000 Allen FMT (i-xxii) - The Presbyterian Leader

The third significant motif in the readings for today is the birth of Isaac,
demonstrating God’s faithfulness and power (Gen. 21:1–7). In 12:1–3, God
promised that the old couple would be the parents of a great nation. In
15:1–6, God promised that the heir would be a biological child. In 17:16–21,
God promised that Sarah would be the mother. Now, the promise has come
true. On the eighth day after birth, Isaac was the first person circumcised
(21:4). Isaac’s name means “laughter” and the birth transformed Sarah’s
laughter from that of incredulity to affirmation and amazement (vv. 6–7),
thus showing that the divine power can transform a situation. Sarah said,
“Everyone who hears [my transformed laughter] will laugh with me.”
Subsequent generations in situations like that of Sarah—with limited
potential as in the exile—remembered God’s faithfulness and power in
keeping promises, and could live through discouragement in hope.
In the fourth thematic unit, God authorizes Abraham and Sarah to send
away Hagar and Ishmael (Gen. 21:8–17). In Genesis 16:1–15, when a biological
heir seemed unlikely, Sarah arranged for her servant Hagar to give
birth to Abraham’s child (Ishmael), who was to be treated as Sarah’s and
would be heir to the estate. But, after Isaac’s birth, when Sarah saw Isaac
playing with Ishmael, Sarah asked Abraham to send away Hagar and Ishmael
so that Isaac alone would receive the couple’s estate (21:10). By freeing
the slave and her child, the child would lose his share of the property. 9
Abraham was distressed at the prospect of sending away Hagar and Ishmael,
his son, but he did so. Let us be clear: sending Hagar and Ishmael
into the wilderness was a morally repugnant action. Although Abraham
abandoned Hagar and Ishmael to the wilderness, God did not do so. God
promised to make a nation of Ishmael (21:13). When Hagar and Ishmael
were threatened with dehydration, God caused a well to flow (21:19).
Paul interprets the stories of Sarah and Hagar by means of allegory in
Galatians 4:1–7, 21; 5:1 to undercut not Jewish people and the Torah but
Gentiles in Galatia who misunderstood and misused the Torah. 10 In Romans
9:6–18 (esp. v. 7), Paul uses Genesis 21 to help Gentile readers see that
the Jewish people are children of the promise as much as are Gentiles.
Genesis 21 is also in the background of Matthew 1:2; Luke 3:34; Acts 7:8;
and Hebrews 11:11, 18.
Exodus 19:2–8a* (Paired)
Proper 6 [11]/Year A 51
Chapter 19 is the last piece of narrative before the giving of the torah (way,
instruction) begins in chapter 20. From now on in the Torah, passages of
story will alternate with passages in which law, or instruction, is given.