Daily Lectionary | Genesis 27 and John 14:15-end
Genesis 27
Summary
Isaac favors his oldest son Esau, in no small part because he liked the food Esau could give him: “prepare for me delicious food, such as I love” (Gen. 27:4). He tells Esau to do this and he will give him his blessing before his death.
Rebekah hears this plan and knows she must act so that blessing goes to the younger son, Isaac, as the Lord had promised. So she devises a plan to Isaac who, following his desire for food, is attempting to against what has been revealed. The cunning deception of the woman for righteous ends is a theme that will show up again in Scripture.
Rebekah’s plan involves Jacob taking Isaac tasty food, dressed in Esau’s garments and with goat hair on his arms to imitate Esau’s hairy arms. Isaac’s blindness could also indicate his spiritual condition.
Rebekah’s plan worked: Jacob receives the blessing from his father. In Deuteronomy 21:17, the first-born is to receive a double portion and remaining sons a single portion. But Isaac gives everything to Jacob, with nothing left for his brother and making him lord over his brothers (Gen. 27:29). Isaac clearly intended to give everything to Esau and make him lord over his brothers, but was deceived. In this act of deception, however, the promise that the older will serve the younger will be kept.
Reflection Questions
Consider the brother relationships we’ve witnessed so far in Genesis: Cain/Abel, Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau. What themes do you notice?
Is deception always are wrong? How does the narrative depict Rachel and Jacob against Isaac and Esau?
John 14:15-end
Summary
For the second time in chapter 14, Jesus encourages his disciples not to lose heart (Jn. 14:27). In the first encouragement, Jesus says that he will prepare a place for them in his Father’s house. Now, in John 14:27, the encouragement follows Jesus assuring them that the Holy Spirit will dwell with them (Jn. 14:17), even as Jesus dwelled with them (cf. Jn. 1:14). The disciples will not be “orphans,” but cared for by their heavenly Father by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
In this context, Jesus’ exhorts his disciples to keep his commands (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23, 24). The essence of Jesus command has been given in the “new commandment” in John 13, to love one another as Christ has loved. Thus, the other theme in this section: love. Here, love is directed towards Christ and the proof of that love is keeping Christ’s commands.
In John 14:28, Jesus repeats that he is going away but that he will come to his disciples. What does this mean? In context, the coming Spirit will continue the presence of Christ among his followers.
The Holy Spirit is the “Helper” and “Spirit of Truth,” who will guide Jesus’ followers into all truth after his departure.
Reflection Questions
Jesus, on the one hand, states that he is going away, but he also says he will come to his disciples (Jn. 14:18, 28). How will Jesus come to his disciples? How does Jesus come to us?
Consider the relationship between the Spirit and Jesus, and the Spirit and Son’s relationship to the Father in this passage? What do we see about the life of the Trinity? How are we involved int that life?