Jacob HAD to let himself be stabbed

Jacob is Free Will in a human form and MM is Destiny. Destiny, if it was a person, would detest Free Will as it has the potential to mess up Destiny's plan. Destiny controls the environment to make sure what is suppose to happen, happens, but Free Will is always there in the human decision making process. To "kill" Free Will ensures Destiny will happen - there's nothing left to alter it. However only people can choose to kill off Free Will, Destiny cannot do it. For people to subscribe to one or the other, in entirity, requires only one to be present at any time - having both is almost a paradox. Hence - MM (Destiny) saying "do you know how much I want to kill you?" Essentially, I have had enough of Free Will and it must be ended. But again, only a human can kill Free Will (by deciding that Destiny is set and they can do nothing to change it). Free Will must allow Ben to stab him, as it was Ben's decision and Free Will means following whatever decision is made, without interference. Free Will can only remind them they have a choice - much like Jacob did when he touched each Lostie off the island. Had Jacob tried to stop Ben he would have violated his own belief in letting free will dictate action. He couldn't do that.

The numbers predict an end to humans (Destiny) yet Free Will still believes humans can be saved. That's the basis for the whole MM/Jacob story.[u]

i agree with you.I think the whole show is based on the struggle between MM and Jacob.They personify the show's main theme-Free will vs Determinism(Destiny).

You've given me an idea.So could Faraday be the one who found the loophole? He was the one that championed the idea that the free will of men can change the past.That would not have happened had Faraday not TT'ed to 1974.There he had time to study Quantum physics more and come up with the concept.Therefore Ben turning the FDW made it all possible.Remember Christian told Locke that HE was meant to turn the FDW? I think Ben has been foxing the whole time and he actually is masterminding a huge plot to overthrow destiny.The way he talked to Jill about his plan was as if he was planning to change everything.Remember when he blew up the freighter by setting off Keamy's deadman's trigger?He said "so what". Then when Jack asked about all the innocent passengers on the plane, ben says "who cares about them".It's as if he knows that if he pulls off his plan nothing will matter because 815 won't crash and all will be well.

So in saying all this could MM be using Faraday, Ben, Widmore, Ellie to get himself out of the loop and fulfill his destiny? Could Jacob be using the Losties, Ilana and Ben to keep free will on the Island? I think dead Yemi and Christian were MM, just as Smokie is MM.