{"id":1337,"date":"2019-11-11T21:23:15","date_gmt":"2019-11-12T03:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/?p=1337"},"modified":"2019-11-11T21:26:37","modified_gmt":"2019-11-12T03:26:37","slug":"ram-in-the-thicket-genesis-2213","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/catholic\/ram-in-the-thicket-genesis-2213\/","title":{"rendered":"Ram in the Thicket – Genesis 22:13"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\"Genesis 22, also known as the Testing of Abraham, gives us great foreshadowing of Jesus in the obedient son Isaac. Although there is a point where Abraham\u2019s \u201conly son\u201d is spared and God the Father\u2019s only begotten Son is not, the foreshadowing of Jesus continues by shifting to the ram caught in the thicket. The ram becomes the substitute sacrifice in place of Issac, just as Jesus pays the price for our sins. In this pageant of sacrifice Isaac and the ram together tell the full and puzzling story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is at first\nperplexing to view the ram of Genesis 22:13<\/span> this way because as\nsacrificial replacement the ram is typologically Jesus, but as snared\ncreature the ram cannot be idiomatically construed to represent God;\nfor God cannot be trapped in any way shape or form. In other words,\nwhile it\u2019s easy to see in this verse Jesus as the sacrificial lamb,\nit seems impossible to see an all-powerful, all-knowing God as\ntrapped, since that would mean there is another thing or person\ngreater than God \u2013 which isn\u2019t tenable if God truly be God. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So sometimes it\nappears that the ram in the thicket is we sinners stuck in our sin,\nand other times it appears that the replacement ram is Jesus who took\nthe punishment for our sin upon himself. But it just doesn\u2019t fit\nto pair these archetypes as simultaneously co-present the way they\nseem to be in the one ram and in the single verse of Genesis 22:13<\/span>. \nIt is clear that this is one thought; that the ram is both innocence\ncaptured and just atonement and that any allegorical allusion must\napply both senses of the subject to the one object. And so it seemed\nto me that the metaphor must mean either sinners or Jesus; it should\nbe either one or the other but not both; since the ram is one ram,\nthe typed entity must be one entity. It just makes no sense to see\nGod as trapped\u2026 how could God be described as trapped?! Both the\nlamb and the thicket are creatures; things created by God. How could\na creature caught in creation be representative of the Creator? Is\nGod caught by his own handiwork?! Of course not, so It makes no\nsense… until… \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer comes\ninspired by a phrase in a homily of the church fathers\n(http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/fathers\/2910.htm<\/a>)\nwhich describes Adam as \u201ccowering in the thicket of paradise\u201d. \nFrom here we can equate the thicket with original sin, or rather the\npunishment for it. The thicket is mortality, which has caught all\nmankind by its horns; it is the just punishment for sin; it is death;\nit is the cross. So it is man that is caught in the thicket and is\nit also Jesus who is a type of all mankind; of all humanity1<\/sup>.\n When Jesus took on our human nature it came complete with\neverything except for sin, which means that when Jesus took on our\nmortality, that he could die. That is how the ram in the thicket can\nfully be representative of Jesus. The ram in the thicket is Jesus\nwho became man and subjected himself to mortality and allowed himself\nto be crucified on the wood of the cross, which is analogous to the\nwood of the thicket. As one of us Jesus is \u201ccaught up\u201d in our\nhumanity, and as the Lamb of God Jesus is our surrogate sacrifice. \nThe dichotomy of trapped-and-sacrificed parallels the dual nature\nhuman-and-divine in the one begotten Son of God. In order to fully\nand correctly apply this idiom of the Genesis 22:13<\/span> ram to God it is\nnecessary for the person of God to be both human and divine. It\ntakes knowledge of the persons of the Holy Trinity to solve this\npuzzle, or else it takes abandonment to mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So now we have come to understand the ram in the thicket which is sacrificed instead of Isaac, as not only prefiguring Jesus\u2019 sacrificial role, but also figuratively and consequently expressing Jesus\u2019 Hypostatic Union. It is remarkable that such an image, having a meaning dogmatically ratified in 451 AD, is clearly present in the old testament in 1400 BC. But then again the church fathers seem to have known this all along and since the Holy Spirit is the author of inspired scripture, it\u2019s fitting to be awestruck as often as clarity on holy matters strikes us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/cathen\/01129a.htm<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A similar line of argument is pursued in 1 Corinthians 11:8-9<\/span>. More important is the theological doctrine formulated by St. Paul in Romans 5:12-21<\/span>, and in 1 Corinthians 15:22-45<\/span>. In the latter passage Jesus Christ is called by analogy and contrast the new or “last Adam.” This is understood in the sense that as the original Adam was the head of all mankind, the father of all according to the flesh, so also Jesus Christ was constituted chief and head of the spiritual family of the elect, and potentially of all mankind, since all are invited to partake of His salvation. Thus the first Adam is a type of the second, but while the former transmits to his progeny a legacy of death, the latter, on the contrary, becomes the vivifying principle of restored righteousness. Christ is the “last Adam” inasmuch as “there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12<\/span>); no other chief or father of the race is to be expected. Both the first and the second Adam occupy the position of head with regard to humanity, but whereas the first through his disobedience vitiated, as it were, in himself the stirps of the entire race, and left to his posterity an inheritance of death, sin, and misery, the other through his obedience merits for all those who become his members a new life of holiness and an everlasting reward.”<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div>Genesis 22:13<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Hebrew<\/a><\/span><\/div>
