The Motive and Manner of Abraham's Obedience

When things are becoming in the soul, there is not a human magnitude established, but a heavenly one, which is a blessing, not merely spoken out, but truly manifested, through the becoming of a great and famous name from the accompanying virtue and the world following from the spiritual blessing; for a good name is more desirable than wealth and 'good reputation sustains the bones' (Sirach 7:36). Nor is it sufficient to bless, but he goes further saying: 'And you shall be blessed' (Gen 12:2), becoming worthy of blessing because of the magnitude and the progress of perfected virtue; and he blesses also those who bless him, not by mere utterance, but by the choice and election of those whom he himself is chosen by. Likewise, those standing in opposition to him will fall under a curse.

And this appears to the one reading the histories, in which it is made clear that as many as received him poorly were blessed, but as many as did not use him properly have become under a curse, such as Abimelech. And these things can also be said concerning invisible powers, where holy angels bless the diligent one and are blessed by him, but the devil and the demons curse him and fall under a curse. Furthermore, there will be another achievement: to be blessed in him all the tribes of the earth, being delivered from being tribes of the earth through the imitation of him according to holiness, no longer thinking of their earthly things. And the diligent one is destined for this, to be blessed in him through imitation by all the tribes of the earth, even if not all approach, separating themselves from this by their own will.

And Abram went, just as the Lord spoke to him (Gen 12:4), and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he went out from Haran. And Abram took his wife Sarai and Lot the son of his brother, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and every soul whom they had gathered from Haran, and they went to journey to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan (Gen 12:5). This is a great testimony to the patriarch, that he thus traveled just as God spoke to him, and of the acceptance of Lot following along with Abram. And the saying testifies also to the time in which he went out and how he led out all that they had gathered from Haran and every soul whom they had gathered, and thus they came to the land of Canaan.

And this would indeed have the greatest reception in itself: that he did not remain, not being overcome by the familiarity of kinship, nor of friends, nor of others, whatever enticements there were toward not departing from the fatherland, but he saw all things aside, becoming obedient to the divine command. An addition, as we have previously said, is that he also journeyed thus just as God spoke to him. For it often happens to do the commanded thing, but not to carry it out as the one who commanded had set forth. Here it happened thus, that God commanded, and the cause of the deed was divine, and the result was according to the purpose of the commander.

Not thus do those practicing almsgiving act for the sake of being seen by men, completing the deed, but being secured in their merit by the manner of the acting. But the blessed Paul does not act thus, but saying, 'Become imitators of me' (1 Cor 11:1), he did not simply command this, but further brought it forth, 'just as I am of Christ' (1 Cor 11:1), not in appearance but in truth. Again the Savior, saying, 'Learn from me that I am gentle and humble in heart' (Matt 11:29), leads the hearers to understand toward learning both the manner and the energy and the causes of gentleness and humility.

And the patriarch also leads his possessions, not as one enslaved to them, as if he were not enslaved to his only begotten son, but having taken them for the needs. And these things, having been said for the sake of the history, are sufficient for benefit, to which one must also add the leading out from Haran and the souls which they acquired, to show that he acquired the household in his own manner; for no one, according to what has been said, is slow in the house of a wise man. And the word of the leading out also has much benefit for being able to level all things.

Haran, therefore, is interpreted as 'wheels,' which is a symbol of the senses; for the places of the senses are like wheels. Thus God wills to turn him away from the sensible things. And the possessions, having become established in these things, the saint leads along to be useful to him for the entrance into the intelligible perfections; for does not the perfect one among the great also lack the decorated adornment, the grinding of teeth and the stepping of the foot? And he also leads the wife, who...