the philosophers and high priests of idols are angered and fear to entrust themselves to him. They grieve that their own civilization and wisdom was destroyed by his word. They see clearly that the choir of the holy church celebrates his great triumph over the ancient enemy—a triumph such as no one else has ever been able to accomplish. As they come to understand the faith, they refuse to unite themselves to the members of Christ and refuse to submit themselves to his authority.

Achish himself confesses that David was upright, innocent and good, like an angel of God, but he ordered him to depart from the battleline of the Philistines and to go his way in peace, since Achish did not wish to offend the princes of the Philistines. The throng of the faithful among the Gentiles praises, loves and proclaims the righteousness, mercy and holiness of Christ, since he had been sent by God to save the Gentiles. But they beg not to be forced to entrust the word to blasphemers, arrogant people and notorious idolaters, lest by chance they hear something and refuse to believe it and bring greater judgment against them. They ask their Lord, as it were, that he be content to rest in the peaceful and calm heart of the believers rather than to offer to the unbelievers an opportunity to persecute them as these opponents stir up trouble.