January 22 ▪ Day 22

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 7:1
Genesis 43–44
Matthew 22
Psalms 22

Verse Focus (Proverbs 7:1)

My son, keep my words
     and store up my commands within you.

Meditation

Proverbs 7:1 begins by addressing us as “my son,” reminding us that we are learning wisdom from one who loves us deeply and intimately, desiring only the best things for our life and future. It also reminds us that we are learning from one who is older and wiser than we are.

Again, there are those who have trouble with the gender-specific language, objecting to the designation as “son.” Yes, it was a patriarchal, male-dominated society when Solomon wrote these words thousands of years ago. But I do not think it changes the meaning to memorize this verse by substituting “My daughter” or “My child” for “My son.” The point, for me, is that this advice is coming from one who has a vested interest in how our lives will turn out. I think the singular designation is also important: using a plural (e.g., “children”) lessens the impact of advice that is meant personally and specifically for me as an individual.

“Keep my words and store up my commands within you,” says the one who loves us. To keep someone’s words is to obey them and to practice those words. To make those words the reason for your behavior. “Store up,” on the other hand, is to remember the words and to save them for future need. Have you ever considered memorization as an investment in your future? We memorize these words now so that they will be there when we need them: instantly accessible, instantly helpful.

Father God, thank you that your words are meant not only to teach us wisdom in the present, but they are meant to help us in the future, too. Help me to keep your words, and especially help me to store up your words in my heart so that your Holy Spirit can bring them to mind when future need occurs.

The famine continues in Genesis 43, and now Jacob and his family need more grain. The brothers remind their father that they cannot go down to Egypt unless they take Benjamin with them. Jacob does not want to let Benjamin go, but Judah speaks up and says that he will be the surety for Benjamin (v. 9). Finally, Jacob agrees, with the comment, “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved. (v. 14)” Que será será. What will be, will be.

So the brothers return to Egypt, taking Benjamin with them. To their dismay, they are taken to Joseph’s house upon arrival. This frightens them, and they think it has to do with the money that mysteriously appeared in their sacks on their last trip. They try to offer the money back to the steward, but the steward replies very kindly to them. He tells them not to be afraid, that it was their God who had given them the money, and then he assures them that he received the original payment. After this, he brings Simeon out from prison to join them (v. 23). Such a merciful and grace-filled response!

When Joseph arrives, the brothers present the gifts they had brought for him, and they all bow down to the ground. They bow down again as they answer his questions about their father. Unbeknownst to themselves, they are fulfilling the dream prophecy from Joseph’s youth. Joseph is overcome with emotion when he sees his brother Benjamin, and retreats to hide his tears. As they sit down to eat, the brothers are astonished that they are seated around the table in their exact birth order, from the oldest to the youngest. Joseph sends portions of food from his table to theirs, but Benjamin receives five times the amount of the other brothers.

I was struck by what we learn in verse 32. It tells us that it was an “abomination” for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews. For this reason, Joseph eats by himself, the brothers eat by themselves, and the servants eat by themselves. In this verse we see the Egyptian sense of superiority and the seeds of what will later become oppression and enslavement. But it also made me think about what Joseph’s life would have been like in Egypt. Did he even share a table with his wife? Or was he perpetually “apart” from others in that society, no matter how vaunted his position?

In Genesis 44 we see some of the behind-the-scenes machinations, as Joseph instructs his steward to return the money to the brothers’ sacks yet again, but also to hide his special, silver cup in Benjamin’s bag. He then tells the steward to chase after them and accuse them of returning evil for good. The steward does this, and the missing cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. This causes all the brothers to turn around and head back to Egypt.

When they meet up with Joseph again, Joseph asks the brothers, “Don’t you know that such as one as I can practice divination?” Judah responds that God has found out their guilt (I assume Judah is talking about the wrong they did to Joseph many years earlier, rather than the actual “theft” of the silver cup). He offers all of them as slaves to Joseph. But Joseph says, no, only the one who is guilty shall stay behind as a slave in Egypt. Since this is Benjamin, Judah pleads for his release, saying that their father will die of grief if Benjamin does not return. Finally, in verse 33, Judah offers himself in the place of Benjamin, freely taking on the yoke of slavery.

As I read this chapter, it occurred to me that Judah’s leadership in this situation is probably the reason he is later chosen to be the ancestor of David and the ancestor of Christ. Despite his reluctance to do what was right for Tamar, here Judah freely offers up his own life in exchange for Benjamin. This self-sacrifice distinguishes him from all his brothers.

