The Ancient Witnesses

132 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

know enough to ask questions. I moved to the door and, over the heads of the packed-in hearers, I asked, “Will Abraham reign over the Promised Land when Christ returns?” “Yes, my son” replied Irenaeus to me, “and you too will reign over those enemies who have oppressed you in this life, for Christ returns to restore the creation under the dominion of the righteous, then the prophecy will be fulfilled—the creature will experience the glorious liberty of the sons of God!” 29 To the group, Irenaeus then added, “God’s promise to Abraham should give you hope and the strength to endure hardship, as it kept him strong throughout his long life, during which he patiently awaited his inheritance in spite of the fact that he did not actually receive any land, not even a footstep, but was always a stranger and a pilgrim therein.” 30 After the lesson, Irenaeus’s hearers unpacked themselves from the Sheepfold and went on their way. I took time to summarize what I had learned in my journal before returning to the Crux. Justin Martyr had taught that by listening to the call of Christ and leaving the world behind, we show ourselves to be God’s chosen people. As an apologist, he found common ground for dialogue with the Jewish man and could be persuasive. Next, Ambrose had highlighted the customs of Abraham’s ancestors, especially astrology. This was surprising to me, since I had assumed that only modern biblical scholars interpreted Scripture in the light of its historical context. Ambrose, however, was primarily a preacher, relating the details of Abraham’s story to the

29 Based on Irenaeus, Against Heresies , V.XXXII (ANF 1, 561).

30 See previous note.