Introduction
For the interpretive question this week I have chosen to
explore who the "man" was that Jacob wrestled with in Genesis 32:24.
There are two main approaches as to the identification of this "man".
First you have those out there who believe that this "man" was special
messenger of God(angel), empowered with the full authority of God. Second you
have those who believe that the "man" was the preincarnate Christ.
This essay will briefly explore both options and also identify which of the two
views that this author most closely associates with as the identification of
the "man" talked about in Genesis 32.
Davis
Commentary:
It appears in the text that Davis appears to
be one of the ones who believes that this "man" is a special
messenger sent from God empowered with Gods authority. Davis holds to this
theory on the basis that in Hosea 12:4 seems to point to this identification of
the "man" that Jacob wrestled with.[1] On
initial look if you look at Hosea 12:4 you will see that Hosea does identify
this person as an angel.
Jacob
Struggled with the Angel and prevailed[2]
If this is the basis for some believing that this person
that Jacob struggled with is an Angel, then more investigation needs to be done
than just one portion of the verse.
Bible
Book Commentaries
In this commentary I was able to find a supporter of the
other theory that this person that Jacob wrestled was in fact the preincarnate
Christ. This commentary makes some very strong arguments for the preincarnate
Christ. First off, Jacob had been fighting God his whole life up until this
point, one thing as Christians that we do know is that unless we make the
decision to accept Christ we will continue to be in a battle with Him until we
give in. This commentary explains that God finally took into His own hands the
attitude adjustment that Jacob needed at this juncture in his life. Not that He
forced Jacob to make the decision, because had that been the case it would not
have gone on all night. Just that He encouraged Jacob by physically and
spiritually fighting with Jacob all night long. The author of this commentary
also points out that only God/Christ can do that which leads him to believe
that this "man" was actually the second person in the trinity Jesus
preincarnate.[3]
Mathew
Henry
This commentator
once again points towards the preincarnate Christ as the identity of the
"man" that Jacob wrestled with. This commentator though relates this
wrestling match to prayer. This seems to be a logical conclusion for anyone who
has ever prayed over something and did not like the answer that they received
from Him. Henry states "Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing
exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and
prayer. He will have a blessing, and had rather have all his bone put out of
joint than go away without one."[4]
This is a great illustration of just what Jacob might have been going through.
Maybe not so much a physical struggle with a human being but a spiritual
struggle with God Himself.
My
Interpretation
I like to try and stick to the facts when dealing with
scripture. I myself agree with the view that this was not an special messenger
sent from God but it was God Himself that Jacob wrestled with. In scripture we
see that whenever a member of the Trinity is mentioned they are mentioned in
the superior form indicated by a capital letter. If you look further into the
text of Genesis 32 you will notice that every time this person was mentioned he
was announced in this superior form.
When the man saw that He could not defeat him, He struck
Jacobs hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. Then He said to
Jacob "Let Me go for it is daybreak."[5]
Jacob said, "I will
not let You go unless You bless me."[6]
Another fact that leads me to agree with this man being
God Himself is that in the Bible only a member of the Trinity renamed people.
We see this throughout the Bible starting in Genesis when God renames Abram to
Abraham, and see it later on in the New Testament when Jesus renamed Saul to
Paul. There are so many instances of renaming people by God/Christ that it is
to numerous to list in this essay. The fact of the matter is that only
God/Christ has the authority to rename someone biblically. We see that this
person renames Jacob (which means heel catcher or deceiver) to Israel (which
means God's fighter or may God strive)[7].
The final fact and probably most important fact in this
writers eyes for God being the true identity of this person comes from Jacob
himself. Jacob symbolically identifies God as the person he wrestled with by
naming the place where this struggle took place Peniel (which means I have seen
God face to face).[8]
Jacob then named the place Peniel, "For
I have seen God face to face," he said, "and I have been
delivered."[9]
Bibliography
Bible Book Commentaries. http://www.biblebookofgenesis.com/Genesis32-36.html
(accessed July 24, 2012).
Davis, John. Paradise
to Prison: Studies in Genesis. Salem: Sheffield Publishing Company, 1998.
Henry, Matthew. Christ
Notes. http://christnotes.org/commentary/php?com=mhc&b= 1&c=32
(accessed July 26, 2012).
[1] Davis,
John. Paradise to Prison: Studies in Genesis. Salem: Sheffield Publishing
Company, 1998. Pg 255
[2]
Hosea 12:4a
[3] Bible
Book Commentaries. http://www.biblebookofgenesis.com/Genesis32-36.html
(accessed July 24, 2012).
[4] Henry,
Matthew. Christ Notes. http://christnotes.org/commentary/php?com=mhc&b=
1&c=32 (accessed July 26, 2012).
[5]
Genesis 32:25-26
[6]
Ibid. 27
[7] Davis,
John. Paradise to Prison: Studies in Genesis. Salem: Sheffield Publishing
Company, 1998. Pg 255
[8] Davis,
John. Paradise to Prison: Studies in Genesis. Salem: Sheffield Publishing
Company, 1998. Pg 255
[9]
Genesis 32:30
Read More ->>
