What is the Testament of Abraham?

Answer

The Testament of Abraham is a book in the pseudepigrapha genre; it is a non-biblical text attributed to a biblical figure. Similar to other works in this category, the Testament of Abraham presents contradictions to Scripture and history, and it was not considered inspired by the early church. Scholars have identified two distinct versions of the text. A prevalent theory suggests that the revisions aimed to give the story a more serious tone, as the original version had a satirical and somewhat comedic approach.

According to the Testament of Abraham, God sends the archangel Michael to inform Abraham of his impending death. Feeling guilty, Michael passes on the message to Isaac through a dream. Isaac then informs his father about the news. An upset Abraham requests to see the world before his death. As Michael guides Abraham through the world in a heavenly chariot, Abraham repeatedly calls for severe judgment upon those he deems sinners. In contrast, Michael is more remorseful than vengeful, and this sentiment eventually influences Abraham as well.

Upon returning home, Abraham discovers that Sarah has died from grief, believing he was deceased. In one version of the Testament of Abraham, Abraham’s soul is taken by God in a dream-like sequence. In the other version, a personification of death deceives Abraham into kissing its hand to facilitate his passing.

The central theme of the Testament of Abraham revolves around mercy. Specifically, the text suggests that God’s mercy surpasses that of humans by far. Simultaneously, it indicates that judgment is unavoidable for all individuals. The Testament of Abraham also strongly advocates for a works-based approach to religion: a person’s eternal destiny is linked to the balance of their good and bad deeds.

In line with the potentially humorous intentions of the original author, Abraham does not provide a “last testament” in the Testament of Abraham—he deliversNo grandiose speech or final instructions. This portrayal of Abraham is not “evil” so much as “conniving,” and a significant part of the storyline involves his efforts to stall God and Michael to postpone his own death. Michael is depicted as an indecisive, almost weak-willed being who is consistently perplexed by Abraham.

More than many other pseudepigraphic texts, the Testament of Abraham appears to have been originally created for entertainment purposes, rather than solely for teaching or spiritual enhancement. Depending on the specific version one examines, the Testament of Abraham appears to highlight humor as prominently as moral lessons. It was not regarded as Scripture by any early Christian or Jewish factions. Nevertheless, it is apparently alluded to as such by Muhammad in the Qur’an (87:17-18), as the Testament of Abraham was in circulation during his lifetime.