Слово об Аврааме и Исааке

God resettled righteous Abraham from his relatives and from all his own; he suffers disasters on a foreign side and waits with hope for the fulfillment of the promise. A great test is imposed on the patriarch, which proves his steadfastness before God. Much time passes; youth has finally faded like a flower; old age is at the door; nature, bowing to decrepitude and enduring what is characteristic of it, became exhausted; both in him and in his wife both strength and the ability to bear children faded away from old age; Both bodies, with the loss of their youth, became bent according to the law of nature. But their hope in God was strong. She not only did not age, but was even irresistible. That is why, beyond hope, Abraham gave birth to Isaac, who in everything represented the Master. For it was not the work of nature that a dead womb should conceive, and dry breasts should supply Isaac with milk; Nor was it an act of nature that the Virgin Mary conceived without a husband and without corruption gave birth to the Savior of the universe. The Lord made Sarah a mother in her old age, and showed Mary as a Virgin after her birth. The angel spoke to the patriarch as he sat at the entrance to his tent: “at this time... Sarah will have a son” (Gen. 18:14). The angel in Bethlehem said to Mary: “And behold, she conceived in the womb and gave birth to a son... She who is full of grace” (Luke 1:31, 28). Sarah laughed, knowing her barrenness, looking at the deadness, not believing the word. “How can this be,” she says, “when Abraham and I are no longer capable of bearing fruit?” Mary was also perplexed, seeing her virginity and keeping its seals inviolable: “How will this happen if I don’t know a husband?” (Luke 1:34). For the promise was strange to nature. But He who gave Isaac beyond hope to Sarah was born of a Virgin according to the flesh. Sarah and Abraham were glad when Isaac was born, as God said; Mary and Joseph were glad when Jesus was born, as Gabriel said; springs of milk from the woman who had matured over the years flowed abundantly into Isaac’s mouth; the Virgin's breasts abundantly exuded milk to the One who nourishes all the ends of the world. “Who would say to Abraham: Sarah will suckle the children?” - exclaimed the barren woman (Gen. 21:7). “Who would tell people that I, the Virgin, gave birth and nurse milk?” - said Maria. It was not for the sake of Isaac that Sarah laughed, but for the sake of the One who was born of Mary. And as John leaped, so Sarah expressed joy with laughter. The baby grew up, reaching the blooming age of youth; He was slender and beautiful, with the grace of his body he daily increased his spiritual valor, leading to the admiration of his parents. Imitate this for you who have children. How the father admires when he sees his young son, and how he rejoices when he notices that the boy is doing well and is diligent in his studies! But when Abraham, seeing this, rejoiced, a temptation and a severe trial were imposed on him, so that it would become clear which he gave more preference to - the natural inclination, or the love of God? As I recount this painful temptation, I, beloved, are filled with trembling and horror. God again talks with Abraham and, calling him by name, says: “Feed thy beloved son, whom thou hast loved, Isaac... and offer him there as a burnt offering, one of the mountains which is the river” (Gen. 22:2). And when God began to say to him: “Abraham, Abraham” (Gen. 22:1), he readily obeyed, expecting a more merciful one. deepening (strengthening) grace, without a doubt remaining in the hope that he will either marry him or build a bridal chamber for him; and through this the blessing of the seed and multiplication of the race will come to its end, as the promise was given: “Get your beloved son... your only son” (Gen. 22:2). Do you see what sharp edges a word has, how it stings a father, what kind of fire it ignites in nature, how it arouses tender paternal love for a son, calling him both “the only” and “beloved,” so that from such names the love that boils up for the son tempts the willpower? “And offer him there as a burnt offering, one from the mountains where the river is.” How did you feel after listening to this? How did you not lose your senses at this story, who are fathers yourself and by nature clearly know the tender affection for children? You know, you know very well, how a father’s ear accepts the command to kill his only son. Who would not be horrified at such words? Who would not immediately turn away their faces? Who, given this command, would not rather die than accept the word? Or who would not contradict him, calling upon nature itself to defend his cause? “Why did you command this to happen, Master? Why did you utter this terrible word? Did he want to make me a father in order to suddenly make me a child killer? Did he give me the sweet gift to taste in order to show me as a parable to the whole world? Will I hand over the youth to the slaughter with my own hands? Having desecrated my right hand with my own blood, will I become a child killer? Do you really command so much and delight so much in such sacrifices? Are you ordering the death of my dearest son, who, as I expected, would bury me with Sarah? Tell me, is this the kind of bridal chamber I will build for him? Will I prepare this kind of wedding joy? And I will light for him not a wedding lamp, not a