Genesis 22:2

What do you say to these things, Abraham? What kind of thoughts are stirring in your heart? A word has been uttered by God that is such as to shatter and try your faith. What do you say to these things? What are you thinking? What are you reconsidering? Are you thinking, are you turning over in your heart that if the promise has been given to me in Isaac but I offer him for a burnt offering, it remains that that promise holds no hope? Or rather do you think of those well-known words and say that it is impossible for him who promised to lie; be that as it may, the promise shall remain? But I, because "I am the least," am not able to examine the thoughts of such a great patriarch, nor can I know what thoughts the voice of God which had proceeded to test him stirred in him, what feeling it caused, when he was ordered to slay his only son. But since "the spirit of prophets is subject to the prophets," the apostle Paul, who, I believe, was teaching by the Spirit what feeling, what plan Abraham considered, has revealed it. He says, "By faith Abraham did not hesitate, when he offered his only son, in whom he had received the promises, thinking that God is able to raise him up even from the dead." The apostle therefore has reported to us the thoughts of the faithful man, that the faith in the resurrection began to be held already at that time in Isaac. Abraham therefore hoped for the resurrection of Isaac and believed in a future that had not yet happened. How then are they "sons of Abraham" who do not believe what has happened in Christ, which Abraham believed was to be in Isaac? No rather, that I may speak more clearly, Abraham knew himself to prefigure the image of future truth. He knew the Christ was to be born from his seed, who also was to be offered as a truer victim for the whole world and was to be raised from the dead.

But now meanwhile the text says, "God was testing Abraham and says to him: 'Take your dearest son whom you love.' " For to have said "son" would not have been enough, but "dearest" also is added. Let this too be considered. Why is there still added also, "whom you love"? But behold the importance of the test. The affections of a father are roused by the dear and sweet appellations repeated frequently, that by awaking memories of love the paternal right hand might be slowed in slaying his son and the total warfare of the flesh might fight against the faith of the soul."Take," therefore, the text says, "your dearest son Isaac, whom you love." Let it be, Lord, that you are reminding the father of the son; you add also "dearest," whom you are commanding to be slain. Let this be sufficient for the father's torment. You add again also, "whom you love." Let the triple torment of the father be in this. Why is there need yet that you bring to mind also "Isaac"? Did Abraham not know that that dearest son of his, that one whom he loved, was called Isaac? But why is it added at this time? That Abraham might recall that you had said to him, "In Isaac shall your seed be called, and that in Isaac the promises shall be yours." The reminder of the name also produces hopelessness in the promises that were made under this name. But all these things happened because God was testing Abraham.

When Abraham offered his son Isaac, he was a type of God the Father, while Isaac prefigured our Lord and Savior.

18, 19 ), it might have passed as a sacrifice to justice. But the case is not so: he is dutiful, obedient, hopeful, son. "Lord, what profit is there in his blood?" 4.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

Yes: take Isaac, him by name, thy laughter, that son indeed. Yea, that son whom thou lovest - The trial was of Abraham's love to God, and therefore it must be in a beloved son: in the Hebrew 'tis expressed more emphatically, and I think might very well be read thus, Take now that son of thine, that only son of thine, whom thou lovest, that Isaac.