Thursday, April 19, 2012

Do Not Quarrel on the Way

Genesis 45:16-28 is the delightful climax of the sons of Israel's second trip to Egypt. It is especially noteworthy for its inclusion of Joseph's long-awaited self-revelation to his brothers. It was a fitting disclosure that was prompted by Judah's passionate plea for Benjamin, the last son born to Jacob (and Rachel) in his old age and who was therefore Joseph's full-blooded brother. Judah's moving intercession for Benjamin, his stone-clad assertions that Jacob still loved and still longed to see Joseph and his proof that the ten brothers were not mistreating Benjamin as they had mistreated Joseph, comprised the final straw that broke the camel's back of Joseph’s persona as a hard, terrifying, intransigent, oriental potentate with whom they had to deal. The first two verses of this chapter declare that upon hearing Judah's moving speech, Joseph suffered an emotional melt down- the stern, austere, external façade was promptly replaced by a deep tenderness of affection that was as intense as it was intimate, as great as it was genuine. Verse 15 captures the delight and exultation these twelve sons of Jacob now enjoyed: "[Joseph] .. kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him."

This was a time of great rejoicing because, with Judah's representative confession of the sins of the brothers and with their genuine repentance of their sins to Joseph already established, Joseph's authentic forgiveness of them was the icing that topped the cake of their reconciliation. All was forgiven! No grudges were being borne! The old had gone, the new had come! So impacting was the celebration that when the good news of Joseph's brothers’ arrival in Egypt reached the approving ears of Pharaoh and his servants, that ruler promptly issued instructions for them to be laden with the best of the land of Egypt on their return trip to Canaan to gather the rest of Jacob's household. Remember the refrain of Gen 39:2, 21 and 23: the Lord was with Joseph! Yahweh, the faithful covenant God of Jacob and his family, was the invisible sovereign power effectually crafting the plot and directing the path of his elect, for their good and soli Deo Gloria, for his glory alone. As Joseph’s relieved brothers were about to depart, he lovingly admonised them with these words, don't quarrel on the way.

The fundamental meaning of quarrel is to quake or shake and from this, ideas such as shaking in anger, fear, or anticipation are derived. Sometimes this word is used to express agitation produced by some deeply rooted emotion. For example, God is said to be trembling or raging in anger, (he is roused!) as in Isa 28:21 “For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed--...” Thus, the essence of Joseph’s admonition to his brothers is this: on your way back to Canaan to give my father the good news that I'm still alive, do not irritate one another by regurgitating the events of the past. Do not engage in any recriminations about who did what, to whom, when, and under what conditions, for all of these have been forgiven. Since I do not hold any charge against you, since I am convinced that your contrition is authentic and since I have forgiven you of your sins against me, then see to it that you refrain from any wrangling along the way. Don't quarrel on the way.

Isn't this a microcosmic picture of the Christian life? Isn't this a cameo of the gospel-centered life? Doesn't it remind us of the comforting gospel truth that, for those who place their trust in Christ alone for eternal life, God has cancelled their sin, that is, all their crimes against him, their neighbor and themselves, sins of the past, present and future? Jacob’s encouraging admonishment, incomplete as a full-fledged statement of the doctrine of forgiveness, is nevertheless adequate in its accuracy of the indicative/imperative dynamic of forgiveness in the life of the believer. From the indicative, I have forgiven you, results the imperative- you, therefore, you are to go and likewise. As such, it anticipates our Lord’s instruction to his disciples, “.. forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Mt 6:12, and also the Pauline directive, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph 4:32.

Jacob’s caution to his brothers, therefore, is a primitive expression of one of the cardinal principles of the Christian life: because God has freely forgiven us in Christ (the indicative), we are now to freely extend forgiveness to our brothers and sisters (the imperative). “[W]ith all humility and gentleness, with patience, “ we are to bear “with one another in love.” Eph 4:2. A practical demonstration of this harmonious living is to “not quarrel on the way.” Thus, as we press on in the Christian life in active dependence on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, as we march toward Zion "looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb 12:2, we will truly endeavor, as much as it is possible and so far as it depends on us, to live at peace with others, Rom 12: 18. We will strive to not quarrel on the way.