Abraham and Sarah

Abraham and Sarah The story of Abraham and Sarah is an important one, especially because Abraham is the father (and Sarah the mother) of the Israelite nation. When looked at from a broad point of view, this story of an ancient family and their relationship with God becomes a parable which teaches others to put their trust in God and provides examples of how to live a righteous life in the eyes of this God. When looked at from a narrower point of view, one can examine the motivations and personalities of the individuals this story focuses on. Abraham is born blessed because he is the ancestor of Shem and Sarah shares in this blessing because she is his wife. However, Abraham receives an even greater blessing from God, after the death of his father, when he is promised not only a blessed life, but also a multitude of descendents who will share in his blessing and come to make up God’s chosen people. Though Abraham and Sarah express a deep faith in their God, they show difficulties in trusting his words, but this lack of trust allows for their relationship with God to be developed through acts by both parties. God intervenes on their behalf, constantly affirming his covenant with Abraham, and Abraham and Sarah consistently act in ways which prove their righteousness and that they are deserving of this great blessing. The development of Abraham and Sarah, through the story of their lives, not only demonstrates the power and emotions of God and the maturation of their relationship with God, but also the maturation of themselves and their faith in God. Abraham is an essential character, not only in the biblical story of his life but, more importantly, in the biblical history of the Israelite nation. However, Abraham was not a flawless person and it is through the choices and actions that he carried out, both right and wrong, that his character can be understood. On one hand, Abraham represents an ideal follower of God, not only is he personally chosen to be blessed

Bibliography: 1. Delaney, Carol. Abraham on Trial. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998. This book addresses the instance of Abraham’s near sacrifice of Isaac by examining a case where a man sacrificed his child “because God told him to” and further exploring the implications of Abraham’s actions. 2. Jeansonne, Sharon. The Women of Genesis: From Sarah to Potiphar 's Wife. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 1990. This book explores the stories of the women in the Bible and looks at their difficulties, their subjugation, their triumphs, and the effect they had on the stories they are featured in. 3. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Ed.. Michael D. Coogan. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. The annotations found in this Bible help to expand upon the stories within it, explaining important facts lost in translation and details that may not be directly evident. 4. Vawter, Bruce. A Path Through Genesis. 7. New York: Sheed & Ward, Inc., 1967. This book looks at Genesis with great detail, explaining characters, events, and language with historical facts and theological insights. 5. White, Hugh. Narration and Discourse in the Book of Genesis. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1991. This book examines the dialogue found in Genesis in great detail, explaining the connotations and meanings of language used.