ISAAC
175
ISAAC
It is their form of church government and liturgy 7-11). Many years elapsed before Isaac's longing
which are peculiar to them. During Irving'a lifetime entreaty to God for children was actually heard.
SLX apostles were "separated" for the work of the Of the twins to whom she then gave birth, Esau was
ministry. After his death six others were added, beloved by Isaac, while Jacob was Rebecca's fav-
These twelve apostles were to ordain twelve "proph- ourite (xxv, 21-28). Drought and famine made it
ets", twelve "evangelists", and twelve "pastors".
Seven "deacons" were to be chosen for the manage-
ment of the temporal affairs of the body. This
numberof central officials has not in fact been adhered
to. Each congregation has at its head an "angel",
or bishop, who ranks as a "pastor", and who has
under him twenty-four priests and seven deacons.
The ritual is exceedingly elaborate, resembling in
many ways the most splendid functions of the Catholic
necessary for Isaac to take the road down to Egypt,
but, at Yahweh's bidding, he stopped on his way
thither and sojourned in Gerara, where an incident
similar to that of Abraham's disavowal of Sara is
recorded of him (xxvi, 1-11). We are told next
how, through envy of Isaac's prosperity as a husband-
man and a herdsman, the Philistines among whom
he dwelt began petty persecutions, which the Hebrew
patriarch bore patiently, but on account of which
Church. At Matins and Vespers they have " Propo- he finally withdrew to Bersabee. There he was
sition " (Exposition) of the Sacrament. On Svmdays favoured with a new vision from Yahweh, and entered
and holidays they have solemn celebration of the a solemn covenant with Abimelech, King of Gerara
Eucharist with light
cen.se, and vestments. They
use oil and water in their
ritual observances. Their
two principal churches are
at Albury (Surrey, Eng-
land), and at Gordon Square,
London (England). It
should be stated that tin-
so-called Irvingites owe
much more to Henry Drum-
mond (1786-1S60) than to
Irving. At his seat, .\lliury
Park, the earliest meetings
of the sect were held, and
his wealth was at its dis-
posal. He was one of its
office-bearers, and wrote nu-
merous works in its defence.
The last of the "apostles"
died in 1901, and none has
since been appointed. No
official statistics are pub-
lished, but there are known
to be congregations not only
in England, but also in
America, Germany, France,
and Switzerland. In 1900
there were SO churches al-
together.
Baxter, Irvingism, in its R
The Sacrifice of .Xbrah.im — Ghiberti
Bas-relief in bronze, National Museum, Florence
(xxvi, 12-33). During the
last years of Isaac's career,
there occurred the well-
known incident of his con-
ferring upon Jacob the Di-
vine blessing, which he had
always intended for Esau
(xxvii), followed by Isaac's
concern to protect Jacob
from his brother's resent-
ment and to secure for him
a wife from his mother's
kindred in Mesopotamia
ixxviii, 1-5). .After Jacob's
return, Isaac died at the
age of one hundred and
eighty, and was buried by
his sons in the cave of
.Machpelah (xxxv, 27-29;
xUx, 31). As delineated in
Genesis, the figure of Isaac
is much less striking than
that of Abraham, his father.
Yet, by his manner of life,
always quiet, gentle, guile-
less, faithful to God's guid-
ance, he ever was the worthy
heir and transmitter of the
glorious promises made to
Abraham. He was pre-emi-
- . Progress, and Present ittate nently a man of peace, the fitting type of the Prince
(London, 1S36); Oliphant. Life of Edward Irving (London, of Peace whose ?rpat, s-irrificp nn Mniint f'Tlvnrv wto
1S62) ; Blu.nt. Dictionary of Sects (London, 1874) ; Davenport. , ^ j ^^°^^S^'^^^ sacrince on luounl L al\ ar\ was
Edward Irving and the Catholic Apostolic Church: Hook, foreshadowed by Isaac s obedience unto death on
Church Dictionary (London. 1887); Benham. Dictionary of Re- Mount Moria. The New Testament contains few, but
' • ion (London, 1SS7) ; R. Story, Life of Story (London, 1862). significant references to Isaac (cf . Matt., viii, 1 1 ; Luke,
xiii, 2S; xx, 37; Rom., ix, 7; Gal., iv, 28; Heb., xi, 17
T. B. Sc.\NNELL.
Isaac (Heb. pnS'; in a few places pnt"; in Sept. and
in N. T. 'Icrad/c), the son of Abraham and Sara. The
incidents of his life are told in Gen., xv-xxxv, in a nar-
rative the principal parts of which are traced back by
many scholars to three several documents (J, E, P)
utilized in the composition of the Book of Genesis (see
Abr.\h.a.m). According to Gen., xvii, 17;xviii, 12;xxi,
6, his name means: " he laughs ". He was circumcised
eight days after his birth, weaned in due time, and pro-
claimed the sole legal ancestor of the chosen people
(x.xi, 1-12). His early years were spent in Bersabee,
whence he was taken by his father to Mount Moria
to be offered up in sacrifice, and whither he returned
after his Hfe had been miraculously spared (xxi, 33;
xxii, 19) . His mother died when he was thirty-six years
of age (cf. Gen., xvii, 17; xxiii, 1). A few years later,
he married Rebecca, Bathuel's daughter, whom one
of his father's servants had, according to Abraham's
directions, brought from Mesopotamia (xxiv). The
union took place in "the south country ", where Isaac
then lived, and continued to live after he had joined
with Ismael in committing the body of Abraham to
burial in the cave of Machpelah (xxiv, 62, 67; xxv.
sqq.; James, ii, 21).
'The legends and various details concerning Isaac which are found in the Talmud and in rabbinical writings are of no historical value.
(Catholic authors are marked -nith an asterisk.) Commen- taries on Genesis: Delitzsch. (tr. New York, 18S9): Crelier* (Paris. 1889): Von Hdmmelauer* (Paris. 1895); Dillman, (tr. Edinburgh, 1897); Hoberg* (Freiburg im B., 1899); GuNKEL (Gottingen, 1901): Driver (London, 1904).
Biblical Histories: Danko* (Vienna. 1862); Hanebero* (4th ed., Ratisbon, 1876); Schopfer* (Brixen, 1895); Kittel (tr. London, 1898); Sayce (London, 1897); Pelt* (Paris, 1897); GiGOT* (New York. 1897); Ottlet (New Y'ork. 1901); Smith (New Y'ork. 1903); Wade (New Y'ork, 1904); Hetzen- AUER* (Freiburg, 1908).
Francis E. Gigot.
Isaac of Armenia (S,\hak), Catholicos or Patriarch
of Armenia (388-439), other-svise known as Is.\ac the
Great and sometimes as Parthev owing to his Par-
thian origin. He was son of St. Narses and descended
from the family of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Left
an orphan at a very early age, he received in Constan-
tinople an excellent literary education, particularly in
the Eastern languages. After his election as pat riarch
he devoted himself to the religious and scientific train-
