No one likes to feel vulnerable. Vulnerability brings feelings of being defenseless, exposed, unguarded, assailable, and weak. Feeling vulnerable is even worse when we mistakenly think that we can do it, that we are strong enough, and that we can defend ourselves, but then we realize that we are actually unable, weak, and defenseless.
The famous German theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), who experienced the horrors of World War II, expressed feelings of vulnerability in his letters from prison. He highlighted that in times of crisis and vulnerability we become more clearly aware of our weakness and dependence on God. In a letter to his friend (and later biographer) Eberhard Bethge written on January 29-30, 1944, he stated, “When the bombs are crashing down around this building, I can’t do otherwise than think of God. . . . It takes a crisis to shake us up and drive us into prayer.”1
We find important examples in the Bible when, in times of crisis, vulnerability and dependence on God become quite evident. In fact, these critical moments of vulnerability are crucial for a better understanding and appreciation of God’s grace. Let’s take a closer look at some significant examples in Scripture, beginning with the experiences of Jacob in Genesis 32-33.
God’s Grace and Jacob’s Vulnerability
Before delving into the dramatic narrative of Jacob’s emotional meeting with his brother, Esau, we should first recognize that Genesis 32-33 are among the main chapters about grace in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word for grace (or favor) here is ḥēn. Out of the 70 occurrences of this word in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), 14 are found in Genesis (more than any other book). In Genesis many of the occurrences of ḥēn are found in the narrative of Jacob encountering Esau (appearing four times; see Gen. 32:5; 33:8, 10, 15).
In Patriarchs and Prophets Ellen G. White provides a vivid picture of how Jacob initially felt about this encounter. More than 20 years had passed since his last interactions with his older brother. In her words Jacob’s “sin in the deception of his father was ever before him. He knew that his long exile was the direct result of that sin, and he pondered over these things day and night, the reproaches of an accusing conscience making his journey very sad.”2 In her further depiction of Jacob’s accusing memories, she adds, “All the past rose vividly before him.”3 Besides, there was the concern that his return could lead Esau to think that Jacob was coming “to claim the inheritance” as the blessed firstborn.4
God’s power is brought to full measure precisely in the context of human weakness.
Jacob’s instructions to the first messengers sent to Esau were intended to brush off the suspicion that he was coming to claim the inheritance, and this is where we find the first occurrence of the term ḥēn, or grace/favor. “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor [ḥēn] in your sight” ’ ” (Gen. 32:4, 5). Notice that the language of “lord” and “servant” implies that Jacob is not elevating himself to a position of honor and privilege as the blessed firstborn. Instead, he is speaking as a servant to his lord Esau. Moreover, he mentions all the possessions he acquired after he left home (oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants). In other words, Jacob does not need anything else. He is not coming to claim any inheritance. It is precisely at this point in the narrative that we learn about Jacob’s explicit intention with this message to Esau, defined by the language of ḥēn. Jacob wants to find favor/grace (ḥēn) in the eyes of his brother. In the concrete style of Hebrew thought, grace is something that we can find in the eyes of someone.
Jacob’s intentions, however, are frustrated. The messengers return and warn him that Esau is coming with his military force of 400 men (Gen. 32:6). Jacob knows quite well what this means, and his reaction is profoundly emotional. He is “greatly afraid and distressed” (verse 7) and prays for deliverance (verse 11). Despite all his material possessions and planned strategies, he feels vulnerable. He finds himself powerless and unable to purchase grace or favor with all his riches. Shockingly, his abundant financial resources cannot provide him with the only thing he needs now: deliverance.
Jacob’s last attempt confirms this somber reality. He sends a generous gift to Esau (verses 13-18), including camels (verse 15), the most expensive animals. Since camels are not mentioned in the initial message to Esau in Genesis 32:5, we could even speculate that Jacob perhaps initially minimized his riches in order to surprise his brother when the gift is received.5 From the words of Genesis 32:20, we further learn about Jacob’s intentions to achieve appeasement with his expensive gift—his last resort: “For he said, ‘I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.’ ” One literal translation renders this, “I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterwards I see his face; it may be he lifteth up my face” (Gen. 32:20, YLT).6
Nevertheless, the next section of the narrative, which portrays Jacob wrestling with God at night (verses 22-26), indicates that he is rather unsure about the efficacy of his gift.
Jacob’s wrestling is a profound and paradoxical example of his vulnerability. Physically speaking, Jacob seems to have prevailed in the fight (verse 25), but he was emotionally perplexed and did not behave like a winner. Instead, he kept fighting the entire night and did not let the divine Man go until he was blessed (verses 24-26). In the physical wrestling Jacob seems strong. But in reality Jacob feels powerless and vulnerable as he thinks about the coming encounter with his brother in the morning, which is a fight he cannot win by himself. This is why Jacob anxiously fights and prays for the blessing of deliverance. This is a prayer coming from apparent strength, but ultimate and utter vulnerability.
