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Thank you, Andrew, for taking the time and deep thought and effort into putting this discourse together. I too found it deeply thought provoking and appreciate how thoroughly you studied Hagar in the light of LDS doctrine. I believe Hagar is honored by the work you have done to study her character in a deeper level and understand the complexity of her life and all that she experienced. Even though there is still a lot to the story that we do not know, I find it uplifting to more deeply think about how God sent an angel to her when she ran away and then later opened her eyes to see the well of water. There is much that can be learned from her story and I thank you for compiling and sharing your thoughts as well.
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It doesn’t appear that comments are monitored but I wanted to add my thanks for this lively contribution to a dry area of scholarship. I like the idea that Hagar and Sarah function as equals with different roles, the one representing flesh and the other spirit, Mary and Heavenly Mother. I have often thought that these physical metaphors woven into the plan through the lives of key participants hide a great deal of insight into the mind of God. I have read this dualism (Hagar/Sarah) in other relationships as well, including Noah and Enoch, the one taken up and the other left upon this wilderness world. I’m glad to have a feminine twist to add to my current understanding.
Andrew, I thoroughly enjoyed your paper and want to express my appreciation to you for your research. I’ve had a hard time reconciling how Abraham and Sarah could remain righteous while having had cast Hagar away, as the Scriptures are replete with how expressly abominable it is to cast off a wife. I found your comparisons between Egypt/Israel and Eve/Hagar to provide very thought provoking context, as well as the Spirit/Flesh and Freewoman/Bondwoman.
I’ve considered Sarah, in her sending of Hagar away, to be liken to Emma, or the woman who “rejects” or “turns against” the law as described in Section 132, and how, in doing so, maintained her honor and high regard. I’m still not 100% comfortable with my understanding of this, but I think I understand your position, in that it was Hagar who sinned by trying to exalt herself above her Master (another form of symbology…? The servant is not above his Master…). Had Hagar not sinned in this way, Sarah would not have been able to righteously send her away. Yes? And why was it up to Sarah anyways, in light of Abraham being the Patriarch? Admittedly sensitive and annoyed by overbearing women/wives, this has never sat well with me. It reminds me of the Scripture that talks about how women and children will [unrighteously] rule over their men in the last days. (And by the way, I am a woman…)
Brigham Young taught that Adam, and every man standing in the place of Adam, create a new Earth with each wife. So this idea that Hagar was expelled to “another world”, so to speak, could also symbolize this idea, especially in light of the passage from the History of the Jews that says Hagar and Abraham were remarried (though, in my opinion, they never weren’t married) after Sarah died.
I also never understood how Abraham would be with Hagar in the Millennium, as some of the references you mentioned point out, when she wasn’t part of the Covenant ~ in that case, how could they have an eternal marriage? Everyone wants to make a big deal that she wasn’t part of the Covenant, and yet believe that she and Abraham would have an eternal marriage. Either she was righteous and worthy and part of the Covenant, and therefore how could she possibly be inferior to any sister-wife, or she wasn’t worthy and not part of the Covenant at all! The only explanation I could possibly think of to entertain is that, like Paul speaks about, the unbelieving spouse can somehow be saved by the believing spouse.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you, again, for sharing this paper.
I don’t believe that I have ever submitted a secondary or follow-up comment to an article such as this one before. But having re-read this paper, I am all the more impressed with the methodology of laying-out the case for Hagar as an inspirational if not quintessential participant (enactor/reenactor) of a sublime Gospel episode and narrative. I don’t know all of the details of the research behind Andrew C. Smith’s paper, but I do know that he has laid out a logical, cohesive and thought-provoking thesis for the need, nay, –the necessity of viewing Hagar’s story in a different light than what most of us (myself especially) heretofore have done.
This is a wonderful article that I recommend most heartily to everyone.
Extremely interesting article probing into the historicity of the actions by and for Hagar.
This article should be read by all members of the Church for a broader understanding of potential multi-faceted views of Celestial Marriage, the Abrahamic Covenant and the mission of Jesus Christ.