God did tempt Abraham, &c.— Did try, or prove him, for the further display of his faith and obedience; which is the only sense in which God can be supposed to tempt his creatures. The apostle to the Hebrews gives us a good comment on this passage, ch. Genesis 11:17, &c. assuring us, that Abraham readily obeyed the Divine command, as having an undoubted faith, that God was able to raise his son Isaac again, even from the dead; that son, who was so miraculously born, as it were, from the dead; and who being the heir of the promise, the patriarch could have no doubt, but that God would by some means or other restore his life, if he thought fit thus to take it away. In this confidence he cheerfully obeyed the Divine command, indisputably ascertained, without all controversy, that it was such: and herein he acted an eminently wise and pious part, since there can be no question, that it is the only safe rule of conduct for every man implicitly to obey whatever shall undoubtedly appear to be the direct command of that God, who is the Judge of all the earth, and will most certainly do right: however dark and intricate matters may at first appear, the issue will always prove the propriety of an invariable attention to this rule.
Bp. Warburton, in his Divine Legation of Moses, vol. 4: has considered this event in, I believe, a just light. "It is evident," says he, "from the words of Christ, John 8:56, (Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad), that Abraham was desirous of being acquainted with the manner in which the promise of the redemption of mankind should be effected. The principal intention of this command was to reveal to Abraham by action instead of words, the manner of this redemption; yet, as this was a favour of a very high nature, and conferred on Abraham at his earnest request, it was but fit he should approve himself worthy of it by some proportionable trial. On this account, therefore, God was pleased, by the very manner in which this mystery was revealed, to tempt, to try Abraham. Where the making the favour itself the trial of his deserving it, hath all the superior elegance and beauty which is conceived in the dispensations of Divine Wisdom only. The very manner in which this reason is recorded, shews it an inferior one; for it is not said that God gave this command to try Abraham, which expresses a principal reason, but that, in giving the command, God did try him, which only implies an inferior one."