CRITICAL NOTES.—
Genesis 28:9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael.] To his family, and not to Ishmael himself, who had been dead for fourteen years. (Genesis 25:17.)—
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 28:6-9
ESAU, THE TYPE OF WORLDLINESS AND HYPOCRISY
Esau attempts to repair the error into which he had fallen by marrying into a heathen family, to the great grief of his parents. He knew that his father had charged Jacob to avoid such a wicked course (Genesis 28:1), and that upon this point he would be most accessible. Therefore he resolves to marry into his father’s family. He considered that this would pass with his father as a noble act of filial devotion. But all this is only the wordly policy of the hypocrite. He feigns repentance in order to secure some temporal good or comfort for himself. He is, therefore, the type of hypocrisy and worldliness in religion. He was certainly, all this time, a hypocrite, for he nursed hatred in his heart against his brother, and only waited opportunity to carry out his evil purpose. Such are the characteristics of the religion of hypocrites of all times. What was the case with Esau?
I. His conduct was mercenary. He only cared to win back the temporal advantages of the blessing by any means, even by the pretence of a pious devotion to the wishes of his father. So hypocrites only study their own worldly interests. They are concerned with religion only so far as it will promote these. They are like the multitude who were ready to follow Christ as long as He offered easy blessings, but deserted Him the moment their advantage seemed to lie in another direction. Such men claim to follow Christ as long as they think that their worldly prosperity is promoted by such a profession, but they will barter Him for a consideration when the temptation is strong enough. “What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you.”
II. His conduct was one-sided. Esau wanted to secure the favour and blessing of his father while, at the same time, he was cherishing deadly hatred towards his brother. He wanted to enjoy all the benefits of piety while he wilfully neglected some of its obligations. There are those who would like to secure the favour of God and some of the advantages of religion, while at the same time, they have no respect to all God’s commandments. They wickedly assume a privilege in regard to certain sins. They are willing to serve God in many respects, if only an exception can be made in favour of some particular sin. Such men do not submit themselves to God. They are strangers to the spirit of faith and obedience, and therefore they are not righteous. The servants of God cannot be allowed to choose their own paths of duty by a principle of selfish interest.
III. His conduct was framed by the principle of imitation. Esau presumed to imitate the conduct of his brother, but he was ignorant of the deep grounds upon which it rested. There are many hypocrites in this sense, that they are imitators of the outward conduct and signs of devotion of godly men. Such men deceive themselves. They do not intend to be guilty of a pretence; but are merely imitators of what pious men do and say, though, all the while, they are ignorant of the deep reasons upon which these things are founded. Esau, then, is a type of the worldly man, and of hypocrites who wish to claim some of the advantages of religion without giving themselves up entirely to God, and also of those who imitate the conduct of the truly pious without their deep convictions and felt satisfaction in God. The result of Esau’s conduct is a warning to all whom it may concern. His scheme did not succeed, and he only was landed in worse difficulties. He marries into a family quite outside the pale of the covenant, one which was outlawed and alienated, where even now the pure worship of God had already degenerated. So the hope of the hypocrite shall perish.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Genesis 28:6. But he was ever too late, and therefore what he did was to little purpose. An over-late sight is good neither in piety nor policy. How many have we known taken away in their offers and essays, before they had prepared their hearts to cleave to God.—(Trapp.)
Genesis 28:7-9. See what awkward work is made when men go about to please others, and promote their worldly interests by imitating that in which they have no delight. Ignorance and error mark every step they take. Esau was in no need of a wife. His parents would not be gratified by his connection with the apostate family of Ishmael. In short, he is out in all his calculations; nor can he discover the principles which influence those who fear the Lord. Thus have we often seen men try to imitate religious people for the sake of gaining esteem, or some way promoting their selfish ends; but instead of succeeding they have commonly made bad worse. That which to a right mind is as plain as the most public highway, to a mind perverted shall appear full of difficulties. “The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” (Ecclesiastes 10:15.)—(Fuller.)
Hypocrites will needs do something that they may seem to be somebody. But, for the want of an inward principle, they do nothing well. They cement one error with another, as Esau here; and as Herod prevents perjury by murder, thus while they shun the sands they fall into the whirlpool.—(Trapp.)