Week 8
Joseph's Family Story, part 2
The story of Joseph reconciling with his family extends over the course of several chapters:
Chapter 42
Jacob sends 10 of his sons to Egypt to purchase grain, because there was a famine. Egypt had grain because of Joseph's wise leadership. Joseph was in charge of selling the grain; he recognized his brothers when they came to purchase it. They did not recognize him. He treated them as strangers; then accused them of being foreign spies.
Joseph was closest with brother Benjamin, who was not among them. He wanted to see Benjamin, so he put 9 brothers in prison, and sent the 10th to fetch Benjamin, upon whose appearance the others would be released. After 3 days, he releases 8 of 9 of the imprisoned brothers to take grain home, and prove their honest intentions by bringing Benjamin back to redeem the 9th brother.
The brothers recognized this as the penalty of having sold Joseph into slavery. Joseph secretly wept.
Joseph gave them grain, but hid their payment in their sacks, so it went back home with them. The brothers discovered their money in their sacks, and lost heart - it gave the appearance they were thieves, not honest men.
Chapter 43
They run out food and have to face going to Egypt again, but they can only go with Benjamin. Jacob doesn't want to allow it - Joseph, then Simeon, now Benjamin possibly lost to him as well.
The brothers do go with Benjamin, the money for the original grain purchase, and double the money for the grain they wanted to purchase, and all sorts of additional presents.
When Joseph sees Benjamin with them, he summons them to dine at his house. They were afraid they were being summoned for punishment. They explained the situation with the money, but Joseph's steward told them he had received their payment, and that money must have been placed by God in their sacks.
Joseph asks about their father's welfare, and about Benjamin, and has to run out of the room overcome with emotion. Joseph had the meal served, and Benjamin was served the largest portion, to the astonishment of his brothers.
Chapter 44
The brothers still don't know they've been dealing with Joseph. He's speaking and acting as an Egyptian, not as a Hebrew.
Joseph sends them back home, and pulls the money in the sack trick again, plus his silver cup. He lets them leave, then has his steward stop them and accuse them of stealing. The money and the silver cup is found in Benjamin's sack. Joseph detains Benjamin. His brothers plead for Benjamin's release. It would kill their father, they tell Joseph, to lose a second son.
Chapter 45
Joseph can't keep up the charade any longer and bursts into tears again, revealing himself to his brothers.
Chapter 46
Upon Joseph's invitation, Jacob moves his whole family to Egypt, where Joseph richly provides for them.
Discussion
1) What role does faith play in Joseph's ability to reconcile with his family? How does he understand God's role in all that has happened?
2) What do you think about finding purpose in suffering? In this case, Joseph's misfortune put him in a position to save multitudes of lives by the wise management of resources in Egypt. He recognizes the value in that, even as he was painfully separated from his family. Is there always a way to find meaning in suffering? How do we distinguished between when there is, and when saying so is harmful?
3) Where is there love in this story? Not everyone loves everyone in the family equally, but there's enough love to serve as a basis for forgiveness. Where do you see love exhibited by the brothers? Do you think that allowed for them to be reconciled? What if there wasn't a basis of love?
4) Joseph needed a multi-step, lengthy process to reconcile with his brothers. It took years. First it was a surprise encounter with them. Joseph wasn't ready then to deal with all the brothers - he most cared about Benjamin and about news of his father's welfare. As the harmed party, he had to be in control of the situation in order to proceed. Every one of Joseph's schemes were designed for him to be in control of how encounters with his brothers went. They had to prove their good intentions by humbly participating. Joseph had to see evidence that they had changed from the people who sold him into slavery - that they were humble and honest, and committed to their remaining family. He had to protect himself from being hurt again. The word is 'trust' - there is no reconciliation until some trust is rebuilt first. Do you think this is where reconciliation begins - by spending time creating opportunities for trust building? If not trust, at least mutual understanding?
Comments
Post a Comment