Abraham as „peacemaker”

„The March of Abraham”, tablou de József Molnár (sec. XIX)

Articolul acesta a fost publicat în poloneză, sub traducerea fr Czeslaw Bassara, în jurnalul Laska i Pokoj (pol. „Har și pace”), nr. 4 / 2025, p. 8-10 (aici). Îl redau aici în limba engleză. Deocamdată nu am timp să-l traduc în românește.

Probably the best known biblical term in Hebrew is shalom. Mostly rendered as „peace”, shalom means more than the lack of war. It is living in harmony with other people and even with the domestic and wild beasts, comfort at one’s home and an anxiety-free state of mind. It does not necessarily imply wealth, although it entails content with one’s earnings and property. In other words, peace is perceived as something rather practical, not philosophical. When Lord Jesus spoke about peace, he presented it as superior to that of the world because it is produced by the relationship with the Holy Spirit (John 14:26-27). Moreover, he also spoke of the „peacemakers” as disciples who deserve the name „sons of God” (Mt. 5:9). That is to say that those who have a preoccupation towards peace resemble God, their father. Of course, such a passion is all the more virtuous given the warmongering world wherein we live. It is exactly as the author of Psalm 120 noticed while reflecting on his world that living among people ready for war at short notice similar to the nomadic tribes of the desert. His words are rather depressing: „I am committed to peace, but when I speak, they want to make war” (Ps 120:7).

In this article, we will look into Abraham’s life as related in Genesis 12–25 and organize the various incidents where the patriarch is cast as peacemaker on an ascending scale of difficulty, from no-involvement to the most intensive involvement when he engaged the enemies in war in order to free his nephew and his friends. The Patriarchs were called to live in a country that was not theirs, as emmigrants. As one could imagine living as emmigrant entails several things in terms of behavior and relationship with the natives: an exaggerated care for all public actions so that it will not offend locals, extreme politeness even to the point of suffering personal losses, not imposing on others our own cultural customs, obeying all the local rules even when the natives did not, availability to help and work at any hint of needed help and so forth. As a family we had our shares of living as foreigners in countries that were not ours and we abade by such rules that seemed to us entirely natural without anybody teaching them to us. We felt obliged not to produce any friction with the local population.

Undoubtedly the easiest thing to do is staying away from harm’s way. Many imagined that this strategy would communicate around a peace seeking behaviour. Though leaving at the margins is not always safe, especially when one does not have means to protect oneself and his own from harm. There are just too many wicked people around. As nomads, the patriarchs had a growing number of cattle and sheep that needed pasture and water. Both of them were very scarce south of Shechem and even scarcer as one would go south towards Beer Sheba. Moreover, Abraham befriended those people he interacted with, such as the Amorites on whose land found shelter: Aner, Eshkol and Mamre (Gen 14:13, 24). It is better to make allies than simply avoiding to make enemies. Despite all difficulties Abraham kept his household at the fringes of civilization. There is one exception though, when Abraham decided to emmigrate to Egypt under the stress of prolonged drought and the famine triggered by it, that almost ended up bad for him if God would have not intervened (Gen. 12:10-20).

Settle the conflict when it raises. Abraham expected to be let alone, but conflict come right at him. It is not long that the shortage of pasture and water brought the cattle grazers of Lot into open conflict with those of Abraham (Gen 13). Since they were relatives and keen , imagined Abraham, to remain faithful to the God giving project, the patriarch asked his nephew to separate one from the other. Unknown to him, Lot already decided on a different approach to the life in Canaan, that is mingleling with them and become a citizen of Canaan, resigning the emmigrant status altogether. Thus he accepted the offer and split, moving at the doorstep of Sodom. Abraham did not get involved in the conflict between his wife Sarai and her servant Hagar (Gen 16). Latter he will learn his leason, and under God’s encouragement, will settle the conflict by releasing Hagar and her son from bondage (Gen 21:8-19).

