<\/p>
In his fascinating book, Divine Symmetries <\/i> , Victor Wilson points to a series of parallels between Ishmael\u2019s banishment from Abraham\u2019s camp (Gen 21) and the sacrifice of Isaac (Gen 22): <\/p>\n
1. Yahweh\u2019s command, 21:10; 22:2: \u201ccast out this . . . son\u201d; \u201ctake your son\u201d <\/p>\n
2. Early rising, 21:14; 22:3: \u201cAbraham rose early\u201d <\/p>\n
3. Journey, 21:14; 22:3-4 <\/p>\n
4. Burden, 21:14; 22:6: \u201cAbraham took bread and a skin of water . . . putting it on her shoulder\u201d; \u201cAbraham took the wood . . . and laid it on his son Issac\u201d <\/p>\n
5. Distress and near-death of son, 21:16-17; 22:7 <\/p>\n
6. Angel intervenes, 21:17; 22:11 <\/p>\n
7. Protection of son, 21:18; 22:12: \u201clift up the boy\u201d; \u201cdo not lay your hand on the boy\u201d <\/p>\n
8. Eyes opened, 21:19; 22:12: \u201cGod opened his eyes\u201d; \u201cAbraham looked up and saw\u201d <\/p>\n
9. Means of salvation, 21:19; 22:13: \u201cwell of water\u201d; \u201cram, caught in a thicket\u201d <\/p>\n
10. Departure to home, 21:21; 22:19: \u201clived in . . . Paran\u201d; \u201clived in Beersheba\u201d <\/p>\n
Wilson doesn\u2019t do much this these parallels, but several (sketchy) conclusions suggest themselves. First, these parallels help to support Paul\u2019s allegorization of the Ishmael-Isaac story in Gal 4. There, Ishmael as the first son corresponds to the children of flesh and the present Jerusalem, ie, Judaism, while Isaac is the child of promise\/spirit who corresponds with the Jerusalem above. With these parallels in mind, we can deepen our grasp of Paul\u2019s allegory: Isaac goes through the same history as Ishmael, but with different results. Isaac is the type of Christ (Heb 11), and so the parallels also fit with the notion that Jesus recapitulates the history of Israel (which is the history of Ishmael, according to Paul). <\/p>\n
Second, the parallels brings out the connection of exile and sacrifice. Ishmael is banished to a new home, and Isaac, in a parallel action, goes through a death and resurrection experience. <\/p>\n
Third, this is further evidence that the life of Abraham is a preview of the history of Israel. Gen 20 gives us an exile and return, a second exodus (cf. ch 12), corresponding the exodus to and return from Babylon. Then comes Ishmael\u2019s permanent exile, corresponding in some way specifically to the intertestamental, postexilic history of Israel. Then the crucifixion in ch 22. <\/p>\n
Surely there\u2019s more to say, and better ways to say it. <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In his fascinating book, Divine Symmetries , Victor Wilson points to a series of parallels between Ishmael\u2019s banishment from Abraham\u2019s camp (Gen 21) and the sacrifice of Isaac (Gen 22): 1. Yahweh\u2019s command, 21:10; 22:2: \u201ccast out this . . . son\u201d; \u201ctake your son\u201d 2. Early rising, 21:14; 22:3: \u201cAbraham rose early\u201d 3. Journey, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-ot-genesis"],"yoast_head":"\n