Pharaoh's regard for Joseph is such that when he hears that
Joseph's brothers have come his reaction is to have them move everything and come
from Canaan to Egypt. They are to be
treated royally, sending wagons for the move along with the best of the land
and the promise is that they will enjoy the best Egypt has to offer when they
come. It would have been quite a
procession going back to Canaan and on the return as well. Jacob, for his part, cannot believe that they
have told him the truth concerning Joseph, initially refusing to believe even
that he is alive. Upon seeing all that
has been sent, however, there is no other explanation for the largesse and his
desire is to go and see his son again.
What a terrible ending for John the Baptist. Herod was nominally a Jew who had, against
Jewish law, married his brother's wife. John
was openly critical of this marriage and Herod's wife hated John for his
outspokenness. How dare John criticize
this ruler she had married as a step up in the world. She was not a Jew and was not beholden to
this law. John kept the scandal alive
and his influence would have made others critical as well. When she saw her change, when Herod took such
delight in her daughter's dance and he offered her anything as thanks, she took
it. The story is, in some ways, the
reverse of the Esther story, a foreign queen gets revenge on a Jewish man. John paid the ultimate price for speaking
truth to power.
Paul is dealing with the problems inherent in a congregation
of people from a variety of religious backgrounds. Some of those in Corinth, a religiously
diverse and important city in the Roman empire, had come from other faiths,
they worshipped the gods of Rome and had participated in feasts where food was offered
to idols. Their association with those
idols caused their consciences to be particularly sensitive to continuing such
practices. We tend to abhor and fear
that which has previously led us astray.
Some in the community who have "knowledge" are aware that an
idol is nothing at all, much less anything to fear. Those must be sensitive to the feelings of
these others in the matter of eating food that has been offered to idols. These had previously invested much in worship
of these idols and for them there was power.
The power is demonic over them and Paul counsels against using freedom
in this regard. We must always consider
the weaknesses of others and prevent them from falling to temptation. Joseph warned his brothers against arguing on
their way home because he knew they were prone to do just that.
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