Genesis 13:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Upon erecting his tent, he immediately offered thanks to God for the promise he had received. At every site where he dwelt, his first act was to establish an altar, offer prayers, and fulfill the apostolic command that instructs in every place men to pray, lifting holy hands.

What we witness is a soul filled with love for God, expressing gratitude for all things. He did not wait for the promise to manifest; rather, he thanked God for the promise and acted in faith, prepared for its fulfillment. Let us follow his example and not allow the passage of time to diminish our zeal, nor let any hindrances disturb our resolve. On the contrary, with trust in God's power, we should exhibit such authentic faith as if we already see the fulfillment of His promises. The Lord has also assured us of extraordinary gifts: the inheritance of His kingdom, participation in indescribable blessings, companionship with angels, and deliverance from hell. Let us not doubt these promises simply because we do not perceive them with our physical eyes; instead, considering the faithfulness of the One who promises and His mighty power, we should envision these blessings through faith and recognize our hopeful future based on what has already been bestowed upon us. For this reason, He has granted us many blessings in this life, guiding us to firmly hope for greater rewards to come.

He who, in His profound love for us, gave His Son to die for us, surely will grant us all other blessings, as Paul affirmed: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him give us all things?” If God sacrificed His Son for our sake, honored us with the gift of baptism, provided forgiveness for our sins, opened the pathway to repentance, and performed countless acts for our salvation, it stands to reason that He will also bestow upon us the blessings prepared for us in the age to come. He prepared these gifts even before our existence; will He not also allow us to partake in them? To reassure us of this, listen to His words to those on His right hand during the Last Judgment: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” This demonstrates His tremendous goodness—showing such love for humanity by preparing us for the enjoyment of His kingdom even before creation.

Let us not, therefore, become unworthy of these abundant gifts. Instead, let us love our Lord as we should, refraining from any actions that might sever His favor towards us. Having cautioned us, He has manifested His great and incomprehensible love. Is it not strange, then, that we do not love Him with all our hearts, considering how much He has loved us? The Lord Jesus Christ, out of love for us, willingly underwent immense suffering: coming humbly from the very line of the patriarchs, He chose to take the form of a servant, enduring all human trials, suffering abuse and dishonor from the Jews, and ultimately accepting a painful death on the cross, all to save us from our burdensome sins.

Reflecting on this, the blessed Paul, who ardently loved Christ and traveled the world with zeal, proclaimed: “The love of Christ compels us.” Consider the depth of appreciation, the magnitude of virtue, and the fervor of love in this statement. Paul recognized that “if one died for all, then all died. And He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” He rightly states that “the love of Christ compels us.” If Christ died for us all, it was so that we, who have received life, might no longer live for ourselves but for Him who sacrificed Himself and rose again.

Let us heed the apostolic encouragement to not live for ourselves but for the One who died for us and rose again. You may wonder how this is possible. Listen to Paul, who further declares: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Observe how, though he walked on earth while clothed in flesh, he lived with a spirit as if dwelling in heaven, interacting with spiritual realms. Additionally, he stated: “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with passions and desires.” This signifies that life is not about ourselves but about Christ who died and rose for us, living as though dead to worldly matters and unattached to the visible.

The reason our Lord chose crucifixion was so that we could exchange this earthly existence for a heavenly one. Through our current lives, if we remain vigilant and attentive, we can attain eternal life. If we desire to encourage ourselves and open our minds to blissful thoughts of eternal rest, we can remain detached from the visible and focus on the future and everlasting life, as Paul instructs: “What I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Here is a soul ignited with passion, a mind uplifted, and a heart filled with love for God. Paul asserts, “I live in the flesh, I live by faith.” He clarifies that although he is in the flesh and subject to bodily needs, he lives with his faith anchored in Christ, dismissing all present concerns and directing his soul toward Him.

To illustrate the greatness of this love, he proclaims: “By faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me,” showing profound gratitude. Consider his words—though he acknowledges the Son’s loving sacrifice for all, he speaks as if he alone was loved by Christ. While He died for the entire human race, Paul’s heartfelt appreciation is so deep that it feels personal. Similarly, the prophets expressed this personal connection, calling God “My God,” even though He is the God of all. This unique love allows them to take ownership of the universal blessings. “The Son of God, who loved me,” Paul states. Did He love only Paul? No, He loved everyone, but Paul felt immense gratitude as if he were the only one cherished.

Moreover, Paul emphasizes that Christ’s sacrifice was not just for him; Christ declared, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself.” He also confirmed that He gave Himself for all. Paul’s statements are not contradictory, but rather reflect his profound love. He also imparts a vital lesson: while he stated the Father “delivered Him up for us all,” he now refers to the Son who “gave Himself up for me.” This distinction highlights the unity and equality of the Father and Son in our salvation’s construction, as further evidenced by the Son’s obedience even unto death.

Can we truly reciprocate such a profound love as this? Even if we were to lay down our lives for His commandments, we would still fall short of the immeasurable love He has displayed toward us. God, who is divine, endured suffering for humanity, actively displaying His love even to those who were ingrates and hostile. Furthermore, He intentionally chose to offer grace to those unworthy and laden with sin. No matter how much we strive to express gratitude for the countless gifts He has bestowed, our efforts, if stemming from His grace, are merely a response, while all He provides is pure generosity and mercy.

As we contemplate these truths, let us emulate the love that Paul invested in Christ, focusing our hearts on Him above all else. By doing so, we will find ourselves detached from the distractions of this world. We will view earthly life as temporal, living in anticipation of the heavenly, unhindered by immediate pleasures or trials, and drawing nearer to our beloved Lord. Rather than lament the times it takes to reach these heavenly blessings, we will join Paul in declaring: “But now we live in the flesh; we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us.” Through this understanding, we can navigate our current lives with peace, ultimately receiving the joy of future blessings, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory, power, and honor, now and forevermore. Amen.

The current title ‘El-Khalil’ was bestowed by a friend to honor Abram, who is recognized by Arabs as the friend of God as mentioned in Scripture (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23). Today, Hebron remains one of the most beautiful locations in Palestine, rich in olive groves and vineyards. The significance of Hebron in the narrative of the Promised Land is profound, as it is the site where Abram will acquire a burial cave, marking his first ownership in the land. This cave serves as a testament to his descendants’ inheritance of the entire territory and holds particular sanctity due to the remains of Abram, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Leah, and Rebekah, all buried there, motivating future generations to claim the land for themselves.