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| Joseph in Egypt |
-Brian Mendonca
Today's reading from Genesis 37 recalls those defining moments from Joseph's life pertaining to his cloak.
Joseph, the favoured son of his father Israel, was hated by his brothers. His father made a robe of many colours for Joseph.
Joseph has the gift of getting dreams. He shared two of these with his brothers. In the first he sees all of them binding sheaves. All the sheaves stand up and bow down to his sheaf. His brothers don't like it. In the second dream he shares with them he says that the sun, moon and eleven stars were bowing before him. This time his father doesn't like it. So Joseph's gifts only brought him disdain, when in reality they were a prophecy.
One day as the brothers were grazing their father's flocks at Dothan they see Joseph coming towards them. Before he arrives they conspire to kill him.
They have no use for the 'dreamer' - the name they use to castigate Joseph. But Reuben prevents this. He says that it is unwise to shed blood. He proposes that they lower Joseph down into a pit in the wilderness.
Joseph is in for a rude shock when he meets his brothers. They strip him and cast him into the pit. As they sit down to eat they see a caravan bound for Egypt coming their way. They reason that there is nothing to gain by killing a sibling. Instead they sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver.
But what are they to tell their father? They kill a goat, smear the coat with its blood and show it to his father Jacob. Jacob, as predicted, wrongly concludes his son is dead, 'attacked by a wild animal and torn to pieces.'
The coat is the pivot which causes the misunderstanding for the story to develop.
Joseph goes with the Ishmaelites to Egypt. He does not complain about the turn of events. Instead, in an different land and culture, he distinguishes himself by his honesty and governance. He rises to a high post.
Often our dreams are not understood by those around us. Obstacles are created and one endures derision. However one perseveres in good faith and life often comes round full circle - as it did in the case of Joseph.
Compelled by famine, his brothers flee to Egypt, only to see their brother Joseph on the throne of Egypt. The tables were turned and the brothers could have faced the wrath of Joseph for their ways. But Joseph does not show revenge. He gives his brothers hospitality and safe passage. Therein lies Joseph's greatness.
I was moved to see that twelve years ago I uploaded an article on my blog which I had written. It was on the same incident in Genesis 37 - with the same title - in 1997. I recalled the challenging circumstances I was going through when I wrote it. I was being heckled by my colleagues because I was on the verge of completing my Ph.D. The events in Joseph's life are a commentary on our own. They do not lose their relevance over the years.
This particular story of Genesis fascinates me. It is a mirror to a lot of what I have experienced. But it always emphasizes the fact that the Lord will take care of His own - no matter the ways of the world. Across 25 years the takeaways are the same.
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