light of joy, but a funeral fire? Is this how I crown myself? Is this how I will arrange the marriage bed and surround it with the faces of those singing? Will I be, as You said, the father of nations, not being worthy to have even one son?” But the righteous man did not object to anything like this; on the contrary, remaining submissive, he inflamed love stronger than fire, making his commitment sharper than a sword. With it he cut the bonds of nature, as if he had stripped himself of something earthly and left the burden of the compassionate desires of the heart, willingly betrayed himself completely and heeded the command to slaughter his son. But he said nothing and did not inform his wife about this, doing this with great benefit for himself. For he reasoned that women’s advice was not worthy of faith (trust), and would not bring him any benefit, because it did not help at all, and even harmed Adam, when he allowed Eve into the council. Therefore, so that Sarah would not be subjected to female weakness and, complaining, as is typical of a mother, would not diminish in him the strength and purity of his love for God, he decided to hide the command from her. For with what deplorable complaints would Sarah turn to both her son and his father? What would she not dare to do, seeing that her son was being forcibly dragged to slaughter? Wouldn't she draw him to her, wrapping herself around his neck and squeezing him tightly in her arms? What would she not have said to Abraham, and how mournfully she began to cry out, complaining: “Have mercy, have mercy on nature; spare, spare, Abraham, son; Don’t be a reason for the world to tell a bad story about you. My only begotten son, he is my first, he is also the first and last, born in illness, Isaac. Do not cut off the only bunch of grapes with which we bore fruit when we no longer resembled a fruitful vine. Do not reap with an merciless sickle the single grain (ear of grain) that we grew during our mortification; do not break the rod on which we lean; do not break the branch on which we rest; do not blind the eye that we two have acquired for ourselves; do not destroy our memory in heaven. Do not slaughter the lamb that we have, like a sheep; do not steal our joy and do not fill our days with crying. Who will we look at during the meal after this? Who will call me mother? Who will serve our old age? Who will hide us dead? Who will cover our body with earth in the tomb? Who will finally preserve the memory of the homeless? Look at the beauty of the young man, at this color of youth; and if you saw such beauty in your enemy, of course, you would take pity. It was given to me as the fruit of long-term prayer; he remained like a branch for the rebirth (rebirth) of a tree; he is the remnant (remnant) of the family, he is the support of old age, he is the only hope of our hopelessness. If you want to plunge a knife into the throat of your beloved, then kill me first: by doing this you will show me the greatest mercy; let us have a common grave and one common tombstone; let the same dust cover the bodies of both; let the common death befall the barren woman and the one born by her; let one common pillar show the suffering of both; and Sarah’s eyes will not see either Abraham, the child killer, or Isaac, killed by his father’s hands.” Sarah would have acted similarly if she had learned that her beloved son would be slaughtered. That is why Abraham did not tell her anything about this, so as not to interfere with him in the upcoming matter. He laid logs of firewood on his son, because the Savior also carried the Cross. Isaac and his servants followed Isaac as he went to the slaughter. And Christ, when he went to suffer, sat down on the “lot” (Matthew 21:7), thereby signaling the calling of the pagans; His disciples followed Him, holding signs of victory in their hands and exclaiming: “Hosanna!” . Isaac carried firewood and ascended the mountain to be slain there like an innocent lamb; and the Savior, carrying the Cross, walked to the place of execution, so that there, like a lamb, he would be slain for us. Mentally contemplating the knife (raised by Abraham against Isaac), imagine a spear (with which Christ’s ribs were pierced); imagining the altar, keep in mind the place of execution; seeing firewood, imagine the Cross; Looking at the fire, think about love. Look at the sheep kept “by the horn in the garden of Shebek” (Gen. 22:13); look also at Christ, the Lamb of God, crucified with both hands on the Cross. The Garden of Savek is interpreted as “absolution” (because he freed the elder’s son from slaughter), signifying the Cross, by which the world’s sins were forgiven and life was given. The Aries, hanging in the garden of Savek, mysteriously delivered one Isaac from death; The Lamb of God, hanging on the Cross, saved the world from death and hell. Ascending the mountain to accept death, Isaac was separated from his companions; Christ was also separated from His disciples when He went to the slaughter for us. Righteous Abraham left his companions so that none of them would become an obstacle to the sacred rite, and, taking Isaac, he led him alone up the mountain, carrying with him fire, a knife and firewood. What about Isaac? In the sweetest voice he calls out and says: “Father, behold, fire and wood, where is the sheep for a burnt offering?” (Gen.22:7). The son's voice pierces the father's heart even more; Abraham still faced a new terrible temptation; a new test befell the righteous, which is no less and no more humane than the first. And how could Abraham, who no longer hoped to hear that they would call him father, not shed tears and be horrified? But he did not say anything sad, did not utter anything deplorable; with a fearless soul, with an unshakable thought, he listened to the sweetest voice of his son, and gave him an answer, and extended the word to him: “God will see the sheep for a burnt offering, my child” (Gen. 22:8). Abraham said this either to encourage his son or to prophesy about the future. When they reached the appointed place that God told him about, Abraham built an altar there, prepared a knife, laid out the firewood and, having bound his son Isaac, laid him on the altar on top of the firewood. Then the father touches his son, and nature offers no resistance to prevent this. Isaac gave himself up to his father, let him do what he wants with him. Which of them should be more surprised or amazed at which? How can we weave a crown of praise for one who, out of love and commitment to God, has laid hands on his beloved son? Or to the one who, even to death, was obedient to his father and accepts a wonderful slaughter from him? One became above nature, preferring God's commandment to natural attraction; the other was obedient to his father even to death, knowing that otherwise he would upset his father worse than death. Then Abraham takes his bound son, and his hand does not become numb, his thought does not amaze (not perplexed). No matter how many times I looked at the image of this youth, I could never pass by without tears; art, acting on vision, allowed me to clearly imagine this event. Isaac lies near the altar, kneeling before his father, with his arms bent back; Abraham supports his leg from behind, then, with one hand pulling his son’s hair towards him, he leans towards him and looks into the face of Isaac, who fixes a pitiful gaze on him and waits for the blow. Abraham's right hand holds a knife to kill his son; the father is already touching the body; the tip of the knife is already at the larynx; All that remains is to stick the knife in. And at this time a voice is heard from above that holds the movement of the hand: “Abraham, Abraham...”. - says the voice, - “do not lay your hand on the youth; do not do anything to him; Now I know that you feared God, and you did not spare your beloved son for My sake” (Gen. 22:11-12). Here is the ram, entangled by its horns in the garden of Savek, take it,” the voice continues, “and bring it instead of Isaac as proof to you that I accepted the sacrifice - your ardent will.” The Angels, the Principalities and Powers, the Thrones, the Dominions and all the armies were surprised, the heavens, the sun and the moon, and the hosts of stars were amazed at such an extraordinary sight. And God was satisfied with one will of the truly faithful and holy Abraham, and said to him: “By blessing I will bless you, and by multiplying I will multiply your seed like the stars of heaven” (Gen. 22:17), because you readily obeyed My voice and hastened to fulfill My commandment. And God gave instead of the boy a sheep from the stone to make a sacrifice. For God does not delight in a dead sacrifice offered to him in incense and smoke, but requires from us a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, verbal service, as the apostle exhorts (convinces) everyone (Rom. 12:1), clearly knowing that this is pleasing to God. And God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, not because he wanted to make him a child killer, but in order to show everyone living in the world how much Abraham loved God and for Him did not spare Isaac, although he was Abraham’s only son. That is why God showed Abraham, as a friend, a great and extraordinary secret. For through sacrifice Abraham became a priest, and by foreshadowing God made him a prophet. And the Most High God revealed to him that He Himself would give the Only Begotten Son for the salvation of the world, so that God, having become man, would save the human race from error. For this he signified (gave a sign) by giving a ram from the garden to be sacrificed in place of Isaac. Since people of little faith subsequently appeared who found it difficult to believe about the birth of a Son from the Holy Virgin, since they believed that it was impossible to conceive a Son without touching a man’s bed, God produced a ram from the stone, so that the extraordinary would become acceptable to faith, because every command of the will of the Divine Himself is carried out immediately. Just as there the word produced the sheep, so in the Virgin the Word became flesh. And just as the sheep was tied in the garden, so the Only Begotten was nailed to the Cross. That is why Isaac cried out, saying: “Like a sheep led to the slaughter... mute” (Is. 53:7). The Lord also said to the Jews: “Your father Abraham would have rejoiced that he might have seen My day: and he saw it and rejoiced” (John 8:56), that is, he saw the day of suffering in the form of Isaac on the holy mountain. Blessed be God, who in the Holy Scriptures prefigured for us everything that serves for salvation, and, having come, fulfilled the words of the prophets, and ascended in glory to His Father, so that in every place we would worship the Father with the Son and the Spirit forever! Amen. You might be interested in: