Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise: your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's children shall bow down before you.
All Commentaries on Genesis 49:8 Go To Genesis 49
Rufinus of Aquileia
AD 411
This can be referred to the historical Judah as well as to those kings who were his descendants. They broke the back of their enemies by administering the kingdom of that people. But this can also be fittingly referred to Christ, who is praised with good reason by his brothers, that is, by the apostles whom he himself called brothers in the Gospel. And his enemies, on whose back is his hand, appear to be those whom the Father promised to place under his feet by saying, “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.” They are enemies as long as they are unbelieving and unfaithful, and for that reason they are struck on the back. But after their conversion they become brothers and praise the One who, by summoning them to the adoption of the Father, has made them his coheirs and brothers. It is said correctly that the back of the enemies is struck by Christ. All those who worshiped the idols turned their back to God, as the Lord, through the prophet, accused them by saying, “They turned their backs to me, and not their faces.” Therefore he strikes their back so that after being converted they may turn their back to the idols and raise their forehead to God and may accomplish what is written here: “Your father’s sons shall bow down before you.” In fact, they adore him when they have become sons of the Father and have received the spirit of adoption in which they cry out, “Abba, Father.” No one calls Jesus Christ Lord except those who are in the Holy Spirit.