The story ambiguously points to the presence of the blessing. The one who was hiding his face from Esau and using the mediatorial role of messengers and gifts to find grace/favor in the eyes of his brother (verses 5, 20) now sees the very face of God at the night of wrestling and surprisingly finds the grace of deliverance, without messengers and gifts but having only a prayer from a powerless and vulnerable heart. The blessing of grace and deliverance coming from God’s face is expressed by Jacob himself: “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (verse 30). This was a very encouraging divine sign of what would happen in the morning, when he would see the face of his brother, Esau.
At night Jacob had physical strength to anxiously persevere in fighting for the blessings of deliverance, but without real victory. In contrast, Jacob was weakened in the morning; the divine Man “touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him” (verse 25). At sunrise “he limped on his hip” (verse 31), but he was actually limping toward victory.
Paradoxically, it seems the divine blessing of deliverance should have made Jacob stronger for the expected morning battle with Esau, but God unexpectedly gave him the (disturbing) blessing of being weakened. Instead of removing his vulnerability, God’s grace made it even more evident.
This narrative powerfully connects with the experience of the apostle Paul in the New Testament.
God’s answer did not come in the form of unambiguous empowerment, as we usually expect, but as the (disturbing) blessing of weakness.
God’s Grace and Paul’s Vulnerability
Paul eloquently captures Jacob’s experience of vulnerability in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” The Greek word for strength in this passage is dynamis, from which the term dynamite is derived, conveying the meaning of power. Moreover, the expression “made perfect” in this verse translates the Greek verb teléō, which gives the sense of making something complete or bringing it to its full measure. The New English Bible renders this part of our passage: “Power comes to its full strength in weakness.”7 In other words, God’s power is brought to full measure precisely in the context of human weakness.
This passage not only aptly describes Jacob’s experience of God’s grace in Genesis 32, but primarily speaks of Paul’s own experience of vulnerability and weakness. In fact, the language of weakness that appears in 2 Corinthians 12:9 is widely used in 1 and 2 Corinthians in general. They could even be called the letters of weakness. The Greek adjective asthenēs, which basically conveys the meaning of weak or sick, is used 11 times in 1 Corinthians, which is the New Testament book in which we find the most occurrences of this adjective. And the Greek noun asthéneia, which describes weakness or sickness, occurs six times in 2 Corinthians, which is the New Testament book with the most occurrences of this noun.
To mention a few examples, in 1 Corinthians 1:27 Paul highlights that “God has chosen the weak things [asthenē] of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” In 2 Corinthians 13:4 the apostle uses this language to describe Christ and believers: “For though He was crucified in weakness [astheneías], yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak [asthenoumen] in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.” In connection with these examples, the notion of weakness is particularly elaborated in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (ESV).
Paul initially portrays himself as spiritually powerful, considering “the surpassing greatness of the revelations” he receives from God (verse 7). This apparent power is, however, paradoxically followed by his awareness of actual weakness.
It is not clear what Paul’s thorn in the flesh is. Perhaps this could metaphorically point to the opposition he faced in ministry, but the reference to his flesh could imply physical illness (see, e.g., Gal. 4:13, 14). Whatever the case, the apostle prayed for deliverance not only once or twice but three times (2 Cor. 12:8). Like Jacob, however, God’s answer did not come in the form of unambiguous empowerment, as we usually expect, but as the (disturbing) blessing of weakness.
Indeed, Paul’s vulnerability is not taken away, but is emphasized more. It is precisely in this condition of powerlessness that God’s strength comes into full measure in the apostle’s life. As David Garland comments: “God’s grace is not just the unmerited favor that saves us but a force that also sustains us throughout our lives.”8 Put differently, the experiences of Jacob and Paul teach us that God’s grace is the power that sustains us, especially in times of weakness and vulnerability.
The touching experiences of Jacob and Paul with vulnerability and grace are not the only places in Scripture in which God brought power to full measure in the lives of weak believers. Hebrews 11:32-34 indicates that “time would fail” us to tell the experience of others in the past who became victorious, not because of their strength or power, but “through faith . . . out of weakness were made strong” (verses 33, 34). Our experiences of vulnerability and grace, of divine strength in our weakness, should be part of this list as well.
1 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers From Prison. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010), vol. 8, p. 276.
2 Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1890, 1908), p. 195.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 See Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989), p. 224.
6 Texts credited to YLT are from Young’s Literal Translation.
7 From The New English Bible. © The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press 1961, 1970. Reprinted by permission.
8 David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999), p. 524.