Professor J. Richard Middleton delivered a thought-provoking lecture that challenged centuries of theological tradition. The topic: Does God command immoral actions? His approach: a deep, contextual re-reading of Genesis 22—the story of Abraham and the binding of Isaac, also known as the Akedah.

The Traditional View: Faithful Obedience

For generations, both Jewish and Christian traditions have upheld Abraham’s silent compliance with God’s command to sacrifice his son as a model of faithful obedience. Christians emphasize Abraham’s faith; Jews, his obedience. But Middleton asks: should this be our model? Is unquestioning obedience truly what God desires?

A Troubling Silence

Middleton’s personal journey into this question began when he became a father. The idea of sacrificing a child, even at divine command, became ethically unbearable. He argues that Abraham’s silence in Genesis 22 is not a virtue, but a failure—especially when contrasted with Abraham’s bold intercession for Sodom just four chapters earlier in Genesis 18.

Why did Abraham plead for strangers in Sodom but not for his own son?

Biblical Precedent for Protest

Middleton draws on a rich biblical tradition of vigorous prayer and protest:

· Moses interceded for Israel at the golden calf.

· Job challenged God’s justice and was vindicated.

· The Psalms are filled with lament and questioning.

· Jesus prayed in anguish in Gethsemane and quoted a lament psalm on the cross.

These examples suggest that faithful people are not only permitted but encouraged to question God in moments of moral crisis.

Was Abraham Being Tested for Love?

Middleton proposes a radical reinterpretation: perhaps the test in Genesis 22 was not about obedience, but about love. The phrase “your son, your only one, whom you love” may not be a statement of fact, but a rhetorical prompt—an invitation to Abraham to act out of love.

Interestingly, Abraham shows deep emotional attachment to Ishmael in earlier chapters, but no such attachment is evident toward Isaac. Could the Akedah be a divine opportunity for Abraham to prove his love for Isaac by interceding for him?

Discernment Over Blind Faith

Middleton concludes that Abraham was being tested not for blind obedience, but for:

1. Discernment of God’s character—to recognize that God would welcome protest.

2. Love for Isaac—to speak up and protect his son.

He warns that traditional interpretations may act as a “straightjacket,” preventing fresh readings of Scripture. Instead, he invites us to unbind the Akedah—to see it not as a call to unquestioning obedience, but as a challenge to engage God with honesty, love, and moral courage.

A Call to Rethink Faithfulness

Middleton’s lecture, based on his book Abraham’s Silence (Baker Academic, 2021), urges believers to reconsider what it means to be faithful. True faith may not lie in silent compliance, but in bold, loving engagement with God—even when the stakes are as high as the life of a child.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:

J. Richard Middleton is Professor Emeritus of Biblical Worldview and Exegesis, at Northeastern Seminary and Roberts Wesleyan University, in Rochester, NY. A native of Jamaica, he immigrated to Canada for graduate studies and moved to the USA for a teaching position. He is past president of the Canadian-American Theological Association (2011–2014) and the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies (2019–2021). Middleton’s research area is Old Testament theology with a focus on creation, suffering, and the ethics of power. He is the author of five books; the most recent are The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1 (Brazos, 2005); A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology (Baker Academic, 2014); and Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God (Baker Academic, 2021). He is currently working on two new books, one on the power dynamics between prophet and king in 1 Samuel and the other on the biblical worldview for our troubled times.