A Reflection on the Story of Joseph

August 7, 2011           Genesis 37: 1-28           Garvey MacLean

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The Scriptural Presentations this morning have left two questions hanging  – two deeply personal questions which have pursued humanity from the dawn of recorded history.  This morning we were called to worship by the Psalmist who asked:

“What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

When it came to the question “What is Man?”  Mark Twain believed: “our Heavenly Father invented man because

He was disappointed in the monkey.”

Mark Twain didn’t speculate on what it was about the monkey that disappointed the Creator.  Perhaps, it may have been the Simian lack of self-consciousness, the very thing which moves mortals to ask: “why do you care for us?”

However, Mark Twain did believe that the hunger for self-approval is the “Master Passion” of human beings.  He believed a person can secure other people’s approval if they do right and try hard; “but [self-approval] is worth a hundred of other people’s approval, and no way of securing [self-approval] has been found.”

So here we are calling out: “O Lord, our Sovereign when I look at your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings, that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them.”

The second question which hangs over the story of Jacob and his family was first articulated by the first-born son of Adam and Eve.

“Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘where is your brother Abel?’

“[Cain] said, ‘I do not know; Am I my brother’s keeper?’”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Today’s scripture lesson introduced us to the family of Jacob, the Patriarch whom God renamed “Israel.”  The first thing we learned is that the eleventh son, Joseph, was a dreamer who irritated the hell out of his ten older brothers.  The brothers perceived Joseph to be the favorite of their father, but what really rankled them were his dreams which Joseph was always quick to share with them.  They were affronted by the notion that they and his mother and their father would bow down before Joseph.

So there they were, the ten brothers off at Dothan,  tending the flock, when they see Joseph approach from afar.  He has been assigned to inspect the progress of the pasturing. The brothers decide to kill their 17 year-old sibling, strip off his fancy robe and throw him into a pit  – until   — Reuben persuades them to just dump him into a pit: “he is our brother, we should not spill his blood, let the wild animals do that.” Of course, we are told that Reuben who believes he is his brother’s keeper plans to pull Joseph from the pit and restore him to his father.

However, upon seeing the approach of an Ishmaelite caravan, brother Judah figures they ought to make a profit from Joseph, so they haul him from the pit and sell him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver.  The Ishmaelites take Joseph along with their gum, and balm and resin into Egypt, where Joseph comes to terms with his brotherly responsibility and discovers why the Sovereign Lord cares for human beings.

There is no creature in all creation more complex, more vulnerable, more  mysterious,  more fascinating, more terrifying than the human being.  In the language of King James, the Psalmist asked the Holy One of Israel:   “When I look up at Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars set in there place by Thee; what is man that Thou shouldst care for him?”

The psalmist’s question has perplexed humankind throughout its history.   Attempts to interpret the complexity of human beings are legion.  Human beings have been defined as the users of tools, home builders, social organizers, fire makers  – yet none of these activities distinguish human beings from those species which weave and spin.  Even ants organize armies and care for their disabled.  Beavers build. Spiders trap. Yet there is one activity which distinguishes the human species from all others.

Human beings erect “Ebenezers”  – monuments  – memorial stones.  The activity which the psalmist ascribed to the Holy One of Israel– “What is man that Thou shouldst remember him?”  – is the very activity which distinguishes the human species from all other living creatures.  The capacity to remember is the blessing and, at times, the curse of human beings.  Memory is to the mind what gravity is to the earth.  Even as this building would crumble or fly away without gravity, so mind without memory becomes a mockery.

It is no accident that Jesus’ final request of his disciples was, “Remember Me”  – not love me or trust me or care for me– but, “remember me!”  We cannot love or trust or care for that which memory fails to bring to us.  The capacity to remember is essential to our being human. Even as it is the source for much that is demonic in the arena of interpersonal life.

What we remember makes a difference.  Grudges and vengeance take root in bitter remembrances.  Abuse flourishes in soil nurtured by hatred.  Love and affection take root in sweet remembrances.  Hope flourishes in soil nurtured in recollections of goodness.

While retrospection is a conscious process, we should not be deceived into believing that it always a voluntary process.  You may choose after thirty years to return to your alma mater and reunion with friends you haven’t seen in as many years.  The decision to return is voluntary, but, oh how involuntary is the flood of reminiscences when you step into an old dorm or classroom.  Here we can only acknowledge the fact of involuntary retrospection.  It is a very provocative area for reflection  – one which some therapists explore for the purpose of healing.

However, we are gathered for Communion  – a voluntary act of remembrance, and we have taken our lead from  Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel.  He has something simple and yet profound to show us about voluntary recollection, and how the capacity to remember can grace our lives with hope and courage and goodness.

Joseph went to Egypt as a slave and became second only to Pharaoh in command of all of Egypt.  Joseph successfully interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh predicting that Egypt would have seven years of bountiful harvest followed by seven years of famine.  He recommended to Pharaoh a plan to manage the crisis.  During the seven years of bounty take into storage one/fifth of all the harvests; to be sold during the years of famine.

“So Pharaoh said to Joseph,  ‘Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command, only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.’

“And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.’ Removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; he arrayed him garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck.  He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command.  And they cried out in front of him, ‘Bow the knee!’  And thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.”

In the years of the famine,  Joseph was governor over the land;  it was he who sold to all the people of the land.   Joseph’s brothers came from Canaan and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.  When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them.  “Where do you come from?”

“From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

“You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

“No, my lord; your servants have come to buy food.  We are all sons of one man; we are honest men; your servants have never been spies.”

“No. You have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

“We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of a certain man in the land of Canaan; the youngest, however is now with our father, and one is no more.”

“It is just as I said to you, you are spies!  Here is how  you will be tested . . . you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here!  Let one of you go and bring your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison, in order that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely you are spies.”

The brothers were placed in prison to think it over.  On the third day Joseph said to them:

“If you are honest men, let one your brothers stay here where you are imprisoned.  The rest of you shall go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me.  Thus your word will be verified, and you shall not die.”

They agreed to do so.  They said to one another, “Alas, we are paying the penalty for what we did to our brother; we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen.  That is why this anguish has come upon us.”

Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to wrong the boy?  But you would not listen.  So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”

The brothers didn’t know that Joseph understood them, since he spoke to them through an interpreter.  He turned away from them and wept.  When he returned he picked out Simeon and had him bound before their eyes.  Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain to return every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey.  This was done for them.