God asks Abraham to offer his only son, and stays his hand at the last moment; the Church has always read the scene as the great figure of the Father giving up his Son on Calvary. It is also the model of the obedience of faith, and the Roman Canon names "the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham" beside Abel's gift and Melchisedech's offering.
The passage · Douay-Rheims
After these things, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.
He said to him: Take thy only begotten son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and go into the land of vision; and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee.
So Abraham rising up in the night, saddled his ass, and took with him two young men, and Isaac his son: and when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he went his way to the place which God had commanded him.
And on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place afar off.
And he said to his young men: Stay you here with the ass; I and the boy will go with speed as far as yonder, and after we have worshipped, will return to you.
And he took the wood for the holocaust, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as they two went on together,
Isaac said to his father: My father. And he answered: What wilt thou, son? Behold, saith he, fire and wood: where is the victim for the holocaust?
And Abraham said: God will provide himself a victim for an holocaust, my son. So they went on together.
And they came to the place which God had shewn him, where he built an altar, and laid the wood in order upon it; and when he had bound Isaac his son, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.
And he put forth his hand, and took the sword, to sacrifice his son.
And behold, an angel of the Lord from heaven called to him, saying: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.
And he said to him: Lay not thy hand upon the boy, neither do thou any thing to him: now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake.
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram, amongst the briers, sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.
And he called the name of that place, The Lord seeth. Whereupon, even to this day, it is said: In the mountain the Lord will see.
And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying:
By my own self have I sworn, saith the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake:
I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore; thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies.
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Abraham returned to his young men, and they went to Bersabee together, and he dwelt there.
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The four senses
Literal sense
What did the sacred page record on the mountain, and how could a good God command such a thing?
11 writers
Still in the homily on Hebrews, Chrysostom distinguishes this trial from others: it came by God’s command and not merely by his allowance. From this he draws a lesson for the hearer on bearing trials. It supports the literal sense of the episode as a trial ordained by God.
Now this trial, it is evident, was by His command. The others indeed happened by His allowance, but this even by His command. If then temptations make men approved in such wise that, even where there is no occasion, God exercises His own athletes; much more ought we to bear all things nobly.
In his homily on Hebrews, Chrysostom, Father and Doctor of the Church, sets the command to sacrifice Isaac beside the promise that the seed would be called in Isaac. He finds the trial in this apparent opposition of command and promise. It bears on the literal sense of what Abraham was tried in.
Again He said, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Gen. xxi. 12), and he believed: and again He says, Sacrifice to Me this one, who was to fill all the world from his seed. Thou seest the opposition between the commands and the promise? He enjoined things that were in contradiction to the promises, and yet not even so did the righteous man stagger, nor say he had been deceived.
In his homily on Second Corinthians, Chrysostom comments on the angel’s words “now I know”. He takes them to mean that the matter is now made known to men, since God knew it of old. It answers the literal question of what the trial discloses.
What then means this, “Now I know?” The Syriac hath, “Now thou hast made known;” that is, to men. For I knew of old, even before all those commandments. And why, to men even, “now?” for were not those acts enough to prove his mind was right toward God? They were enough indeed, but this one so much greater than them all that they appear nothing beside it.
Chrysostom, preaching on First Timothy, notes that Abraham concealed the command from his wife while still ignorant of the outcome. He sets out the objections an ordinary man would have met. It fills out the literal account of Abraham’s obedience.
Even Abraham, who had an admirable wife, when he was about to offer up his son, concealed it from her, though he knew not what was to happen, but was fully persuaded that he must slaughter his son. What then, would any one that was but an ordinary man have said? Would it not be, “Who is this that perpetrates such acts?” Would he not have accused him of cruelty and brutality? His wife was not even allowed to see her son, to receive his last words, to witness his dying struggles. But he led him away like a captive.
