The Gospel Story of Forgiveness with Joseph in Egypt

The Gospel Story of Forgiveness with Joseph of Egypt.

”Don’t be afraid! Even though you planned evil against me, God produced good from it.  God turned into good what you meant for evil. God made it turn out for the best so that our families would be saved! So don’t be afraid – I will provide for you and your children.” In this way, Joseph comforted them, speaking with great kindness to them.” (Genesis 50:17-21).

THE FIRST ACT OF FORGIVENESS IN THE HEBREW BIBLE

1. The Back Story: The monumental, unpredictable story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 provides the first and perhaps the best demonstration of forgiveness in the Old Testament. Joseph’s story in Scripture is one you couldn’t make up… the immature and spoiled son of the patriarch Jacob, the eleventh son who was daddy’s favorite and granted the birthright supposedly reserved for the first-born; the jealous and resentful brothers who wanted to ruthlessly kill Joseph out of spite but instead sold him to traveling Egyptian slave traders; the unsuccessful sexual advances of his first Egyptian employer’s wife and then being thrown into jail as the innocent party; the two year stint as a prisoner after the false accusation, and being completely forgotten until Joseph successfully interpreted a couple of Pharaoh’s dreams; Joseph appointed Prime Minister of Egypt while only thirty years of age, and thus managing all of Egypt’s domestic affairs; his wise strategies to guide Egypt through a severe world famine; Joseph’s brothers ironically coming to Egypt to ask for food so that Jacob and his clan would survive the famine.
2. The Unexpected Family Reunion: When Joseph’s brothers approached him in his royal chambers to ask for food, they didn’t recognize him, since it was twenty years since they had last seen each other. By this time, Joseph looked Egyptian, probably complete with traditional Egyptian makeup and clothing, he spoke in the Egyptian dialect, and he was treated by all around him as highly exalted royalty. Never in their wildest dreams would his brothers have expected this governor of Egypt to be their long-lost brother. But Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, and in a magnanimous gesture forgave them in his heart for having sold him to the slave traders so long ago. Joseph sent them back to Canaan with food for Jacob’s family, without identifying himself to his brothers. But the famine continued, and soon enough the brothers of Joseph returned to Egypt to ask for more food. Joseph once again received them warmly and even prepared a lavish banquet for them in the prince’s palace. After some interesting examples of Joseph toying with their minds, Joseph could no longer contain himself. He wept aloud and finally revealed himself to his brothers. Some scholars claim that Joseph revealed himself by literally revealing himself, exposing his circumcised private part to them.
3. The Beginnings of Forgiveness: Joseph proceeded to tell his shocked and mortified brothers that they should not feel guilty for their earlier mistreatment of him, that they should not be disgusted with themselves for doing such a callous thing to their own flesh and blood. And in one of the most moving scenes in all of Scripture: “Joseph couldn’t hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, ‘Leave! Clear out – everyone leave!” So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn’t help but hear him… ‘Come closer to me,’ Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. ‘I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don’t feel badly, don’t blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives… God sent me on ahead of you to pave the way and make sure there was a family remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn’t you who sent me here but God.” (Genesis 45:4-8).
4. Complete Forgiveness: Joseph then fleshed out his initial forgiveness by arranging for the whole clan of Jacob, all seventy of them, to move to the choices piece of real estate in Egypt, the rich and fertile land of Goshen. God had confirmed this big move by telling Jacob, “It is there I will make you into a great nation.” (46:3). After seventeen years in Egypt, Jacob died at 147 years of age. Now that father Jacob had died, the brothers of Joseph wondered if Joseph’s earlier kindness to them was merely for the sake of their father. They were terrified that Joseph would finally exact revenge. And now comes one more amazing act of forgiveness… Joseph forgave his brothers from his heart as he wept once again, his brothers literally lying prostrate before him in their fear for their lives. Now that father Jacob had died, the brothers of Joseph wondered if Joseph’s earlier kindness to them was merely for the sake of their father. They were terrified that Joseph would finally exact revenge. And now comes one of those monumental events in the Bible, the beginning of the biblical principle of human forgiveness. This is the first mention of forgiveness in Scripture, and it is memorable for sure. Joseph forgave his brothers from his heart as he wept, his brothers literally lying prostrate before him in their fear for their lives. “We plead of you, we beg of you, forgive the cruel sins of your brothers and the suffering that they caused you. We beg that you forgive our crime, for we are the servants of the God of your father!” (50:17). Joseph graciously declared to them, ”Don’t be afraid! Even though you planned evil against me, God produced good from it.  God turned into good what you meant for evil. God made it turn out for the best so that our families would be saved! So don’t be afraid – I will provide for you and your children.”(50:17-21). Scripture reports that “In this way, Joseph comforted them, speaking with great kindness to them.” (50:21). Did Joseph ever lay a big guilt trip on his brothers, even though they deserved it? No. Did he remind them of their plot to kill him or that they had sold him into slavery? Nope. Did he even mention all those lost years Joseph spent as a house slave and then an innocent prisoner in jail? Not at all. Instead, Joseph did everything he could to relieve his brothers of any shame or guilt for the way they treated him. As Rabbi Jonathon Sacks says, “This is a moment of supreme generosity of spirit,” which of course lies at the very heart of forgiveness.
5. Lift Up the Offense and Carry It Away: The Hebrew word used for this first mention of forgiveness is “Nasa,” which is a word used literally hundreds of times in the Hebrew Bible. As mentioned below, “nasa’” has three possible meanings: to lift up; to carry; to take away. In this context of forgiveness, the scholars agree that to forgive meant to: lift the charges; to spare judgment; to bear with; to take away the offense; to carry away the resentment; to sweep away the wrongdoing; to take away all claim to retaliation. Forgiveness is the only deed that can break the human cycle of vengeance and retaliation. Forgiveness, thy name is Joseph. And now, because of Joseph’s tender-hearted wisdom, the story of the chosen people can grow from a reconciled family suffering from long-held division to the birth of a nation.

