We should observe moreover that the words translated `others' here are the Greek

words hoi loipoi `the left', `the residue'. We should indeed walk with all lowliness and

meekness as we consider the unmerited grace that has been bestowed upon us.

There are certain folk who have what are called `green fingers', fruit, flower and

vegetable responding to their care where with others no such success follows. Some of

these folk have an intuitive faculty in discriminating between seeds and bulbs, forecasting

fairly accurately what others have to wait and see at time of harvest. While both good

and bad seed must grow together until the harvest, there are one or two traits that, to the

discerning eye, indicate what stock they are of. Such attitudes to Divine things as are

indicated by the words `despise', `mock', `reject' are among the number of terms that act

as an index to essential character. The Scriptures make abundantly clear that the seed

were not chosen for any qualities they possessed, but by the sheer choice of God, yet to

leave the matter there is to express but half a truth; there is another side of the story that

needs to be given attention. Esau and Jacob chosen, and this before either had done any

good or evil that the purpose of God according to election should stand (Rom. 9: 11).

Nevertheless, Esau and Jacob manifest very different attitudes to the things of God. It is

written that `Esau despised his birthright' (Gen. 25: 34) and is called a `profane person'

(Heb. 12: 16). It is true that Jacob cheated both his blind father and his brother, and no

words can be too severe in condemning so despicable an act, and yet, if we probe to

discover the reason for Rebekah's plan and of Jacob's complicity, it is that they were

both most obviously desirous that Jacob should be in line with the blessing of Abraham, a

blessing which was ultimately bestowed freely and without persuasion upon Jacob's

departure to Padan-aram (Gen. 28: 3-6). So though one might call Jacob many

unsavoury names, one thing could never be said of him that he did despise his birthright.

In conjunction with this, we might observe that where the A.V. reads that "Jacob was a

PLAIN man" (Gen. 25: 27), it should be kept steadily in mind that the Hebrew word

translated `plain' is translated `perfect' of Job (Job 1: 1) and of Noah (Gen. 6: 9), a

quality related to one's generations as of Noah, and a quality additional to that of being

upright, as of Job. The word is used in the Song of Solomon twice of the beloved as

`undefiled'. What was it that drew down such severe judgment upon Israel in the

wilderness? In the book of Numbers, the murmuring against the dealing of the Lord with

them is said to have given them such an answer to their demand for a flesh diet, that the

Lord said: