Philo was a prolific Jewish author who lived in Alexandria, Egypt from around 20 BCE-50 CE. He wrote in Greek.
Why might Abraham's actions not seem so noteworthy? How was he unique?
[after Abraham has been stopped from sacrificing Isaac] (177) ... So
Isaac was saved, since God returned the gift of him and used the offering which
piety rendered to Him to repay the offerer, while for Abraham the action, though
not followed by the intended ending, was complete and perfect, and the record of
it as such stands graven not only in the sacred books but in the minds of the
readers. (178) But quarrelsome critics who misconstrue everything and have a way
of valuing censure above praise do not think Abraham's action great or
wonderful, as we suppose it to be. They say that many other persons, full of
love for their kinsfolk and offspring, have given their children, some to be
sacrificed for their country to serve as a price to redeem it from wars or
drought or excessive rainfall or pestilence, others for the sake of what was
held to be piety though it is not really so...
(183) Why, then, they ask, should we praise Abraham, as though the deed which he
undertook was unprecedented, when private individuals and kings and whole
nations do it when occasion calls?...
(188) We must therefore examine whether Abraham, when he intended to sacrifice
his son, was mastered by any of these motives: custom or love of honor or fear.
(192) That the deed really deserves our praise and love can easily be seen in
many ways. First, then, he made a special practice of obedience to God, a duty
which every right-minded person holds to be worthy of all respect and
effort... (193) Secondly, since human sacrifice was not in that country,
as it was perhaps in some, sanctioned by custom which is so apt through constant
repetition to weaken the realization of the terrible, he would have been the
first himself to initiate a totally new and extraordinary procedure, and this,
to my mind, is a thing which no one could have brought himself to do even if his
soul had been made of iron or adamant, for, as it has been said, it is hard work
to fight against nature...
(199) Thus everyone who is not malignant or a lover of evil must be overwhelmed
with admiration for his extraordinary piety... For to picture in the mind one of
these points... is enough to show the greatness and loftiness of his soul.
The following readings are optional... but quite interesting!
This work by an unknown author is a Jewish recounting of Biblical history probably written in the mid-second century C.E.
And He gave him [Abraham] a son in his extreme old age and brought him forth from a sterile womb. But all the angels were jealous of him and the heavenly hosts hated him. And it came to pass that, since they hated him, God said to him [Abraham] "Kill the fruit of your womb for Me and bring him before Me as a sacrifice offered by you to Me." ... And as he [Abraham] was setting out, he said to his son, "Behold now, my son, I am offering you as a burnt offering and I am returning you into the hands of Him who gave you to me." But the son said to the father, "Hear me, father. If [ordinarily] a lamb of the flocks is accepted as a sacrifice to the Lord with a sweet savor, and if such flocks have been set aside for slaughter [in order to atone] for human iniquity, while man, on the contrary, has been designated to inherit this world-why should you be saying to me now, ‘Come and inherit eternal life and time without measure’? Why if not that I was indeed born in this world in order to be offered as a sacrifice to Him who made me? Indeed, this [sacrifice] will be [the mark of] my blessedness over other men—for no such thing will ever be [again]—and in me the generations will be proclaimed and through me nations will understand how God made a human soul worthy for sacrifice."
BOOK 1 - CHAPTER 13.
CONCERNING ISAAC THE LEGITIMATE SON OF ABRAHAM.
1. Now Abraham greatly loved Isaac, as being his only begotten (27) and given to him at the borders of old age, by the favor of God. The child also endeared himself to his parents still more, by the exercise of every virtue, and adhering to his duty to his parents, and being zealous in the worship of God. Abraham also placed his own happiness in this prospect, that, when he should die, he should leave this his son in a safe and secure condition; which accordingly he obtained by the will of God: who being desirous to make an experiment of Abraham's religious disposition towards himself, appeared to him, and enumerated all the blessings he had bestowed on him; how he had made him superior to his enemies; and that his son Isaac, who was the principal part of his present happiness, was derived from him; and he said that he required this son of his as a sacrifice and holy oblation. Accordingly he commanded him to carry him to the mountain Moriah, and to build an altar, and offer him for a burnt-offering upon it for that this would best manifest his religious disposition towards him, if he preferred what was pleasing to God, before the preservation of his own son.
