Interesting Take On Abraham In This Article, Part 2

[cmotherofpirl]

[url="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2012/04/a-journey-through-the-bible-part-1/"]http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2012/04/a-journey-through-the-bible-part-1/[/url]

[url="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2012/04/a-journey-through-the-bible-part-2/"]http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2012/04/a-journey-through-the-bible-part-2/[/url]

[Luigi]

Very interesting.

I know (just)a (very) little about ancient Hebrew and its discourse. The Hebrews were fond of pairing concepts - it was a major element of their poetry. The pairing could be a simple restatement, a positive followed by a negative, a negative followed by a positive, and so forth. Isaiah, in particular, is [i]full[/i] of these pairings.

The concept of pairings explains "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil" - a lot of people read that and ask "Why would God lead us into temptation in the first place?" He wouldn't. That's just the poetic Hebrew way of asking God for guidance & protection.

Further evidence that you can't just pick up the Bible, read it, and understand it. All language arises from culture that created it, and expresses the culture's assumptions.

Which is why I appreciate Dr. Gray's interpretations so much.


Thanks for posting.

[BarbTherese]

Thank you for sharing. It is a very interesting take on Abraham and sacrificing his son and one I have not heard before, but it makes sense. The Old Law was 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' and we see this being applied by God in the story of Abraham's two sons - and in God sparing Isaac, we see the Merciful God Who is fully revealed in The New Testament in Jesus.
I really liked the concluding paragraph to Part 2 also. Identity is to the human being what plot is to a story and in Scripture, our true identity as beloved children of God and the reason we are here (and why the whole universe is here) is unfolded for us - for me always very beautifully interpreted by The Church.
Thanks again!

Thank you too to Luigi for explaining pairing as used in Scripture - especially "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil", which gives me a completely new understanding of that sentence from The Our Father.