Why Joseph Cried

Our text is from Genesis 50:15-21.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.”’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” 

And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Question: Why did Joseph weep? There are 4 possible answers.

#1 Because he loved his brothers, inspite of all they did to him. That is the true nature of love. Anyone who holds out till they find a mate who will never, never cause them pain, will die alone.

#2 Because they were afraid of him. After they threw him into the pit, they had to go back home and tell their father that a wild animal killed him. They lied to their own father. After that they lived with the lie.

#3 Because it was the nature of his brothers to lie when it was convent to them. the Bible doesn’t say it, but I am do not believe that his father told them to tell Joseph to forgive them. It should not surprise Joseph that his brothers would lie to him. They lied to their own father and about the death of Jospeh. Anyone who will lie to you, will lie about you.

#4 Because their lie to him meant that they had not learned the lesson. Joseph could not really trust them. As Nietzsche said, “I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”

Well to close our thought for today, let’s finish out text from Genesis 50. Because of Joseph’s character, it has a beautiful ending.

Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. “Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Lonnie Davis