圣经与西方文化第三次课

TheSupremeTestofFaithhisfaith;worthytobetheancestoroftwogreatnationsofpeople?tosacrificehisonlyremainingson;Takeyourson,youronlysonIsaac,whomyoulove,andgotothelandofMoriah,andofferhimthereasaburntofferingononeofthemountainsthatIshallshowyou.(NRSV,Genesis22:2)AtthatmomenttheangeloftheLORDshoutedtohimfromheaven,Abraham!Abraham!Yes,heanswered.I'mlistening.Laydowntheknife,theangelsaid.Donothurttheboyinanyway,fornowIknowthatyoutrulyfearGod.Youhavenotwithheldevenyourbelovedsonfromme.(NLT,Genesis22:11-12)Abrahamhadpassedthetest.HehaddemonstratedthathewaswillingtoobeyGod-nomatterwhat!FatherofThreeGreatReligionsThreegreatreligions–Christianity（基督教）,Islam（伊斯兰教）andJudaism（犹太教）-tracetheirspiritualheritagetoAbraham.IshmaelhadtwelvesonswhobecameprincesoftwelveArabiantribes.TheMuslims(穆斯林）oftodaytracetheirheritagetoAbrahamthroughIshmael.Isaachadtwinsons-EsauandJacob.JacobhadtwelvesonswhoweretheancestorsofthetwelvetribesofIsrael.TheJews（犹太人）tracetheirlineagetoAbrahamthroughIsaacandJacob.BecauseoftheirsharedheritagewiththeJews,Christians（基督徒）alsocountAbrahamastheirspiritualfather.BurntofferingofIsaac:以撒的燔祭；“忍痛割爱以示诚心”，“毫无保留地奉献”TheStoryofEsauandJacobAbrahamsenthisservanttohisoldhomeinMesopotamiatogetawifeforhissonIsaac.GodledtheservanttoRebekah(利百加).RebekahwentwiththeservanttoCanaan,andbecamethewifeofIsaac.Shewaschildlessfor20years,andthengavebirthtotwins,Esau(以扫)andJacob(雅各).Gen25:25Thefirsttocomeoutwasred,andhiswholebodywaslikeahairygarment;sotheynamedhimEsau.Gen25:26Afterthis,hisbrothercameout,withhishandgraspingEsau'sheel;sohewasnamedJacob.IsaacwassixtyyearsoldwhenRebekahgavebirthtothem.Esaumaymean“hairy”Jacobmeans“hegraspstheheel”SinceEsauwasafewminutesolder,hehadhisbirthright,thatis,hehadthefirstrighttoinheritIsaac'spowerandpossessions.IsaaclikedEsaubetter,butRebekahfavoredJacob.Astheboysgrew,Esau:askillfulhunterandwanderedinthefieldalldaylongJacob:aquietmanandlikedtostayathome.OnedayJacobwascookingpottagewhenEsauarrivedhome.Esauhadbeenouthunting:veryhungry.ButJacobrefusedtogivehimanypottageunlessEsaupromisedtogiveuphisbirthright.SoEsausoldhisbirthrightforamessofpottage.Buthehadnointentiontokeephispromise.IsaacbecameveryoldandalmostblindOnedayhetoldEsautohuntsomegame,cookthemeatandbringittohimtoeat.HewantedtogiveEsauhisfinalblessingbeforehedied.Rebekahoverheardtheconversation.TofoolIsaac,JacobputonthebestclothesofEsau,andRebekahputtheskinsofthegoatsonJacob'sarmsandneck.Inthisway,hereceivedfromIsaacthewordsofblessingIsaachadmeanttogiveEsau.WhenEsauknewthatJacobhadtakenhisblessingaway,hewassoangrythathethreatenedtokillhisbrother.JacobfledforhislifetoMesopotamiatovisithisuncleLaban.OnthewayJacobsleptandhedreamedofawonderfulladderbetweenheavenandearth,andhesawtheangelsofGodgoingupanddownonit.AtthetopoftheladderstoodGod.Godpromisedtoprotectandblesshimandonedaybringhimhome.Muchencouraged,JacobwentontoLaban'shome.Thereheworked20yearsforLabanandgotmarried.JacobleftforhomeinCanaanwithhiswivesandtheirchildren.Ontheway,hewrestledwithaman.Gen32:26Thenthemansaid,Letmego,foritisdaybreak.ButJacobreplied,Iwillnotletyougounlessyoublessme.Gen32:27Themanaskedhim,Whatisyourname?Jacob,heanswered.Gen32:28Thenthemansaid,YournamewillnolongerbeJacob,butIsrael,becauseyouhavestruggledwithGodandwithmenandhaveovercome.IsraelmeanshestruggleswithGod.Athome,EsauandJacobwerereconciledbeforetheirfather'sdeath.Jacobhad12sons,andsincehisnewnamewasIsrael,theywereoftencalledthechildrenofIsrael.LaterthewholeJewishpeople,whobytraditionwereconsidereddescendantsofthesonsofJacob,werealsocalledthechildrenofIsrael.amessofpottage:一碗红豆汤；“因小失大，见利忘义”;“用永久的宝贵东西来换取一点暂时的好处”