Genesis 25:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The movement of the children in the womb had already signaled these events with precision. The woman understood not only that she would bear two sons, but also that these sons would become nations, with the younger dominating the elder.

They are summoned by faith and specifically through Isaac, that is, in alignment with the promise, as the sagacious Paul affirms: 'And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold to Abraham, "In thee shall all nations be blessed." Therefore they that believe are blessed with faithful Abraham; but all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly, no one is justified before God by the law, for “the just shall live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; rather, "the person who does these things will live by them" (Galatians 3:8-12). It is thus clear that the promises have indeed been fulfilled; yet they pertain not to those governed by the law, but to those justified by faith. The command was delivered by God through Moses, retaining the significance of the promise, in order to guide the faithful and gradually lead them to their calling through faith. By highlighting the frailties of those who had come before, it ultimately demonstrates the necessity and advantage of grace and justification in Christ, which is received through faith. The divine Paul also stated: 'Brethren, I speak in human terms: no one can annul or add to a covenant confirmed by humans. The promises were made to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say "to his seeds," referring to many, but "to your seed," which is Christ. What I mean is this: the covenant previously established by God with Christ cannot be annulled by the law, which came four hundred and thirty years later. For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise' (Galatians 3:15-18). Immediately following this, he explains the purpose of the law: 'What was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was given through angels by a mediator. However, a mediator implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Absolutely not! If a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would indeed come through the law; but the Scripture has confined all under sin, so that the promise might be given to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Before faith came, we were held captive under the law, awaiting the revelation of faith. Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith; but once faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 3:19-26). There can be no doubt that the law served as a means to reveal the weakness of those guiding the children and, moreover, their failures and sins; for it is stated, 'where there is no law, there is no transgression' (Rom. 4:15). Additionally, it is said, 'sin is not recognized except through the law' (Rom. 7:7). 'When the commandment came, sin sprang to life, and I died; and so the commandment that was intended for life proved to be death for me' (Rom. 7:9-10). Furthermore, 'sin was present in the world even before the law, but sin is not charged against anyone when there is no law' (Rom. 5:13). 'The law brings about wrath' (Rom. 4:15). In this manner, the law was directed towards Christ, exposing wrongdoers and teaching those on earth that it is impossible for a feeble and sin-prone individual to evade the law's condemnation. Rather, they remain in constant need of salvation through Christ, who justifies by faith and mercy. It is evident that the construction of our salvation necessitated that the commandment given by Moses precede the grace that later appeared in Christ and that the seed, representing believers in Christ as foretold by God’s promise, was introduced between them. Thus, the divine Abraham became the father of countless nations. It was also foretold that this new nation would surpass and shine brighter than the firstborn Israel, as the All-Knowing One declared, 'One nation will be stronger than another, and the older shall serve the younger' (cf. Rom. 9:12).

In her confusion, she sought the Lord's guidance and received the response, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will come forth from you; one nation will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.’ The apostle Paul interprets this as a profound manifestation of grace: even before their birth and prior to any actions—whether good or bad—the younger was chosen without merit and the older was set aside (Romans 9:11-18). It is evident that both were equal concerning original sin, as neither had committed any personal sin. Furthermore, the assertion that the elder will serve the younger was often misinterpreted to imply that the older generation, represented by the Jews, would serve the younger, symbolizing the Christians. While this finding may appear fulfilled in the case of Edom, derived from the elder Esau (who is also called Edom, resulting in the Edomites), who later faced defeat by the descendants of the younger, namely Israel (1 Kings 14:47), it seems more plausible that this prophecy points to a deeper significance. And what could this signify if not the evident fulfillment seen between Jews and Christians?

It preys on those who in this life pursue power and wealth to overcome their fellow beings. Yet, at the resurrection, they will become servants when the dawn breaks for the righteous. The example of Jacob serves as a testament, whom the Lord elevates above his brother. What a dismal fate! While some are called to radiant glory and light, the honor of others is fading and being devoured by the darkness of the abyss! It is rightly stated about them: they are cast away from their honor and magnificence, for this glory is fleeting.

