Saturday, August 30, 2025

D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner on how the Binding of Isaac is a Type of Christ

  

. . . we may summarize the ways in which Isaac stands as a type and foreshadowing of Jesus Christ and Abraham as a type of God the Father.

 

1.     Relationship: As Paul notes, Isaac was Abraham’s only begotten son (Hebrews 11:17) just as Jesus was the Father’s Only Begotten Son (John 3:16).

2.     Locale: The sacrifice of Isaac took place (v. 2) where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ occurred—Mount Moriah, the site of holy Temples (2 Chronicles 3:1).

3.     Donkey: Just as Isaac rode to the place of sacrifice on a donkey (v. 3), Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the place of his condemnation and sacrifice, on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-7).

4.     Wood: Isaac carried the sacrificial wood (v. 6) just as Jesus carried the cross (John 19:16-17).

5.     Lamb: Isaac was the lamb provided (v. 8), just as Jesus was the Lamb chosen (1 Peter 1:19).

6.     Nothing withheld: Jesus as Abraham did not withhold his son (v. 12), so too the Father did not spare his Son (Matthew 27:46).

7.     Seen on the mount: Jus as Isaac’s obedience and sacrifice were seen on the mount, so too were Jesus’ (v. 15).

8.     Descendants: Just as innumerable descendants came through Isaac to bless the whole world (vv. 17-18), so too innumerable spiritual descendants came through Jesus Christ to bless the whole world (Mosiah 14:10-12; 27:25-26). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, The Old Testament Verse By Verse, 2 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013], 1:115)