“For [Sarai’s] sake, [Pharaoh] dealt well with Abram.”
Abram uses the curious ruse of claiming that Sarai is his sister in order to avoid death at the hands of Pharaoh. This ruse could only work because they were childless. The Apostle writes that “women will be saved through bearing children” [1 Tim 2: 15]. Yet Abram and Sarai are clearly saved here because Sarai had not borne children, in terms of the flesh. We must therefore allow for a spiritual meaning in the Apostle’s words. In fact, he gives us the key in the following phrase: “…if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.”* These are true “fruits of the Spirit” [Gal 5: 22], and they ought to console those who fear that Sarai may have been unchaste when in Pharaoh’s household. But clearly the bearing of children in this sense means an increase of faith and love, which Sarai demonstrated in her holiness and modesty toward Pharaoh. When Pharaoh sent Abram and Sarai away, he gave them “sheep, oxen, he-asses, menservants, maidservants, she-asses, and camels” [Gen 12: 16]. This accords with the Lord’s own teaching, which He gave to those disciples who were anxious over what to eat and what to drink. “Seek first the kingdom of God”—that is, bear the spiritual fruits of chastity, faith and love—“and all these things will be given you as well.”
*The RSV gives, “If she continues…” Obviously the translators were trying to make sense of the flow of thought on the level of the literal sense. This is our modern method, but I am increasingly suspect of this need to smooth out the text handed on to us. In this sudden turn to the third person plural rather than the expected feminine second person singular, the Fathers would see an invitation to a spiritual reading, which is what we have attempted to provide.