Judging the Patriarchs
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Hebrews 7:4
The book of Hebrews has a whole chapter that many people call the ‘faith’ chapter but which could, instead, be called the ‘example’ chapter. Man after man, along with some women, are called forward to take a bow. Their faith is praised but, not only praised, held out as an example to us.
And this effect is not limited to the book of Hebrews, let alone the one chapter. Time and time again both Old and New Testaments call us to follow the example of Godly men, and avoid the example of unGodly men. And women. Sarah comes to mind.
But all too often sermons about those men and women seem to focus almost exclusively on their flaws. Their sins. Their lack of faith. Sometimes to the extent that it seems that the sermoniser thinks that Hebrews should have been written in the other direction. That those old men and women of the faith would do well to imitate the example of modern Christians.
Introduction
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Hebrews 11:1-2
I am going to propose a series of hermeneutical tests that I believe we should use whenever approaching a story in Scripture. A series of questions that one should ask themselves long, long before they start to judge a Biblical character.
No one is saying that Biblical characters are sinless. But I believe that, before we start talking about their sins, long before we start talking about their sins, we should talk about their examples. Their Godly examples.
And before we talk about their sins, we should go through an entire checklist to see if, perhaps, it isn’t Abraham that sinned… it is we who are sinning.
What does God say about them in the rest of Scripture?
I would advise any man that is working on a sermon, or a teaching, or even some quick comment, on a Scriptural character, to first do a study on how that man is mentioned in Scripture. Old and New Testament. How many times is he praised? By who? In comparison to who?
Are there a whole line of men who are praised or condemned based upon whether or not they live up to the man we are discussing? Does Christ say, “If you were Abraham’s sons you would…” when condemning people? Or do the Scriptures say, “They followed the example of their father David…” when praising them?
Does God praise or condemn their actions?
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Hebrews 11:11
Obviously Godly men can sin. So if God Himself, in that story, says of those actions, that they were wrong… then case closed. When the prophet of the LORD says, “You are that man…” well, then, he is that man. When God says, “Because you have…” and provides a punishment, well, then, we would do well to avoid that kind of action.
But when the entire story goes by without God saying the slightest thing either way… or, worse, when He chooses to praise the character that you are in the midst of accusing of sin… perhaps you need to rethink your sermon.
Does the Character himself condemn his actions?
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Hebrews 11:24-27
Ironically this is often seen as an evidence of their guilt! The preacher has decided that the patriarch is guilty, so when the patriarch defends himself, the commentator, instead of being taken aback by the words of this Godly man, instead uses them for another fifteen minute sermon on his sin.
(We saw this in Trump’s recent trial. Several commentators said, of Trump, “He isn’t repentant,” and used that as a way to increase his guilt! Ignoring the fact that that is precisely how an innocent man would behave!)
Does God reward or punish their actions?
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
So… maybe God doesn’t say anything about the action you are discussing. Did He do anything? Did the person who did the action get punished? Rewarded??
The temptation is to separate the reward from the action. To say, “Well, yes, God blessed Abraham here, but that wasn’t a reward for his sinful actions!” I think you need to remember that what you mean is ‘the actions that I think are sinful, that God didn’t condemn’ and keep an open mind about the reward.
Does God reward or punish others in the story?
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Hebrews 11:35-38
So… the other people. The people that, perhaps, condemned the patriarch. Did they get rewarded? Punished?
Imagine a story where the patriarch gets rewarded, the person arguing against the patriarch gets punished, and everyone preaches on how the patriarch was wrong. Or, maybe, you don’t have to imagine it.
Do other Godly men act in the same way?
If Godly man after Godly man keeps acting in the same way, and God never seems to condemn them, indeed keeps rewarding them… then maybe this isn’t the best text for you to use to castigate them?
Is this action/story brought up elsewhere in Scripture?
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
I Corinthians 10:6-12
If so, what is said? That incident with Uriah’s wife… comes up again. Is the incident you are preparing to preach about mentioned again? If so, what is said? The same as what you are going to preach on? No??
If the incident is never brought up, then why do you feel compelled to bring it up. Especially in order to tell us that a patriarch has sinned.
Do Godly men praise/condemn them?
By faith Noah,
being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Hebrews 11:7
If, over the whole rest of Scripture, no one comes forward to condemn the patriarch… why do you think you need to? Why do you think it is wise??
My Interpretation of Some Other Scripture.
No. Like, seriously no. If you can’t find any condemnation of the patriarch in the above list, then what you should NOT do is to decide, on your own, based on your interpretation of some Scripture, that the patriarch sinned here and deserves a sermon on the subject.
Just don’t.
New Testament Old Testament
If you are going to try to make a distinction between the Old and New Testament on this subject then you will need to remember at least two things:
To ask yourself if the NT makes this distinction, in this case, about this person.
That would mean that the OT character wasn’t sinning. If you think it is wrong to wander around a garden naked, you and your wife… and you think that this is because of some NT text about robes… then at the very least don’t go back and say that Adam and Eve were sinning. (Not, unfortunately, hyperbole. I sat under that sermon. Shaking my head the whole time, obviously. Although he didn’t make the NT/OT dichotomy. Even.)
Examples
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Hebrews 11:39-40
Here are some Biblical characters that often get a bad rap in modern US sermons:
Jepthah
We can have a long discussion about what happened with Jepthah and his daughter. What we can’t argue is that Scripture treats him as a hero of the faith.
Abraham
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
Luke 19:9
Abraham is another mixed bag. Lots of positive sermons, and then a lot of finding fault where Scripture doesn’t.
Noah
Every Sunday School child loved drawing the ark, and a lot of preachers love getting on to him about getting drunk. Remind me who was punished in that story?
David
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
I Kings 15:5
David is usually held up pretty high. People do talk about his sin with the wife of Uriah (as well as her sin of public nudity), but they don’t tend to stop there. I read someone the other day talking about what an awful father he was.
Lot
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
II Peter 2:6
I have heard dozens of sermons on unGodly, greedy, unloving Lot. Not so many that quote what the NT says about him.
Sarah
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
I Peter 3:5-7
The NT literally speaks of Sarah as an example to other wives, but most of the sermons I have heard about her were about her laughter. Her lack of faith.
Conclusion
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1
When you are busy judging Abraham, how is Abraham supposed to judge you? Or, more accurately, how are you supposed to hold yourself up against the example of Abraham, an example God put in His inerrant Scripture, and judge yourself lacking?
There is no NT text that says, “Thou shalt preach sermons condemning the sins of the patriarchs.” There aren’t even any real examples. Quite the opposite, in fact. Very few preachers preaching on Lot bring up the NT passage on Lot. “Righteous Lot” doesn’t fit in very well with their theme.
But there are a lot of Scriptures that talk about using the patriarchs as examples for how we are to behave. And that speak of judging others based on how they compared to the patriarch.
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Von