Jacob is certainly a much more complicated and “fleshed out” character than we have come to expect from Genesis. He has many different facets to his personality that go beyond the driving themes of obedience and simpleness that we have come to know his predecessors for. Certainly, he seems to walk a fine line between many different aspects of human nature, such as the line between love and lust, the line between taking and receiving, and the line between reliance and self-sufficiency.
Unlike Abraham and Issac who came into their inheritance in a passive manner (although they later got the chance to prove themselves worthy), it seems like Jacob reaches out and takes his blessing and inheritance. Though this was foretold by God while Rebekah was still pregnant, it is certainly questionable why this action of taking should be favorable for Jacob instead of a reviled act of self-sufficiency on his part. He certainly took from his older brother what should have been his, and are only provided some explanation in that we are told in Genesis 25:34 that Esau “treated his right as firstborn with disdain.”
And so later in Genesis we come to Jacob’s impromptu grappling bout with a random stranger in the middle of the night. It seems, most clearly that this “man” is in fact an angel of the Lord acting as a stand in for Esau or his father (or maybe both) and this mystery man initiates the conflict. We know that Jacob has already had encounters with the divine, so when he acknowledges in the end that he has been struggling with the divine it does seem to indicate that he in fact was fighting a divine being — most likely one of God’s angels.
In the end, even though he has been injured, Jacob wins the struggle, as evidenced by his earning a blessing and a name. He successfully holds on and prevails in something not through trickery or deceit, but rather his own strength of will and own merits. I think that perhaps Jacob by taking such an active role in attaining his birthright had to take a very active role in then earning it. He succeeds, as he is “reborn” with a new name linked to God himself. I feel like this may be another way that God reminds these patriarchs that it is only through Him that they can fully earn their inheritance.
Introduction to Theology: Charlotte Spraul 
I definitely agree that Jacob is much more complex character than his predecessors. Instead of following God from his primary call, he does indeed walk a fine line of between taking and receiving and reliance and self sufficiency. I think that this line he walks appeals to greater sense of human nature and allows for a greater relation from the audience. It is also interesting to note that the “man” that Jacob is fighting can both be a representation of Esau and his father through an angel of God. I would argue that it is more likely to be his brother as a central theme of his struggle is the relationship of his brother. Which do you think is more likely?
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I definitely agree with it probably being more about his brother, especially because this feels like it is supposed to act as a response to the story of Cain and Abel. If the Angel is acting in Esau’s stead, then this opens up the possibility for the two brothers to “acknowledge their roles in a sense.”
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I think you make some great points! What do you think about Kass’s idea that testing Jacob’s fighting spirit is preparation for the world of Cain, the world of armed conflict? It would certainly make sense knowing about all the wars to come for the Israelites in the Old Testament, and could explain why God is so forgiving towards Jacob for forcefully taking his birthright, but it also strictly contrasts the God we come to know in the New Testament of forgiveness and love….
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I think that this may be an example of God again making concessions for human nature. Just like how he made Noah a part of the re-creation of animals so that eating them is an acknowledgement to God, I think. he may be acknowledging the violence that Jacob and his descendants will be unable to avoid, but making sure that all acts have God in mind when they are committed.
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