Jesus is the “Ladder of Jacob” uniting Heaven with Earth

1. The angels of Elohim ascended and descended “on him”
2. Descent for the sake of Ascent

The angels of Elohim ascended and descended “on him”

In John chapter 1, Jesus wins the confidence of a man named Nathaniel, first introduced as a companion of the Apostle Philip. The exchange is quick, and with remarkable speed, Nathaniel who first challenged Jesus’ legitimacy; “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (verse 46) makes the declaration “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” (verse 49). This event, while brief, is absolutely explosive with significance. The narrative includes three points that we should take into special consideration: the inquiry regarding “anything good”, a reference to a fig tree, and mention of angels ascending and descending.

• Nathaniel doubts that anything good can come from Nazareth
• Philip takes Nathaniel to Jesus. Jesus says regarding Nathaniel “Here truly is an Israelite with no deceit.” Nathaniel asks: “How do you know me?” Jesus responds “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree…”
• Nathaniel declares that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus says: “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man”

As if to confirm Nathaniel’s realization, Jesus responds with a loose reference to Genesis 28:

​And he [Jacob] dreamed; and see! a ladder was set towards the earth and its top reached unto the heavens, and angels of Elohim ascended and descended on it. And see! YHWH was standing upon it and He said, “I am YHWH, the Elohim of your father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac: the earth on which you are lying I will give to you and to your seed.” – Genesis 28:12-13

While the passage clearly speaks of a ladder, Jesus attributes this to himself. When the Hebrew is examined closely, this sentiment is less of a departure from the text than we immediately assume.

This ladder is said to have a “top” that reaches into the heavens. The Hebrew word used is “Verosho” which literally means “his head.” If the reader acknowledges the oddity, the description that follows will inevitably evoke the image of the figure of a man. For example, the English translation states: “and the angels of Elohim ascended and descended on it” however, the Hebrew word translated as “it” is “Bo” which changes the statement to: “and the angels of Elohim ascended and descended on him.” Thirdly, verse thirteen translated as “The Lord was standing upon it” more accurately should be translated as “The Lord was standing upon him.”

Based on the references to a “his/him” the text almost seems to suggest that Jacob (while observing the ladder in his dream) assumed the ladder represented himself. Jewish tradition would later pick up on this:

Rabbi Chiya and Rabbai Yannai [disagreed]. One said: “They ascended and descended on the ladder.” And one said: “They ascended and descended on Jacob.” – Bereshit Rabbah 68:12

Yet the text continues to perplex the careful reader:

“Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you [Jacob] will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.” – Genesis 28:14

Naturally, we assume this is depicting Jacobs descendants as spreading outwards west to the east, and north to south. However, after mention of Jacob’s descendants, the text specifically references “you” (meaning Jacob) spreading west to east, north to south. Not only is Jacob standing as a ladder uniting the heavens with the earth, the text seems to suggest he is also spanning the world in all directions.

In Deuteronomy 4:32, Adam is also said to have existed “from the one end of the heavens to the other”

“Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created Adam on the earth from one end of the heavens to the other.”

Based on this verse, Jewish tradition derived the understanding that Adam benefitted from a supernatural stature/presence that encompassed the entire earth. After the fall, Adam’s spiritual authority no longer radiated from his body. Instead, he was “diminished” and confined to the physical:

Rav Yehuda says Rav says: The first Adam [reached] from [one] end of the world and until its [other] end, as it is stated: “…since the day wherein Elohim created Adam upon the earth, and he was from an end of the heavens and unto [the other] end of the heavens…” When he was corrupted, the Holy One, Blessed be He, laid his hand on him and diminished him. – Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 38b

Rabbi Elazar says: The first Adam [reached] from the earth until the sky, as it is stated: “…since the day wherein Elohim created Adam upon the earth, he was from an end of the heavens…” When he was corrupted, the Holy One, Blessed be He, laid his hand on him and diminished him. – Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 38b

If the nuances in the text aren’t ignored, parallels between Adam and Jacob begin to emerge. Just as Adam extended from “one end of the heavens, to the other”, so too is Jacob at least in potential, destined to spread outwards from west to east, north to south. Just as Adam was “diminished”, so too did Jacob suffer his share of tribulations. 

The connection between the two was noticed by the sages, and a comparison is made in the Talmud:

“The beauty of Jacob our father was the semblance of the beauty of the first Adam” – Talmud Bavli, Bava Metzia 84a.

The Hebrew word translated as beauty is “shufrah” and it derives from “shafar” which means “good”. Jacob is linked to the beauty/good of Adam, because it is through Jacob’s line that the “good” of the first Adam will be restored. One individual in particular within Jacob’s line would accomplish this task: the Messiah.

The Messiah would be “diminished” – taking the sin of Adam upon himself, in order to restore the “good” that was lost in Adam.

“Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;  the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 15:45

The prophet Isaiah links Adam’s failure to the “piercing” of the Messiah:

“Your first father sinned [Adam], and your intercessors transgressed against Me, and I shall pierce My holy prince [the Messiah]…” – Isaiah 43:27-28

It is now crystal clear why John included Nathaniel’s protest in his account:

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” John 1:46

Jesus would effectively communicate: not just good, but I will restore THE good that Adam lost! This can only be accomplished by the one who is to become the ladder in Jacob’s dream:

“Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” – John 1:51

Jesus selflessly offered himself to become pierced on our behalf. He was “diminished”. By doing so, he alone merited access to heaven. This would grant Jesus exclusive control over traffic seeking to traverse between worlds; of angels wanting to descend to earth, and the souls of men wanting to ascend to heaven:

“And he dreamed and see! A ladder set up towards the earth…” What is the ladder? It signifies the rung on which hang [all] other rungs, and he is the ‘foundation of the world.’… ‘reached unto the heavens…’ means that he is the completion of the body and stands between [the world] above and [the world] below.” – Zohar, Vayetzei 149b

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” – 1 Peter 3:18

Descent for the sake of Ascent

The first statement declared by the mouth of the God in the giving of the Torah is:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” – Exodus 20:2

The word translated as “I” is “Anochi.” There is no such world in the Hebrew language. Isn’t this curious? God speaks to Israel, and the first word used in order to herald the “Ten words” (Ten Commandments) is foreign to the Hebrew tongue. According to the text of the Pesikta d’Rabba Kahanna, “Anochi” came from Ancient Egypt:

“Rabbi Nechemyah said, ‘What is Anochi? It is of the Mitzri [Egyptian] language.” – Pesikta d’Rav Kahanna, 12:24

During the 400 year stay in Egypt, Israel would gradually appropriate the culture and language of their oppressors. By the time Israel stood at Mount Sinai, they would have retained little Hebrew:

“All the years that Israel was in Egypt, they learned the speech of Egypt. When the Holy one, blessed be he, redeemed them, he came to give them the Torah. They did not know [enough Hebrew] to hear it. The Holy one, blessed be he, said, “Here! I shall talk to them in the language of Egyptian: Anoch.” A man who desires to say to his fellow in Egypt: “I”, he says “Anoch.” Thus the Holy One, blessed be he, opened [the giving of the Torah] in their language and said, “Anochi.” – Midrash Tanchuma, Yitro, 16:1

Jewish tradition even considers the possibility that the entirety of the 10 commandments were uttered in Egyptian:

“And the Holy One, blessed be he, spoke to Israel the Ten Words in the language of Egyptian…” – Hadar Zekenim, Yitro to Exodus 20:1

This indicates how dismally Israel had fallen as a result of their time in Egypt. Centuries of pagan influence, in combination with the hardships they had endured, left them near the brink of annihilation as a distinct people:

“It is known that when Israel was in Egypt, they defiled and soiled their natures in every type of defilement, until they resided under the forty-ninth rank of defilement.” – Zohar Chadash, Yitro 3

Judaism recognizes a range of 50 levels of defilement. The forty-ninth level would signal the near end for Israel. They were but one level away from spiritual disrepair.

Numbers 20:15 provides a subtle hint of this in it’s language:

“And our fathers descended to Egypt, and dwelt in Egypt many days…”

Israel “descended” – their stay in Egypt would bring about spiritual decline. 

The act of God willing to sully his words by speaking in the language of pagan nation was therefore a gesture of love and mercy. He was lowering himself to their level, in order to meet with them. The Covenant at Mount Sinai, and the discipline that would follow would amount to God’s loving effort to raise Israel:

“I shall descend with you to Egypt, and I shall even certainly bring you up [ascend]…” – Genesis 46:4

The inclusion of the Egyptian word Anochi was an act of love. It was as if to say: “You have lost your way but I have not abandoned you.”

“Anochi is [nothing] except the language of “love”…Therefore, when they came before Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, began to speak with them the language of Anochi – “love.” – Pesikta Rabbati 21

God descends for the purpose of lifting up. This is known in Jewish tradition as “Descent that is for the sake of ascent” (Talmud Bavli, Makkot 7b).

The “Lowest parts of the World”

Paul applies this principle to Jesus:

“Yet, of he who ascended: what is it but that he also descended first to the lowest [parts] of the world” – Ephesians 4:9

In Jewish tradition, Gehenna (hell) contains seven realms/levels of severity:

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Gehenna has seven names, and they are as follows: She’ol, Avadon, Be’er Shaḥat, Bor Shaon, Tit HaYaven, Tzalmavet, and Eretz HaTaḥtit. She’ol, as it is written: “Out of the belly of the netherworld [she’ol] I cried and You did hear my voice” (Jonah 2:3). Avadon, as it is written: “Shall Your steadfast love be reported in the grave or Your faithfulness in destruction [avadon]?” (Psalms 88:12). Be’er Shaḥat, as it is written: “For You will not abandon my soul to the netherworld; nor will You suffer Your pious one to see the pit [shaḥat]” (Psalms 16:10). And Bor Shaon and Tit HaYaven, as it is written: “He brought me up also out of the gruesome pit [bor shaon], out of the miry clay [tit hayaven]” (Psalms 40:3). And Tzalmavet, as it is written: “Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death [tzalmavet], bound in affliction and iron” (Psalms 107:10). And with regard to Eretz Taḥtit [the lowest world], i.e., the underworld, it is known by tradition that this is its name. – Talmud, Eruvin19a

“Eretz Tahtit” is translated into English as “the lowest world.” Compare this to what Paul writes in Ephesians 4:9 – “…to the lowest [parts] of the world.” 

