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St. Paul famously describes the Old Testament patriarch Abraham as our father in faith (see Rom 4:16; Gal 3:7), yet this doesn’t seem to square well with Abraham’s treatment of his wife Sarah on not one but two separate occasions.
On the first occasion, in Genesis 12, we’ve only just been introduced to the figure of Abram and his wife Sarai when the biblical narrator announces to us that due to a famine afflicting his native country, “Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land” (Gen 12:10). Upon his arrival, however, Abram is worried that the Egyptians will kill him in order to take custody of his beautiful wife Sarai.
To avoid this, Abram declares that Sarai is merely his sister, even though he knows this means Pharaoh will want to take her and sleep with her. Not unpleased with the arrangement, Pharoah begins to shower gifts upon Abram, until suddenly God intervenes by casting a plague on the royal household. Realizing he has been deceived, Pharaoh angrily summons and rebukes Abram, and instructs him and Sarai to go on their way.
So far so bad. But the plot thickens further when Abram tries the same trick again, though this time it’s in Genesis 20, and it’s after his and Sarai’s re-naming. On this second occasion, the motivation for Abraham and Sarah leaving their native land isn’t explained, but they end up in the territory of Gerar. Once again, Abraham resorts to manipulation, telling the men of that country that Sarah is his sister. When the local king, Abimelech, takes Sarah to be his concubine, God once more intervenes by appearing in a dream to rebuke the unwitting ruler.
Continued below.
stpaulcenter.com
On the first occasion, in Genesis 12, we’ve only just been introduced to the figure of Abram and his wife Sarai when the biblical narrator announces to us that due to a famine afflicting his native country, “Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land” (Gen 12:10). Upon his arrival, however, Abram is worried that the Egyptians will kill him in order to take custody of his beautiful wife Sarai.
To avoid this, Abram declares that Sarai is merely his sister, even though he knows this means Pharaoh will want to take her and sleep with her. Not unpleased with the arrangement, Pharoah begins to shower gifts upon Abram, until suddenly God intervenes by casting a plague on the royal household. Realizing he has been deceived, Pharaoh angrily summons and rebukes Abram, and instructs him and Sarai to go on their way.
So far so bad. But the plot thickens further when Abram tries the same trick again, though this time it’s in Genesis 20, and it’s after his and Sarai’s re-naming. On this second occasion, the motivation for Abraham and Sarah leaving their native land isn’t explained, but they end up in the territory of Gerar. Once again, Abraham resorts to manipulation, telling the men of that country that Sarah is his sister. When the local king, Abimelech, takes Sarah to be his concubine, God once more intervenes by appearing in a dream to rebuke the unwitting ruler.
Continued below.
Was Abraham Reprehensible for Pretending that Sarah was His Sister? - St. Paul Center
St. Paul famously describes the Old Testament patriarch Abraham as our father in faith (see Rom 4:16; Gal 3:7), yet this doesn't seem to square well with Abraham's treatment of his wife Sarah on not one but two separate occasions.
