israel was the man's name before he fought with an angel in the bible.
israel was the man's name before he fought with an angel in the bible.
what is the man's name before he fights with an angel in the bible?
israel
because the terminology is ambiguous ("el" in "yisra`el") and inconsistent, and because this being refused to reveal his name, there are varying views as to whether he was a man, an angel, or god. josephus uses only the terms "angel", "divine angel," and "angel of god," describing the struggle as no small victory. according to rashi, the being was the guardian angel of esau himself, sent to destroy jacob before he could return to the land of canaan. trachtenberg theorized that the being refused to identify itself for fear that, if its secret name was known, it would be conjurable by incantations. literal christian interpreters like henry m. morris say that the stranger was "god himself and, therefore, christ in his preincarnate state", citing jacob's own evaluation and the name he assumed thereafter, "one who fights victoriously with god", and adding that god had appeared in the human form of the angel of the lord to eat a meal with abraham in genesis 18. geller wrote that, "in the context of the wrestling bout, the name implies that jacob won this supremacy, linked to that of god's, by a kind of theomachy."
jacob
when setting forth his chief commands, "blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." [matthew 5:10] the following statement, indeed, applies first to all without restriction, then especially to the apostles themselves: "blessed shall you be when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, for my sake. rejoice and be exceeding glad, since very great is your reward in heaven; for so used their fathers to do even to the prophets." [matthew 5:11–12] so that he likewise foretold their having to be themselves also slain, after the example of the prophets. . . . the rule about enduring persecution also would have had respect to us too, as to disciples by inheritance, and, (as it were,) bushes from the apostolic seed. for even thus again does he address words of guidance to the apostles: "behold, i send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves;" [matthew 10:16] and, "beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles," etc. [matthew 10:17–18] now when he adds, "but the brother will deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death," [matthew 10:21] he has clearly announced with reference to the others, (that they would be subjected to) this form of unrighteous conduct, which we do not find exemplified in the case of the apostles. for none of them had experience of a father or a brother as a betrayer, which very many of us have. then he returns to the apostles: "and you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." how much more shall we, for whom there exists the necessity of being delivered up by parents too! thus, by allotting this very betrayal, now to the apostles, now to all, he pours out the same destruction upon all the possessors of the name, on whom the name, along with the condition that it be an object of hatred, will rest. but he who will endure on to the end—this man will be saved. by enduring what but persecution—betrayal—death? for to endure to the end is naught else than to suffer the end. and therefore there immediately follows, "the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his own lord;" [matthew 10:24] because, seeing the master and lord himself was steadfast in suffering persecution, betrayal and death, much more will it be the duty of his servants and disciples to bear the same, that they may not seem as if superior to him, or to have got an immunity from the assaults of unrighteousness, since this itself should be glory enough for them, to be conformed to the sufferings of their lord and master; and, preparing them for the endurance of these, he reminds them that they must not fear such persons as kill the body only, but are not able to destroy the soul, but that they must dedicate fear to him rather who has such power that he can kill both body and soul, and destroy them in hell [matthew 10:28]. who, pray, are these slayers of the body only, but the governors and kings aforesaid—men, i suppose? who is the ruler of the soul also, but god only? who is this but the threatener of fires hereafter, he without whose will not even one of two sparrows falls to the ground; that is, not even one of the two substances of man, flesh or spirit, because the number of our hairs also has been recorded before him? fear not, therefore. when he adds, "you are of more value than many sparrows," he makes promise that we shall not in vain—that is, not without profit—fall to the ground if we choose to be killed by men rather than by god. "whosoever therefore will confess in me before men, in him will i confess also before my father who is in heaven; and whosoever shall deny me before men, him will i deny also before my father who is in heaven." [matthew 10:32–34] [what] if a christian is to be stoned . . . burned . . . butchered . . . [or] put an end to by beasts . . . ? he who will endure these assaults to the end, the same shall be saved. . . . for what does he add after finishing with confession and denial? "think not that i have come to send peace on earth, but a sword,"—undoubtedly on the earth. "for i have come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law. and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." [matthew 10:34–35] for so is it brought to pass, that the brother delivers up the brother to death, and the father the son: and the children rise up against the parents, and cause them to die. and he who endures to the end let that man be saved. [matthew 10:22] so that this whole course of procedure characteristic of the lord's