The Binding of Isaac Rosana Gutierrez 205: Biblical Texts Dr. Nina Henrichs-Tarasenkova. 3-15-2024 INTRODUCTION In this essay I will be outlining my close reading of the text from Genesis Chapter twenty two, section one through nineteen. This section of text is primarily about the harrowing story of The Binding of Isaac. It is a tale that is known not only by Catholics but also protestants, Jews, and Muslims. “The Akedah (ah-kay-DAH), or binding of Isaac, is one of the most powerful narratives in the Hebrew Bible. For nearly 2,000 years, however, it has been read somewhat differently by Jews and Christians. ” I will take on the text by examining the chapter through different cultural views and by answering key questions. The binding …show more content…
The historical context is also related to the different depictions of religions. Specifically, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. That is demonstrated by the different views and recallings of this passage but also Genesis as a whole; “For Jewish readers, Genesis signals the centrality of the divine promise of the land and lineage made to the patriarchs, and it begins the series of covenants that will culminate in the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. It further depicts the great creator-god of Genesis 1 and the merciful and just God exemplified in Genesis 18. For Christians, Genesis marks “the Fall” of humanity in the Garden of Eden, and it gestures to future salvation. In Christian tradition, God the Father and the Spirit are evoked in the creation of the world in Genesis 1, and Christ is likewise anticipated in Genesis 22’s story of “the Sacrifice of Isaac” (called “the Binding of Isaac” in Jewish tradition). For Islam, Genesis provides the narrative of its central identity figure, Ishmael, opposed to Isaac in Jewish and Christian traditions. Thus for Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, Genesis served to ground their identities over and against one another.