THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC
'Now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only begotten' (Genesis 22:12)
(From the Bible the work reference tracks produced by Mosaic School of Friuli and, in short, the comment / explanation of Paolo Orlando author of the artworks. Ph.: Ulderica Da Pozzo)
Genesis 22.9-18
Come to the place which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood, bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!". He replied: "Here I am!". The angel said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him! Now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son."
And Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham called the place "The Lord provides," as it is said: "On the mountain the Lord provides." Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven the second time and said:
"I swear by myself, saith the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which it is upon the sea shore; thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. they will be blessed by your descendants all the nations of the earth, because you have obeyed my voice. "
Abraham generates Isaac as it is called to be its parent, to become so forefather of the Jews and the father of all believers. Abraham trusts in God, from whom knows how to accept and which can offer the gift of a child.
A son waited as the fulfillment of a promise, born by a miracle, given and sacrificed; as the Son of God, Jesus, the same attitude of submission, with the wood of the sacrifice on the shoulders.
At the center, almost recalling the height of the Tree of Life in the creation scene, there's the high ground with the ram caught in the brambles. The hand of God holds back Abraham and indicates the ram.
The place of sacrifice is prepared in a manner similar to an altar; and when Isaac carries on his shoulders the wood, Abraham holds his robe with one hand to his chest and the other a knife.