Chayei Sarah (Life of Sarah)
5) Genesis 23:1-25:18
Welcome back to this 5th week in the annual cycle of Bible readings! This week’s portion could be called “Abraham 2.0” because Abraham, Sara, and Ishmael all die. God’s rescue mission story continues into the next generation!
Now, look what “bookends” this Torah portion. Two deaths. This highlights legacy.
The legacy of Sarah—the matriarch—continues through Rebecca. Incidentally, while the culture wars over gender rage in our day, women are elevated with equal image-bearing dignity in the Bible. The unity yet uniqueness of male and female is the biblical standard. Unity with distinction. Start reading the portion with an eye on the storyline of Sarah living on through Rebecca and an intergenerational God continues His rescue mission to reach you, me, and all with ears to hear and faith to receive.
Similarly, the legacy of Ishmael—the beloved but banished son (that God still sees, loves, and raises up with 12 tribes of his own)—dies at the end of the portion in 25:12-18, the maftir or “concluding” section. Thus, Abraham dies in this week’s portion and the portion is bookended by the death of his wife, Sarah, and firstborn son through Hagar, Ishmael.
The shape of this portion thus highlights and puts neon lights on the question of Abraham’s legacy! Who will carry on Abraham’s legacy?
Similarly, the prophetic reading for the week is the opening chapter in 1 Kings. Now don’t miss the fact that what the more “Gentilized” ordering of Scripture calls 1st and 2nd Kings a book of history, the Jewish or Tanakhian perspective calls a prophetic book. The opening chapter of this book describes the legacy of David through Solomon. Oh, what a sordid history we—as Jews and Gentiles—have being united with and in Messiah and yet retaining our distinctions!
God’s redemptive economy of UNITY WITH DISTINCTIONS applies to Male/Female and Jew/Gentile
Abraham’s legacy. David’s legacy. The Apostolic writings for this week point us to the ultimate successor, seed, and Sovereign in the opening chapter of Matthew, the Jewish tax collector turned radical Messiah follower.
I hope you have a wonderful week. Also, take a moment now to click on the links below to check out the free online devotional commentary and get oriented to the Parashah Project. Tons more content is coming for those who want to go deeper into Relational depth for Kingdom breadth by pursuing and promoting Faith for ALL!
Readings for the Week:
Torah: GENESIS 23:1–25:18
Prophets: 1 KINGS 1:1–31
Apostolic Writings: MATTHEW 1:1–17
Click HERE for the online Parashah commentary.
Shalom,
Thomas