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by
Doug Ward |
The Bible chronicles the lives of the patriarch Abraham and his wife
Sarah in Genesis 12-25. Since they lived to the ages of 175 and 127,
respectively, the couple probably enjoyed some long stretches of peace and
quiet. However, in the concise account of Genesis they seem to go from one
difficult challenge to the next, coping with famine, kidnapping, war,
infertility, and the threatened loss of a long-awaited son.
It
is no wonder, then, that the life of Abraham is traditionally summarized with
lists of trials and tests. This tradition was already well established by time
of Jesus, since we see it in the Book of Jubilees, a
popular retelling of the narratives of Genesis and Exodus dating from the
second century B.C. Speaking of Abraham, Jubilees 17:17 observes that God
"had tried him through his country and with famine, and had tried him with
the wealth of kings, and had tried him again through his wife, when she was torn
(from him), and with circumcision; and had tried him through Ishmael and Hagar,
his maid-servant, when he sent them away."
The
Bible is honest about the shortcomings of its heroes, and some of the trials of
Abraham and Sarah appear to be self-inflicted. Abraham twice endangered Sarah
by identifying her as his sister, fearing that foreign rulers would kill him in
order to obtain her (Gen 12:11-13; 20:2, 10-13). Similarly, Sarah's plan that
Abraham take on a second wife (Gen 16) seems to stem from a temporary lapse in
faith.
But
whatever the sources of their trials, the two maintained a firm allegiance to
God to the end, and both Jewish and Christian traditions single them out for
their faith. The Book of Jubilees concludes that "Abraham was perfect in
all his deeds with the Lord, and well-pleasing in righteousness all the days of
his life" (23:10; see also 17:17-18; 19:8). First Maccabees, a work from
the first century B.C., asks, "Was not Abraham found faithful when tested,
and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?" (2:52) The New Testament
book of Hebrews also emphasizes the faith of Abraham and Sarah in responding to
difficult tests (Heb 11:8-12, 17-19).
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James
and Abraham |
For James the brother of Jesus, Abraham was a prime example of one whose deeds demonstrated
his faith. He cites Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's
command as a striking instance of living faith (James 2:16-24). "You see
that faith was active along with his works," James asserts, "and
faith was completed by his works" (v. 23).
It
is instructive to consider the epistle of James in light of the life of
Abraham. Although James mentions Abraham explicitly only in chapter 2, it is
likely that both James and his original readers would have thought about other
incidents from Abraham's life in connection with the moral teaching in the
letter.1 Let's look at several examples.
James
begins by encouraging readers to approach trials and tests with a positive
attitude, since "you know that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness" (1:3), and one who steadfastly endures the tests will
"receive the crown of life" (1:12). Because Abraham was said to have
to have progressed through a series of ten trials (Jubilees 19:8), James was
undoubtedly thinking of Abraham when he wrote these words.
James
urges Christians to "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak,
slow to anger" (1:19). All these admonitions are associated with Abraham.
When God directed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham "rose early in the
morning" (Gen 22:3), showing that not only was he obedient, but he obeyed
quickly. He was "quick to hear," in other words. Jubilees 19:3-4
notes that later, when Sarah died, "he was found patient in this, and was
not disturbed. For in patience of spirit he conversed with the children of Heth, to the intent that they should give him a place in
which to bury his dead." In dealing with Sarah's death, he was "slow
to speak" and "slow to anger."
In
James 2:1-13, Christians are cautioned against showing favoritism toward the
rich at the expense of the poor. Abraham illustrated this principle by showing
prompt and enthusiastic hospitality toward three travelers who appeared at his
tent, not yet knowing anything about who they were (Gen 18). If James has
Abraham in mind in this passage, then his statement in verse 13 that
"mercy triumphs over judgment" could be a reference to Abraham's
merciful intercession on behalf of the cities of the plain (Gen 18:22-33).
James
emphasizes the importance of undivided loyalty to God in James 4:1-10. There is
a tradition about Abraham that illustrates this quality as well. To explain why
Abraham, who came from polytheistic culture (Josh 24:2), left Ur (Gen 11:31)
and followed the true God, a legend developed that Abraham had rejected
polytheism and burned down the "house of the idols" in Ur (Jubilees
12). According to this legend, Abraham's iconoclasm wore out his welcome in Ur
and forced a move to Haran. James's admonition to "resist the devil, and
he will flee from you" (v. 7) may also relate to Abraham. There is another
tradition that Abraham's willingness to undergo circumcision had the effect of
protecting him from the devil's influence.2
Two
teachings from James 5 have a connection to Abraham. James 5:1-6 cautions
against trusting in riches, which reminds us of Abraham's refusal to profit
from an expedition to rescue his nephew Lot from the invaders who had kidnapped
him (Gen 14). James 5:13-15 deals with the efficacy of prayers for healing, an
example of which is Abraham's prayer on behalf of the court of Abimelech (Gen
20:17-18).
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Conclusion |
For James and his original first-century readers, Abraham and Sarah modeled
faithful obedience to God, and James could point to much
in their lives that was worthy of emulation. Their lives continue to provide
inspiration for us today. We can also find encouragement in God's faithfulness
to this couple that he called to be instruments of blessing to the world. They
were not flawless, but with God's help they grew in faith through the tests
they faced. We can be confident that God will guide us through the trials of
life and fulfill his purpose for us, just as he did for Abraham and Sarah.
1This idea is developed
by David Instone-Brewer in his paper, "James
as a Sermon on the Trials of Abraham," pp. 250-268 in The New
Testament in Its First Century Setting, P.J. Williams, et. al., editors,
Eerdmans, 2004.
2Instone-Brewer,
p. 263.
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