CRITICAL NOTES.—
Genesis 32:24. Wrestled.] The Heb. word only occurs in this place. It seems to be derived from a word signifying “dust,” and the allusion is probably to the dust excited by the combatants in wrestling. A man. In Hosea 12:4-5, the man who wrestled with Jacob is called the angel, and the Lord of Hosts. In Genesis 32:30, Jacob calls him God.
Genesis 32:25. The hollow of his thigh.] “Lit., the socket of the hip. It is not said that he struck it a blow (Knobel) (for it is God who is spoken of); needs but to touch its object, and the full result is secured.” (Lange). And the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint. “This is explained more fully in Genesis 32:32. The sinews of his thigh (nervus ischradicus) were paralyzed through the extreme tension and distortion. But this bodily paralysis does not paralyze the persevering Jacob.” (Lange).
Genesis 32:28. Israel.] Signifies, “princely prevailer with God.” One part of the word signifies the same as the name Sarah, “princess.” Such names in Scripture designate the character, rather than the common appellation of those to whom they are applied. (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 7:14). See also what our Lord says to His disciples, (St. John 15:15). As a prince hast thou power with God. The same word occurs in Hosea 12:4; “He had power with God”; where the Heb. has, “he was a prince with God.”
Genesis 32:30. Peniel.] Heb. “face of God,” called also Penuel, in Genesis 32:31. But the two words have precisely the same import.
Genesis 32:32. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank.] This custom is not mentioned elsewhere in the O.T., but the Jews rigidly observe it unto this day. Delitzsch says, “This exemption exists still, but since the ancients did not distinguish clearly between muscle, vein, and nerve, the sinew is now generally understood, i.e., the interior cord and nerve of the so-called hind-quarter, including the exterior also, and the ramifications of both.”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 32:24-32
JACOB WRESTLING WITH THE ANGEL
Consider this incident:—
I. As to its outward form. Jacob had sent his company on before, and is now left all alone. He entrusts his all to God on whom he had cast himself in prayer. A strange and mysterious being, having at first the form of a man, wrestles with him “until the breaking of the day.” (Genesis 32:24). When this “man” saw that he prevailed not, he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh and put it out of joint. He confesses himself vanquished, and says, “let me go, for the day breaketh,” (Genesis 32:26) when Jacob replies “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” Jacob’s unknown combatant asks his name, when he changes that name in commemoration of Jacob’s power with God, and prevailing with men. Jacob then turns towards his unknown antagonist and asks what is his name. He blesses Jacob, but refuses to tell his name. (Genesis 32:29.) This mysterious being is, at first called a “man,” then an “angel,” and then “God.” When the conquest is over Jacob declares, “I have seen God face to face.” (Genesis 32:30). We cannot take this incident as a dream, but must regard it as history. For it is stated as a fact that the sinew of Jacob’s thigh shrank (Genesis 32:32). The features of this incident are true to all what we know of Jacob’s character. He had been a taker of the heel from his very birth. He had contended successfully with adversaries. True to his character, he struggles with this mysterious combatant while any strength remains. And even when his strength is suddenly withered, he hangs upon his conquerer. He learns to depend upon one mightier than himself.
II. As to its spiritual meaning. This transaction is clearly intended to have a spiritual meaning. If the outward form of it seems strange to us, we must consider that God can adapt the mode in which He shall convey His revelation to the condition of the person receiving it. When God has things of a spiritual nature to reveal, it is not strange that He should begin with the senses. God takes man on the ground on which He finds him, and through the senses leads him to the higher things of reason, of conscience, of faith, and of communion with Himself. These are some of the spiritual truths and lessons to be learned from this incident:—
1. That the great struggle of life is to know and feel after God. We know that we are in the hands of some mysterious and mighty Power. We want to know the secret of that Power, and who is that mysterious Being behind it all. Truly to know God’s name is to know the meaning of it, and not merely the ability to recite words. With the Hebrews of the old time, names stood for realities. To know God’s name was to know His nature. This is our great struggle—our deepest desire. Jacob now stood in dread of his brother Esau, but says not a word regarding his danger. He requests only to be blest by God, and to know His nature. We, too, feel that this universe reposes upon a solemn mystery, and we ask, what is that Name above every name; who is that Being in whom all things have their beginning, and seek their end? Are all our aspirations after God and immortality, only the echo of our own minds and wishes; or, are they some living being outside of us?
2. That God reveals Himself through mystery and awe. The Divine antagonist seemed anxious to depart before the dawn, but Jacob held him, as if in fear, lest the daylight should rob him of the blessing. The darkness of the night was the favourable time. The light of day might dissolve the charm. God is felt more in awe and wonder than in clear conceptions. We feel God most when some dark mystery presses upon us. Darkness shows us more of God than the light. The infinite grandeur of heaven strikes us more by night than by day.
3. That God reveals Himself to us in blessing. God refused to tell Jacob His Name, but “He blessed him there.” This is the chief thing we want. Through blessing imparted to us we shall learn all of that great Name that we can possibly know. If we depend only on words, we may come to mistake them for knowledge. Jacob had to learn and to feel after God by the experience of His goodness, and not merely to satisfy himself with a name. Words would only have limited and circumscribed the Infinite.
