Isaac and Jacob as Midrash
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth… Therefore G-d is not ashamed to be called their G-d, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Hebrews 11:13, 16b, 20-21
Introduction
- Anytime in Scripture we are presented with “types” it is through a process known as midrash.
- We have been doing a lot of “midrash” in our textual analysis of Genesis. The danger of midrash is in negating or ignoring p’shat. What are “midrash” and “p’shat”? They are all about observation. They are part of PaRDeS.
Observation
- Before approaching the subject of “interpretation” (aka, observation), it is important to establish a baseline:
- All Scripture is G-d breathed (2Tim 3:16) and has a purpose other than establishing a creed or doctrine.
- 2Peter 1:20 shows that Scripture is not for private interpretation.
- Context is king.
- Progressive revelation is the method of Scripture – no passage can overturn a previous one.
- Original language supersedes ANY translation.
- Most modern approaches to biblical interpretation use a grammatical historical exegesis. They shy away from any other since in times past other methods were abused by “church fathers” as in allegorizing the TaNaKh. This is incorrect. The writers of the Apostolic Scriptures did not only use grammatical and historical exegesis.
- The sages approached Scripture through the lenses of PaRDeS: “the orchard”.
PaRDeS
- P’shat, Remez, Drash, Sod
- P'shat ("simple"): the plain, literal sense of the text - looks to the grammar of the language and the historical setting as background for deciding what a passage means. Idioms and figurative language can still be p’shat (Ps. 17:8).
- Remez ("hint"): wherein a word, phrase or other element in the text hints at a truth not conveyed by the p'shat (but not in contradiction). G-d can hint at things of which the Bible writers themselves were unaware.
- Drash ("search"): an allegorical or homiletical application of a text. Typology is a form of drash, or midrash. Midrash generally is only making a single point, as a parable does.
- Sod ("secret"): a mystical or hidden meaning arrived at by operating on the numerical values of the Hebrew letters, noting unusual spellings, transposing letters, and the like. G-d invests meaning in the minutest details of Scripture, even the individual letters.
- Examples:
- Remez: Matt 2:15 quoting Hosea 11:1. A hint at the relationship between Messiah and the Nation of Israel.
- Drash: 1Cor 10:1-4. Comparing the cloud and sea to a mikvah. Comparing the Rock in the wilderness to Messiah.
- Sod: Rev 13:18. The number of a name, of a man.
- Bottom line: P’shat can never be undone by subsequent methods. That one principle, if it had been adhered to by Greek “church fathers” would have destroyed much of their anti-Torah views and teachings.
Isaac as Midrash
- Gen 15:4-6; 18:9-14 compare to Is 7:13-14; Matt 1:20-23. Isaac resembles Messiah by being born a biological impossibility.
- Gen 21:3-4 compare to Luke 2:21: Isaac resembles Messiah by being raised by parents obedient to G-d’s commands (Torah).
- Gen 22:1-18 compare to John 3:14; 3:16; Rom 5:10; 8:32. Isaac resembles Messiah by being “offered up” (olah) on Mt. Moriyah.
- Gen 24:34-38; 24:57-67 compare to 2Cor 11:2; Rev (not “s”) 19:7-9; 21:3. Isaac resembles Messiah in how he relates to Rebecca as bridegroom.
- Rebecca resembles the body of believers in how she relates to Isaac as the bride.
- Gen 24:59-60 compare to Matt 16:18b. The bride Rebecca resembles the Bride of Messiah in possessing the gates of the Enemy.
Jacob as Midrash
- Gen 25:26 compare to Gen 3:15; Rom 16:20. Jacob resembles Messiah in the reminder of the ‘heel’ prophecy.
- Gen 25:21-34; 27:28-29 compare to 1Cor 15:20-25; 44-47. Jacob resembles Messiah in being the “second”. As the first Adam was fleshly, so was Esau. So the second (Jacob) wars against the first. Enmity between man-centered and G-d-centered.
- Gen 32:28; 25:30 compare to Is 63:1-4; Rev 19:11-16. If Jacob resembles Messiah, then Esau resembles G-d’s enemies. Jacob resembles Messiah in his conflict with the flesh (Esau).
- Gen 28:12-14 compare to John 1:49-51. Jacob resembles Messiah because in his dream, he is the ladder. Messiah is the Ladder.
The Dance Parable
- How does what we learned relate to our Parable of the ‘Dance’ with Messiah?
- Anyone who “dances” with Messiah, in His footsteps, will resemble Messiah.
Summary
- As we search for types of Messiah, always remember that these patriarchs were beloved of G-d. Although not perfect, they represent the few who followed the One true G-d. As our examples then, we should not be discouraged in our walk – knowing that G-d blessed them.
- We can know, that just like they picture Messiah, if we walk faithfully and humbly before G-d, others will be also see Messiah in our lives.