The so-called ‘bad boys’ of Scripture—Esau the ‘hated’, Saul the ‘villain’ and Thomas the ‘doubter’—form a faithline that carries a legacy regarding reconciliation. They are the underrated ones when it comes to working through issues separating brothers and tribes, as well as God and mankind.
John tells us three times in his gospel that Thomas was a twin and he creates a mirror-reflection in the text between Nathanael’s doubts about Jesus and Thomas’ doubts. In addition, he sprinkles allusions to Jacob through Nathanael’s major scene: a reference to Jacob’s dream of a ladder of angels as well as a compliment about Nathanael’s character:
‘Here truly there is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’
John 1:47 NIV
That statement could be rendered, ‘Here is Israel without Jacob,’ thus defining Nathanael in terms of two names both given to Esau’s younger twin brother.
If Nathanael is meant to draw our minds to think of Jacob, then Thomas is meant to direct our attention to Esau. Like Esau, out and about when Isaac is blessing his brother and announcing his inheritance, Thomas is missing when Jesus blesses his brother apostles and, breathing on them, speaks out their inheritance—the gift of the Holy Spirit.
But Jesus makes sure that, in a reversal of the old story, Thomas definitely is not deprived of a legacy his fellow disciples have received. He comes back a week later, especially to see Thomas. And curiously, ancient echoes of the Jacob-Esau story occur once more. There are only two times in Scripture when someone is called Lord and God in the same dialogue. The second time is, of course, when Thomas exclaims on seeing the risen Jesus for himself:
‘My Lord and my God!’
John 20:28 NIV
The first time occurs during the meeting between Esau and Jacob after their long estrangement.
Esau asked, ‘What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?’
‘To find favour in your eyes, my lord,’ he said.
But Esau said, ‘I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.’
‘No, please!’ said Jacob. ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably.’
Genesis 33:8–10 NIV
This scene might have ended in reconciliation and restored relationship, had Jacob been willing to choose that path. But he didn’t. He said he’d follow Esau home but he went off another way. Centuries later, the descendants of Esau won’t let the descendants of Jacob pass through their land. Is it any wonder? It would be very surprising if Esau didn’t caution his sons and grandsons: ‘Don’t trust the children of Jacob. If they’re anything like their father, they’ll say one thing and do another.’
That lack of trust, that doubt, that suspicion, is a famous aspect of the story of Thomas. It’s the word of his brother disciples he doesn’t believe, not the word of Jesus. And it’s only in Jesus that we see a restored brotherhood where trust can finally be resurrected.
However, Jesus doesn’t just recapitulate the Jacob-Esau story and bring about true and genuine reconciliation between brothers, He also reunites tribes.
Another famous episode involving doubt in Scripture is that of the ten spies who opposed Caleb and Joshua after they’d all spent forty days scouting out the Promised Land. Ten spies doubted, two trusted God.
In the story of Thomas, we see the numbers reversed: ten are trusting, two—Thomas and Judas, the apostle who lack trust so deeply he’d killed himself—had doubts.
Jesus once again overturns the storyline, and this time because the disciples symbolise tribes, it’s the tribal brotherhood that is brought back into reconciliation.
This is the stunning legacy carried by Esau’s mantle: to bring about reconciliation between brothers and sisters, family branches, clans, tribes, nations. It’s an amazing responsibility and it’s a mantle of supreme significance. Elijah’s mantle carries an assignment for change of government, but how can that be effectively achieved unless people can be reconciled and work together? Moses’ mantle carries an assignment for resourcing others with physical and spiritual food and water, but how can that come to pass when people don’t trust each other? Joseph’s mantle carries an assignment for blessing others with a return of inheritance, but how can that be made to happen when people doubt the motives of others?
Esau’s mantle brings with it divine power to transform doubt into trust. If this is your inheritance in the Lord, then ask Him how best to deploy it for the good of the entire world.
This is Grace Drops and I’m Anne Hamilton. May Jesus of Nazareth renew your trust in Him.
Thank you to Lorna Skinner of www.riversofmusic.co.uk for the background music.
John’s gospel is an epic poem in the mirror-reflective style of Hebrew prophetic poetry. Many commentators have noticed this and shown how the matching pairs line up. However, they haven’t looked beyond the loveliness of the design to the clues offered by the clues embedded in the symmetry. John reveals the inheritance given to specific disciples—the mantles of the patriarchs, prophets and kings that were handed on by Jesus as specific legacies: Elijah’s, Joseph’s, Reuben’s, Jacob’s, David’s, Esau’s… and more! The Elijah Tapestry, The Summoning of Time, The Lustral Waters, The Inviolable Kingdom and Bathing in Bronze (coming late 2026) work verse by verse from the front, matching to various verses from the back to unveil the not-so-hidden secrets of the mantles.