In this scene of Jacob’s wrestling, I believe that his opponent is God himself being manifested to him. This can be understood because of how Jacob claims that he saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” (Gen 32.30). Having gone through many struggles previously in his life, Jacob had already undergone all types of wrestling, yet wrestling against God is a whole different matter. After wrestling until day break, the fight ends once the opponent sees that he cannot overpower Jacob, and so wrenches his hip as they wrestle. Jacob refuses to let the opponent go until he has been blessed.
Even though Jacob is the one who wins the actual fight, in the end this fight was a way of God manifesting himself to Him and blessing him. I think that it is not really Jacob’s victory at the end of the fight. Jacob obtains his blessing from God and is enlightened in the sense that he reaches the understanding of how he cannot go on without God. It is God who in the end forgives Jacob’s life and blesses him. Without this, Jacob couldn’t have continued, showing how it was not truly him that won the fight. After undergoing this struggle, God gives Jacob his blessing and Jacob understands that he is alive because it was God’s will for him to be. This passage shows how Jacob had to face many struggles in his life, but at the end of the day God will allow him to remain strong and allow him to keep on going.
Alegria Ubidia 
I agree with your statement that is a manifestation of God with whom Jacob is wrestling. I also interpreted this to be a sort of internal conflict in which God reveals himself to Jacob within Jacob’s own person, and the battle that ensues is between the two sides of his character, with God guiding him to re-establish himself. Something I thought about the fact that Jacob won the battle, if he were in fact battling with God, is that by letting him “win”, God is both demonstrating his power as well as showing mercy. This concept connects to our class discussion on justice and mercy, and in this case, God is demonstrating both. I also agree that God, by manifesting Himself, establishing power, and blessing Jacob, is the winner of the wrestling match. However, I also think that Jacob can be seen as a winner as he walks away with a blessing and a new sense of self. He also has the power to mend his relationship with his brother. Overall, I really enjoyed reading your post!
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I agree that the person Jacob fought was God. However, I disagree with your argument that God was the one who won in the end. I think Jacob did. He lived his entire life. being deceitful and taking anything. he wanted. He did not have any “struggles” and he did not deserve God’s blessing.
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