4. That God’s revelation of Himself to us is intended to change our character. The name of Jacob was changed to that of Israel. He is no more supplanter (Jacob), but prevailer with God (Israel). He had now put off the old man, and put on the new man; and this change in his character is signified by a new name. He now walks in “newness of life.” Twenty years before this, God had appeared to him and Heaven was opened to him in forgiveness and blessing. But all through and since this the essential principles of his character were not altered. There was still something subtle in him, deep cunning and craft,—a lack of reality. Jacob was tender and devout after his manner; but he was still the subtle supplanter, and only half honest. But now that he is overcome by the awful God, his subtlety departs from him. He becomes real and true. When God lays hold upon us, it is for the purpose of removing us from the old life to the new.
4. That God is conquered by prayer and supplication. “When He saw that He prevailed not against him.” (Genesis 32:25.) Here is the strange spectacle of Omnipotence unable to vanquish “the worm, Jacob.” But the strength by which Jacob wrestled was not the strength of bone and muscle, and the angel’s inability was nothing but the inability to withstand the power of faith in His own promises. The strength by which he prevailed was God’s own strength. Every true Israelite pleads the promises of God with an importunity that will take no denial, and God is pleased to suffer Himself to be thus overcome. God’s contest with us is friendly.
THE FEATURES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF REVEALED FAITH IN JACOB’S WRESTLING
1. The germ of the incarnation. Godhead and humanity wrestling with each other; the Godhead in the form of a man.
2. The germ of the atonement. Sacrifice of the human will.
3. The germ of justification by faith. “I will not let thee go,” etc.
4. The germ of the new-birth. Jacob, Israel.
5. The germ of the principle of love to one’s enemies. The reconciliation with God, reconciliation with the world.—(Lange).
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Genesis 32:24. This strife was not only corporeal but spiritual; as well by the force of his faith as strength of body. “He prevailed” by prayers and tears. (Hosea 12:4.) Our Saviour also prayed Himself into “an agony,” (Luke 22:44.) and we are bidden to “strive in prayer,” even to an agony. (Romans 15:30.) Every sound is not music; so neither is every uttering petitions to God a prayer. It is not the labour of the lips, but the travail of the heart. A man must wrestle with God, and wring the blessing out of His hands, as the woman of Canaan did. He must “stir up himself to take hold of God.” (Isaiah 64:7.)—(Trapp.)
Genesis 32:25. But what a wonder is this? Jacob received not so much hurt from all his enemies as from his best friend. Not one of his hairs perished by Laban or Esau, yet he lost a joint by the angel, and was sent halting to his grave. He that knows our strength, yet will wrestle with us for our exercise, and loves our violence and importunity.—(Bp. Hall.)
This was the turning point in Jacob’s life. Henceforth he will put less dependence on the flesh, and fleshly means, and more upon God his deliverer. He prevailed, indeed, but bore about in his body the marks of the struggle, and succeeded only by prayer and faith. The thigh is the pillar of a man’s strength, and the hip-joint is the seat of physical force for him who would stand his ground as a wrestler.—(Jacobus.)
In all the gains of godliness there is yet something inflicted to keep us humble.
Genesis 32:26. Jacob conquers at the moment his physical strength is crippled. (2 Corinthians 12:10.) The All-powerful cannot go without Jacob’s leave. And Jacob will not let Him go except He bless him. What loving condescension of the covenant God, binding Himself to the sinner! “I will not leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5.) “Concerning the work of my hands command ye me.” What power of faith to hold on, and not to let go the Covenant Angel without a blessing!—(Jacobus.)
This teaches us as our Saviour did, by the parable of the importunate widow (Luke 18:1), to persevere in prayer, and to devour all discouragements. Jacob holds with his hands, when his joints were out of joint. The woman of Canaan will not be put off, either with silence or sad answers.—(Trapp.)
The highest heroism of faith shines forth in these words. Doubtless the power of Jacob’s antagonist was sufficient to have freed himself from this death-like embrace. But His omnipotence was limited in its operation by his promise to his servant “to do him good.” Nor did He really desire that Jacob should free him from the obligation to do him good. He rather aimed to have the pleasure of seeing how firm, by His grace, are the hearts of His children, even when many waters of affliction go over them, and how the seed of God remains in them. God Himself is the author of this constancy, and hence it is that it is so pleasing in His sight; for He takes pleasure in all His works.—(Bush.)
Genesis 32:27. The mention of his name not only reminded him of his predicted ascendancy over Esau, but also of all the rich blessings and prerogatives of the covenant established with his fathers. And what could more tend to cheer and encourage him on this occasion than such refreshing recollections? Yet the ensuing words disclose a still deeper drift in the question.
Genesis 32:28. The new name is indicative of the new nature which has now come to its perfection of development in Jacob. Unlike Abraham, who received his new name once for all, and was never afterwards called by the former one, Jacob will hence be called now by the one, and now by the other, as the occasion may serve. For he was called from the womb. (Genesis 25:23), and both names have a spiritual significance for two different aspects of the child of God, according to the apostles’ paradox, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13.)—(Murphy).
