Jacob And Esau

Isaac autem genuit Esau et Jacob, in figura duorum saeculorum. Esau a capite usque ad pedes totus pilosus, saeculum primum hoc significat, quod ab initio usque ad finem totum quasi asperrimis pilis iniquitatum repletum est. Jacob autem totus speciosus et nitidus, futurum saeculum significat, quod totum pietatis decore fulgebit, et non invenietur in illo aliqua asperitas aut nigredo peccati. Et quemadmodum cum de utero matris suae exiret Esau, tenuit plantam ejus Jacob: unde Hebraice Jacob appelatus est, id est, supplantator: mox enim ut illius pedes egressi sunt, istius caput apparuit: sic et in fine saeculi istius statim illius saeculi principium apparebit. Et quemadmodum Esau persequebatur Jacob, sic filii saeculi hujus persequuntur filios saeculi illius: et sicut ipse, ita et filii ejus non resistendo sed fugiendo superant malos. Nam quamadmodum mater adivit Jacob, dicens ei: Fili, audi me et fuge in Mesopotamiam, donec quiescat ira fratris tui: sic et Ecclesia filios suos quotidie docet, cum persequutionem patiuntur, dicens: Si vos persequuti fuerint in civitate ista, fugite, in alteram; et Date locum irae. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia Prima Migne PG 56.614

Isaac fathered Esau and Jacob, which is a figure of the two ages. Esau being covered in hair from his head to his feet signifies the first age, which from its beginning to its end is full of the most unsightly hairs of iniquity; Jacob all fair and shining signifies the future age, which shall shine with all the beauty of piety, and in it shall not be found any roughness or darkness of sin. And as when Esau came from the womb of his mother Jacob held his heel, from which he is named in Hebrew 'Jacob' that is 'supplanter', for as soon as the feet of the first came out, the head of the other appeared, so with the end of this age instantly will appear the beginning of the greater one. And as Esau persecuted Jacob, so the sons of this age persecute the sons of the next, and like Jacob, so even its sons do not resist but flee that they surpass evil men. For as the mother of Jacob said to him, 'Son, listen to me, fly into Mesopotamia, until the anger of your brother subsides,' 1 so even the Church teaches her sons, when they suffer persecution, saying, 'If they persecute you in one city, flee into another,' 2 and 'Give a space to anger.' 3 Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from The First Homily 1 Gen 27. 43-44 2 Mt 10.23 3 Rom 12.19