Monday 05 June 2023

Psalm 86:1-10

Background

There is a very famous 600-year-old work of art by the Russian painter Andrei Rublev, called ‘The Trinity’ or ‘The Hospitality of Abraham’ showing three mysterious visitors sitting around Abraham’s table. Abraham and Sarah are not visible. The three figures form a circle and our eyes are drawn to the centre of the circle, where there is a cup, containing a calf’s head, which is being blessed by them. The figures are depicted as angels, but also the artist wants us to see them as the Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is a mysterious ambiguity in the painting, just as there is in the biblical passage.

In the first verse we are told that God appeared to Abraham. But then it goes on to describe three men. Abraham is moved instantly to provide hospitality for them, as if they are royal visitors or special friends. There are times when all three speak, and times when just one is clearly the lead voice. Was this a three-fold appearance of God in human form, or were these three angels who acted as the mouthpiece of God?  Perhaps we are not meant to know, and the uncertainty adds to the wonder of the story.

It Is a key event In the story of Abraham and Sarah, where Sarah’s upcoming pregnancy is announced and her outburst of laughter is either understandable ridicule (for someone getting on in years), or perhaps nervous excitement.

Later in the Bible, this story is alluded to in the Letter to the Hebrews, where we are reminded: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it" (Hebrews 13:2). Was Abraham entertaining angels, or entertaining Almighty God? Since angels are messengers from God, does it matter? As Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me" (Matthew 10:40). Even more challengingly, Jesus goes on to say that when we show kindness or hospitality to other humans in need, we are doing so for him (Matthew 25:31-46).

The question of whether God is physically present in this story becomes irrelevant when we consider the high place God puts on hospitality. Leviticus 19:33-34 commands that strangers and aliens are treated with the same love and respect as fellow Israelites and family members. So Abraham was right to kill the fatted calf as the best food available for his guests. (Although maybe he could have considered Sarah’s needs before demanding she drop everything and bake some bread. The loving thoughtfulness with which a wise man talks to his wife is clearly lost in translation here!) The point is, while they may have had an inkling that their visitors were special, from the very start they made every effort to provide the best hospitality they could, and God was quite at home with them.

To Ponder:

• Can you see any connection here between the generous hospitality of Abraham for the strangers and the gracious welcome given to the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-31? Is it easier to be kind to strangers or those whom we need to forgive?
• In the busyness of our lives, do we make enough time for hospitality? Or do we see visitors as a burden? What does our hospitality say about us?