Lent · First Sunday in Lent · Year B
Genesis 22:1-18
Abraham Tested
February 14, 2027
Overview & Insights
“God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8)
In an episode repulsive to a contemporary audience, God commands Abraham to offer up his son Isaac as a whole burnt offering. How could the God who created life and blessed humans with fertility require his faithful servant to offer up his only, beloved, son as a sacrifice? How could God ask Abraham to give up the son of promise for whom he had waited so long? On the other hand, how could Abraham obey God’s command without energetically entreating for Isaac’s life as he had done for Sodom and Gomorrah (18:23–32)? These are hard questions, and the text only hints at answers. The text’s reticence at becoming engaged with these kinds of questions belongs to the artistic design of the narrative, which is to keep in focus the central issue of Abraham’s wholehearted obedience to God in regard to his firstborn.
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Commentary
Genesis 22:1-14 - Center for Excellence in Preaching Center for Excellence in Preaching
Scott Hoezee's Reformed commentary on the binding of Isaac, covering the testing of Abraham through the provided ram in verses 1-14.
Genesis 22 Commentary: Abraham Is Willing to Offer Isaac Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik walks the whole chapter, from the command to the stayed hand and the covenant oath that follows.
Genesis 22 Commentary Precept Austin
A verse-by-verse study hub gathering word notes, cross references, and quotes on the akedah.
Genesis 22:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentators compared side by side on 'God tested Abraham.'
Background & Word Study
Genesis 22 in Hebrew, with Jewish commentary Sefaria
The Hebrew text of the akedah with Rashi and other Jewish commentators alongside.
Genesis 22:1 Interlinear BibleHub
The Hebrew of the testing of Abraham word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers.
Book of Genesis Overview (Part 2) BibleProject
BibleProject's overview of Genesis 12-50 sets the binding of Isaac within the Abraham covenant story.
Genesis | Enter the Bible Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's introduction to Genesis, its structure, and the ancestral narratives.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
Why is the binding of Isaac a Lenten and Vigil reading?
Abraham is ready to offer his only son, and God provides a ram in his place, a story the church reads as a shadow of the Father who did not spare his own Son.
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