Abraham's Silence
The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God
-
- $17.99
-
- $17.99
Publisher Description
It is traditional to think we should praise Abraham for his willingness to sacrifice his son as proof of his love for God. But have we misread the point of the story? Is it possible that a careful reading of Genesis 22 could reveal that God was not pleased with Abraham's silent obedience?
Widely respected biblical theologian, creative thinker, and public speaker J. Richard Middleton suggests we have misread and misapplied the story of the binding of Isaac and shows that God desires something other than silent obedience in difficult times. Middleton focuses on the ethical and theological problem of Abraham's silence and explores the rich biblical tradition of vigorous prayer, including the lament psalms, as a resource for faith. Middleton also examines the book of Job in terms of God validating Job's lament as "right speech," showing how the vocal Job provides an alternative to the silent Abraham.
This book provides a fresh interpretation of Genesis 22 and reinforces the church's resurgent interest in lament as an appropriate response to God.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Middleton (A New Heaven and a New Earth), a professor of biblical worldview and exegesis at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, N.Y., explores the implications of Abraham's silence in the face of God's commandment to kill his son Isaac, in this dense work of scriptural interpretation. When God orders the human sacrifice of Isaac, Abraham obeys blindly—and is only kept from filicide by a deus ex machina intervention. Middleton studies the episode both from the perspective of a Bible scholar and as a man of faith who aims to "help people of faith recover the value of lament prayer as a way to process our pain" by analyzing "models of vigorous prayer in the Bible." He concludes that "Abraham's response to God" should not be "exalted as a paradigm for us to follow." Ultimately, Middleton considers Abraham's silence a missed opportunity, as the patriarch could have objected to the decree—an act that "would have had the salutary result of Abraham exhibiting... his discernment of God's merciful character." It's an intriguing interpretation, though Middleton spends more time than is needed making the case that the traditional understanding of the story—as a positive exemplar of blind faith—won't work for every modern believer. James Goodman's But Where Is the Lamb? will be a better bet for readers grappling with this Bible story.