13<\/span>Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Genesis 22:13<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Hebrew<\/a><\/span><\/div>
13<\/span>Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Genesis 22:13<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Hebrew<\/a><\/span><\/div>
13<\/span>Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>1 Corinthians 11:8-9<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
8<\/span>For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.<\/div>
9<\/span>For the man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Romans 5:12-21<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
12<\/span>Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.<\/div>
13<\/span>For until the law sin was in the world; but sin was not imputed, when the law was not.<\/div>
14<\/span>But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of him who was to come.<\/div>
15<\/span>But not as the offence, so also the gift. For if by the offence of one, many died; much more the grace of God, and the gift, by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.<\/div>
16<\/span>And not as it was by one sin, so also is the gift. For judgment indeed was by one unto condemnation; but grace is of many offences, unto justification.<\/div>
17<\/span>For if by one man's offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift, and of justice, shall reign in life through one, Jesus Christ.<\/div>
18<\/span>Therefore, as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation; so also by the justice of one, unto all men to justification of life.<\/div>
19<\/span>For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just.<\/div>
20<\/span>Now the law entered in, that sin might abound. And where sin abounded, grace did more abound.<\/div>
21<\/span>That as sin hath reigned to death; so also grace might reign by justice unto life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>1 Corinthians 15:22-45<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
22<\/span>And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.<\/div>
23<\/span>But every one in his own order: the firstfruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming.<\/div>
24<\/span>Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality, and power, and virtue.<\/div>
25<\/span>For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet.<\/div>
26<\/span>And the enemy death shall be destroyed last: For he hath put all things under his feet. And whereas he saith,<\/div>
27<\/span>All things are put under him; undoubtedly, he is excepted, who put all things under him.<\/div>
28<\/span>And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.<\/div>
29<\/span>Otherwise what shall they do that are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not again at all? why are they then baptized for them?<\/div>
30<\/span>Why also are we in danger every hour?<\/div>
31<\/span>I die daily, I protest by your glory, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.<\/div>
32<\/span>If (according to man) I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me, if the dead rise not again? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.<\/div>
33<\/span>Be not seduced: Evil communications corrupt good manners.<\/div>
34<\/span>Awake, ye just, and sin not. For some have not the knowledge of God, I speak it to your shame.<\/div>
35<\/span>But some man will say: How do the dead rise again? or with what manner of body shall they come?<\/div>
36<\/span>Senseless man, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first.<\/div>
37<\/span>And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be; but bare grain, as of wheat, or of some of the rest.<\/div>
38<\/span>But God giveth it a body as he will: and to every seed its proper body.<\/div>
39<\/span>All flesh is not the same flesh: but one is the flesh of men, another of beasts, another of birds, another of fishes.<\/div>
40<\/span>And there are bodies celestial, and bodies terrestrial: but, one is the glory of the celestial, and another of the terrestrial.<\/div>
41<\/span>One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, and another the glory of the stars. For star differeth from star in glory.<\/div>
42<\/span>So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption.<\/div>
43<\/span>It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory. It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power.<\/div>
44<\/span>It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body. If there be a natural body, there is also a spiritual body, as it is written:<\/div>
45<\/span>The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Acts 4:12<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
12<\/span>Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>

Genesis 22, also known as the Testing of Abraham, gives us great foreshadowing of Jesus in the obedient son Isaac. Although there is a point where Abraham\u2019s \u201conly son\u201d is spared and God the Father\u2019s only begotten Son is not, the foreshadowing of Jesus continues by shifting to the ram caught in the thicket. The … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,1,47,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apologetics","category-catholic","category-vulgate-readings","category-meditations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1337"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1337\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1344,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1337\/revisions\/1344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}