Musing on the Mysteries: Jacob and Esau

In the worthy manner of our chief musing editor Dr. Karl Fabrizius, I’d like to enter a mystery that I just stumbled onto.

It occurred to me during my daily reading that Jacob’s wrestling with the angel, which occurs just prior to his dreaded meeting with Esau and the unexpected reconciliation they have, is a wondrous allegory (besides being a true story, of course). This is a marvelous historical illustration of the atonement. For in wrestling with the angel, Jacob is like Jesus, in whose atoning sacrifice is, as it were, he wrestles with the judgment of God. “I will not let you go until you bless me,” says Jacob, whereupon the angel touches his thigh and puts it out of joint. Now behold, a greater than Jacob is here, in whose crucifixion he laments, "all my bones are out of joint,” and who because of his sacrifice receives the blessing of his Father who raises him from the dead. Consider this mystery: in the crucifixion, we see our Lord as a mortal wrestling with God and prevailing. And as a result he obtains the forgiveness of sins. Now in Jacob’s case, this consequent forgiveness is for himself, as his brother Esau forgives him and joyfully reconciles with him; but in Jesus’ case, the consequent forgiveness is greater, and not for himself but for the world of sinners, whose sins his atonement takes away.

As Blessed St. Augustine says, “The Lord be thanked, who hides his clues so providently and opens them up so delightfully” (Sermons, Book I: The Works of St. Augustine, a translation for the 21st century, Sermon 8:18, p. 254).