And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid [it] upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
Ver. 6. And laid it upon Isaac his son.] Who was herein a lively type of Christ, bearing the cross whereon he was offered up. Tω σωματι των χολαζομενων εχαστος εκφερει τον εαυτου σταυρον,, saith Plutarch, speaking of the Roman fashion of crucifying malefactors. And surely it was by a wonderful providence of God that the Jews brought our Saviour to Pilate to be put to death; since they hated nothing more than to confirm or countenance the Roman tyranny among them by any means. Hence Gamaliel gave counsel to dismiss the apostles. Act 5:38 And hence the chief priests and rulers took it as so exceedingly heinous that Paul was taken out of their hands by the chief captain. Act 23:10 But God had a hand in it, that this and other types and scriptures might be fulfilled, that foretold the very manner of his death on a tree. Let the Jews stumble now at the cross, and fall backward. Let the Gentiles jeer us, as Lucian a doth, for that we deny the multitude of their gods, and yet believe in a crucified God, b Let us desire to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified; and if ever we desire to be kings in heaven, - and every man must be aut Caesar, aut nullus, a king or a captive, - let us seek by the eye of faith to see the Sun of Righteousness in the west (as Strato's servant taught him): let us look upon Christ hanging on the cross, dying on that altar, and we shall live for ever.
a Aνασκολοπισμενον (horreo dicere) σοφιστην προσκυνουνθες - In Vita Peregr.
b Omnis homo aut est cum Christo regnaturus, aut cum diabolo crucianduv. - Aug. Justin, lib. 18.