Ishmael, Esav and Jacob

[murtad]

Hello!

Concerning Ishmael, Esav, Jacob, who do they represent?

St. Paul says in Galatians, Ishmael symbolises those people who are under the law, children born into slavery. Esav symbolises people who hate their inheritance (ie. people who do not like their original culture or ethnic identity)?

Some questions for you.

1. Do you agree with St. Paul that Ishmael refer to Judaism?
2. Do you agree that Esav refers to either Marxism or Islam?
3. Do you agree Jacob represents Catholic Church?

As St. Paul compared Judaism to Ishmael, do you agree that Jews are slaves to the Law? If yes, how do we free them from this terrible slavery?

What about Esav? Who are the modern day Edomites? Is it Islam or Marxism? Would you agree that Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are Edomites?

Just my 2 cents.

 

[copland]

There are many analogies that can be made. You made some interesting points, I can see your points.

As for Paul’s analogy in Galatians 4:21-31, what Christian can argue with the Apostle? St. Augustine speaks so much about this in the City of God Bk. 16 Chapter 30-33. He said 'the nation of Israel is according to the flesh, and all nations according to faith." St. Paul said that we Catholics are the ‘children of the promise, as Isaac was.(Gal. 4:28)’ So I assume that Isaac represents us Catholics, as much as Jacob does.

As for Jacob and Esau, I like what St. Augustine said about them and who they represent. “God does not make His people of Esau, but makes it of Jacob. The seed is one, those conceived are dissimilar: the womb is one, those born of it are diverse. Was not the free woman that bare Jacob, the same free woman that bare Esau? They strove in the mother’s womb; and when they strove there, it was said to Rebecca,” Two peoples are in thy womb." Two men, two peoples; a good people, and a bad people: but yet they strive m one womb. How many evil men there are in the Church! And one womb carries them until they are separated in the end: and the good cry out against the evil, and the evil in turn cry out against the good, and both strive together in the bowels of one mother. Will they be always together? There is a going forth to the light in the end; the birth which is here figured in a mystery is declared; and it will then appear that “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” St. Augustine On the Gospel of John Tractate 11]