Wednesday, 1/21/2015

"To err is human, to forgive is divine." ~ Alexander Pope

GENESIS 49,50

Jacob is in his last moments and calls his sons to his side.  To each of them he gives words and prophecy for their future. Upon finishing he gives them instructions as to where he is to be buried and then draws his feet up into his bed and breathes his last.

Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him. Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel...And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. (50:1-3)

Joseph appeals to Pharaoh to take his father in the land of Canaan.

So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him - the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt - besides all the members of Joseph's household...chariots and horseman also went up with him. It was a very large company.

Once they reached canaan they mourned for 7 more days. Once he was buried, they returned to Egypt. Upon returning his brothers begin to worry that now that their father Jacob has passed, Joseph will pay them back for all they did to him.

So they sent word to Joseph..."please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves before him. "We are your slaves," they said.  But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid.  I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.  

Joseph then lives out the rest of his life in Egypt and dies at one hundred and ten. 

MATTHEW 15:1-20

Jesus is confronted again by the Pharisees on why they don't wash their hands before they eat.  Jesus hammers them and calls them hypocrites.

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. (7-9)

The disciples come to him afterwards concerned because he offended the Pharisees.

Are you still so dull?...Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean...but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean. (16-20) 

JOURNAL

It is amazing to think of the spectacle given to Jacob upon his death.  That in a society as worldly and grand as Egypt, Jacob and Joseph would be honored in such an amazing display.  Then as all humans do...his brothers doubt Joseph's heart.  The grace of love is truly amazing.  Joseph responds in such a kind and compassionate way. What flows out of him through his words is the love and grace of God.

This is exactly what Jesus is referring to with the Pharisees.  They are concerned with doing harm with their words, obligations and rules. They have no compassion or grace, it's all about position, jealousy and fear.  

Growing up in the land of big churches and social rights and wrongs.  My understanding of God was mostly confined to the external...what you do, say and the holy "good reputation".  It is a "religion" that is often condemning and it's power is found in its shame and judgement.  It very much resembles the Judaism of the Pharisees rather than the love and grace of Christ.  It is always redeeming to know that my God loves not based on my righteousness, but because of his righteousness.  

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. (Titus 3:4-5)