Proper names in scripture are frequently used to designate the character rather than the common appellation of those to whom they are applied. Thus it was predicted of Christ that “His name should be called Wonderful, Immanuel,” etc. (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 7:14), the meaning of which is, that His nature should be wonderful, should be Immanuel, etc. So our Lord says to His disciples, “I have called you friends” (John 15:15), i.e., I declare you to be friends. Jacob should now be declared to be possessed of a new character by the significant designation assigned him. In allusion to his “power with God,” the Most High says by His prophet, “I said not to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain.” (Isaiah 45:19.) The seed of Jacob is specified rather than the seed of Abraham, from this eminent instance of Jacob’s praying and prevailing in a season of extremity, and thus carrying an implication that his “seed” would inherit their father’s spirit in this respect.—(Bush.)
No longer Jacob the supplanter, but Israel the Prince of God—the champion of the Lord, who had fought with God and conquered; and who, henceforth, will fight for God and be His true loyal soldier; a larger and more unselfish man—honest and true at last. No man becomes honest till he has got face to face with God. There is a certain insincerity about us all—a something dramatic. One of those dreadful moments which throw us upon ourselves, and strip off the hollowness of our outside show, must come before the insincere is true.—(Robertson.)
All God’s Israel are wrestlers by calling. (Ephesians 6:12.) As “good soldiers of Jesus Christ,” they must “suffer hardness.” (2 Timothy 2:3.) The Lord Christ stands over us as He did over Stephen (Acts 7:53), with a crown upon His head and another in His hand, with this inscription, “To him that overcometh.” (Revelation 2:3)—(Trapp.)
Genesis 32:29. Names have a power, a strange power of hiding God. Speech has been bitterly defined as the art of hiding thought. That sarcastic definition has in it a truth. The Eternal word is the revealer of God’s thought; and every true word of man is originally the expression of a thought; but by degrees the word hides the thought. Words often hide from us our ignorance of even earthly truth. The child asks for information, and we satiate his curiosity with words. Who does not know how we satisfy ourselves with the name of some strange bird or plant, or the name of some new law in nature? We get the name, and fancy we understand something more than we did before; but, in truth, we are more hopelessly ignorant. We fancy we possess it, because we have got the name by which it is known; and the word covers over the abyss of our ignorance. If Jacob had got a word, that word might have satisfied him. He would have said, now I understand God, and know all about Him. God’s plan was not to give names and words, but truths of feeling. That night, in that strange scene, He impressed on Jacob’s soul a religious awe, which was hereafter to develop,—not a set of formal expressions, which would have satisfied with husks the cravings of the intellect, and shut up the soul:—Jacob felt the Infinite, who is more truly felt when least named. Words would have reduced that to the Finite; for, oh! to know all about God is one thing—to know the living God is another.—(Robertson).
Genesis 32:30. Bethel, Mahanaim, Peniel, divine stations in the journey of the pilgrim of faith.—(Lange).
To see God face to face and live is the marvel of human experience.—(Jacobus).
The Christian also has his memorable places: Bethlehem, Capernaum, Jerusalem, Calvary, and the Mount of Olives, are among them. Every Christian has his particular Peniel, in which God revealed himself to him in an especial manner—his closet, the sanctuary, a book, a sermon, a company, a solitary hour, which continue consecrated in his grateful memory.—(Bush).
His words are equivalent to the declaration, “I am preserved, and shall be preserved.” Here, then, is the echo of faith, “Although new tribulations may befall me, according to the will of God, yet I shall be preserved, and He will at length deliver me from all evil. Of this I am assured, for I know in whom I have believed.” His subsequent history shows that his confidence was well founded.—(Bush.)
Genesis 32:31. Nature without was in harmony with the new feelings awakened within his soul. The Sun of Righteousness, the day-spring from on high, had risen upon him. He went lame, but he was blessed. While he rejoices in the exceeding mercy of God, he is, at the same time, reminded of his own nothingness and humbled.
The wrenching of the tendons and muscles was mercifully healed, yet so as to leave a permanent monument in Jacob’s halting gait, that God had overcome his self-will.—(Murphy).
Genesis 32:32. This story contains three points which are specially interesting to every Jew in a national point of view. It explained to him why he was called an Israelite. It traces the origin of his own name to a distant ancestor, who had been a wrestler with God, from whence he had obtained the name Israel. It casts much deep and curious interest round an otherwise insignificant village, Peniel, where this transaction had taken place, and which derived its name from it—Peniel, the face of God. And, besides, it explained the origin of a singular custom, which might seem a superstitious one, of not suffering a particular muscle to be eaten, and regarding it with a kind of religious awe, as the part in which Jacob is said by tradition to have been injured, by the earnest tension of his frame during the struggle.—(Robertson.)
The preceding narrative teaches us,
1. That great trials often befall the people of God when in the way of commanded duty.
2. The surest way of prevailing with man is to prevail with God.
3. Prevailing at last will recompense all our striving.—(Bush.)