sword, which has been sent not to heaven, but to earth, makes confession also to be there, which by enduring to the end is to issue in the suffering of death. in the same manner, therefore, we maintain that the other announcements too refer to the condition of martyrdom. "he," says jesus, "who will value his own life also more than me, is not worthy of me," [luke 14:26] —that is, he who will rather live by denying, than die by confessing, me; and "he who finds his life shall lose it; but he who loses it for my sake shall find it." [matthew 10:39] therefore indeed he finds it, who, in winning life, denies; but he who thinks that he wins it by denying, will lose it in hell. on the other hand, he who, through confessing, is killed, will lose it for the present, but is also about to find it unto everlasting life. who, now, should know better the marrow of the scriptures than the school of christ itself?—the persons whom the lord both chose for himself as scholars, certainly to be fully instructed in all points, and appointed to us for masters to instruct us in all points. to whom would he have rather made known the veiled import of his own language, than to him to whom he disclosed the likeness of his own glory—to peter, john, and james, and afterwards to paul, to whom he granted participation in (the joys of) paradise too, prior to his martyrdom? or do they also write differently from what they think—teachers using deceit, not truth? addressing the christians of pontus, peter, at all events, says, "how great indeed is the glory, if you suffer patiently, without being punished as evildoers! for this is a lovely feature, and even hereunto were you called, since christ also suffered for us, leaving you himself as an example, that you should follow his own steps." [1 peter 2:20–21] and again: "beloved, be not alarmed by the fiery trial which is taking place among you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. for, inasmuch as you are partakers of christ's sufferings, do you rejoice; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. if you are reproached for the name of christ, happy are you; because glory and the spirit of god rest upon you: if only none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters; yet (if any man suffer) as a christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify god on this behalf." [1 peter 4:12–14] john, in fact, exhorts us to lay down our lives even for our brethren, [1 john 3:16] affirming that there is no fear in love: "for perfect love casts out fear, since fear has punishment; and he who fears is not perfect in love." [1 john 4:18] what fear would it be better to understand (as here meant), than that which gives rise to denial? what love does he assert to be perfect, but that which puts fear to flight, and gives courage to confess? what penalty will he appoint as the punishment of fear, but that which he who denies is about to pay, who has to be slain, body and soul, in hell? and if he teaches that we must die for the brethren, how much more for the lord,—he being sufficiently prepared, by his own revelation too, for giving such advice! for indeed the spirit had sent the injunction to the angel of the church in smyrna: "behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried ten days. be faithful unto death, and i will give you a crown of life." [revelation 2:10] also to the angel of the church in pergamus (mention was made) of antipas, [revelation 2:13] the very faithful martyr, who was slain where satan dwells. also to the angel of the church in philadelphia [revelation 3:10] (it was signified) that he who had not denied the name of the lord was delivered from the last trial. then to every conqueror the spirit promises now the tree of life, and exemption from the second death; now the hidden manna with the stone of glistening whiteness, and the name unknown (to every man save him that receives it); now power to rule with a rod of iron, and the brightness of the morning star; now the being clothed in white raiment, and not having the name blotted out of the book of life, and being made in the temple of god a pillar with the inscription on it of the name of god and of the lord, and of the heavenly jerusalem; now a sitting with the lord on his throne . . . . who, pray, are these so blessed conquerors, but martyrs in the strict sense of the word? for indeed theirs are the victories whose also are the fights; theirs, however, are the fights whose also is the blood. but the souls of the martyrs both peacefully rest in the meantime under the altar, [revelation 6:9] and support their patience by the assured hope of revenge; and, clothed in their robes, wear the dazzling halo of brightness, until others also may fully share in their glory. for yet again a countless throng are revealed, clothed in white and distinguished by palms of victory, celebrating their triumph doubtless over antichrist, since one of the elders says, "these are they who come out of that great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb." [revelation 7:14] for the flesh is the clothing of the soul. the uncleanness, indeed, is washed away by baptism, but the stains are changed into dazzling whiteness by martyrdom. . . . when great babylon likewise is represented as drunk with the blood of the saints, [revelation 17:6] doubtless the supplies needful for her drunkenness are furnished by the cups of martyrdoms; and what suffering the fear of martyrdoms will entail, is in like manner shown. for among all the castaways, nay, taking precedence of them all, are the fearful. "but the fearful," says john—and then come the others—"will have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone." [revelation 21:8] thus fear, which, as stated in his epistle, love drives out, has punishment. ("scorpiace" 9–12)
apostasy in christianity