Weekly Drash

Chayei Sarah – חיי שרה : “Life of Sarah”
Torah : Genesis 23:1–25:18
Haftarah : 1 Kings 1:1–31
Gospel : Matthew 11–12

The Canaanites

Thought for the Week:

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Messiah with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. (2 Corinthians 6:14–16)

Commentary:

Abraham makes Eliezer vow that he will not seek a bride for Isaac from among the Canaanite women. If we read the story of Eliezer and Rebekah as a model for evangelism, this appears to be troubling. Is not the Gospel for all peoples, regardless of race or ethnicity? In seeking a bride for our Master, are we not sent to all nations? Why then would we discriminate against the Canaanites?

Abraham knew that the Canaanites were destined to be ejected from the land and erased from history. It was impossible that his seed, to whom the land was promised, should intermarry with a race from whom the land was to be taken. Moreover, the Canaanite religion would in later years prove to be a toxic poison for the children of Israel, seducing them into idolatry and syncretism. The meaning, therefore, is that we must not bring the religion of Canaan into the house of Abraham. In our zeal to make converts, we have historically allowed pagan influences to enter the Assembly of Messiah. We have brought a Canaanite bride to Messiah. The Apostle Paul warns us against such an unholy union. (2 Corinthians 6:14–16)

The transforming power of the Gospel is not limited in scope. Messiah can transform even the most reprehensible idolater into a worthy bride, sanctified “by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the [congregation] in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:26–27) But we are not to bring the ways of Canaan into the faith. In our zeal to save Canaanites, we must not try to dress up our faith to make it look more Canaanite. Sadly, historical Christianity has done exactly that. Within a few short centuries, we incorporated a whole host of pagan elements into the church. Some of the more obvious concessions are the adoration of idols and the honoring of pagan feast days. On a deeper level, we have incorporated pagan theological constructions and adapted them to fit Christianity. Our efforts resulted in a marriage between the Canaanite world and Abraham’s household, “and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.” (Matthew 12:25)

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Weekly Drash - Chayei Sarah

The Canaanites

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