Daily Lectionary | Genesis 41 & Matthew 1:18-25
Genesis 41
Summary
In Genesis 37:24, Joseph’s brothers throw him into a pit. They raise him up out of the pit and sell him to the Midianites. In Genesis 41, Pharaoh raises Joseph up from another pit—the pit of prison where he has been for two years.
The cupbearer finally remembers Joseph when Pharaoh has a dream he could not interpret. He tells Pharaoh of Joseph’s abilities to interpret the dream.
The failures of Pharaoh’s magicians to interpret the dream previews the magicians’ failure later in Exodus to perform certain signs. Joseph tells Pharaoh that the 7 plump cows and 7 full ears of corn represent 7 prosperous years. The 7 lean cows and 7 withered ears represent 7 years of famine. The two dreams represent a sure witness that the events are imminent.
Pharaoh only asks for an interpretation of his dream, but Joseph will also give him counsel. Joseph comes up out of the pit as a counselor to a king. He advises Pharaoh to appoint an overseer to hold back 20% of the produce during the prosperous years for the lean years.
Pharaoh appointed Joseph as his overseer, saying, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Gen. 41:38). Pharaoh isn’t just acknowledging Joseph’s skill, but that God is with Joseph.
Joseph becomes the prime minister of vice president of Egypt, only second to Pharaoh. Pharaoh puts a beautiful garment on Joseph (another garment!) to signify his office.
He becomes so great that people bow down to him, which reminds us of his dream that his brothers would (eventually) bow before him.
Joseph was 30 years old when he began his service. David was 30 when he began to reign in Israel. Jesus was 30 when we began his ministry of inaugurating the kingdom of God. Thirty seems to be a biblical age for beginning service.
Joseph also gets a bride: the daughter of Potipherah and has two sons. As usual, the names are significant. “Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. ‘For,’ he said, ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.’ The name of the second he called Ephraim, ‘For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.’” (Gen. 41:51-52).
Joseph suffers but then is raised up to rule. Consider how this pattern plays out in the life of Jesus.
How do the names of Joseph’s sons illustrate Joseph’s experience in this chapter?
Matthew 1:18-25
Summary
The genealogy of Jesus in verse 19 mentions in order Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. In verses 18, the order is reversed: Jesus, Mary Joseph.
Verse 18 literally reads the “genesis (genesis in Greek) of Jesus Christ. This is the same word we find in 1:1. The “genealogy” is the genesis of Jesus Christ. Matthew tells a new genesis story, with Jesus the pinnacle of that creation. In Genesis 1, there’s a recounting of the stages of creation, and Genesis 2 focuses on humanity, the creation of Adam and Eve. Perhaps there’s a similar connection here. Having told the stages of this new creation that lead up to its climax in vv. 1-17, now Matthew, like Genesis 2, zooms into the new Adam.
Other echoes of Genesis may be present. The book of Genesis ends with the patriarch Joseph. The genesis of Jesus Christ ends with another Joseph figure who will also have dreams.
Mary, betrothed to Joseph, is found to be pregnant. Matthew tells us Joseph was a “righteous” man. That word for righteous will be very important in Matthew’s gospel, as Jesus will come showing the way to true righteousness. Early on in the Gospel, we have an example in Joseph. He wants to divorce Mary “quietly” rather than seeking to shame her or apply the Law in its maximal way.
But an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream (!), telling him to proceed with taking Mary as a wife because her child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.
The teaching of Scripture is clear: Joseph at this point had not had sexual relations with Mary, but she was pregnant miraculously by the Holy Spirit. The virginal conception of Jesus is a foundational doctrine confessed by Christians from the earliest days and recited in the major creeds.
The angel reveals the name of this child to Joseph whom he will name: Jesus. Jesus means Joshua, and to the Hebrew this would have certainly evoked the Joshua of the Old Testament. Matthew will present Jesus as a New Moses, but by virtue of his name he’ll also be a new Joshua. He will deliver and save, like the Joshua of old, not from physical enemies--but an even more powerful enemy: sin.
The prophecy about the virgin conceiving from Isaiah 7:14 also has another identifying name: Immanuel, which means “God with us.” The greater Joshua will defeat the greatest enemy of sin and will be the presence of God among us.
Joseph’s righteousness is emphasized: he did exactly what the angel commanded. “He knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus” (Matt. 1:25). The Greek rendering of this verse doesn’t have to mean that Joseph had sexual relations with Mary after Jesus was born. But it’s ambiguous enough that if Matthew had meant to imply the perpetual virginity of Mary this would’ve been an awkward way to do it as a plain reading would indicate otherwise.
Reflection Questions
How is Joseph’s behavior righteous? Do you see any parallels with Joseph Jesus’ father and the Joseph of Genesis 37-50.
How do these verses reveal Jesus’ mission?