The other thing that struck me about this chapter was regarding Joseph practicing divination. We are told that the silver cup was used for divination (v. 5), and Joseph makes a special point of telling the brothers that he can divine things. Perhaps this is meant to frighten them into believing they cannot hide anything from Joseph; perhaps it is also meant as a partial explanation as to why earlier Joseph had known their exact birth order. Perhaps, too, this is how the Egyptians regarded what Joseph could do: interpret dreams, divine wisdom from God, and make wise decisions in governing the country. What’s curious about all this is that “divination” is later condemned in the Bible. Perhaps it means something different here in this passage than it does when it gets condemned later on (where divination clearly refers to trying to find information apart from God). Then, too, this is before the law has been given and before priests and Levites are established — so there is no process that is the approved method for seeking God’s wisdom. I need more information before I can come to any conclusions about Joseph and his divination; for now, I will just keep this in mind as a curious and interesting feature.

Matthew 22 begins with the parable of the wedding banquet. A king throws a banquet for his son, but the wedding guests refuse to come. The king is enraged; he sends his army and destroys those “murderers.” Then he tells his servants to find new wedding guests since the banquet is ready. They go out and find people to fill the banquet halls, “the bad as well as the good.” But the king sees a man there who is not wearing wedding clothes and he asks him how he managed to get in without appropriate attire. The man is “speechless” and the king has him thrown out of the wedding feast to a place of darkness “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus concludes this parable by saying that many are invited, but few are chosen.

This parable is similar to one told in Luke (Luke 14:15-24) where the point of the parable is that the invitation to the kingdom of God will be given to the Gentiles. In the Matthew version, however, the story ends with a new guest being found unworthy because he is not wearing wedding clothes. Putting aside for the moment what those “wedding clothes” are meant to represent, this parable tells us something very important about the gospel of Jesus Christ — something that I think our modern Christianity has forgotten. That is, although we are all freely invited to come to the kingdom of heaven, our response to this invitation is critical. If we were to receive an invitation to go to a wedding today, we would make preparations. We would RSVP to the invitation, check for a gift registry, consider and purchase a gift for the new couple, find one of our best outfits to wear (perhaps even buying something new for the occasion), and on the day itself we would ensure we were looking the best we possibly could. We’d make sure to account for transportation delays, and we would do everything possible to arrive on time for a day and a wedding to remember. What we would not do is just show up in ratty jeans and slippers, even if the invitation came at the last minute. And so it is with the kingdom of heaven. We respond “yes,” but it takes more than that to properly prepare for the wedding feast of the Lamb.

As Matthew 22 continues we have several examples where Jesus silences his enemies. First, the Pharisees try to trap him by asking him about taxes to Rome. Jesus asks for a coin, and then asks whose image and inscription is on the coin. When the Pharisees say that it is Caesar, Jesus responds, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” The cleverness of Jesus’ reply continues to delight me whenever I read this story.

Next, the Sadducees test Jesus with a question about marriage. Jesus’ reply not only answers their question, but he goes on to show them from the Scriptures that they are wrong about there being no resurrection. The conversation astonishes the crowd and silences the Sadducees. Finally, an expert in the law, a Pharisee asks Jesus what is the greatest commandment of the law. Jesus rightly replies that to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind is the greatest commandment, and the second greatest is the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

While the Pharisees are still gathered, Jesus asks them a question for once. He asks them about the Messiah, about whose son he will be. When they answer, “David,” Jesus quotes a Scripture where David refers to the Messiah as “Lord” and asks how this can be. How can the Messiah be both David’s son and David’s Lord? The Pharisees have no answer for this question, and all Jesus’ critics are silenced.

Our final reading today, Psalm 22, is one of the most clearly Messianic psalms in the entire book of Psalms. As most readers know, the opening words of Psalm 22 are quoted by Jesus while he is on the cross: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” There are verses in Psalm 22 that clearly reference the crucifixion. He is despised (v. 6), and taunted as to why God cannot rescue him from the cross (v. 7-8). There’s the reference to counting all his bones (v. 17) — an indication that, unlike most who are crucified, Jesus’ bones were never broken. And the one that gives me shivers — verse 18, that talks about Jesus’ clothes being divided, and how the soldiers cast lots for one of his garments.

What most readers don’t realize, however, is that the final words of the psalm are also quoted by Jesus just before he dies, when he says, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Greek word used in the book of John is tetelestai, which translates literally as “it is finished.” However, tetelestai was often used with financial documents to indicate that a debt had been “paid in full.” “He has done it,” as the NIV translates the final verse phrase in Psalm 22 is simply a gender-specific translation of this same idea. It is complete. It is finished. He has done it. Paid in full.

Father God, we are so thankful for the work of salvation that Christ accomplished on the cross. It is complete. Finished. Our sins have been paid for in full. Thank you for your mercy to us in Christ Jesus. As Psalm 22 reveals, all the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD (v. 27). We are so grateful for your plan of salvation.

Please help us to prepare for your kingdom so that when the wedding feast occurs, we will be wearing the appropriate wedding clothes. Help us to keep your words and store up your commands in our hearts. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.