THE ten sons of Jacob who stood before the prime minister of Egypt shared a terrible secret. Years earlier they had sold their half brother Joseph into slavery, planning to tell their father that he had been killed by a wild beast.—Genesis 37:18-35.
Now, some 20 years later, a severe famine had forced these ten men to come to Egypt to buy grain. But things did not go smoothly. The prime minister, who also served as food administrator, accused them of being spies. He imprisoned one of them and demanded that the rest return home and bring back their youngest brother, Benjamin. When they did so, the prime minister carried out a plan to have Benjamin arrested.—Genesis 42:1–44:12.
Judah, one of Jacob’s sons, protested. ‘If we go back home without Benjamin,’ he said, ‘our father will die.’
Then something happened that neither Judah nor any of his traveling companions expected. After ordering all except the sons of Jacob to leave the room, the prime minister wept loudly. Then, regaining his composure, he declared: “I am Joseph.”—Genesis 44:18–45:3.
Clemency and Deliverance
“Is my father still alive?” Joseph asked his half brothers. There was no response. Indeed, Joseph’s half brothers were at a loss for words. Should they be ecstatic, or should they be terrified? After all, when they were 20 years younger, they had sold this man into slavery. Joseph had the authority to imprison them, send them home without food, or—dare they think it—execute them! For good reason, Joseph’s half brothers were “unable to answer him at all, because they were disturbed by reason of him.”—Genesis 45:3.
Joseph quickly put these men at ease. “Come close to me, please,” he said. They obeyed. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now do not feel hurt and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here; because for the preservation of life God has sent me ahead of you.”—Genesis 45:4, 5.
Joseph’s mercy was not extended without a basis. He had already observed evidence of their repentance. For example, when Joseph accused his half brothers of being spies, he overheard them say among themselves: “Unquestionably we are guilty with regard to our brother . . . That is why this distress has come upon us.” (Genesis 42:21) Also, Judah had offered to become a slave in Benjamin’s place in order that the young man could be returned to his father.—Genesis 44:33, 34.
Hence, Joseph was justified in extending mercy. Indeed, he realized that doing so could result in the salvation of his entire family. Therefore, Joseph told his half brothers to return to their father, Jacob, and say to him: “This is what your son Joseph has said: ‘God has appointed me lord for all Egypt. Come down to me. Do not delay. And you must dwell in the land of Goshen, and you must continue near me, you and your sons and the sons of your sons and your flocks and your herds and everything you have. And I will supply you with food there.’”—Genesis 45:9-11.
The Greater Joseph
Jesus Christ can be called the Greater Joseph, for there are striking similarities between these two men. Like Joseph, Jesus was mistreated by his brothers, fellow descendants of Abraham. (Compare Acts 2:14, 29, 37.) Yet, both men experienced an extraordinary reversal. In time, Joseph’s status of a slave was changed to that of prime minister, second only to Pharaoh. Similarly, Jehovah raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to a superior position “to the right hand of God.”—Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11.
As prime minister, Joseph could dispense food to all who came to Egypt to buy grain. Today, the Greater Joseph has upon earth a faithful and discreet slave class through whom he is dispensing spiritual food “at the proper time.” (Matthew 24:45-47; Luke 12:42-44) Indeed, those who come to Jesus “will hunger no more nor thirst anymore . . . because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life.”—Revelation 7:16, 17.
Lesson for Us
Joseph provides an outstanding example of mercy. Strict justice would have demanded that he punish those who had sold him into slavery. In contrast, sentiment could have moved him simply to overlook their transgression. Joseph did neither. Instead, he tested his half brothers’ repentance. Then, when he saw that their sorrow was genuine, he forgave them.
We can imitate Joseph. When someone who has sinned against us displays a genuine change of heart, we should forgive him. Of course, we should never let mere sentiment blind us to gross wrongdoing.
On the other hand, we should not let feelings of resentment blind us to acts of genuine repentance. So let us “continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely.” (Colossians 3:13) In doing so, we will be imitating our God, Jehovah, who is “ready to forgive.”—Psalm 86:5; Micah 7:18, 19.
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