In the same homily on First Timothy, Chrysostom dwells on the absence of servant and wife and on Isaac’s question about the lamb and Abraham’s answer. He reads the father’s reply as spoken so that the victim might not be defiled with tears. It adds to the literal narrative the manner of the journey.
No servant, no wife was present, nay, he himself knew not what would be the issue. But intent upon offering up a pure victim, he would not defile it with tears, or with any opposition. Mark too with what gentleness Isaac asks, “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”: and what was the father’s answer? “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” ( Gen. xxii. 7, 8.)
Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church, writes in his Letter 118 to Julian that Abraham’s faith was the greater triumph, since he was willing to slay the son of the promise yet hoped that Isaac would live again after death. It bears on the literal sense, in the hope that sustained the obedience.
It was a great triumph of faith, true. But how much greater was that won by Abraham who was content to slay his only son, of whom he had been told that he was to inherit the world, yet did not cease to hope that after death Isaac would live again.
Augustine, Doctor of the Church, treats the trial in The City of God. He says Abraham was tried to prove his obedience and make it known to the world, not to God, and that he could not have believed God delighted in human sacrifice. It answers the literal difficulty of why the command was given.
Among other things, of which it would take too long time to mention the whole, Abraham was tempted about the offering up of his well-beloved son Isaac, to prove his pious obedience, and so make it known to the world, not to God.
Of course Abraham could never believe that God delighted in human sacrifices; yet when the divine commandment thundered, it was to be obeyed, not disputed.
Augustine, in The City of God, explains “now I know” as “now I have made to be known”, since God was not previously ignorant. He reads the name of the place in the same manner. It bears on the literal sense by showing how Scripture ascribes knowing and seeing to God.
It is said, “Now I know,” that is, Now I have made to be known; for God was not previously ignorant of this. Then, having offered up that ram instead of Isaac his son, “Abraham,” as we read, “called the name of that place The Lord seeth: as they say this day, In the mount the Lord hath appeared.” As it is said, “Now I know,” for Now I have made to be known, so here, “The Lord sees,” for The Lord hath appeared, that is, made Himself to be seen.
Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, takes up the sacrifice in the Summa Theologiae on the moral precepts of the Old Law. Answering the charge of murder, he says Isaac was due to die by the command of God, Lord of life and death. It bears on the literal sense of Abraham’s consent.
Likewise when Abraham consented to slay his son, he did not consent to murder, because his son was due to be slain by the command of God, Who is Lord of life and death: for He it is Who inflicts the punishment of death on all men, both godly and ungodly, on account of the sin of our first parent, and if a man be the executor of that sentence by Divine authority, he will be no murderer any more than God would be.
In the Summa Theologiae on homicide, Aquinas gives the same reply more briefly: one who kills at God’s command does not sin, since God is Lord of life and death. It supports the literal sense that the command came from God and not from any human authority to kill.
God is Lord of death and life, for by His decree both the sinful and the righteous die. Hence he who at God's command kills an innocent man does not sin, as neither does God Whose behest he executes: indeed his obedience to God's commands is a proof that he fears Him.
Aquinas, in the Summa Theologiae on the ceremonial precepts, explains the feast of Trumpets as kept in memory of the delivery of Isaac, when Abraham found the ram caught by its horns. It shows the literal event commemorated in the worship of the Old Covenant.
For on the first of the seventh month was the feast of "Trumpets," in memory of the delivery of Isaac, when Abraham found the ram caught by its horns, which they represented by the horns which they blew. The feast of Trumpets was a kind of invitation whereby they prepared themselves to keep the following feast which was kept on the tenth day. This was the feast of "Expiation," in memory of the blessing whereby, at the prayer of Moses, God forgave the people's sin of worshipping the calf.
Challoner, in his annotation on the opening verse, answers the first difficulty of the literal sense: how God can be said to tempt. He distinguishes tempting to evil, which God never does, from a trial by which faith is made manifest. His annotations were printed with the Douay-Rheims Bible.
