{"id":47809,"date":"2020-05-18T10:39:35","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T14:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=47809"},"modified":"2020-05-18T10:39:35","modified_gmt":"2020-05-18T14:39:35","slug":"wards-whoppers-5-isaac-abrahams-only-son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2020\/05\/wards-whoppers-5-isaac-abrahams-only-son.html","title":{"rendered":"Ward’s Whoppers #5: Isaac: Abraham’s “Only” Son?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ward Ricker<\/a>\u00a0is an atheist who (as so often) was formerly a self-described\u00a0\u00a0\u201cfundamentalist\u201d<\/span>. He likes to poke holes in the Bible and \u201cprove\u201d that it is a terrible and \u201cevil\u201d book, not inspired, hopelessly contradictory, etc. He put together a 222-page book called\u00a0Unholy Bible<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(2019): available for free as a pdf file. It contains 421 couplets of passages that he considers literally contradictory, and 256 more couplets of not technically contradictory but \u201cproblem\u201d passages (according to him). Ward wrote in his book:\u00a0\u201cI . . . am including here only what I consider to be the more firm\u00a0examples of contradictions. . . .\u00a0 I do not want to include examples that are \u2018weak\u2019 and will\u00a0be easily refuted. I have made my best judgment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He issued a challenge for anyone to take on his alleged contradictions. After\u00a0my first reply<\/a>, he wrote\u00a0a\u00a05 1\/2 page article<\/a>\u00a0suggesting in-depth dialogue.\u00a0I responded, explaining in depth<\/a>\u00a0why I thought dialogue between us would be unfruitful, for many reasons. He then accused me (among other things in his two replies) of\u00a0\u201chypocrisy\u201d<\/span>\u00a0that\u00a0\u201cknows no bounds.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0This is, of course, against my\u00a0discussion rules<\/a>, which forbids such rank insults, so he was promptly banned from my blog, and I replied: \u201cI was exactly right in my judgment that no dialogue was possible. It never takes long for the fangs to come out if they are there.\u201d<\/p>\n

But I had already stated: \u201cI may\u00a0still\u00a0<\/i>take on several of your proposed contradictions, just so I can have opportunity to show how very wrong atheist contentions are (which is one thing Christian apologists do).\u201d This series represents that effort. Mr. Ricker can respond on his page as he sees fit. He can still see my posts. His words will be in\u00a0blue<\/span>. To search any of this series on my blog, paste \u201cWard\u2019s Whoppers #\u201d in the search bar on the top right of my blog page. He uses the King James Version for his Bible verses. I will use RSV in my replies.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

17. **<\/span>
\nGenesis 16: 15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son\u2019s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.\u00a01 Chronicles 1: 28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vs:<\/span><\/p>\n

Genesis 22: 1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him,\u00a0Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom\u00a0thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of\u00a0the mountains which I will tell thee of.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hebrews 11: 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises\u00a0offered up his only begotten son<\/span><\/p>\n

Q: Was Isaac Abraham\u2019s only son or did he have another one? (Note: Ishmael was born before Isaac.)<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Apologist Kyle Butt (\u201cOne Little Word,\u201d<\/a> Apologetics Press, 2002) observed:<\/p>\n

Abraham fathered Ishmael by Hagar (Genesis 16:16) more than a decade before the birth of Isaac. And following the death of Sarah, Abraham took Keturah as a wife, by which he begat at least six more sons (Genesis 25:1-2). . . .<\/p>\n

In the Greek text of Hebrews 11:17, the word translated as \u201conly begotten son\u201d is\u00a0monogenes<\/i>. While this word could possibly be used to refer to an only child, that certainly was not its sole use. Josephus used the word\u00a0monogenes<\/i>\u00a0to refer to Izates, who had an older brother and several younger brothers\u00a0(Antiquities,\u00a0<\/i>20.2.1). The well-respected\u00a0Greek-English Lexicon<\/i>\u00a0by Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker explains that the word can be used to denote something that is \u201cunique (in kind), of something that is the only example of its category\u201d (1979, p.527). This meaning fits perfectly the passage in Hebrews 11, where the writer was explaining that Abraham offered up his \u201conly\u00a0promised<\/b>\u00a0son.\u201d Abraham had no other children that fit in the category of being promised by God. Isaac was the only \u201cexample of a category\u201d\u2014that category being a son who was promised to Abraham and Sarah.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But what to make of Genesis 22:1? I think it is plausible to hold that it was referring to his only son from a non-concubine wife, or the only promised<\/em> son; or the only legal heir (\u201cthrough Isaac shall your descendants be named\u201d: Gen 21:12; cf. Jud 11:2; Rom 9:7; Gal 4:30); possibly even (though I think it\u2019s much less likely) \u201cthe only son at the time of writing after he was called Abraham rather than Abram.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hebrew usage of \u201cfirst-born\u201d is also perhaps analogous and instructive, and illustrates that such phrases about family members are not always intended or understood as absolutely literal (certainly, not nearly as much as we are literal about such terms in our culture). The primary meaning of \u201cfirst-born\u201d was \u201cpreeminent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hence, David is called \u201cfirst-born\u201d in Psalm 89:27, not because he was the literal first child of Jesse (for he was the youngest), but in the sense of his ascendancy to the kingship of Israel. Likewise, Jeremiah 31:9 refers to Ephraim as the \u201cfirst-born,\u201d whereas Manasseh was actually the first child born (Gen 41:50-52).<\/p>\n

