The Kitchen Sink
An occasional piece of paper
July 17, 2011
Vol. 14 no. 29
I used to have a little old-fashioned toy called a “Jacob’s Ladder.” It consists of six wooden blocks attached together by ribbons so that when you turn the top block 180 degrees, the other blocks cascade down alternately, giving the illusion of someone descending the ladder. Engineers will have to explain better why this really works. One of these was actually found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb amidst all that fantastic jewelry. I doubt King Tut had ever heard of Jacob and his dream.
A number of writers on the spiritual life adapted the image of the ladder for their agendas. John Climacus, a Greek monk and abbot of St. Catherine’s monastery on Mount Sinai in the mid-600’s, wrote a famous book called The Ladder of Divine Ascent - 30 rungs progressing upwards to salvation - 30 being equal to the years of Jesus’ life when he was baptized. Every year during Lent this book is reread to the monks in Greek Orthodox monasteries.
Last week we heard the story of the birth of Esau and Jacob and that famous meal of red lentils during which Jacob “bought” Esau’s birthright. The Lectionary never includes the most memorable story of the series about how Jacob cheats his brother Esau of the paternal blessing, putting on the sheep skin to deceive the virtually blind Isaac - the real reason Jacob is on the lam from Esau. How one can understand all the ladders and wrestling with angels Jacob gets himself into without knowing about the sheep skin? If you are not sure what I am writing about, let’s fill in the gaps. It may sound familiar.
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
Regina, Saskatchewan