This is the account of Jacob (Genesis 37:2) (Hermeneutics 101-1)

One of the TV programs I like is Iron Chef. What fascinates me is that depending on the kind of chef you have, raw materials such as meat like pork, beef, or sea food like shrimp, crab, or vegetables like onion, pepper, or cucumber, turn into almost any kind of dish you can imagine. Each chef has his or her own style and a finished product may vary greatly depending on an individual's technique. Not all chefs cook meals the way you like.

The same is true with the spiritual meals that nourish man's spirit, soul, and body. Although the word of God in the Bible is called 'manna' not all handle the Word of God the way it ought to be.  Herein comes the need for hermeneutics - the way of understanding and handling the Scriptures (just as iron chefs understand and handle raw materials doing, 'chop, chop, chop', 'cut, cut, cut', etc.).

How are we to handle the Scriptures? Our Lord Jesus answers the question saying all Scriptures are about him. (John 5:39; Luke 24:27 etc.)

Similarly in talking to a Samaritan woman who raised questions about [the way to understand] the Scriptures, our Lord Jesus said to her, "Salvation is from the Jews." John 4:22

In what respect is this (salvation coming from the Jews) so? Well, I think we can find the answer in Genesis 37:2. So, like the iron chefs in the video (working with several ingredients like crab, salt, pepper, etc.) let us secure raw materials by doing a grocery shopping by getting into the Bible (which I call 'Spiritual Super Market' like "Fresh and Easy" or "Smart and Final"). First let us go to Genesis and pick 37:2. Then let us combine this with John 4:22. What sort of dish can we come up with? I think we can come up with the dish called "Salvation comes from the Jews." How so? Consider the following:

- Jacob's spiritual (or "Christian" if you will) name is Israel. The account of Jacob (aka Israel whose descendants are collectively called "Jews") begins with Judah selling Joseph (Gen 37) and ends with Joseph comforting his brothers (Gen 45:7; 50:30-21).

- Following the account of Judah selling Joseph is the story of Judah (a father-in-law) sleeping with his daugther-in-law (a Gentile woman) and starting to produce children, not knowing what he was doing! [Also think about why Zerah stuck out of the Tamar's womb part of his body (wrist) (tied in a scarlet thread) first, and then went right back in, so Perez had to "break out" first.] Does this episode click anything to you?

Many centuries later God sent the Savior out of the line of Judah who in turn talked to a Gentile woman saying "Salvation is from the Jews!" After finding Jesus as the Messiah the Samaritan woman invited to Jesus the people of her town who also believed in the Savior. John 4:27-42

** Food for thought: Joseph is a type of Jesus the Savior to come; Judah played out Judas Iscariot (Judas is a Greek rendering of Hebrew word Judah, whereas Iscariot refers to the place of his birth, that is, Keriath) selling Jesus for a few coins; Joseph comforting his brothers saying, "This happened for ths salvation of many" looks forward to Jesus on a tree praying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Judah unwittingly producing children out of the union with a Gentile woman signifies the Jewish nation (such as the Apostel Paul) sharing the gospel (reluctantly with many turmoils) with the Gentiles. The race betwen the twin boys that were in Tamar's womb reminds us of Jesus' words, "The first will be last, last first" or what the Apostle Paul says, "Israel has experienced a hardening 'in part' until the full number (or body) of the Gentiles has come in." Romans 11:25

So this is the account of Jacob - the bearer of God's promise to send the Messiah, that is, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the Jews and Gentiles. Genesis 3:15