Sacrifice of Isaac
The story of God's commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son.
Two things seem particularly noteworthy here. First that the author styles Isaac as Abraham's "only begotten son", clearly drawing a parallel with Christ, and second, that Abraham went about to perform the sacrifice because he had faith in God that he was yet powerful unto the fulfilling of his promises, because he was capable of raising Isaac from the dead.
- Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q225, Frag. 2
Some mention of the role of Satan. (Prince of Malevolence)
- Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q252, Frag. 1, Col. 3, lines 6-9
- William Whiston, "The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged", Disertation 2
Dissertation on Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. Covers symbolic meaning of the sacrifice, the effect of the sacrifice, and the practice of human sacrifice in general.
The oft cited similarity between this sacrifice and the sacrifice of Christ is brought up, but with a few noteworthy points which may be above and beyond what others may have considered.
First, that scripture notes that it was a three day journey to Mount Moriah and that, it might likewise be considered a three day journey back and that as Abrahams faith seemed to be laid on the idea that his son would be resurrected, he told those with him that he and his son would return. Hence, his son would go, be sacrificed, and three days from that time, he would return home, and presumably, he did return home, three days after the time at which he would have been sacrificed.
Second, that Isaac. like the Savior, carried the wood upon which he was to be sacrificed.