Seeing Jacob (dressed in white) and the other dude (dressed in black) on the beach at the very beginning of the episode reminded me of God and Satan chit-chatting at the beginning of the book of Job. They seemed to be adversaries but still civil to one another. If that is who they represent in some way, God and Satan, Good and Evil, whatever you want to call it, it would make much sense.
Jacob keeps giving humanity choices, free will, and wants them to pick kindness, mercy and justice. The other dude, he just wants to kill Jacob, even appearing in the form of Locke to get Ben to do his dirty work.
What do you think?

Yes, and the scene with John, Ben and Jacob was quite telling. Ben asks Jacob why he ignored him after all his sacrifice, and then kills Jacob. It's quite similar to a believer who has been disapointed, and stops believing in his religion/God.

But as "good" and attentive as Jacob seemed to be to all the other characters, he was quite inattentive to Ben, who (as locke pointed out) sacrificed so much for the island. He treats Ben like he's nothing.

So I'm not sure about this good and evil thing. Jacob may be "God", but he may not necessarily be good!

__________________
Benjamin Linus

Quote:

I just didn't have time to talk you back into hanging yourself.

Not necessarily. Jacob may have loved Ben enough to put him through all of those trials to strengthen him and prepare him for graduating into "true" leadership. Much like parents displaying tough love to teach their kids to stand on their own two feet and take responsibility for who they want to be in life. Jacob knew what he was doing. It seemed like he was baiting Ben. Jacob was sacrificing himself purposely. I think Ben will end up being redeemed and become the true leader of the island because he loves the island so much and it is his destiny.

i feel this is along the same idea, however, I feel I need to add that Job went through hell on Earth as a test of faith - and this is very much like how Ben is being treated. Except, he failed last night. He put his faith in the false "god/leader" the pseudo Locke.

Makes one wonder if Cerebus is an agent of evil or if it is a neutral judge type.

Jacob = Jacob, black shirt = brother of Jacob= Esau. Esau had a protector=smoke monster

At least that's what I think.

just remember, the Biblical Jacob is the deceiver, not Esau. Esau is who got his birthrite stolen from him.

Maybe in LOST, Jacob stole "the island" from Him, and he's been trying to get it back ever since.

Good one Lockedown. the thing is, even though Jacob was the deceiver, Biblically speaking, he was still blessed with the inheritance.

His descendants were numerous and the rivalry caused one of the biggest rifts in mankind. Israel/Palestine.
I really need a while to think about this one!

and HOW! we have until january...

as a person who has never read the bible, i'm glad you all have and can relay these stories. very interesting connections. i am liking the book of job scenario, however i also can see merit in the brothers jacob and esau theory. there was something sinister and creepy about jacob. well, sinister about both of them i guess, but in particular how he said something like, "anything that happens before that is just progress." from their conversation i take that to mean "esau" (i'm going to think of him as silas, a la deadwood!) thinks jacob's methods cause too much bloodshed, while jacob sees that as a necessary progression. sort of like, 'a sacrifice that the island demanded???'

my question is how did these men come to be here and what end are they striving for?

I just watched that opeing bit again with Jacob & the man in black. Here's a key part:

Man = Still trying to prove me wrong, aren’t you?
Jacob = You are wrong.
Man = Am I? They come, fight, they destroy, they corrupt. It always ends the same.
Jacob = It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.

This totally sounds like God and Satan talking about humanity in the first chapter of Job. Satan basically says that humans love God because God is good to them but if bad things happened to them they would no longer love God. God says Satan is wrong. God accepted this wager, letting Satan do bad things to Job, to prove Satan wrong.

In the conversation with Jacob and the man, the man seems to be saying "Humanity sucks and is always evil." And Jacob is saying "Give them a chance, it's not over until it's over."

i liked the idea about Satan, but i think Jacob is another angel. I don't peg God for doing the kind of legwork we saw Jacob going through to try and prevent Satan/black shirt's loophole. Not that he is lazy, but he would probably have an angel for that.

Whomever Jacob is, he didn't resist that knife at all. And i assume "they're coming" meant that Juliette/Jack/Faraday succeeded and the Losties are there for the big battle that has been hinted at.

But like mentioned earlier, how powerful now is Widmore? Probably just wanted the island back and neither black/white liked him. Once exiled .....

But better to reign in Australia than, well.

Great final ep though