Hebrews 11:17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

By faith Abraham—offered up Isaac:— See the passages in the margin. It is part of the office of history to assign the causes of the facts related. In those facts thereforewhichhave several causes, of which the principal cannot be sufficiently told, the inferior come in properly to take its place. Thus, though it be very evident that the principal design of the command was to reveal to Abraham, by action instead of words, the redemption of mankind; yet as this was a favour of a very high nature, and conferred on Abraham at his earnest request, it was but fit that he should approve himself worthy of it by some proportionable trial, agreeable to what we find in scripture (to) be God's way of dealing with his faithful servants. On this account, therefore, God was pleased, bythe very manner in which this mystery was revealed, to tempt or try Abraham: where the making the favour itself the trial of his deserving it, has all the superior elegance and beauty, which is to be conceived in the dispensations of divine Wisdom only. Now, as the principal reason of the command could not be conveniently told by the sacred historian, this inferior one of the trial is assigned by him, and the apostle from him, with striking truth and propriety. And it is to be observed, that the very manner of recording this reason shews it to be indeed what has been suggested, 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 at most implies an inferior one.