Not long ago, I heard a pastor's sermon on Isaac. Well, the actual topic of the sermon "series" was on "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" - a topic I didn't seem to find much relevant to the content he preached.
While trying to unbias between the pros and cons of Isaac, it is obvious he looks down on Isaac's character, as he said it himself also. Despite his effort to bring out his pros - (which is only the fact that Isaac had only 1 wife throughout his life). That's another argument one can debate against him on: about how "sinless" having one wife compared to having more than one in those days. I will not trouble my mind for that now.
Now, on Isaac. This pastor claimed two of his faults, which are related to cowardice:
1. Couldn't find a wife on his own.
2. Didn't fight for the wells he dug.
My response:
1. I would like to see how this pastor survives in India or any other cultures which spouses are united under arranged marriage - and watch how he would dispise arranged marriage, contrasting with the higher divorce rate of the Western culture.
2. This pastor needs to listen to Pastor Stephen Tong's lecture on serving: Fight not over material matters; but never compromise doctrinal matters.
Later he commented on Jacob's fault: on cheating or stealing property from Laban (Genesis 30).
On the subjects on Isaac's marriage and Jacob's affair with Laban, I have both officially touched on earlier in a Bible study fellowship and Q&A session respectively. Obviously, they were incredibly contrary to what this pastor preached.
So when I heard his speeches, I immediately concluded he was either drawing his own biblical conclusion or from some crackpot commentaries. Because I was sure about what I talked about, as I carefully researched after Calvin's commentaries, Dr. Tong's lectures as well as comparing different authors' commentaries. None of my talk was based on my own immature conclusion.
For Calvin, and many other more disciplined scholars of the Word, Isaac was a good son, for he was willing to let his father, whom he clearly honored as father as well as respect as God's servant, to decide on his future. And in Jacob's case, I would agree with most commentators other than this pastor because Genesis 31 clearly stated against his interpretation. He either didn't read Genesis 31 carefully or didn't want to accept the truth of it.
Actually I didn't have much first impression on this pastor when he confessed that his obsession was movies. When one confesses his sins, I am experienced enough now to see how genuine they are by judging how they confess it. In this case - it was more of an entertainment than a confession.