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Authorship, date, and setting
The patriarch Abraham leads this account of his death, but its writer is unnamed. E. P. Sanders regards it as probably Jewish and Egyptian in origin and places it in the late first century CE. The Ante-Nicene Fathers introduction reports M. R. James's earlier proposal of a second-century composition with a much later final form. Neither assessment identifies an individual author. The title Testament suggests a farewell, although the narrative chiefly follows Abraham's reluctance to surrender his soul.
Structure of the twenty chapters
The long Greek recension followed here runs from 1 to 20. Michael arrives as a traveler in 1–3; signs within the household and disclosure of his mission occupy 4–9. Abraham's journey through the world and the place of judgment fills 10–14. Back home, he confronts Death in 15–20. A shorter Greek recension also exists, with differences in order and content; this edition's twenty chapters should not be used as its numbering.
Themes and key passages
Hospitality in 1–2 accounts for Michael's welcome before Abraham recognizes him. In 7–9 Abraham understands the announcement of death but negotiates for a view of creation. His harsh reaction to sinners in 10 contrasts with the mercy he learns to request in 14. The two paths and the scales of judgment in 11–13 depict human destinies without making Abraham the judge. In 16–20 Death changes appearance and displays its power, while Abraham still looks for a way to delay departure.
Summary by parts
1–9: God sends Michael to tell Abraham that his life is ending. The visitor receives water and hospitality; a tree speaks, Isaac dreams, and Sarah recognizes the messenger. Abraham understands the message but asks to see the world before dying.
10–14: Michael takes him in a chariot. Abraham sees human wrongdoing and calls for immediate punishment; God restrains him. At heaven's gate he observes paths, souls, and a judgment with records and scales. He eventually pleads for an uncertain soul and for those he had condemned.
15–20: Abraham returns home. Death first appears attractive, then reveals frightening forms. Even after these displays he resists, until Death takes his soul. Michael receives it, and the body is buried by the oak of Mamre.
Reception and manuscripts
The textual tradition has long and short Greek recensions and versions in other languages. The Ante-Nicene Fathers introduction notes that the Greek manuscripts used for its edition are medieval and that neither recension reproduces a recoverable original exactly. The journey and judgment circulated as a story of the patriarch's death; early apocryphal lists mentioning an Abraham writing do not establish that their text was identical to the present one. The Testament of Abraham is distinct from the Apocalypse of Abraham, another work in this collection.
Sources
- W. A. Craigie, The Testament of Abraham (1896).
- Ante-Nicene Fathers, Introduction to the Testament of Abraham (1896).
- Early Jewish Writings, Testament of Abraham (s.d.).