The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
A Living Picture of the Trinity
“I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” Mt 22:32
When Jesus quoted this phrase in Matthew 22:32, He wasn’t just defending the resurrection. He was revealing something far deeper — the living, covenant-keeping nature of God, and even hinting at the Trinity embedded in the very names of Israel’s patriarchs.
What if these names — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — carry more than historical weight? What if they symbolically reflect the Persons of the Trinity and their unique roles in God’s redemptive plan?
The Father Who Calls — Abraham
“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Co 1:9
Abraham was called by God to leave his homeland and enter into covenant. Abraham as father of faith echoes God the Father. Abraham is the father of the nation Israel, just as the Father is the father of creation (1 Co 8:6).
In Genesis 22, he is willing to offer his son, which is a powerful foreshadowing of the Father giving His only Son (Jn 3:16). Abraham’s deep faith and trust mirror the Father’s sovereign will.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all…” – Romans 8:32
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” – John 8:56
The Son Who Saves — Isaac
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” Heb 10:12
Isaac, the only begotten son of Abraham (Heb 11:17 KJV), was laid on the altar, carrying the wood for his own offering (Gen 22), just like Jesus is the Only Begotten Son, who carried His cross. Isaac submits silently — no resistance — pointing to Christ’s willing obedience (Isa 53:7). Isaac equals Jesus in type: innocent, obedient, and willingly offered. Hebrews 10:12 shows that Jesus’ work is complete — He is the fulfillment of Isaac’s altar. Like Isaac, He trusts the Father even unto death (Php 2:8).
Hebrews 11:17–19 directly links Isaac’s near-sacrifice to resurrection typology, suggesting Abraham believed God could raise him from the dead — a direct connection to Jesus’ resurrection.
The Spirit Who Transforms — Jacob
“We all… are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Co 3:18
Jacob, the deceiver, wrestled with God and was changed into Israel, the one who prevails with God. This dramatic transformation pictures the work of the Holy Spirit, who takes flawed, sinful people and gives them new names, new natures, and new purposes. Jacob demonstrates the Spirit’s transforming power. His journey reflects sanctification — from striving to surrender, from old man to new. Like the Spirit, he becomes a father of a spiritual people — the tribes of Israel, just as the Spirit forms the body of Christ (1 Co 12:4-11)..
A Trinitarian Thread in the Patriarchs
Jesus was not just using the names in Matthew 22:32 to affirm life after death. He was anchoring our faith in a living God — the eternal Father, Son, and Spirit, always at work in redemptive history.
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is more than a title. It is a living picture of the Trinity:
the Father who calls us out, the Son who saves us by His blood, the Spirit who transforms us into children of God.
This same God is not the God of the dead, but of the living — still calling, saving, and changing lives today.