When one reads the passages of Genesis 24 to 36; the reader observes Jacob’s life from beginning to end. We see how he is “mostly on his own, relying on his own powers and devices” and one can relate to him in a more human way. In Genesis 32 and near the end of this reading, it is described how Jacob wrestles with a stranger and even though this might not seem important; the symbolism behind it suggests much more depth than what one might first perceive.
So, who does Jacob wrestle against? Who wins? Why do they wrestle in the first place? All of these questions have been open to debate and discussion and offer a wide range of possible answers that don’t lead to a right or wrong one. At first, I thought the whole wrestling scene was a dream in which Jacob had an inner debate with his feelings and emotions. I thought that the wrestling was a symbol to portray his feelings of guilt for who he was in the past, and like described by Kass, Jacob is “compelled to confront his previous being, to describe his character in an act of declaration”.
However, the fact that he says his name when asked by his opponent made me change my mind. I agree with Kass when he mentions how saying your name conveys a sense of acceptance of who you are and therefore your sins and background and I think that because of this, Jacob is not only wrestling against his sins, but he is also wrestling against God to make himself “eligible for renaming and for receiving the blessing”.
In the end, not only he is blessed but he is also renamed. So, who wins? I think that the fact that he recognizes who he is and the fact that he walks away from the place as a new man conveys a re-birth making Jacob the winner, and this re-birth is underlined with his new name and with the start of the new day.
carlotastheoblog 
Hi Carlota,
I really agree with your assertion that Jacob is wrestling for God’s blessing. Before the fight, Jacob seems to have hit rock-bottom: he is without his family or material possessions and faces the certain destruction of his camp if Esau attacks. He has somewhat competed with Esau for God’s blessing, so this fight gives him the opportunity to prove himself to God that he is still faithful, and it ultimately works out.
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Hi Carlota, I think is actually pretty interesting that at first, you thought that Jacob was wrestling but it was all a dream. I never really thought of it in that sense. Also, I also think you make an important point in saying not only was Jacob fighting for a blessing, but God’s blessing. I think that is an important thing to think about whenever we struggle with things in our life. We should fight against our struggles so that we may receive God’s blessing,
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Hi Carlota! I think it’s interesting how the naming of yourself creates an acceptance of who you are. It seems to relate to the story in Genesis when Adam is given dominion over the animals by naming them.
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Hey Carlota, I enjoyed reading your post and also had the initial thought that this whole scene was purely a vision in Jacob’s head, but have since changed my mind. You wrote that Jacob was the winner of the wrestling match. In your opinion, would this make God the loser?
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