We were back on the story of Joseph again this Sunday morning. Pastor was talking about why Benjamin (Joseph's full-brother) was given five times as much dinner as his half-brothers (end of Genesis 43). Turns out that the brothers hadn't bumped off Benjamin many years ago, after they'd gotten rid of Joseph. Turns out that they had brought Benjamin along on the trip as requested. Turns out that it's looking like they might actually be becoming sorry for what they'd done to Joseph so many years previous. So Benjamin gets a plateful that isn't fair; he gets treated better than the others. And did the brothers resent that Benjamin was treated differently? No. They drank and were merry.
Remember the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15)? When he returned home, the father hosted a feast. He wanted to make merry for his son who was dead was now alive. How do we know the older brother was angry? How do we know that he believed in his own merits and not in the gracious love of his father? How do we know he held grudges? Because he refused to join the party and make merry and rejoice in his brother's good fortune.
And here we have the brothers who sold Joseph, who hated him, who wanted him dead -- all because they had resented the grace bestowed on him -- and they are no longer begrudging a brother the gifts he gets that they don't. Instead, they rejoice and make merry.
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