Daily Lectionary | Genesis 30 and John 16:1-15
Genesis 30
When Hagar bears a child for Abraham, Sarah becomes envious of her and her fertility. Now, Rachel, also barren, is jealous of Leah’s fertility. Like Sarah, she proposes Jacob take her maidservant to produce a child on her behalf. We see the rivalry between the sisters intensify as Leah offers her maidservant to Jacob to have children for her.
The sisters seem to reach a point of peace, however. Rachel asks Leah for her son’s mandrakes, symbolic of fertility. In exchange for this Rachel grants Leah access to Jacob again. So Leah tells Jacob, “You must come into to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” She conceived three more times. Then the Lord opened Rachel’s womb and she bore Joseph.
Now Jacob wants separation from Laban. Jacob proposes that he take the speckled and spotted sheep from Laban’s flock, to which Laban agrees.
But Jacob has a plan. What follows has long baffled interpreters. What is Jacob doing with the sticks and the flocks? Jacob devises some sort of scheme to increase the number speckled and striped sheep for his keeping and increase the number of weak sheep for Laban (Gen. 30:41-42). Since Laban tricked Jacob into mating with Leah, so now Jacob will trick Laban’s flocks in their mating patterns.
However Jacob manipulated the mating patterns to his advantage, he will leave the house of Laban’s tyranny rich with children and flocks.
Reflection Questions
How does Jacob’s tricking of Laban mirror Laban’s tricking of Jacob by giving him Leah instead of Rachel?
Consider the significance of the names of Jacob’s sons.
John 16:1-15
Summary
Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for the intensity of the situation that will follow: “I have said these things to you to keep you from falling away.” All of the disciples will eventually fall away, most famously, Peter. But Jesus prepares the church for trials, particularly persecution.
Jesus again turns to the theme of his departure. His departure is an advantage for the disciples because it means the Holy Spirit will come to them. The Spirit will continue to the work of Jesus: convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Further, the Spirit of Truth will keep teaching the disciples on Jesus’ authority. The Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son to lead the church into truth. And the Spirit will bring glory to Jesus.
Reflection Questions:
How does Jesus prepare his disciples for opposition? How does he prepare us?
How does the Spirit bring conviction?