Mediate to God for the sinful. Due to the scarcity of resources, Lot decided to abandon his uncle Abraham and live in a greener part of the country, the plain of Jericho where Sodom used to lay. And there Lot made a life for him, married a woman with children, and raised on the social ladder. Naturally Abraham worried for him, and his relationship with God in the midst of a people renown for their sinfulness. When the angel delegation passed by, Abraham understood the given opportunity and interceded not only for his nephew Lot but also for all the people of Sodom (Gen 18). Although the intercession did not end in forgiving the whole metropolitan area of Sodom and Ghomorrah which was destroyed, Lot escaped with his daughters due to Abraham’s relationship with God (Gen. 19:27-29). Similarly did Job for his children (Iov 1:4-5).

Negotiate with the natives for every property. Abraham did not accept anything for granted just for the sake of popularity, though he had plenty, former services or plain kinship. In order to secure a necropolis at Hebron, he legally purchased the property of Efron from Hebron, a cave with the field around it and its trees  (Gen 23). Although the custom was that the wife should be paid for, strengthening the ties within the clan could have been considered more important than keeping such a custom to the expense of the groom’s family, but Abraham does not desire to play this card. He is sending his most trusted slave with ten camels loaded with treasurea in order to acquire a wife for his son Isaac (Gen 24). Some of that was paid in gifts to the girls and her family, and even more is offered as payment for Rebeca.

Enter in covenant of non-agression with the natives. Much of their lives the patriarchs struggled to stay out of conflicts with the natives in Canaan and embraced any opportunity they got to keep and strengthen peace by covenant. When Malki-Zedeq came out to the victorious Abraham, the patriarch accepted his invitation expressed by bread and wine and offered him a tenth from all the spoils he earned in war. Actually his meeting with Malki-Zedeq interrupted the audience he was already in with king Bera of Sodom who was begging to Abraham for support to be fully reinstated by granting his slaves back (Gen. 14:17-24). Fortunately for him, Abraham had already decided that he will not keep anything for himself but return all spoils to their previous owners. (Gen. 26:29)

Probably the most difficult and costly thing to do was to get involved in protecting the neighbours. It is one thing to live in harmony with one’s neighbours and it is something totally different to jump in protecting their lives, especially if that put one’s life in danger. The instinct of auto-protection kicks in many times, so that people prefer to keep themselves out of danger only to realize latter that they were plain selfish. Actually this is the story that keeps on repeting when majorities do not intervene at a persecution directed to a minority. Abraham armed his men of war, convinced his Amorite friends to join in his campaign, followed the trail of the invaders in forced march and with one strike during the night defeated them and took them all their prey in people, cattle and goods (Gen 14). In this case, peace was at the other end of a war.

Abraham’s suggestions concerning a life of peace, seaking peace and making peace when conflict arises are checked by our Lord’s behaviour and practice. First, he did not seek the company of the wicked people. They looked for him to prove him wrong, to destroy his popularity and eventually to arrest and kill him. Jesus spent time with his disciples and occassionally spent time with other people who invited him to their home. Jesus also settled conflict while they arose and calm down his disciples whey they ask for revenge agains the unfriendly Samaritans or against Peter who defended Jesus by sword. Especially during the first part of his ministry, he also put off Pharisees and Saducees by means of clever questions or parables. As for mediating on behalf of sinners, Jesus is well known for his intense prayer life. He warned his disciples of the harsh times ahead of them and assured them of his prayer for protection against the evil. Many people offered gifts to Jesus but since he never had properties, he accepted no gifts as his own. Although Jesus did not enter in any formal covenant with other people, except the one with his disciples that we celebrate to this very day, he maintained a peaceful approach to all political authorities that interviewed him even with regard to his death sentence. Eventually he jumps in to protect his disciples against those who planned his arrest.

As good disciples of Jesus and sons and daughters in faith of Abraham, we follow the great example of our master and predecessors. No matter how many citizenships we enjoy in this world, our true homeland is in heaven. That should take the edge off the passion with which we protection our safe zone and see us towards more meaningful relationships. Some people need befriended and hold close, others should be kept out of our trust circle, not too far away though not to be cared for. I sense that the most difficult might prove to us as to Abraham, to decide supporting the defenseless with our own life. For that one should be entirely disconected from the worldly kingdom and strongly conected with God’s kingdom. In the words of our master: „No one has greater love than this: that one lays down his life for friends” (John 15:13).