The things which, to me, blunt the notion of Jacob's trials as God's discipline for his deception are "Christ learned obedience through what he suffered" and "be shrewd as serpents". To me, Jacob's trials are character formation rather than payback. I think the deception was obedient.
Thank you for laying out multiple interpretations with good for/against discussion. When reading the deception of Isaac I was conscious of the Gen 3 themes but saw Jacob in the Eve role bringing delicious food to the Adam character Jacob and deceived by the serpent-like Rebekah - Genesis 27:12-13 “Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”
This seemed too similar to the “you will surely not die” promise of the serpent. There is also exile, animal skins and Jacob’s eyes being opened, seeing the betrayal included in the story. But like you say, these parallels don’t exactly match each episode and character.
Also comparing Esau and Jacob; I thought “a skillful hunter” was hinting Esau’s character to be like Nimrod (Gen 10:9) while Jacob dwelt in tents like Abraham.
Also, I think it's significant that Esau's curse from Isaac is very similar to what the scapegoat cast out into the wilderness on Yom Kippur would experience: "Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high."
It seems that "dew of heaven" could have connections to the manna which fell like dew from heaven. And it wouldn't be a stretch to connect the "fatness of the earth" with the general area around the camp of Israel, insofar as God's dwelling and blessing reside there and the people have been put in almost a bubble of bounty while in the wilderness.
I think the term תָּם as "unblemished" would also fit nicely with the idea of Jacob as the whole burnt offering which ascends to God on Yom Kippur. Like Job, he is ready to be purified and burned up and proven faithful. So, in other words, the term might connote "preparedness" rather than "morally blameless" (although I'm not sure you can have one without the other)
Nothing like a day at the BM. Or two, or three.
The things which, to me, blunt the notion of Jacob's trials as God's discipline for his deception are "Christ learned obedience through what he suffered" and "be shrewd as serpents". To me, Jacob's trials are character formation rather than payback. I think the deception was obedient.
Thank you for laying out multiple interpretations with good for/against discussion. When reading the deception of Isaac I was conscious of the Gen 3 themes but saw Jacob in the Eve role bringing delicious food to the Adam character Jacob and deceived by the serpent-like Rebekah - Genesis 27:12-13 “Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”
This seemed too similar to the “you will surely not die” promise of the serpent. There is also exile, animal skins and Jacob’s eyes being opened, seeing the betrayal included in the story. But like you say, these parallels don’t exactly match each episode and character.
Also comparing Esau and Jacob; I thought “a skillful hunter” was hinting Esau’s character to be like Nimrod (Gen 10:9) while Jacob dwelt in tents like Abraham.
Also, I think it's significant that Esau's curse from Isaac is very similar to what the scapegoat cast out into the wilderness on Yom Kippur would experience: "Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high."
It seems that "dew of heaven" could have connections to the manna which fell like dew from heaven. And it wouldn't be a stretch to connect the "fatness of the earth" with the general area around the camp of Israel, insofar as God's dwelling and blessing reside there and the people have been put in almost a bubble of bounty while in the wilderness.
I think the term תָּם as "unblemished" would also fit nicely with the idea of Jacob as the whole burnt offering which ascends to God on Yom Kippur. Like Job, he is ready to be purified and burned up and proven faithful. So, in other words, the term might connote "preparedness" rather than "morally blameless" (although I'm not sure you can have one without the other)