Ver. 1. God tempted, &c. God tempteth no man to evil, James i. 13. But by trial and experiment, maketh known to the world and to ourselves, what we are; as here by this trial the singular faith and obedience of Abraham was made manifest. (Challoner)
Haydock’s annotation on the command observes that every word of it was meant to wound Abraham. He admires the strength of a faith that could hope against hope, trusting that God would not deceive. It reads the literal sense as the cost of the trial to Abraham.
Every word in this astonishing command, tended to cut Abraham to the heart; and hence we may the more admire his strength and disinterestedness of his faith. He could hope, in a manner, against hope, knowing in whom he had trusted, and convinced that God would not deceive him, though he was at a loss to explain in what manner Isaac should have children after he was sacrificed. (Haydock)
Haydock, drawing on Calmet, remarks that such a sacrifice was unprecedented and that God never suffered it to be offered in his honour, though he tried his servant’s obedience so far. It addresses the literal question of why the command was given and not carried out.
To sacrifice; a thing hitherto unprecedented, and which God would never suffer to be done in his honour, though he was pleased to try the obedience of his servant so far. The pagans afterwards took occasion, perhaps, from this history, to suppose, that human victims would be the most agreeable to their false deities: (Calmet) but in this misconception they were inexcusable, since God prevented the sacrifice from being really offered to him, in the most earnest manner, saying, Abraham, Abraham, as if there were danger lest the holy man should not hear the first call.
Haydock, citing Menochius, notes that the name given to the place became a proverb among people in distress. He adds that some translate it “the Lord will be seen”, which was verified when Christ was crucified. It bears on the literal sense through the name Abraham gave the place.
Ver. 14. Will see. This became a proverbial expression, used by people in distress, who, remembering how Abraham had been relieved, endeavoured to comfort themselves with hopes of relief. Some translate the Lord will be seen, which was verified when Christ was crucified. (Menochius)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church draws on Hebrews to present the faith of Abraham: going out not knowing where, living as a stranger and pilgrim, and offering his only son. It bears on the literal sense by setting the trial as the culmination of a life of faith.
The Letter to the Hebrews, in its great eulogy of the faith of Israel's ancestors, lays special emphasis on Abraham's faith: "By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go." By faith, he lived as a stranger and pilgrim in the promised land. By faith, Sarah was given to conceive the son of the promise. And by faith Abraham offered his only son in sacrifice.
Each is quoted in full and is here because the commentary above, or the text itself, ties it to the key passage.
Hebrews 11:17-19
Catechism 145 (literal sense) and Chrysostom's homily on these verses (literal, allegorical and anagogical senses) read the passage as Hebrews does; Haydock's note by Witham (allegorical sense) explains "a parable" as a figure of Christ risen.
17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18(To whom it was said: In Isaac shalt thy seed be called:)
19Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Whereupon also he received him for a parable.
Augustine (allegorical sense, City of God XVI.32) quotes verse 32 beside Isaac carrying the wood, and Catechism 2572 (anagogical sense) says Abraham is conformed to the Father who "will not spare his own Son".
31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us?
32He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?
Chrysostom on John 19:16-18, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Augustine against Faustus (allegorical sense) set Isaac bearing the wood beside Christ bearing his cross.
16Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him forth.
17And bearing his own cross, he went forth to the place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.
18Where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst.
The Catena Aurea on John 8:56 (Chrysostom, allegorical sense; Augustine, anagogical sense) read "he saw it and was glad" in the light of Isaac and the ram, and Lapide on John 18:12 (allegorical sense) notes that Isaac too was bound.
56Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day: he saw it and was glad.
57The Jews therefore said to him: Thou art not yet fifty years old. And hast thou seen Abraham?
58Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.
Chrysostom (literal sense) and Augustine (anagogical sense) set this promise, "in Isaac shall thy seed be called", against the command to offer him.
12And God said to him: Let it not seem grievous to thee for the boy, and for thy bondwoman: in all that Sara hath said to thee, hearken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
