Genesis 18:1-15

Genesis 18:1-15 (NRSV)

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. ² He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. ³ He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. ⁴ Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵ Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” ⁶ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” ⁷ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. ⁸ Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

⁹ They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” ¹⁰ Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” ¹³ The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁵ But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.”

 

In Genesis 18:1-15 we have in this appearance of the Lord to Abraham biblical background for the “appearance” of the Lord Jesus to the disciples. We see the ancient Israelite tradition struggling with the forms of that divine manifestation and divine work may take in the world. We see the transcendent and immanent elements at work. The story focuses on the human side of wrestling with the delay of the fulfillment of the promise for a son. The question in the mind of Abraham and Sarah is whether the Lord is good, for the good person keeps a promise. 

¹The Lord appeared, in a way that forms the background for the appearance of the risen Lord to the disciples, to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. ² He looked up and saw three men standing near him. Yahweh appears in all three visitors.[1] What seems important here from a Christian perspective is that the Old Testament is already struggling with the forms that divine manifestation and divine work in the world. The Lord is transcendent, of course, but also immanent. Angels have special relation to God in that God is directly present in them as divine instruments and messengers. In this case, the author is not clear if the appearance involves God or someone different from God.[2] When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. This was consistent with the emphasis on hospitality. Only slowly does Abraham realize to whom he is talking. ³ He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. The term “servant” is a circumlocution by which Abraham refers to himself in a way that emphasizes humility. ⁴ Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵ Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” It seems unusual that Yahweh will need to eat and gain refreshment. So they said, “Do as you have said.” ⁶ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” ⁷ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. ⁸ Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. The preparation exceeds the modest offer.

⁹ They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” ¹⁰ Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” The image painted of Sarah is that she is down to earth with her curiosity, impulsiveness and deception.  To her, they are meddlesome travelers. Her laughter brings her close unbelief, as did the laughter of Abraham (17:17 P).[3] Unbelief by Sarah is understandable, as it always is. Yet, could the laughter be surprise at the extraordinary announcement?  Human beings need to laugh at themselves. Laughter due to the distance between the giver and gift on the one hand and oneself on the other is quite appropriate.^[4] 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? The question is the climax of the story. At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁵ But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.” The author takes great interest in the human side of the story, especially in the delay of the fulfillment of the promise.

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[1] Von Rad.

[2] Pannenberg Systematic Theology Volume 2, 104,Volume 1, 276.

[3] Von Rad.

[4] Barth (Church Dogmatics III.4 [56.3], 665)