The Dysfunctional Family of God
How do we find anything like Good News in the way this not-completely-trustworthy-trickster-god treats this family?
by Russell Rathbun
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 25:19-34
For Sunday, July 10 , 2011: Year A—Ordinary 15
Do we need a family systems model to try and understand or explain this text?
Isaac was the product of a once barren mother—a miracle baby to his mother late in her life. He was born into a house where there was already tension around his stepbrother. Then of course there was the early trauma of his father trying to sacrificially kill him at the urging of God. How is this personal psychology not going to affect Isaac’s family when he has one?
The Shadow
The ancient rabbis believe that the shadow of the Akedah (the binding of Isaac) falls on every part of the narrative that comes after it. Rashi writes, “The death of Sarah is narrated directly after the Akedah, because, as a result of the tidings of the Akedah—that her son had been fated for slaughter, and had been all-but-slaughtered—she gave up the ghost and died.
Trickster God
An existential abyss opens up in front of Isaac’s mother. Not only was her husband now darkened and suspect, but God who blessed her with this child seemed to prove to be no more than some cruel trickster.
Isaac grew up with this same existential abyss outside his tent. His wife, like his mother is barren, so he appeals to God, who he, undoubtedly, does not completely trust, to give Rebekah a child. God answers his prayers with two. But trickster God gives Rebekah two nations warring with in her womb. She herself wants to die.
Bad Esau?
The text for this week narrates the beginning of what will be the final deception of Isaac, the first being his Dad asking him if he wanted to grab some firewood and go for a walk. Esau is hungry and Jacob sells him something to eat at the price of his birthright.
The reading concludes with Esau despised his birthright. I used to read that as, “Bad Esau, what ever happens to you in the future is all your fault because you despised your birthright.” But looking at his family history, he was probably happy to give up his birthright. He must have longed to get out from under the obligation to grandpa and his trickster God. He certainly didn’t want to end up like his depressive father.
The Hardest Question
How do we find anything like Good News in the way this-not-completely-trustworthy-trickster-god treats this family?
Russell Rathbun is a preacher at House of Mercy in St. Paul, Minnesota, the author of Midrash on the Juanitos (Cathedral Hill Press, 2010) and the curator of The Hardest Question.
Every family has dysfunction. That at least is what one addiction therapist lecturer told me once. A few own up to it. I thought, no, not mine. I was wrong of course. The question is what is God doing with that situation? What am I doing with it? What did Jacob do? He continued to wrestle with God, willingly or not, until his children’s children developed a nation of people dedicated at some level to the God of grace and glory.
You don’t get to pick your family. You have to deal with it. You don’t pick your God either. You are God’s whether you like it or not. Where are you going to run away to? God was not the “trickster”. Jacob was. But God turned it for good, eventually.
July 4th, 2011 at 11:42 amThe Gospel must be divorced from the date or else it may act like an omen.
July 6th, 2011 at 8:53 pmi am a lay speaker read you once in awhile i ama jewish christian your honesty is good painful good thanks peace
July 9th, 2011 at 8:50 pmthe age old story of humanity, sin, redemption, forgiveness,
July 10th, 2011 at 7:03 amThis text will work well in prison, where I work. The notion of selling it all for a mess of pottage and not considering the consequences. I reflect on Esau coming in terribly hungry and the smell of the stew assailing him – Jacob knowing how to play the lead you into temptation game, understanding the base motivation to have something you desire – it is the addict at work with the fix at an achievable reach – if only you will sell – your (fill in the blanks – when you are hungry enough or craving enough you will sell or sacrifice anything). I’ve talked with lots of guys who have sold for less as much as or more than did Esau.
July 10th, 2011 at 11:30 amYes, God can work grace out of the mess we’ve made of our lives and redeem the way we have trivialized what we are gifted with. IN the meantime, there is a lot of cleaning up to do. But let’s go easy on Esau. And Jacob for that matter. None of us carry that much virtue that we can afford to scorn the brothers. Few of us know the cost of what we are doing and none are righteous.
Enjoy the stew.