Gen. 16: 1 – 16 – The Birth of Ishmael – Part 2
A review of last week uncovered that the group took off on its own without uncovering much of the background by attempting to answer the questions which function to do just that; get at the background. I felt that this week we should attempt a more disciplined approach. I’m not sure how successful we actually were but we tried.
Background
A review of the background from Sunday’s entry dated September 16, http://rjr.richardross.annaerossi.com/?p=627 as well as the notes http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/16 would offer worthwhile context for this passage.
Our Basic Questions +
As we prepare to hear the passage, I again raised for the group a set of questions that, by now, should sound like a mantra. Nonetheless, for the sake of continuity, here are the questions I think help us to stay focused. [I think I should really ask the group if the questions are of any benefit …]
Our first question, who are the characters in the passage; to which we have added, and what role does each of the characters play? To get at the “role” question, we need to pay attention to what the characters say and do and also what we would expect them to say and do but they don’t. For example, does Abram talk, yes but when in the story and to whom. Is that his only talking role? What does that fact communicate? How does Sarai understand God’s role in her not bearing any child? What role does she see Abram playing in the conflict she and Hagar are having? When does Hagar first say anything and to whom? Is the messenger and YHWH one and the same character with different names or two different characters? What does YHWH [God] say? There are so many questions, what are your questions?
The second question in some sense is the most complicated and that is the “when” question. What is the “when” of the passage? What is the “when” of the author? And, most critically, what is our “when,” the “when” of our life at this time? What do you make of the fact that the author / editor lived nearly a thousand years or more after the time of the story? Is the author / editor using the past to help explain his present? How do we do the same think? What would be concrete examples in your life in which you have done that or hear someone else do that?
A third question, what is the theme, purpose, plot of the passage?
A fourth set of questions has to do with a fact. The bible is a historical document, the cultural values of the times are inevitably imbedded in the book. Since we also believe that the same bible is the word of God, then there are some values that are transcendent, meant for all people and all times while others are simply a part of the culture of the story and / or of the editor / author. So we find ourselves in any given passage, affirming some values and rejecting others. This raises the fundamental question for me, what are the values that we affirm and what values are we rejecting and what is the rationale for such discernment?
My Refrain
Before we read though, let’s quiet ourselves, remember whatever we can from the background, our questions and, most importantly, pay attention to what happens inside of us as we read.
The Reading: Gen. 16: 1 – 16 – http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/16. – We reread the passage in its entirety and would invite you to do the same.
Discussion – Part 1
First then the characters and some indication of their role
- Sarai
- Speaking to Abram she understands her bareness in the light of Yahweh – “The LORD has kept me from bearing children. …” Yahweh is the actor in her life.
- Now what she does certainly rings of the culture of her day – she decides to be proactive in order to accomplish Yahweh’s will. She thinks she is doing good in giving Hagar, her slave, to Abram to be his wife and bear him the children Yahweh has promised. This brought out a cavalcade of responses from the group. Here are a few examples …
- This is a good for Sarai but is this good only a good in her culture or is it a transcendent good; and how do we discern? On first read, it seems woman today don’t do that; certainly not in the context of slavery in the US. But Heber pointed out that modern technology does allow another woman to bear a child for a childless couple. And that has raised a whole host of modern day issues, more or less unresolved.
- Sara pointed out that maybe Sarai should have trusted in the Yahweh; her actions might have emerged out of her on insecurity. On the other hand, it is possible to understand what Sarai did in terms of her efforts to find another way to fulfill the will of the Lord, to understand that human actions are part of God’s intentions. These two approaches to discernment are radically different; when to be proactive like Sarai or when to accept [submit] as the will of God what actually happens in one’s life.
- Ken shared a story from his own life when he was confronted with accepting or being proactive in changing what is. He was proactive but that decision caused it’s share of grief. Neither is always right or always wrong but how to know that is the challenge. It is the role of the community to help in the discernment process but ultimately only the individual bears the responsibility for choosing.
- What does it mean that Sara confronts Abram with Hagar’s behavior – “This outrage against me is your fault? …”
- Of all that things that Sarai says and does in this passage, which attract you and which repulse you and why? Are there colnflicting values for us?
2. Abram
- The only time that Abram speaks in this entire passage – “Your maid is in your power. Do to her what you regard as right.”
- A modern day of passing the buck; not the kind of leadership we would think that a person of Abram’s historical status would do but he does.
- This passage certainly doesn’t paint a positive picture of the foundational example of biblical faith. He is a bit more like all the rest of us in this passage. Does that offer us hope?
3. Hagar
- 3.1. When is the first time that she speaks and to whom?
- What did she do that caused such a response from Sarai – The closest thing we could come up with was an example of losing status in our community for that is what happened to Sarai. She lost status. Think of what happens to a person who loses a job, finds themselves homeless, discovers how differently people treat her, and what she thinks of herself.
- Tim suggested that it was possible for Hagar to have seen Sarai’ gesture as a great gift. She has been chosen to bear the child of the leader of the clan, the tribe. What an honor! Tim’s comments pointed out how the same actual event can be understood so differently, resulting in radically different responses to that event.
- As Faryl pointed out, one of the unique features of this passage is the central character is Hagar and not the prinicple biblical characters of Abraham and Sarah.
4. Yahweh
- 4.1. Who does Yahweh talk to and to whom doesn’t he talk at all?
- What does he have to say to Hagar? – “Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority. – How did you react to this sentence from Yahweh? Keep in mind that Hagar did exactly that. How should we transfer this position to our own times?
- But that is not all that Yahweh had to say – I will make your descendants so numerous that they will be too many to count.” Yahweh invites Hagar to look to her future with hope. Is there in the transactions between Yahweh and Hagar something true for all time, if only we can discern?
Much more went on but perhaps this account gives an insight into the some of the richness that exists only if a group of the faithful gather and share.
Discussion – Part 2
From this we turned to the global issue that Heber had raised last week. He pointed out that the most recent examples of violence is only incidentally related to the movie. He listed some of the other events he was aware of, the bombing of the Cole, the bombing of the Twin Towers, 9/11. He was quick to point out that extremists represent only a minority of Muslims and we have extremists in our own country. Of course, this allowed for an open discussion to which I had suggested two extremes to be avoided. On the one hand, as Christians there is nothing inherently wrong to be patriotic to the US but again as Christians our highest value is love of God not love of country and God is God of all the world and all its people. On the other hand, discerning the morally right thing to do is always concrete and, therefore, messy. Often the right thing to say and do is not all that clear and rarely is it some idealism that is unreflectively applied to our concrete. There is much more to report but I leave that to you to imagine.
Your responses, questions, and / or comments are welcomed. You can add them by clicking on the comment link at the end of this post.