The Joseph story continues in the Daily Office reading today, moving on from the first reports of Joseph's dreams to his brothers' act of betrayal. As I read and re-read these twelve verses the scene of the man who found Joseph wandering in the fields struck me as a bit odd. What function do these few verses have in the narrative? Couldn't Scripture have just summed up by saying Joseph's brothers weren't where they were supposed to be, but he eventually found them in Dothan? However, an important line which comes from Joseph's interaction with the unnamed man is his motivation; "I am seeking my brothers."
Through further reflection, some of Jesus' stories seem to strongly echo this portion of Scripture. Jesus tells parables where a king sends servants after those looking after his property, and then, once they are mistreated, he sends his son. The stewards of the vineyard, thinking that they can own the vineyard for themselves, plot to kill the son, and by doing so, they arouse the anger of the king. It is pretty clear in the Gospels that Jesus is aiming these stories towards the religious establishment, and that Jesus is the son of the King whom they are rejecting. But the application of that parable set does not stop there, for we are all wayward servants who attempt to take what is rightfully God's. If we are honest with ourselves, and truly do admit that 'apart from [God's] grace, there is no health in us,' then we, too, would plot to kill the son.
So, here in Genesis 37, the favored son of the father goes out to find his wayward brothers, brothers who have taken the flock of the father to the wrong spot, and who, out of spite for this favored son, seek the end his life. These brothers are like the scribes and the Pharisees condemned by Jesus, as they were both appointed to look over God's flock and yet had led them astray, to pastures that were not good for them.
Joseph comes seeking his brothers. He seems oblivious to the harm they plan to do to him, even though he surely must have noticed their envy of him. Still he comes on. He is seeking his brothers, seeking to do his father's will and to bring back a report to Israel; but in doing so, in carrying out that will, he is almost killed. So, too, Jesus comes seeking his brothers (cf. Heb 2:11). He finds us astray, in fields where our Father has not planned for us to go. And in finding us, he finds a group of conspirators, who would gladly take revenge upon him to spite the Father. Two things differ between Jesus and Joseph; his punishment is more severe, and his reconciliation more complete.
First off, Joseph is not killed, due to Reuben's protests (Gen 37:22). As with the binding of Isaac, God spares the children of men when He does not spare His own Son. Joseph is thrown into a cistern to possibly die the slow death of hunger and thirst. Jesus is subjected to the most cruel death conceived in the Roman mind; crucifixion.
Second, the reconciliation brought about by Jesus is more complete. Joseph's brothers will eventually confess their wrong and seek forgiveness from Joseph. However, Jesus overpowers us with his grace even before we ask, he moves in us by the Spirit before we ourselves would move to return to him. Joseph lacks this power, and must rely on the emotional bonds of family. Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers, but we are his brothers by adoption, by grace, not by natural descent. Not only does he work in us to turn our hearts towards forgiveness, but he also works to heal our hearts, to turn them from stone to flesh, that one day we might never turn on him again.
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