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5 More Thoughts On Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22

5. Verse 5 seems to strongly indicate (especially the Hebrew syntax) that Abraham believed Isaac would be alive after this ordeal, one way or another.

4. Abraham told his young servants to stay with the donkey. Was it a poorly-behaved donkey? And why did they not take it with them? [Because it was a bad donkey, obviously.--ed.] Maybe!

3. It may have been more culturally normative for Abraham to sacrifice his son than we realize, but Isaac obviously hadn't gotten the memo.

2. My teacher may be right to say it is harmful to teach this passage from the beginning with Isaac as a type of Christ, since he fades into the background in this story.

1. Fine, sir, you win. But take it up with the Fathers. Moreover, if I were a pastor, I'd keep this text in my Christmas or Easter liturgy out of (gentle) spite.

Comments

Timothy R. Butler said…
5. Ah, Jan-Term Hebrew?

4. You know how much donkeys can talk -- and they are always trying to dominate an adventure.
10:12 PM
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