2. Now Abraham thought that it was not right to disobey God in any thing, but that he was obliged to serve him in every circumstance of life, since all creatures that live enjoy their life by his providence, and the kindness he bestows on them. Accordingly he concealed this command of God, and his own intentions about the slaughter of his son, from his wife, as also from every one of his servants, otherwise he should have been hindered from his obedience to God; and he took Isaac, together with two of his servants, and laying what things were necessary for a sacrifice upon an ass, he went away to the mountain. Now the two servants went along with him two days; but on the third day, as soon as he saw the mountain, he left those servants that were with him till then in the plain, and, having his son alone with him, he came to the mountain. It was that mountain upon which king David afterwards built the temple. (28) Now they had brought with them every thing necessary for a sacrifice, excepting the animal that was to be offered only. Now Isaac was twenty-five years old. And as he was building the altar, he asked his father what he was about to offer, since there was no animal there for an oblation : - to which it was answered, "That God would provide himself an oblation, he being able to make a plentiful provision for men out of what they have not, and to deprive others of what they already have, when they put too much trust therein; that therefore, if God pleased to be present and propitious at this sacrifice, he would provide himself an oblation."
3. As soon as the altar was prepared, and Abraham had laid on the wood, and all things were entirely ready, he said to his son, "O son, I poured out a vast number of prayers that I might have thee for my son; when thou wast come into the world, there was nothing that could contribute to thy support for which I was not greatly solicitous, nor any thing wherein I thought myself happier than to see thee grown up to man's estate, and that I might leave thee at my death the successor to my dominion; but since it was by God's will that I became thy father, and it is now his will that I relinquish thee, bear this consecration to God with a generous mind; for I resign thee up to God who has thought fit now to require this testimony of honor to himself, on account of the favors he hath conferred on me, in being to me a supporter and defender. Accordingly thou, my son, wilt now die, not in any common way of going out of the world, but sent to God, the Father of all men, beforehand, by thy own father, in the nature of a sacrifice. I suppose he thinks thee worthy to get clear of this world neither by disease, neither by war, nor by any other severe way, by which death usually comes upon men, but so that he will receive thy soul with prayers and holy offices of religion, and will place thee near to himself, and thou wilt there be to me a succorer and supporter in my old age; on which account I principally brought thee up, and thou wilt thereby procure me God for my Comforter instead of thyself."
4. Now Isaac was of such a generous disposition as became the son of such a father, and was pleased with this discourse; and said, "That he was not worthy to be born at first, if he should reject the determination of God and of his father, and should not resign himself up readily to both their pleasures; since it would have been unjust if he had not obeyed, even if his father alone had so resolved." So he went immediately to the altar to be sacrificed. And the deed had been done if God had not opposed it; for he called loudly to Abraham by his name, and forbade him to slay his son; and said, "It was not out of a desire of human blood that he was commanded to slay his son, nor was he willing that he should be taken away from him whom he had made his father, but to try the temper of his mind, whether he would be obedient to such a command. Since therefore he now was satisfied as to that his alacrity, and the surprising readiness he showed in this his piety, he was delighted in having bestowed such blessings upon him; and that he would not be wanting in all sort of concern about him, and in bestowing other children upon him; and that his son should live to a very great age; that he should live a happy life, and bequeath a large principality to his children, who should be good and legitimate." He foretold also, that his family should increase into many nations (29) and that those patriarchs should leave behind them an everlasting name; that they should obtain the possession of the land of Canaan, and be envied by all men. When God had said this, he produced to them a ram, which did not appear before, for the sacrifice. So Abraham and Isaac receiving each other unexpectedly, and having obtained the promises of such great blessings, embraced one another; and when they had sacrificed, they returned to Sarah, and lived happily together, God affording them his assistance in all things they desired.
There were words in heaven regarding Abraham, that he was faithful in everything that He told him, [that] the Lord loved him, and in every difficulty he was faithful. Then the [Satan-like] angel Mastema came and said before God, "Behold, Abraham loves Isaac his son, and he delights in him above all else. Tell him to offer him as a sacrifice on the altar. Then You will see if he will carry out this command, and You will know if he is faithful in everything through which You test him." Now the Lord knew that Abraham was faithful in every affliction which he had told him, for he had tested him with regard to [leaving his] country, and with famine . . . And in everything in which He had tested him, he was found faithful; he himself did not grow impatient, yet he was not slow to act; for he was faithful and one who loved the Lord.