Fear and Trembling Essay

957 Words2 Pages

In Soren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling an ongoing theme is faith and it is shown and portrayed through the actions of Abraham. The Bible passage of Genesis 22 is an example of the large amount of faith that was shown and portrayed because of the circumstances that were placed right in the face of Abraham. At the time when the sacrifice of his only son Isaac was demanded of him, there was no questioning, hesitation, or objection to what had to be done. In Genesis 22:11-12, it states 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ” Now in Soren Kierkegaard’s writing he speaks about the two different knights. These two different knights are an ethical person and the religious person. The names given to the men were the names Knight of Infinite Resignation and the Knight of Faith. Soren Kierkegaard goes on to tell the story of Abraham and the sacrifice of his only son, Isaac whom God had given him under doubtful circumstances. Just at the time when Abraham was given and got the son that he had been looking and hoping for the Kierkegaard’s concept of absurd enters the story. God had given Abraham the son that he had always wanted but now was asking for him to be sacrificed. Why would God command him to give back something that he was given in such a miracle? What would Abraham be getting in return? In the eyes of Abraham, he didn’t have the right to even ask these questions his faith lead him to do what he was asked. God asking this of Abraham this was his way of making sure that the faith Abraham had in... ... middle of paper ... ...that God was going to intervene in some way. Abraham very easily could have exploded and told everybody what was going on which would have made him look foolish but instead he kept collected and cool and proceeded to do what was best; He stayed to himself all the way up to Moriah. Abraham did in fact make the transition to the Knight of Faith. In conclusion, Soren Kierkegaard displayed an amazing message through a very simple story that captured everything that he was trying to portray. The story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice his only son to show his faith to God portrays amazing insight of how life should be lived through extreme faith in God. The compare and contrast between the Knight of Infinite Resignation and the Knight of Faith was extremely evident and well represented by showing the levels of ethics that are involved throughout the story.

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