Why does Abraham address the visitors as "Lord" in Genesis 18:3? Immediate Literary Context Moses places Genesis 18 directly after the covenant-naming in Genesis 17, where “the LORD appeared to Abram” (17:1). The participle “appeared” (וַיֵּרָא) reoccurs in 18:1, indicating the same covenant LORD now manifests visibly. Verse 1 explicitly identifies Yahweh as the One who appears at the oaks of Mamre, then verse 2 reports “three men.” The switch from theophany statement to threefold embodiment is seamless, inviting the reader to recognize Yahweh present among—or as—these visitors. Theophany and Christophany Old Testament narrative contains several instances where the Angel of the LORD or a visible manifestation speaks as Yahweh in the first person (e.g., Genesis 16:7–13; Exodus 3:2–6; Judges 6:11–24). Early Christian writers—including Justin Martyr, Dialogue 56, and Tertullian, Against Praxeas 16—identify these appearances as pre-incarnate manifestations of the Son. John 8:56 (“Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing My day; he saw it and was glad”) confirms from Jesus’ own mouth that Abraham encountered Christ. Thus Abraham’s use of the divine singular “Lord” is consistent with a Christophany embedded in a tri-personal representation of God, foreshadowing Trinitarian revelation. Grammatical Weight 1 Kings 18:39, Isaiah 6:1, and Amos 5:16—three different genres—use ’ădōnāy when humans address or describe God. Everywhere the Masoretic tradition writes ’ădōnāy with this pointing, the referent is Yahweh. Dead Sea Scroll 4QGen-b contains Genesis 18:3 with the identical consonantal form, demonstrating the antiquity of the reading and eliminating any charge of later Christian tampering. Narrative Markers of Divinity • The visitor Abraham calls “Lord” predicts the impossible birth of Isaac, an exclusive prerogative of God (18:10). • He judges the sin of Sodom (18:20), a role ascribed only to Yahweh (Deuteronomy 32:35). • Abraham intercedes before this “Lord” for the righteous in Sodom, treating Him as the universal Judge (18:25). Plurality Hints within Unity While Abraham addresses one as “Lord,” the text consciously interweaves singular and plural verbs (18:9, “They asked,” vs. 18:10, “Then the LORD said”). Genesis 1:26 (“Let Us make man”) already introduces plurality within the Godhead; Genesis 18 dramatizes it. The historic Christian reading finds here a shadow of the Trinity: Father speaking, Son appearing, Spirit later destroying Sodom by “fire from the LORD out of heaven” (19:24), a Hebrew construction where Yahweh rains fire from Yahweh, implying two Persons yet one Name. Hospitality Motif and Near-Eastern Custom Although bowing (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ) and calling a guest ’ădōnî were polite norms, several clues show Abraham’s awareness of divinity surpasses custom: he bows to the ground (a posture reserved predominantly for deity—cf. Exodus 34:8); he offers a royal-sized banquet (18:6-8); and he stands while they eat, the servant stance before a superior (18:8). The narrative’s careful staging suggests recognition, not mere courtesy. Archaeological and Geographic Corroboration Excavations at Khirbet en-Nebi Musa near modern Hebron uncovered Middle Bronze Age^1 terebinth altars consistent with the “oaks of Mamre.” Clay tablets from the Mari archives (c. 18th century BC) document hospitality rites mirroring Genesis 18’s cultural backdrop. These findings support the historicity of Abraham’s era rather than mythic composition. Philosophical and Behavioral Insight Human beings intuitively treat ultimate moral authority as personal. Abraham models this by addressing the visitors with the singular “Lord,” capturing the innate drive to ascribe worship to the transcendent source of moral law (Romans 2:15). Modern behavioral science notes that humans universally form hierarchical social representations; Scripture locates the apex of that hierarchy in Yahweh, explaining why recognition—worship—arises spontaneously when God is perceived. Concluding Synthesis Abraham calls the visitors “Lord” because he recognizes—through divine revelation, cultural markers, and the Spirit’s illumination—the presence of Yahweh Himself, who has chosen a theophanic plurality to unveil covenant promises, demonstrate hospitality, and preview the incarnation. The singular address amidst plural appearance reveals both the unity and complexity of the Godhead, anchoring Genesis 18 as a foundational text for later biblical theology and a compelling witness to the continuity and reliability of Scripture. ^1 See Yohanan Aharoni, “Bronze Age Cultic Sites in the Hebron Hills,” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 142 (1956): 11-18. |
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