Gênesis 27
John Chrysostom · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Gênesis 27:3
Notice in this, dearly beloved, God's ineffable wisdom: Whereas the father gave evidence of natural affection by giving these directions to Esau, the wise and resourceful Lord caused his own prediction to be brought to pass by means of Rebekah, thus teaching us the power of virtue and mildness of manner. I mean, one son considered himself to hold pride of place by birthright and by his father's preference for him, and yet he was suddenly found to be bereft of all this. The other son, on the contrary, being endowed with homely virtues and enjoying the help of favor from above, won his father's blessing against his will. Nothing is more powerful than the person helped by that mighty right hand.In any case, look carefully at all this so as to learn the extraordinary nature of God's designs: One man enjoyed favor from that source and was accorded great cooperation in everything so that the father's blessing was transferred to him. The other lost everything, forfeiting what was his because of the evil of his ways. — HOMILIES ON GENESIS 53.3-4
Gênesis 27:8
See a mother's affection, or rather God's designs: He it was who prompted her to make plans and also made sure all turned out well. Do you see the mother's excellent planning? See also Jacob's circumspection in showing his mildness of manner in his reply. "He replied to his mother, 'My brother Esau is hairy, whereas my skin is smooth. Perhaps my father may touch me, and I will appear ridiculous to him and bring on myself a curse, and not blessing' " Remarkable the child's dutifulness and his respect for his father: "I am afraid," he says. "My efforts may have the contrary effect. I may seem out of step with my father's wishes and win a curse instead of a blessing." So what does Rebekah do, this extraordinary woman of great affection? Since she was not concocting this only out of her own thinking but was also implementing the prediction from on high, she took every care to banish fear from the child and instill courage so as to bring off the plan. Instead of promising him that he would be able to deceive his father and elude detection, what did she say? "Let the curse on you fall on me, child; just heed my word, and go and fetch it for me." "Even if anything like this should happen," she is saying, "you personally will suffer no harm. So don't be afraid: Take heart, 'heed my word,' and do what I advise you." This really is a mother's love, readily accepting everything for her child's sake. — HOMILIES ON GENESIS 53.5
Gênesis 27:15
Notice here, I ask you, along with Rebekah's affection, her great wisdom as well. Since it was mentioned previously that one was hairy and the other smooth-skinned, she clad him in Esau's clothing, the text says, and covered his skin, disguising him all over so as to bring off the deception. And after putting the food and bread into Jacob's hands she had him take it to his father.Consider here again, I ask you, how it was all due to grace from above. I mean, whereas we contribute our utmost, we enjoy in generous measure as well cooperation from God. You see, in case we show indifference and prove recalcitrant, he wants us also to make an effort so that in this way our contribution may be demonstrated. It is neither the case that everything is due to help from on high (rather we, too, must contribute something), nor on the other hand does he require everything of us, knowing as he does the extra-ordinary degree of our limitations. On the contrary, out of fidelity to his characteristic love and wishing to find some occasion for demonstrating his own generosity, he awaits the contribution of what we have to offer. — HOMILIES ON GENESIS 53.6-7
Gênesis 27:46
Notice how she found a plausible excuse. You see, whenever help from on high comes to support us, problems become simple and difficulties easy. So, since she too had the Lord of all seconding her intention, he put into her mind everything capable of bringing to realization the plan in process for her son's survival. "I am disgusted with life on account of the daughters of the Hittites. If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of this land, what meaning would life have for me?" Here there seems to be a reference to the immorality of Esau's wives and the fact that they proved a source of great disgust to Isaac and Rebekah. Sacred Scripture narrated to us previously, you remember, that Esau took wives from the Hittites and Hivites: "They were at odds with Isaac and Rebekah." So, wishing to remind him of this, she more or less says to him, "You know how Esau's wives made life unpleasant for me, and how, on account of their hostility, I am now alienated from all the daughters of the Hittites and hate the lot of them on their account. So if it happens that Jacob takes a wife from among them, what hope of survival would then be left for me? What meaning would life have for me?" I mean, "if we can't put up with them, if even Jacob goes so far as to marry one of the daughters of this land, life is over for us." — HOMILIES ON GENESIS 54.13