Formee a Swindler

The Divine Pedagogy of Formation

Abstract

The vocation and responce of Jacob and the divine pedagogy of formation employed to form and transform the cunning and calculating‘Israel’ is one of the most intriguing events in the entire Bible. The Formator did not let Jacob to come out of his crooked acts unhurt. The guileful one, who acquired by device the right of the first-born and the divine blessings, could not enjoy them in security and safety. The divine pedagogue uses the tactics of conciliation (samam), presentation of gifts (danam) and coercion (bhedam). All these methods apparently did not help the formee to grow into a mature person. Therefore, the divine Pedagogue applies the disciplinary art of ‘punishment’ (dandam). The Formator was purifying the formee in the furnace of suffering, in order to make him a most fine metal of gold. Everything which is non-divine in him must be burnt out. Only then humans can become the authentic children of God.