“Who is a God like you, who pardons (“nasa”) sin and forgives (“waober”) the rebellious acts of his special people? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will trample our sins underfoot and hurl all our wrongdoings into the bottom of the sea.”  (Micah 7:18-19).

There are four Hebrew words in the Hebrew Bible that are translated as “forgive:”

1. “nasah” = to pardon; to lift up and take away; to forgive; to carry away a burden; to remove the consequences of a wrongdoing. “Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: “Forgive (“nasah”) all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.” (Hosea 14:2).
2. “waober” = to forgive; to pass over; to overlook; to carry over. (the only time it is used is in that Micah 7:18 passage above).
3. “kaphar” = to forgive; to cover over; to take away; to pardon; to reconcile; to atone. “Yet He was merciful and forgave (“kaphar”) their sins, and did not destroy them. Many times, He held back his anger and did not unleash his fury!” (Ps. 78:38).
4. “salah” = to restore through God’s favor; to forgive through God’s pardon. “He said, ‘If I’ve found favor in your sight, LORD, please, LORD, walk among us. Certainly this is an obstinate people, but pardon (“salah”) our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your own inheritance.” (Exodus 34:9).

“You shall not do injustice in judgment… You are to judge your neighbor fairly.” (Lev. 19:15). “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive (“apolyo”), and you will be forgiven. For the measure you use, it will be measured out to you.” (Luke 6:35-38).

Forgiveness in the Newer Testament. There are three main Greek words for forgiveness in Scripture:

1. “Charizonai” = (from the root word charis, which means grace; used 23 times in NT for forgive); to freely offer the favor of forgiveness to those who don’t deserve it; to graciously pardon an undeserving wrongdoer; to generously grant the grace-gift of unqualified forgiveness. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave (“charizonai”) all our sins. He dismissed our spiritual debt, He canceled the record of the spiritual charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross, the slate wiped clean, taking away that old arrest warrant and blotting it out.” (Colossians 2:13-14).
2. “Aphiemi” = to forgive; to release a debt; to send away; to let go; to remove a burden; to cancel what is owed by another; to set someone free from an obligation; to generously remove the penalties associated with a person’s wrongdoing. “… forgive us our debts (“aphiemi”), as we also have forgiven (“aphiemi’) our debtors .” (Matthew 6:12); “… forgive (“aphiemi”) us our sins, for we ourselves forgive (“aphiemi”) everyone who is indebted to us.” (Luke 11:4).
3. “Apolyo” = to forgive; to release fully; to pardon completely; to send away; to set free; to let loose.  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive (“apolyo”) and you will be forgiven (“apolyo”).” (Luke 6:37).

“So be generous with others, magnanimous even! Isn’t that how the Father treats everyone, whether we deserve it or not? He created a magnificent world for us all to enjoy, given us the very breath of life. He causes the warming sun to shine, and provides the nourishing rain as well, whether we’ve been naughty or nice, grateful or ungrateful. Really now, who do we think we are, judging our neighbor without grace like we do? Listen to our marching orders straight from the King… Love others the way that God loves us.” ( a little riff on Luke 6, Matthew 5:45, James 4:11-12, Romans 14:10, and 1 John 4:11)

In Other Words, Forgiveness is… to let an offense go, to no longer hold an offense against someone, without bringing it up again; to decide to put a wrong done to you on the back shelf and move on; to give up the right to justly punish someone in your heart; to send away from your spirit the right to hold a grudge, or keep score, or seek revenge, or stand in ultimate judgment of a person who has offended you; to release God’s grace to go to work in an offender as well as in you the offended one; to freely pardon someone’s offense and thereby create a space in the heart of both parties for the Holy Spirit to do His transforming work; to embrace the divine process whereby forgiveness of others is how we live into God’s forgiveness of us; to work out and put into action God’s forgiveness of us by our forgiveness of others; to generously demonstrate an act of merciful lovingkindness that cancels the penalties of the wrongs done to us. When someone does us wrong, our instinct is to tell that person, “You owe me!” And when we forgive that person, we are telling him, “You don’t owe me a thing.” Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, says Jesus, the King of Forgiveness.

