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Christian Identity as Spiritual Descendants of Jacob

The biblical figure of Jacob, whose name means "supplanter" [12], serves as a foundational patriarch in the lineage of Israel, and his name often represents the nation itself [6]. The concept of Christian identity as spiritual descendants of Jacob draws on the understanding that the promises made to Jacob and his descendants extend beyond a purely physical or ethnic lineage to encompass a spiritual one.

Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham. His story is marked by his struggle for the birthright and his wrestling with God, which led to his renaming as Israel, meaning "he strives with God" [4, 12]. This dual naming, Jacob and Israel, is significant. While "Jacob" can refer to the patriarch himself, it frequently functions as a collective term for the nation of Israel, his descendants [6]. For instance, the prophet Micah declares, "to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin" [2], using both names to address the nation. Similarly, Isaiah speaks of "the Holy One of Jacob" and "the God of Israel" [3], equating the two. Jeremiah also refers to "the portion of Jacob" as the "tribe of his inheritance" [1].

The New Testament and early Christian thought expand on this concept, suggesting a spiritual rather than solely carnal understanding of Jacob's descendants. The Apostle Paul, for example, distinguishes between "Israel after the flesh" and an "Israel according to the Spirit," asserting that "they who are the children of the flesh are not the children of God" and that "not all Israel who are of Israel" [7]. This perspective emphasizes that true lineage is determined by faith and spiritual circumcision of the heart, not merely physical descent [7].

Early Church Fathers like Augustine saw Jacob and his brother Esau as types for two different peoples: the Jews and the Christians. Augustine interpreted the prophecy "The elder shall serve the younger" as a foreshadowing of the relationship between these two groups, with Christians being the "younger" who would ultimately prevail [5]. Similarly, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria understood Jacob's marriage to two handmaids, in addition to his free wives, as a type for Christ receiving Gentiles (those from Japheth's race, descendants of Canaan) as fellow-heirs alongside those of free birth [8].

one commentary tradition on Hosea 12:3 notes that the Israelites, as descendants of Jacob, were expected to imitate their forefather's example of striving for the birthright and wrestling with God [4]. However, later interpretations, such as John Gill's commentary on Isaiah 43:1, apply the names Jacob and Israel to the Christian church. Gill argues that prophecies concerning Jacob and Israel in Isaiah refer to the Christian church, especially after the destruction of Jerusalem, where the first churches were primarily Jewish, and both Jewish and Gentile converts are considered the "spiritual Israel of God" [9].

The idea of a spiritual lineage is further underscored by the understanding that Jacob's name, while representing the nation, also carries the connotation of striving with God [10]. Ezekiel, for instance, is addressed as "son of man" to distinguish him from the "sons of Israel," who are described as a "rebellious nation, true descendants of Jacob, whose defining characteristic was striving with God and man" [10]. This highlights a continuity of spiritual struggle and relationship with God that transcends ethnic boundaries.

Calvin, in his commentary on Genesis, acknowledges the dual names of Jacob and Israel, noting that "Israel" was the "most excellent" name, marking the constancy of God's grace [11]. This suggests that the spiritual identity associated with Israel, the name given after Jacob's wrestling with God, holds a higher significance. The Christian tradition, therefore, views itself as inheriting the spiritual promises and identity associated with Jacob/Israel through faith in Christ, becoming part of the "spiritual Israel of God" [9].

Sources

  1. Jeremiah “The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and is the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name. -- Jeremiah 51:19”
  2. Micah “But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Yahweh, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin. -- Micah 3:8”
  3. Isaiah “But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they will sanctify my name. Yes, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. -- Isaiah 29:23”
  4. Hosea (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Hosea 12:3: "He held his brother's heel in the womb, and in his man's strength he fought with God. Hos 12:4. He fought against the angel, and overcame; wept, and prayed to Him: at Bethel he found Him, and there He talked with us. Hos 12:5. And Jehovah, God of hosts, Jehovah is His remembrance." The name Jacob, which refers to the patriarch himself in Hos 12:3, forms the link between Hos 12:2 and Hos 12:3. The Israelites, as descendants of Jacob, were to strive to imitate the example of their forefather. His striving hard for the birthright, and his wrestling with God, in wh”
  5. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 42.--OF THE SONS OF JOSEPH, WHOM JACOB BLESSED, PROPHETICALLY CHANGING HIS HANDS.: Now, as Isaac's two sons, Esau and Jacob, furnished a type of the two people, the Jews and the Christians (although as pertains to carnal descent it was not the Jews but the Idumeans who came of the seed of Esau, nor the Christian nations but rather the Jews who came of Jacob's; for the type holds only as regards the saying, "The elder shall serve the younger" (6)), so the same thing happened in Joseph's two sons; for the elder was a type of the Je”
  6. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 47:4: 47:4 Jacob’s descendants: Jacob was the father of all Israelites (Gen 32:28); the name Jacob often represents the nation of Israel. • God loves and commits himself to Jacob (see Pss 78:68; 127:2; see Rom 11:28).”
  7. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE GREEK. (part 1): discernment (above the letter), says somewhere, "Behold Israel after the flesh,"[1] as if there were an Israel "according to the Spirit." And in another place he says, "For they who are the children of the' flesh are not the children of God;" nor are "they all Israel who are of Israel; "[3] nor is "he a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that 'circumcision' which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one 'inwardly;' and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter."[4] For”
  8. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. CXL.--IN CHRIST ALL ARE FREE. THE JEWS HOPE FOR SALVATION IN VAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM.: "Hence also Jacob, as I remarked before, being himself a type of Christ, had married the two handmaids of his two free wives, and of them begat sons, for the purpose of indicating beforehand that Christ would receive even all those who amongst Japheth's race are descendants of Canaan, equally with the free, and would have the children fellow-heirs. And we are such; but you cannot comprehend this, because y”
  9. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 43:1: But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob,.... This prophecy is not concerning Cyrus, and the redemption of the Jews by him, as some have thought; nor of Sennacherib and his army, and of their deliverance from him, as Kimchi and his father interpret it; but of the Christian church, and the state of it, when Jerusalem should be destroyed, as predicted in the preceding chapter; which goes by the name of Jacob and Israel, for the first churches chiefly consisted of Jews, and both Jews and Gentiles converted are the spiritual Israel of God: and he that form”
  10. Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 2:3: 2:3 The Lord addressed Ezekiel regularly as son of man (Hebrew ben-’adam, “son of Adam”). This phrase reminded Ezekiel that he was profoundly different from the heavenly beings before whom he stood. In contrast to them, he was a child of the dust, a mere mortal. It also marked him out from the nation of Israel (literally the sons of Israel). They were a rebellious nation, true descendants of Jacob, whose defining characteristic was striving with God and man (Gen 32:28). As a son of Adam, Ezekiel represented a new community of faith, empowered by the Spirit to form a ”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 12.14: name, having in it less of splendor, should give place to the second. What Augustine adduces is specious rather than solid; namely, that he was called Jacob in reference to his present life, but Israel in reference to his future life. Let this, however, be regarded as settled, that a double name was given to the holy man, of which one was by far the most excellent; for we see that the prophets often combine them both, thus marking the constancy of God’s grace from the beginning to the end. 11. I am God Almighty . God here, as el”
  12. Hosea (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hosea 12:3: He--Jacob, contrasted with his degenerate descendants, called by his name, Jacob (Hos 12:2; compare Mic 2:7). He took Esau by the heel in the womb in order to obtain, if possible, the privileges of the first-born (Gen 25:22-26), whence he took his name, Jacob, meaning "supplanter"; and again, by his strength, prevailed in wrestling with God for a blessing (Gen 32:24-29); whereas ye disregard My promises, putting your confidence in idols and foreign alliances. He conquered God, ye are the slaves of idols. Only have Jehovah on your side, and ye are strong”
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