Abraham

[RabbiO]

I was going through old threads out of curiosity, to see what was on here from over the years. Also, if I thought it was worth replying to, I would- or to see if anyone had new input on the subject. Essentially, I thought to myself- there must be a bunch of interesting old stuff lying around here!

The only interesting old stuff lying around here is my friend metis. Just don't tell him I said so.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

The only interesting old stuff lying around here is my friend metis. Just don't tell him I said so.

You got it Rabbi

 

[TheBannerofHomuraAkemi]

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him... Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
- Gen 22.1

What are your opinions on this story of the father of the great monotheistic religions? Abraham was promised by God that he would through his son become the father of a chosen people. He was already old, and he and his wife Sarah grew much older before finally, miraculously, she conceived and gave birth to Isaac. God eventually commands Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeys; he walks for three days, climbs the mountain with Isaac, prepares everything, takes out the knife... and is stopped by an angel, who provides a ram to take the place of Isaac.

What does this say about God, what does it say about Abraham, and what does it say about faith and morality?

The Church Organization that I once belonged too explained it like this.
First there is a part of the story that you forgot to mention.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
This tells us that Abraham never believed that God would actually have him sacrificed his only son. Also this story is another allegory for a the death of Jesus. As God would provide a Lamb for man's sin.

But what I would like to know did this ruin's Issac's trust in his father? What kind of expression did Abraham have when he raised the knife?