The Neuroscience of Forgiveness and Shalom. In the 1980’s there were popular anti-drug commercials on television that had a man warning the viewers… “See this egg? This is your brain. See this hot frying pan? That’s drugs. And now look at this frying egg in the hot pan… That’s right, this is your brain on drugs.” And now let’s do a modern commercial about forgiveness… “See this fertile plot of land? That’s your brain. See this flourishing garden on that plot of land? That’s your act of forgiveness after someone offended you.” The point of this commercial would be that the healthiest activity we could do for our brain is to develop a heart of forgiveness. The latest brain studies have shown that we are each wired to think best, to operate at our highest psychological level, when engaging in forgiveness. Literally, when we forgive someone, our brain deactivates its pain network, lessens  the mind’s craving for revenge, shuts down the pleasure/reward system for addictions, and erases its decision to acting out grievances. When we forgive, there are neurological benefits such as reactivating our prefrontal cortex for more advanced thinking, and restoring the brain’s self-control circuitry. Our God-designed brains function best when we forgive others of insults, offensive put-downs, unfair treatment, and hurtful actions or comments directed our way. Not only that, but when there is reconciliation, which is often the next step after forgiveness, the brain activates the “feel-good” neurochemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which leads to the self-sustaining pleasures of increased concentration, improved memory, lower blood pressure, and enhanced cognitive flexibility. Unresolved conflicts trigger the brain’s regions that cause fuzzy thinking, mental fatigue, and reduced cognitive function. Harmony with others through forgiveness and peace-making creates the optimal conditions for brain function, mental clarity, and wiser decision-making. Our greatest gift in our human body, our brain, is designed by God to operate most effectively when we forgive others and live in peace with one another.

An Act of Will, Not Emotion. God hates divorce, says Scripture. Which means God hates division between the people He has made. Ideally, forgiveness is a part of that process of reconciliation, which involves confession, forgiveness, accountability, and resolution. Forgiveness is one way to honor the dignity of the other person, it is one step in the healing of the inevitable woundedness between people. Forgiveness heals two hearts: the wronged and wrong-doer. The wronged will have a difficult time getting over the offense, and the wrong-doer will continue acting out of woundedness until forgiveness occurs. Forgiveness is a big part of the healing process for both parties, and unforgiveness hardens the heart of both parties. Forgiveness opens a space in each heart for the Spirit to operate. If you are wronged too deeply to forgive, only God can do the forgiving through you. Actually, God is needed throughout the whole process of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice, an act of the will, and feelings are, at least initially, not a part of the picture.

Proof is Needed. Unforgiveness indicates that we have not been sufficiently transformed by God’s forgiveness of us. We prove that we have accepted God’s forgiveness by forgiving others. We have not truly received the full gift of His forgiveness if we don’t forgive others. Our spirit of forgiveness is the proof, the demonstrable evidence, that we have received God’s forgiveness and experienced His mercy. It seems we don’t have the luxury of watering down these words of Scripture, and have no choice but to take them to heart:

“Forgive each other, just as in Christ God has forgiven you.” (Eph.4:32)

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  (Mark 11:25).

“If you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others their sins against you, neither will your Father forgive your sins.” (Matt. 6:14-15).

“Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.” (Luke 6:27-30).

“I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45).

The Holy Spirit. Forgiveness is so near and dear to the heart of God, it is so intertwined with the essence of God’s character and purpose, that when genuine forgiveness is offered, something supernatural happens. When forgiveness is released to an offender, a space is created in which the Holy Spirit can operate. When forgiveness is offered, the Holy Spirit is released into that spiritual space. When Stephen was forgiving his killers in Acts 7, Saul was standing in their midst, approving of the execution, holding the coats of those doing the stoning. I believe the Spirit of Jesus started His work on Saul’s soul at that time, when Stephen released the Spirit to operate during his act of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the first domino to fall during the process of transformation, the holy work of God Almighty. On the other hand, I further believe that the withholding of forgiveness actually hinders the work of God’s Spirit.

God’s Barometer. Yes, God can be deeply moved with compassion and is able to show great pity. But He also can demonstrate indignance when accountability is called for. The heart of God can be moved to mercy, or to justice. The Lord doesn’t seem to have much patience with those who continue in sin, who have a lifestyle of sinfulness.  Forgiveness of others is the barometer God seems to use as He determines who wants to follow in His footsteps. Our forgiveness of others is the key to His mercy.

Thick Skulls or Hard Hearts? Forgiveness is everyone’s one big blind spot. It’s the opposite of our inclination. Yes, it’s the secret of what love looks like, but we still can’t seem to do this consistently, or from the heart. Forgiveness is love distilled to its basic element, but nonetheless we can’t get it through our thick skulls, or is it our hard hearts, to consistently or easily do this the way God wants us to. If there’s anything that reflects God’s character, it’s forgiveness. And it’s the one thing we have so much trouble doing. Sometimes all we can say is… we believe, help our unbelief; we try to forgive, help our unforgiveness. What’s impossible with us is only possible through God, with God’s help. O Lord, turn our hearts of hard, unforgiving stone into hearts of soft, forgiving flesh, forgiving others as you have forgiven us. Transform us into forgivers, just like Jesus on the Cross who said, “Forgive them…”