As a second example of such acceptable ancient Hebrew \u201clooseness\u201d of \u201cfamily terminology,\u201d we might look at how \u201cbrother\u201d was not infrequently used in a way other than \u201csibling\u201d:<\/p>\n

1) By comparing Genesis 14:14 with 11:26-27, we find that Lot, called Abraham\u2019s \u201cbrother\u201d, is actually his nephew.<\/p>\n

2) Likewise, Jacob is called the \u201cbrother\u201d of his Uncle Laban (Gen 29:10, 15).<\/p>\n

3) Cis and Eleazar are described as \u201cbrethren\u201d, whereas they are literally cousins (1 Chr 23:21-2).<\/p>\n

4) By comparing Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; and John 19:25, we find that James and Joseph \u2013 mentioned in Matthew 13:55 with Simon and Jude as Jesus\u2019 \u201cbrethren\u201d \u2013 are also called sons of Mary, wife of Clopas. Thus in\u00a0this usage it apparently means \u201ccousins\u201d or more distant relative; but it cannot<\/em> logically mean \u201csiblings.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thus \u201cbrother\u201d could mean (literally) \u201cnephew\u201d or \u201ccousin.\u201d Given all these evidences of the Hebrew understanding of descriptions of relatives, \u201conly son\u201d in Genesis 22:1 quite plausibly could mean something other than \u201cabsolutely only<\/em> biological son of Abraham.\u201d The meaning \u2014 all these things considered \u2014 is most likely \u201cpreeminent son\u201d or \u201cheir\u201d or \u201cson of the promise\u201d (see Rom 9:8-9; Gal 4:22-23, 28).<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Photo credit:\u00a0<\/strong>The banishment of Hagar and Ishmael<\/i><\/span>\u00a0(c. 1697), by\u00a0Adriaen van der Werff\u00a0(1659-1722)<\/span> [public domain \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a>]<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ward Ricker\u00a0is an atheist who (as so often) was formerly a self-described\u00a0\u00a0\u201cfundamentalist\u201d. He likes to poke holes in the Bible and \u201cprove\u201d that it is a terrible and \u201cevil\u201d book, not inspired, hopelessly contradictory, etc. He put together a 222-page book called\u00a0Unholy Bible\u00a0(2019): available for free as a pdf file. It contains 421 couplets of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":47815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124],"tags":[805,11069,1043,258,522,1472,1473,525,524,11045,2637,1633,4610,1387,11072,1386,535,4068,140,7972,11066,11057,11063,11060,11075,11044],"class_list":["post-47809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-atheism-agnosticism","tag-abraham","tag-abrahams-sons","tag-anti-theism","tag-atheism","tag-atheist-biblical-exegesis","tag-atheists-the-bible","tag-atheists-theology","tag-bible-contradictions","tag-bible-difficulties","tag-bible-bashing-atheists","tag-biblical-inspiration","tag-biblical-skeptics","tag-concubines","tag-exegesis","tag-heirs","tag-hermeneutics","tag-holy-bible","tag-inerrancy","tag-infallibility","tag-isaac","tag-isaac-ishmael","tag-ishmael","tag-only-begotten-son","tag-only-son","tag-son-of-the-promise","tag-ward-ricker"],"yoast_head":"\nWard's Whoppers #5: Isaac: Abraham's "Only" Son?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In two places, the Bible refers to Isaac as Abraham's "only" or "only begotten" son, whereas other passages show that Ishmael and five others were also Abraham's offfspring. 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I explain.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2020\/05\/wards-whoppers-5-isaac-abrahams-only-son.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-18T14:39:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2020\/05\/IsaacIshmael.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"608\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dave Armstrong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dave Armstrong\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2020\/05\/wards-whoppers-5-isaac-abrahams-only-son.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2020\/05\/wards-whoppers-5-isaac-abrahams-only-son.html\",\"name\":\"Ward's Whoppers #5: Isaac: Abraham's \\\"Only\\\" Son?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-05-18T14:39:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-05-18T14:39:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e\"},\"description\":\"In two places, the Bible refers to Isaac as Abraham's \\\"only\\\" or \\\"only begotten\\\" son, whereas other passages show that Ishmael and five others were also Abraham's offfspring. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ward's Whoppers #5: Isaac: Abraham's \"Only\" Son?","description":"In two places, the Bible refers to Isaac as Abraham's \"only\" or \"only begotten\" son, whereas other passages show that Ishmael and five others were also Abraham's offfspring. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47809\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}