Genesi 22:5 Commento

We have here the famous story of Abraham's offering up his son Isaac, that is, his offering to offer him, which is justly looked upon as one of the wonders of the church. Here is, I. The strange command which God gave to Abraham concerning it (Gen 22:1, Gen 22:2). II. Abraham's strange obedience to this command (Gen 22:3-10) III. The strange issue of this trial. 1. The sacrificing of Isaac was countermanded (Gen 22:11, Gen 22:12). 2. Another sacrifice was provided (Gen 22:13, Gen 22:14). 3. The covenant was renewed with Abraham hereupon (Gen 22:15-19). Lastly, an account of some of Abraham's relations (Gen 22:20, etc.)

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 22 In this chapter we have an account of an order given by God to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Gen 22:1; of his readiness to obey the will of God, he immediately preparing everything for that purpose, Gen 22:3, of the order being reversed, and another sacrifice substituted in its room, which occasioned the giving a new name to the place where it was done, Gen 22:11; upon which the promise of special blessings, of a numerous offspring, and of the seed in whom all nations should be blessed, is renewed, Gen 22:15; after this Abraham returns to Beersheba, where he is informed of the increase of his brother Nahor's family, Gen 22:19.

And Abraham said unto the young men, abide you here with the ass,.... At the place from whence he had his first sight of Mount Moriah: he chose not to take his two servants with him, lest when they saw him binding his son, and going about to sacrifice him, they should lay hold upon him, and restrain him from doing it; and to prevent this he takes this precaution, which shows how fully intent he was to yield obedience to the divine precept: and I and the lad will go yonder and worship; pointing to the place where the signal was, but whether they saw it or no is not certain: the Jews say (z) Isaac did see it, but they did not; however, Abraham made them to understand that he was going to one of the mountains which were in sight, and there worship God by offering sacrifice to him. Isaac is here called a "lad"; of what age he was at this time; see Gill on Gen 22:2; and he might be at the largest number of years there mentioned, and yet be so called, since Joshua the son of Nun has this appellation when he was fifty six years of age, Exo 33:11, and come again to you, both he and Isaac; this he said under a spirit of prophecy, as Jarchi thinks, or in the faith of Isaac's resurrection from the dead, Heb 11:19. (z) Bereshit Rabba (sect. 56. fol. 49. 2, 3.) and Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 31.)

He leaves the servants. For the servants were not able to ascend with Abraham to the place of the burnt offering that God had shown him. “You,” therefore, the text says, “stay here, but I and the child will go and when we have worshiped, we will return to you.” Tell me, Abraham, are you saying to the servants in truth that you will worship and return with the child, or are you deceiving them? If you are telling the truth, then you will not make him a burnt offering. If you are deceiving, it is not fitting for so great a patriarch to deceive. What disposition therefore does this statement indicate in you? I am speaking the truth, he says, and I offer the child as a burnt offering. For this reason I carry wood with me, and I return to you with him. For I believe, and this is my faith, that “God is able to raise him up even from the dead.”

The two servants whom he ordered to stay with the ass typified the Jewish people, who could not ascend or reach the place of sacrifice because they would not believe in Christ. That ass signified the synagogue. The ram that was stuck among the briars with its horns also seems to represent the Lord, for Christ as it were stuck among thorns with horns when he hung on the beam of the cross, fastened with nails. When Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice of himself, in this too he prefigured Christ our Lord, who carried his own cross to the place of his passion. Of this mystery much had already been foretold by the prophets: “And his government shall be upon his shoulders.” Christ then had the government upon his shoulders when he carried his cross with wonderful humility. Not unfittingly does Christ’s cross signify government: by it the devil is conquered and the whole world recalled to the knowledge and grace of Christ. Finally, the apostle also said this when he spoke of the Lord’s passion: “He became obedient to death, even to death on a cross. Therefore God also has exalted him and has bestowed upon him the name that is above every name.” We have said this, brothers, so that your charity may know that the government of Christ of which we read, “And the government shall be upon his shoulders,” is none other than his cross. For this reason this lesson is read at Easter when the true Isaac, whose type the son of Abraham illustrated, is fastened to the gibbet of the cross for the human race.

