By Jeffery M. Leonard, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biblical & Religious Studies, Samford University
The Pitfall of Guilt and Grudges
Genesis 50:15–21
The actions of Joseph’s brothers in Genesis 37 rank among the worst acts of betrayal in Scripture. Joseph may not have been a perfect brother — far from it — but the brothers’ attack sets them alongside David in his betrayal of faithful Uriah and Judas in his betrayal of Christ Himself. As Reuben later admits, they had callously ignored Joseph’s pleas for help when they threw him in the pit (42:21). And adding insult to injury was the torment the brothers put their father through when they bloodied Joseph’s special coat and sent it back to him (37:32).
Suspicion appears to have lingered over the brothers for many years. When Jacob saw his family suffering greatly from the famine, he sent his sons to Egypt to find food — except for Benjamin, that is. Jacob refused to send him because “he feared harm might come to him” (42:4). Jacob may have harbored suspicions that the brothers were not entirely innocent in the matter of Joseph’s supposed death. If they had a hand in Joseph’s death, might not they attack his other favorite, Benjamin, as well?
Joseph’s continuing distrust of his brothers is evident in the way he puts them to the test when they come to Egypt to buy grain. First, he insists that they bring Benjamin with them on a return visit to Egypt, and holds Simeon hostage until they do. When Benjamin finally does come to Egypt with his brothers, Joseph has his men plant a silver cup in Benjamin’s sack, then confront them over the theft.
What Joseph wants to see is whether the brothers will turn on Benjamin the way they had once turned on him. It is only when the brothers plead on Benjamin’s behalf that Joseph knows their attitudes have changed and he is finally able to reveal himself.
Your guilt does not imply another’s grudge. (15–18)
For the brothers’ part, Joseph’s revelation of his true identity was a moment both of relief (that they had not actually killed him) and renewed fear (that he might exact revenge all the same). Though Joseph insisted God had used the brothers’ actions to help him save many lives, it would be difficult not to worry that Joseph might one day remember his anger toward them and act on it. This fear was never more palpable than when Joseph’s father, Jacob, finally died.
Refocus on God’s providence. (19–20)
As long as Jacob was alive, Joseph killing his brothers would only cause sorrow for his father. Now that Jacob had passed from the scene, Joseph could do as he wished to his treacherous half-brothers without fear of repercussion. They saw the trouble they were in and pleaded with Joseph to forgive them. They claimed — whether truly or not no one can say — that Jacob had asked Joseph to forgive them before he died. What would Joseph do?
Fortunately for the brothers, Joseph did just as he had said he would. Rather than harm them, he forgave his brothers.
Receive God’s forgiveness and comfort. (21)
As Joseph asked, “Am I in the place of God?” he agreed with the notion that vengeance belongs to God and not individuals. He did not shy away from admitting the brothers had “planned evil against me,” but he also recognized God’s sovereign direction. So even his brothers’ deceitfulness had served to put Joseph in the life-saving position he now occupied.
Many centuries later, James, the brother of Jesus, would insist, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires” (James 1:20). Had Joseph avenged himself against his brothers, his own feelings of anger might have been assuaged. In the process, though, he would have inflicted tremendous harm on the divine promise to Israel. By forgiving his brothers, Joseph, perhaps even without knowing he was doing so, kept alive the hopes of an entire nation.
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