The narrative of Jacob and Esau carries forward Genesis’ presentation of what it means to be God’s elect. As with Abraham and Isaac, we should expect some sort of “death” and “resurrection,” much as we saw in the Aqedah. To see how that pattern emerges in the life of Jacob, who himself will undergo a kind of death and rebirth, attend to what it is that Jacob takes in the story and what it is he eventually receives. (A common theme, no?) The center, of course, is his relationship with Esau and through Esau, with God. To ready ourselves for lecture, please consider the scene of Jacob’s wrestling and answer two simple questions. Who wins, really? And who is his opponent?
Jacob is a very complex character, and one that we can relate to most in my opinion. Jacob is most like the everyday person in that he grapples with both good and evil, which is symbolized by the wrestling match. It is easy to see what Jacob takes in the story. As a youth, Jacob steals Esau’s blessing from Isaac, which is unable to be returned. This speaks to the struggles he has with the male members of his family. He struggles with his brother and his father because his father favors his brother over him. Therefore, rather than accept what God has given him, he attempts to take what God has given Esau. He then flees his home and his brother to try and find a wife all alone. This too is a complicated matter. By leaving, he betrays his family, but by finding a wife, he respects his family by continuing the lineage. Additionally, he struggles with his Uncle and his kids. Despite all of his flaws, however, God still appears to him five times in this passage, which speaks to his internal “eye” for God. He has faith and trusts in God, and struggles internally against his own flaws. This is demonstrated by the fact that he takes personal responsibility for those he cares about, as displayed by the fact that he attempts to hide his family from the supposed army of Esau and his dedication to the well-being of his new family.
This all culminates in the wrestling match he has with God or an angel, or a divine being with “the face of God. Jacob is approached by God who initiates the wrestling match. This match has many meanings. On the surface, the physical act of wrestling is more about gaining the respect of the competitor than about injuring an adversary, so the act of wrestling alone carries a certain aura of respect. He additionally asks God for a blessing, acknowledging his opponent’s higher position that is necessary to bestow a blessing and is also a sign of respect. As a result, the notion that Jacob fought with God is completely wrong. His struggle also represents his own internal struggles with righteousness and his struggles with his brothers. The new name he is given after the match symbolizes a rebirth initiated by God, which allows him to live a righteous life in the future.
Theology 
Brendan, you did a really nice job analyzing how Jacob’s actions up until this point culminate in the final scene of him wrestling with a divine being. I really liked the comparison of the act of wrestling to an act of respect and reverence rather than an act of disobedience or conflict. I am, however, interested in how you came to the conclusion that the notion of Jacob fighting with God is completely wrong. Although I agree Jacob is fighting an internal battle due to his struggle within his own family dynamics, I think God is also using this to test Jacob and his obedience. That being said, I would agree that the new name he is given because of this confrontation symbolizes the birth of a new generation.
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Brendan, I like how you pointed out that Jacob takes Esau’s blessing because he knew that his father favored Esau over himself. I also enjoyed your analysis about the physical meaning of the wrestling match as well as the deeper meaning, that Jacob is acknowledging the divinity of his opponent.
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I agree with the assertion that Jacob is the most human of the characters so far; he must be much more self-reliant than the patriarchs before him who are led by God. Your analysis of Jacob’s competing failures and victories is insightful when looking at how human Jacob is, yet how he is still compelled by God. Did Jacob fight with God? What else can we call this struggle? And will Jacob actually live a righteous life after his rebirth?
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I agree with your analogy that the wrestling match is a way for Jacob to come to terms with the struggles in his life and eventually embrace G-d. Although, I am confused by one of your statements. After pointing out clearly that G-d is the one who wrestled with Jacob, you say “the notion that Jacob fought with G-d is completely wrong.” Did Jacob wrestle with G-d or not? Or did Jacob struggle with G-d, rather than directly fight him? The word choice makes the message a little confusing.
Additionally, at the beginning of your response, you suggest that Jacob stole what “G-d has given Esau.” Before the birth of Esau and Jacob, G-d explains that “the elder shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). This seems to suggest that G-d did intend for Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing, or at the very least some kind of blessing.
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