Before leaving the Patriarchs, we shall look at Abraham in the context of the whole Bible. There are not many other references to Abraham in the Old Testament, but a number of references to the 'God of our fathers', i.e. the God of the Patriarchs, who revealed himself to Moses. The great prophets frequently linked the beginning of Israel's salvation with the covenant of Sinai and Moses. However, the following references are made to Abraham:

In Exodus 3: 6 God tells Moses that he is the same God who revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

In Exodus 32: 13 Moses recalls the promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

There is a reference to the land promised to the Patriarchs in Deuteronomy 1: 8, and to the covenant made with Abraham and his immediate descendants in 2 Kings 13: 23. In the book of the prophet Isaiah there is a reference to Abraham in 29: 22 and 5l : 1-3. The last passage says: 'Think of your ancestor, Abraham, and of Sarah, from whom you are descended. When I called Abraham, he was childless, but I blessed him and gave him children; I made his descendants numerous.'

In the book of Ezekiel there is a reference to Abraham which seems to be making a contrast between his righteousness and the unrighteousness of the people of Judah (33: 24).

Abraham's memory was never forgotten, but it is not until we reach the New Testament that we find a number of writers making references to Abraham as a very significant person.

In St. Paul's Letters to the Galatians and Romans, Abraham's faith is shown as the cause of his acceptance by God. Abraham's faith is seen as a model for Christian faith.

James also refers to Abraham's faith in his letter: 'Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions' (James 2: 20- 22).

The author of the letter to the Hebrews also praises the faith of Abraham in 11: 8-12 and 11: 17-19. The faith of Isaac and Jacob is also referred to.

In the Gospels there are various references to Abraham as the ancestor of the Jews and the first of all true believers. Not all Abraham's physical descendants are his true 'children'. Those who have faith are his true spiritual descendants.

In Matthew 1: 1 Abraham is listed as the first ancestor of Jesus. In John 8 :-31-47 the Pharisees show hostility to Jesus because he tells them that they are not the true descendants of Abraham, and at the end of that same chapter Jesus makes the challenging statement 'Before Abraham was born, I AM'.

John the Baptist referred to Abraham (Luke 3: 8 and Matthew 3: 9) in a way that challenged the Jews about the value of their physical descent from him.

Abraham is referred to in the teaching of Jesus as one who is in heaven with God: 'How you will cry and grind your teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, while you are thrown out! People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down at the feast in the Kingdom of God' (Luke 13: 28-29 and Matthew 8: 11-12). In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Lazarus is spoken of as reclining next to Abraham at the heavenly banquet.

The New Testament writers saw in Abraham a man who had been justified or accepted by God because of his faith which was not a passive belief but an active response to God. God's approach to Abraham was met by Abraham's response, which expressed itself in obedience to God's commands. Abraham set out for a strange land breaking his links with the land and religion of his kinsmen. When God's promise to give him descendants was fulfilled in Isaac, Abraham then showed his total dependency on God by being ready to sacrifice his son. Abraham accepted that God's plan is to be worked out in God's way.

The example of Abraham proved to be an inspiration to the first Christians, particularly those who were under pressure to conform to Jewish customs and Law. It required great courage to live by faith. The first martyr, Stephen, a Greek-speaking Jew, was killed by members of the Jewish Council, or Sanhedrin, because he challenged their attitude to God. Before he was killed he began his last speech by referring to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, the Patriarchs (Acts 7:2-16).

As the first Christians looked back into the Jewish scriptures they saw that with Abraham God had taken the initiative to establish a new relationship between God and man. The beginning of salvation history was in Abraham's story.