The Apostle was referring to the seventh realm of Gehenna, the lowest level of hell. Paul was stating that Christ’s ascension to the highest level of authority relative to man and angels was not without a price, but before the ascension, he descended to the lowest level possible.

Peter confirms this when he writes:

After being made alive, he [Jesus] went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. – 1 Peter 3:18-19

This descent fulfils the words of Proverbs 24 verse 16:

“For the righteous one shall fall seven times and rise up. But the wicked ones stagger in evil.”

This is prophetic of the Messiah, the greatest among the righteous, falling through the seven realms only to ascend afterwards. The Jewish text “Likutei Shoshanim” ties it together:

“And into these chambers [of Gehinnom] goes the Tzaddik [righteous one] – even the perfect Tzaddik [the Messiah], for the restoration to lift out the souls of the wicked.” – Likutei Shoshanim, Likut22

Psalms 68:18 states:

“You have ascended to the heights, [leading] captive captivity, to receive gifts in Adam, and even rebels, for Yah Elohim to dwell [there].”

An insight is made regarding the word “very” in Isaiah 52:

“‘He shall be elevated, and exalted, and very lifted up.’ In what way? THat he shall be raised up ‘very’ is to be reckoned [to refer to ] Adam, for in the switching of the letters, “very” is [spelled the same as] ‘Adam.”’ – Zohar, Pinchas 246b

The Hebrew word for “very” is spelled with the same letters as the name “Adam” but in a different order. The insight to be gleaned here, is that the Messiah descends to save Adam/humanity, lowering himself in every way (taking on a frail human body, submitting to death, and even to the extent of descending to the lowest level of Gehenna) in order liberate and raise the souls of man. This makes the Messiah “very” lifted up. 

The term “very good” was used once in the creation account, and only after the creation of Adam:

“And Elohim saw all that which he had made, and see! It was very good!” – Genesis 1:31

The Messiah therefore takes on the nature of Adam before the fall, when God considered Adam “very good.”

The Fig tree

After Adam and Eve sinned, they attempted to cover their shame with fig leaves:

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” – Genesis 3:7

According to tradition, they were wearing the leaves from the very tree that brought about the sin in the first place! The tree of knowledge WAS the fig tree:

“They tried to cover themselves with those images of the tree of which they had eaten, from the so-called “leaves of the tree.” – Zohar, Bareshit36b

Nathaniel sitting under the fig tree was an allusion to the fallen nature of Adam that we all inherit, and the need for our redemption. 

The Temple and the Gate

When Jacob woke from his dream he declared “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of Elohim, and this is the gate of the heavens!” (Genesis 28:17). The “house of Elohim” is used over 80 times in the Old Testament to refer to the Temple. Knowing that the ladder represented Adam’s status before the fall, we are prompted to make the connection between Adam and the “house of Elohim” or the Temple:

“And therefore, Adam, from whom is the people of the holy community, he also [consists] of all the orders of creation…he is also the likeness and blueprint of the Temple and the Holy Place, and all its vessels, and in the order of which is bound the pieces, its limbs, its sinews, and all its powers.” – Nefesh HaChayim 1:4:14

In the gospel of John chapter 2, Jesus associates himself with the Temple:

Jesus answered, and said to them, “You must break down this Temple, and in three days I shall stand it up!” The Jews said to Him, “For forty and six years this Temple was built, and you, in three days, you make it rise?!” But He was speaking about the Temple of His body. – John 2:19-21

In addition to linking the ladder to the Temple, Jacob calls it the “gate of the heavens.”

Jesus is also “the gate”:

Yet, Jesus said to them furthermore, “Surely, surely, I say to you that I am the Gate of the flock, and all those who have come were thieves and robbers, but the flock did not listen to them. I am the Gate, and if a man shall enter by Me, he shall live, and go out, and shall find pasture.” – John 10:7-9

Jesus even uses the word ascend when associating himself as the gate in John 10 verse 1!

 ​“Surely, surely, I say to you that he who does not enter from the gate for the sheepfold of the flock, but ascends [anabainó] from another place, is a thief and a robber!” 

Jesus “fills all”

Before the fall, Adam “reached from one end of the heavens to the other.” Similarly, Paul writes that when Jesus replaced Adam, he ascended above all the heavens, to “fill all”:

“He who descended is he who also ascended above all the heavens, that he should fill all.” – Ephesians 4:10