Anyone who intends to serve God for the sake of gaining prestige or accumulating worldly wealth is identified with Esau, indicative of a focus on earthly fulfillment—where Esau symbolizes worldly souls and Jacob represents those who are truly spiritual. The apostle makes a clear distinction between these two types of individuals when he describes the works of the flesh: they include adultery, fornication, impurity, idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, rage, disputes, divisions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and other such behaviors (Galatians 5:19-21). These represent the fruits of those aligned with Esau. In contrast, the apostle later enumerates the fruits of those akin to Jacob: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These characterize the works of the Spirit associated with blessed individuals, like James, who are godly.

The Scriptures assert that one nation will be stronger than another, with the greater serving the lesser, but this is not observed in the literal sense between Esau and Jacob. The Scriptures do not indicate that Esau physically served the blessed Jacob; thus, it becomes necessary to understand this spiritually. It can be interpreted that the older nation, represented by the Jews, serves the younger, the Christian nation, as they carry God's Law throughout the world for the education of all peoples. The Jews are dispersed across various lands, and when a Gentile is called to faith in Christ, asserting that Christ was prophesied by all the prophets, there may be resistance, with claims that the Laws were authored by humans, not by the Holy Spirit. This gives us a chance to counter their argument effectively. We can direct them, "If you doubt my writings, refer to the texts of our evident adversaries, the Jews, which I have neither written nor altered. Examine their scriptures, and when you discover that they contain the same truths as my writings, do not remain in disbelief, but believe (John 20:27)." This illustrates how the elder serves the younger: through their writings, the Gentile nations are beckoned to faith in Christ.

How do the wicked serve the virtuous? Just as persecutors serve martyrs, like how a file and hammer refine gold, a millstone aids in grinding wheat, and ovens facilitate the baking of bread: ovens are heated to bake bread. Therefore, I reiterate, how do the immoral serve the moral? They serve in a similar way that dross supports the purification of gold in a goldsmith's crucible: dross is discarded, while gold is refined. Therefore, those enveloped in vice should not take pride in believing they inflict suffering upon the virtuous. When they persecute the good physically, they jeopardize their own souls. If a flagrant sinner contaminates a righteous person, the wrongdoing already damages the sinner’s spirit. If someone, stirred by an evil presence, becomes furious and confronts a good individual, it is uncertain that the virtuous person will retaliate in anger, but it is certain that the wicked is aflame with wrath. The benevolent, filled with courage and bolstered by the Holy Spirit, is unlikely to lose composure even amidst persecution, while the instigator cannot extinguish his own smoldering rage.

Esau and Jacob were born of Isaac's lineage, just as Christians are born of one baptism into our Lord and Savior, sharing one family within the Church (cf. Eph. 4:5). Similarly to Esau and Jacob, these two groups are differentiated by their conduct. According to the outcomes of their actions, one group consists of carnal individuals, while the other embodies the spiritual. Thus, Scripture proclaims that the greater shall serve the lesser, as the multitude of wicked individuals often exceeds that of the righteous. The two twins in Rebekah's womb symbolize the ongoing struggle that will persist until the Day of Judgment, reflecting how the proud oppose the humble, how adulterers persecute the chaste, how the myriad of inebriates scorn the sober, how the envious contend with the kind-hearted, how thieves aim to dismantle those who give alms, how the wrathful clash with the peaceful, and how the licentious seek to drag down those whose hearts are set on heavenly pursuits.

After her time of labor, she brought forth twin sons: first came the firstborn, red and hairy, then the second, whose hand grasped the heel of the firstborn, as if to follow closely behind. Their father named the first Esau, reflecting his hairy appearance, since the name ‘Esau’ signifies one who is mature or perfect. Additionally, he assigned him the name Edom, meaning ‘red’, due to his ruddy complexion. There exists another interpretation of this name, detailed in the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete in the fourth song. The second child was named Jacob, which signifies the one who holds the heel. At this point, Isaac was sixty years of age.