Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020)
Article: Jacob’s Eternal Salvation And Genesis 32
Author: Kathryn Wright

JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020) p. 35

Jacob’s Eternal Salvation And Genesis 32

Kathryn Wright

Columbia, SC

I. Introduction

The Book of Genesis records many events in the life of Jacob. Two of the most prominent are found in Genesis 28 and Genesis 32. The first describes the Lord’s appearing to the patriarch at Bethel, with angels ascending and descending on a ladder. At this time, the Lord repeats the covenant He made with Abraham. Afterwards, Jacob erects a pillar in honor of the Lord and vows to give a tenth of what he earns to Him (Gen 28:10–22).

The second event takes place at Peniel. Genesis 32 records another encounter between the Lord and Jacob. The patriarch and the Angel of the Lord wrestle through the night.1 At the conclusion of this “fight,” Jacob is permanently injured from a touch by the Lord. However, he is blessed by the Lord with a new name. That new name is Israel.

A common interpretation of the encounter at Peniel is that this is when Jacob was spiritually saved.2 In 2016 at a conservative

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Evangelical seminary, I was attending a class on Genesis. There were approximately twenty students in the class. This was the position of the professor, as well as every other student in the class.

At least three arguments are given for this position. The first is that one can see a great difference in Jacob in Genesis 32 as compared to when he made the vow in Genesis 28.

The second argument is that after Peniel, the reader observes a change in character in the patriarch, and this signals a change in nature. Some attribute this change in character to spiritual maturity. Jacob was already saved but learned in this encounter to trust God fully.3 Others, however, indicate that this change in character indicates the new nature that saving faith brings. In the commentary tradition, sometimes it is difficult to determine what the author thinks on this topic. Often a comment is simply made that Jacob had a change of character. Since many of these writers believe spiritual salvation brings such a change, there is at least the implication that there has been a spiritual change in Jacob at Peniel.

The third argument is that the encounter at Peniel is an accura...