Hebrew Bible: The Binding of Isaac

09/16/11

Genesis 22 -- The Binding of Isaac


The point:  God wanted to test Abraham.
Themes:  trust, faith, obedience, reverence, provision

Homework:  Read Collins, chapter 5; 

read the intro to Exodus in NRSV; 

read Exodus chap. 1-18

Story covered in class:


How Abraham prepares:  saddles donkey, brings knife, wood, and servants


Isaac was most likely a young teenager

Isaac carried the wood, and he noticed that no animal was brought along with them for the sacrifice (22:7).
**The Bible does NOT record Isaac's reaction to his own attempted sacrifice.**

And angel stops Abraham from sacrificing his son, and a ram is provided instead (22:11-12).




Mount Moriah:  later called Jerusalem
Abraham was called to go from Beer-sheba to Mount Moriah.
The trip would take three days.

The story is NOT about child sacrifice, a common Canaanite practice of the time.

• Usually, the firstborn son was chosen for a child sacrifice.
• Yet Isaac was NOT Abraham's firstborn -- another uncommon process of the Bible

God swears by Himself

• Oaths confirmed a promise.
• An oath was sworn by something with high value.
• Thus, God is saying that nothing is greater to swear by than Himself (His inherent value).

Midrash Rabbah


The rabbis say that Abraham actually killed Isaac, saying that he was brought back to life (resurrected), thus accentuating Abraham's obedience.


Methods:  focusing on literary patterns and repetition; referencing other Scriptures


1.  Psalm 60:4 - "But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah"


      The Hebrew word for banner resembles the word for test (Nes; Nissah)
      This could mean that God "made a banner" out of Abraham.


2.  Is God just in testing Abraham?
      Answer:  like a king, the Lord is totally justified to do as he wishes; He is not to be questioned.


3.  Psalm 11:5 - "The LORD examines (tests) the righteous, 
   but the wicked and those who love violence
   his soul hates."

      A potter will not test a weak pot, for it may shatter.

      Thus, Abraham was strong enough to withstand the testing.

4.  Reading of God's call for sacrifice (22:2)

      "Your son, your only son, the son whom you love, Isaac."

      The rabbis looked into why the verse in Hebrew was written like this.

      Possibly, Abraham was arguing with God.

      

5.  Abraham is likened to Moses.

      both deemed priest and king.

      "Here am I" connection

      both had a theophany on a mountain top.

Augustine -- from City of God (died around 430 CE)

Viewpoint:  the binding of Isaac is a foreshadowing of the crucifiction of Christ.

Method:  compare Scripture to other Scriptures (e.g. Paul's writings)


Jesus Christ and Isaac:

• carried own wood
• obedient to death
• only son
• sacrificed and resurrected (actually or metaphorically)

Jesus Christ and the ram:

• atonement (took someone's place)
• crown of thorns
• sacrifice was salvational

Thus, Jesus Christ fulfilled both Isaac's and the ram's roles.