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2.Rabbi Isaac said: "When Abraham wished to sacrifice his son Isaac, he (Isaac) said to him, 'Father, I am a young man and am afraid that my body may tremble through fear of the knife and I will grieve thee, whereby the slaughter may be rendered unfit, and this will not count as a real sacrifice; Therefore, bind me very firmly'. Forthwith, "HE BOUND ISAAC"  Here the willingness of Jesus to sacrifice Himself is portayed by Isaac's own willingness, and the Midrash clearly understands that the slaying of the son as a sacrifice is for an indispensable, beneficial purpose. "No man takes My life from Me. but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment I have received from My Father."

2.Rabbi Isaac said: "When Abraham wished to sacrifice his son Isaac, he (Isaac) said to him, 'Father, I am a young man and am afraid that my body may tremble through fear of the knife and I will grieve thee, whereby the slaughter may be rendered unfit, and this will not count as a real sacrifice; Therefore, bind me very firmly'. Forthwith, "HE BOUND ISAAC"  Here the willingness of Jesus to sacrifice Himself is portayed by Isaac's own willingness, and the Midrash clearly understands that the slaying of the son as a sacrifice is for an indispensable, beneficial purpose. "No man takes My life from Me. but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment I have received from My Father."

3. "LAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD"  Where was the knife? Tears had fallen from the angels upon it and dissolved it. "Then I will strangle him", said he (\Abraham) to Him. "LAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD", was the reply. "Let us bring forth a drop of blood from him", Abraham pleaded. "NEITHER DO THOU ANYTING TO HIM."  Here, it is precisely the contrast  of the unwillingness of the heavenly Father, despite the willingness of the earthly father, to sacrifice Isaac, with the willingness of the Heavenly Father to offer His own Son Jesus, that causes us to wonder and look forward to some resolution both in literature and in life. "He was pleased to bruise Him".

3. "LAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD"  Where was the knife? Tears had fallen from the angels upon it and dissolved it. "Then I will strangle him", said he (Abraham) to Him. "LAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD", was the reply. "Let us bring forth a drop of blood from him", Abraham pleaded. "NEITHER DO THOU ANYTING TO HIM."  Here, it is precisely the contrast  of the unwillingness of the heavenly Father, despite the willingness of the earthly father, to sacrifice Isaac, with the willingness of the Heavenly Father to offer His own Son Jesus, that causes us to wonder and look forward to some resolution both in literature and in life. "He was pleased to bruise Him".

4. And here the solution is offered - in the biblical passage before us, in the eyes of the midrash, and looking forward to completion in Christ - to the eyes of the Christian. "AND ABRAHAM WENT AND TOOK THE RAM, AND OFFERED HIM UP FOR A BURNT-OFFERING IN THE STEAD OF HIS SON," The Midrash: He (Abraham) prayed to Him, "Sovereign of the Universe! Look upon the blood of this ram as though it were the blood of my son Isaac". When a man declares: This animal be instead of this one, in exchange for that, or a substitue for this, it is a valid exchange - so the Midrash.   

4. And here the solution is offered - in the biblical passage before us, in the eyes of the midrash, and looking forward to completion in Christ - to the eyes of the Christian. "AND ABRAHAM WENT AND TOOK THE RAM, AND OFFERED HIM UP FOR A BURNT-OFFERING IN THE STEAD OF HIS SON," The Midrash: He (Abraham) prayed to Him, "Sovereign of the Universe! Look upon the blood of this ram as though it were the blood of my son Isaac". When a man declares: This animal be instead of this one, in exchange for that, or a substitue for this, it is a valid exchange - so the Midrash.