Great Wrestlers of the Bible

It's hard to avoid those over-the-top commercials for staged wrestling events--you know the ones I mean. Unfortunately, these end up being my primary reference point when I hear about Jacob's all-night match against his mysteriously unnamed opponent. I actually started taking mental inventory of the...

Great Wrestlers of the Bible

The God-Fighter (a.k.a. Israel, Jacob): Undefeated! Father of a people with a 3500 year history of perseverance no matter what strategems their opponents have attempted to use against them. The God-Fighter is the archetypal warrior: not even God pinned him down.  Don't let the limp fool you.

Samson (doesn't need a stage name, does he?): The strongest man known to man! Defeated only once, through a treacherous romance. He learned his lesson well. Don't let him bring the house down.

The Giant-Slayer (a.k.a. David): He practiced for the arena while just a boy, wrestling with the lions and bears that threatened his sheep. Goliath didn't stand a chance.

Terror of Demons (a.k.a. Joseph of Nazareth): Surprisingly meek for a champion, he's the Terror of Demons by way of careful listening to his inner Coach. Driven to protect his family, he's still active in the arena of history.

The Cosmic Conqueror (a.k.a. Jesus of Nazareth; Lion of the Tribe of Judah; Alpha and Omega):  No one ever fought like this--in fact, he still bears the wounds from his ultimate battle. The match started on a Thursday night and continued through to Sunday morning with a decisive victory that people are still talking about. The awards ceremony has been delayed in order to include as many as possible in the triumph: don't miss it!

The Rock (a.k.a. Simon, Son of John; Simon Peter): His early matches were unimpressive, to say the least. No rock at all, he was a wimpy warrior who could be cowed by a disapproving glance. But he took coaching from the Cosmic Conqueror and followed him to an enormous victory, completing his final match upside down!