Why is it said to the servants who prefigured the Jews, “Sit here with the ass”? Could that ass sit down, dearly beloved? It is said, “Sit with the ass,” because the Jewish people who would not believe in Christ could not stand but, like the weak and languid sinner who had despised the staff of the cross, were about to fall to the ground. For this reason blessed Abraham said, “Sit here with the ass while the boy and I go on; and when we have worshiped, we shall come back to you.” What is it that you are saying, blessed Abraham? You are going to sacrifice your son and you say you will return with him? If you offer him as a burnt offering, surely he will not be able to return with you. Blessed Abraham could reply: I speak the truth. I am offering my son, and I will return to you with him. So great is my faith that I believe that he who deigned to give him to me of a sterile mother could raise him from the dead. For this reason I say with truth, “When we have worshiped, we shall come back to you.”

The faith and obedience of Abraham put to a most extraordinary test, Gen 22:1. He is commanded to offer his beloved son Isaac for a burnt-offering, Gen 22:2. He prepares, with the utmost promptitude, to accomplish the will of God, Gen 22:3-6. Affecting speech of Isaac, Gen 22:7; and Abraham's answer, Gen 22:8. Having arrived at mount Moriah he prepares to sacrifice his son, Gen 22:9, Gen 22:10; and is prevented by an angel of the Lord, Gen 22:11, Gen 22:12. A ram is offered in the stead of Isaac, Gen 22:13; and the place is named Jehovah-jireh, Gen 22:14. The angel of the Lord calls to Abraham a second time, Gen 22:15; and, in the most solemn manner, he is assured of innumerable blessings in the multiplication and prosperity of his seed, Gen 22:16-18. Abraham returns and dwells at Beer-sheba, Gen 22:19; hears that his brother Nahor has eight children by his wife Milcah, Gen 22:20; their names, Gen 22:21-23; and four by his concubine Reumah, Gen 22:24.

I and the lad will go and come again - How could Abraham consistently with truth say this, when he knew he was going to make his son a burnt-offering? The apostle answers for him: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac - accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure, Heb 11:17, Heb 11:19. He knew that previously to the birth of Isaac both he and his wife were dead to all the purposes of procreation; that his birth was a kind of life from the dead; that the promise of God was most positive, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, Gen 21:12; that this promise could not fail; that it was his duty to obey the command of his Maker; and that it was as easy for God to restore him to life after he had been a burnt-offering, as it was for him to give him life in the beginning. Therefore he went fully purposed to offer his son, and yet confidently expecting to have him restored to life again. We will go yonder and worship - perform a solemn act of devotion which God requires, and come again to you.

OFFERING ISAAC. (Gen. 22:1-19) God did tempt Abraham--not incite to sin (Jam 1:13), but try, prove--give occasion for the development of his faith (Pe1 1:7). and he said, . . . Here I am--ready at a moment's warning for God's service.

When in sight of the distant mountain, Abraham left the servants behind with the ass, that he might perform the last and hardest part of the journey alone with Isaac, and, as he said to the servants, "worship yonder and then return." The servants were not to see what would take place there; for they could not understand this "worship," and the issue even to him, notwithstanding his saying "we will come again to you," was still involved in the deepest obscurity. This last part of the journey is circumstantially described in Gen 22:6-8, to show how strong a conflict every step produced in the paternal heart of the patriarch. They go both together, he with the fire and the knife in his hand, and his son with the wood for the sacrifice upon his shoulder. Isaac asks his father, where is the lamb for the burnt-offering; and the father replies, not "Thou wilt be it, my son," but "God (Elohim without the article - God as the all-pervading supreme power) will provide it;" for he will not and cannot yet communicate the divine command to his son. Non vult filium macerare longa cruce et tentatione (Luther).