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Whose Faith Will You Copy?

One of my most-desired Christmas presents arrived late, but just in time. I requested “The Revised and Expanded Edition of the Complete Works of Josephus,” my favorite first-century Jewish historian. Today Josephus completely changed my understanding of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac in the book of Genesis.

I believe that the writings of Josephus provide a vital political, topographical, economic, social, intellectual, and religious supplement to our biblical information. He provides a crucial context for comparing and interpreting our knowledge of the times. Sometimes he adds much-needed detail.

There is no doubt in my mind that everything in scripture is true and accurate. That doesn’t mean that only those things mentioned in the Bible are true. Other facts and stories are also true. Josephus is the most reliable author from that century; without him our knowledge of the biblical world would certainly be impoverished.

Back to Abraham and Isaac…

In Genesis, God said to Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering…” (Gen 22:2) So Abraham did as God instructed, and when they reached the place chosen by God, he prepared to burn his son in an act of complete obedience.

I have heard this heartbreaking story preached my entire life as an example of Abraham’s great faith in God and his unswerving obedience. Josephus added vital detail. In Book 1, Chapter 13 Josephus wrote,

Now Isaac was twenty-five years old. And as he was building the altar, he asked his father what he was about to offer, since there was no animal there for a sacrifice…”

I went back to re-read my Old Testament. Nowhere does it state that Isaac was a child, yet I’ve never heard that amended until now.

According to Josephus, Abraham explained the situation to his son with these words,

…it was by God’s will that I became your father, and it is now his will that I relinquish you, bear this consequence to God with a generous mind; for I resign you up to God who has thought it fit to require this testimony of honor to himself, on account of the favors he has conferred upon me, in being to me a supporter and defender.

Accordingly you, my son, will now die, not in any common way of going out of the world, but sent to God, the Father of all men, beforehand, by your own father, in the nature of a sacrifice. He will receive your soul with prayers and holy offices of religion, and will place you near to himself.

Josephus then reveals the character of Isaac through his reply:

Now Isaac was of such a generous disposition as became the son of such a father, and was pleased with this discourse; and said “that he was not worthy to be born at first, if he should reject the determination of God and his father, and should not resign himself up readily to both their pleasures; since it would have been unjust if he had not obeyed, even if his father alone had so resolved.” So he went immediately to the altar to be sacrificed.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, an agonizing situation for any parent. There is no doubt that he lived in a place of great faith. But Isaac was willing to sacrifice everything, including his life.

The deed would have been done, but God intervened. He called loudly to Abraham, saying, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God…” (Gen 22:12)

We are encouraged to have the faith of Abraham. I now want to have the faith of Isaac.

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