Editing Isaac (section)

==Christian views==
[[File:AbrahamIsaac.jpg|thumb|Early 1900s Bible illustration depicts Isaac embracing his father Abraham after the [[Binding of Isaac]]]]

The [[Early Christianity|early Christian church]] continued and developed the New Testament theme of Isaac as a type of Christ and the Church being both "the son of the promise" and the "father of the faithful". [[Tertullian]] draws a parallel between Isaac's bearing the wood for the sacrificial fire with Christ's carrying his cross.<ref>Cross and Livingstone, ''Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'', 1974, art '''Isaac'''</ref> and there was a general agreement that, while all the sacrifices of the Old Law were anticipations of that on Calvary, the sacrifice of Isaac was so "in a pre-eminent way".<ref>Kelly, J.N.D. ''Early Christian Doctrines'', A & C Black, 1965. p. 72</ref>

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and the Roman Catholic Church consider Isaac as a [[saint]] along with other [[biblical patriarchs]].<ref>"The patriarchs, prophets and certain other Old Testament figures have been and always will be honored as saints in all the Church's liturgical traditions." – Catechism of the Catholic Church 61</ref> Along with those of other patriarchs and the Old Testament Righteous, his feast day is celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine rite of the Catholic Church on the Second Sunday before Christmas (December 11–17), under the title ''the Sunday of the Forefathers''.<ref>[http://www.metropolitancantorinstitute.org/liturgy/Christmas_Fast.html Liturgy > Liturgical year >The Christmas Fast] – Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh</ref>

Isaac is commemorated in the [[Catholic Church]] on 25 March<ref>{{Cite web |title=Izaak |url=https://deon.pl/imiona-swietych/izaak,4424 |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=DEON.pl |language=pl}}</ref> or on 17 December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zeno |title=Lexikoneintrag zu »Isaac, S. (2)«. Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon, Band 3. Augsburg ... |url=http://www.zeno.org/Heiligenlexikon-1858/A/Isaac,+S.+(2) |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=www.zeno.org |language=de}}</ref>

Later Christian interpreters, particularly in Reformed and Evangelical traditions, expanded on early typological readings of Isaac. In addition to the sacrifice motif of {{Bibleverse|Genesis|22}}, Isaac’s miraculous birth to aged parents ({{Bibleverse|Genesis|21:2}}; cf. {{Bibleverse|Genesis|18:10}}) came to be seen as a parallel to the virgin birth of Christ ({{Bibleverse|Luke|1:35}}), with both marking the beginning of a divinely ordained covenant. John Stott and other modern theologians emphasize this connection.<ref>Stott, John. ''The Cross of Christ''. IVP, 1986, p. 160.</ref> A further typological interpretation identifies Abraham’s unnamed servant in {{Bibleverse|Genesis|24}} as a figure of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father to find a bride (Rebekah) for the Son (Isaac), prefiguring the Spirit’s role in calling the Church, the Bride of Christ. This view is notably advanced by Arthur W. Pink and others in dispensational theology.<ref>Pink, Arthur W. ''Gleanings from Genesis''. Moody Publishers, 1922, pp. 244–250.</ref>

===New Testament===
The [[New Testament]] states Isaac was "offered up" by his father Abraham, and that Isaac blessed his sons.<ref name="Easton"/> Paul contrasted Isaac, symbolizing [[Adiaphora#Christianity|Christian liberty]], with the rejected older son Ishmael, symbolizing slavery;<ref name="EoR-Isaac">''Encyclopedia of Religion'', ''Isaac''.</ref><ref>{{bibleverse|Galatians|4:21–31|KJV}}</ref> Hagar is associated with the [[Sinai Peninsula|Sinai]] covenant, while Sarah is associated with the covenant of grace, into which her son Isaac enters. The [[Epistle of James]] chapter 2, verses 21–24,<ref>{{bibleverse|James|2:21–24|KJV}}</ref> states that the sacrifice of Isaac shows that justification (in the [[Johannine]] sense) requires both faith and works.<ref name="EoC-Isaac">''Encyclopedia of Christianity'', Bowden, John, ed., ''Isaac''.</ref>

In the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]], Abraham's willingness to follow God's command to sacrifice Isaac is used as an example of faith as is Isaac's action in blessing Jacob and Esau with reference to the future promised by God to Abraham.<ref>{{bibleverse|Hebrews|11:17–20|ASV}}</ref> In verse 19, the author views the release of Isaac from sacrifice as analogous to the [[resurrection of Jesus]], the idea of the sacrifice of Isaac being a prefigurement of the sacrifice of Jesus on the [[Christian cross|cross]].<ref>F.F. Bruce, ''The Epistle to the Hebrews'' Marshall. Morgan and Scott, 1964 pp. 308–313</ref>