Words of Peace?
Words of peace,
But no treaty,
Are a sign
Of a plot.
鈥掷耻苍-罢锄耻, The Art of War
And [Esau] said, 鈥淟et us start on our journey, and I will proceed at your pace.鈥�
鈥擥en. 33:12
Many wonder why Jacob concludes his peaceful summit with his brother Esau by lying and slipping away from Esau鈥檚 friendly grasp (Gen. 33:13-14). Does he never change? Does he never transcend deception? As Sun-Tzu wrote in the 6th century BCE, 鈥淭he Way of War is / A Way of Deception.鈥� And make no mistake, Jacob and Esau are at war.
In order to understand Jacob鈥檚 evasiveness from his place of weakness, we should also wonder about Esau鈥檚 restraint from his place of strength. Why does Esau not deliver on his long-promised slaughter, even while possessing the absolute advantage? Both Jacob and Esau have their own destinies in mind, and Esau knows this is a struggle for dominance, not destruction (Gen. 27:29). 鈥淏etter take / an army 鈥� Intact / Than destroy them. / Ultimate excellence lies / Not in winning / Every battle / But in defeating the enemy / Without ever fighting鈥� (Sun-Tzu, The Art of War).
Do fundamental antagonisms exist in our world? I don鈥檛 know for sure. With the future of our country so uncertain, it is tempting to believe that deep conflicts have a quick solution. But it could be fatal to perceive our enemies as potential friends, or to take peaceful gestures as a dependable treaty.
