Jacob: Our Patriarch of Truth

This month, we will study the third and final patriarch, Jacob. Of all the forefathers, Jacob is the most difficult patriarch to understand. On one hand, it was Jacob who fathered the 12 tribes that formed God’s chosen nation. God called this nation by Jacob’s second name, Israel, instead of Abraham or Isaac. Yet, Jacob is often portrayed in an unflattering light as the one who “stole” the birthright from Esau, and who later tricked his father into blessing him instead of Esau. Despite this, Judaism traditionally associates Jacob with the characteristic of truth. So which is the “real” Jacob?

Join us as we take a fresh look at one of the Bible’s most familiar characters, and discover how our perspective might change on how we view this figure, important to both Jews and Christians alike.