Genesis 42:1-28 “Old Hurt”

As some of you may have noted, the English word “trauma” does not appear in the bible. I find this fascinating in a way. The English word comes from the Greek. It is still used today in Modern Demotic Greek in fact. It was adopted into the English language in the 17th century by medical professionals.

What makes this more interesting to me actually as a lounge-chair linguist is that the word “trauma” does exist in the Bible in the original Greek. If we read the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 as told by Jesus, we see that the Good Samaritan “. . .went to him and bandaged his ‘traumas,’ having poured oil and wine on them.” The word in the Greek for putting oil on the traumas is the root word “to anoint.” Quite literally then we can read this the “The Good Samaritan anoints his traumas.” (Luke 10:34) The story goes on to state that the Good Samaritan does not just bandage the wounds but continues to provide help in healing by giving him money for the lodging during a time of healing. He offers to repay whatever expense comes to him as well. Jesus sums up the healing of traumas by introducing the concept of mercy: “The one who showed him mercy–go and do likewise.” To be sure, that is a commandment from Jesus–not an afterthought! That is exactly what we are supposed to be doing in the world! Heal trauma, anoint, and show great mercy.

All of us have experienced trauma in our lives. All of us carry hurts and old wounds around. If you do not believe me, you can come watch the football players from the high school come in the morning after practice the night before! Tuesday was Veterans Day, so there was no school. The football team did show up though for an extended practice. They all park in the same place weekdays, which is right across from the church. I could not help but notice that every single one of our football boys were limping on Wednesday morning! Yes, there were some bandages that I could see as well. After what they went through at that practice I am sure they are now ready to win every game!

You see, the truth of the matter is that “no pain, no gain.” Our little traumas toughen us up. “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” [From Friedrich Nietzsche, “Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker" Nietzsche, you wonder? Is that not the philosopher who proclaimed “God is Dead!”? Same guy. By the way, Nietzsche is dead and our God lives!]

From our reading for today, we see that Joseph, despite being thrown into a pit and left for dead, being sold into slavery, being accused of a crime he did not commit, staying in prison for two years on false charges, is now stronger than ever. He is the economic wunderkind that has allowed Egypt to make it through seven years of drought, and even become wealthy while doing it. And yet, he is a very weepy guy. He is always crying for some reason. I do not know if you had noticed that in the story of his life so far, but if you want to do a little bible research on your own, find out how many times Joseph is crying tears!

Since we will not be reading this exact scripture line in our sermon series otherwise, this is what happens when Joseph finally meets his younger brother Benjamin for the first time: Genesis 43:29-31, “Then he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, ‘Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you my son.’ With that, Joseph hurried out of the room because he was overcome and he was about to weep. So he went into a private room and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out. . . .” These kinds of intense emotional outbursts align with what modern psychology names PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

Joseph has a sincere choice in how to deal with his brothers who betrayed and abandoned him: He could get even. At first when he has the brothers thrown into prison as spies we think that is where his head is at. He is going to make them sorry for what they had done to him. Even the notion that he does not let on regarding who he really is and that the brothers do not recognize their own kin, would lead us to believe that this is what will transpire. This would be a great story of vengeance indeed, if the brothers were to stay in prison or be sent back to Canaan without any food so that they would starve. That would certainly be a just outcome.

This story is not about worldly justice but rather about heartfelt and divine mercy. In the story we have a wonderful symbol of God’s mercy that comes to all of us in the fact that when Joseph sends his brothers back the first time to Canaan with food, he puts the payment, the bags of coins, back into the sacks of grain. Now when the brothers come back with Benjamin the second time, Jacob has made sure that the money is being returned to Joseph, thinking that some mistake has been made, by now putting twice as much money in the sacks to make sure the cost is doubly covered. This is to make sure that the family is not accused of stealing the grain or accidentally missing a payment. They are NOT in the restaurant running out on the tab. If you do run out on a tab at a restaurant, do not go back there! Unless to pay the bill!

How does Joseph respond to being offered twice the payment for the grain? Genesis 43:23, “Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.” This is the symbol of mercy in this story. Remember that Joseph was sold for money. Now he is giving money away in the name of God! It is the parable of the Good Samaritan, but from the Old Testament.

God’s mercy is about letting go of the pain, the hurt, the trauma. The relief of PTSD is God’s mercy. Joseph does not want to feel the pain anymore. He does not want to have to sneak out of the room because he is overcome with tears. He does this by giving his victimizers the mercy they do not deserve. Mercy from God. I have to say that the way I read this story is that Joseph is doing this not for his brothers’ sake but for his own. He needs to release the hurt that is festering in his own soul.

Rarely in the Parable of the Good Samaritan do we ask “Why?” Why does this Samaritan stop and help an injured stranger on the side of the road when others did not. Yes, we like to focus on what is wrong with the other people in the story. We never ask, “What is wrong with the Good Samaritan?” I think there may be something wrong. He too may be suffering some PTSD. He has been suffering some trauma and sees that helping a fellow victim by showing Godly mercy unto him lifts him past the pain he feels. Maybe I am reading too much into the story. But what did lead the Good Samaritan to that much mercy for a stranger? What drives Joseph to prepare a feast for his brothers and give them gold on top of that? How else can he heal his heart?

You see, Joseph has directly experienced the mercy of God in his life again and again. Every time he has been in trouble, God has miraculously brought him through and to a time of thriving. So, he is now trained up and ready to exercise God’s mercy even unto those who really do deserve the worst for their actions and behaviors.

Joseph’s brothers are the ones that are suffering because they do not understand God’s mercy over their lives. I know that this is a difficult concept to accept, perhaps the hardest of all of God’s commands over our lives. Those people who have hurt us to the point that we consider them to be enemies are to be loved in the name of God. This is the Great Commandment of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 22:37 and on–given at the time of His betrayal and crucifixion in fact. Jesus showed mercy even unto those who were to show him harm.

Like everyone, I have people in my life that have hurt me. When I think about it, I want to be like Joseph and sneak off into another room to cry sometimes. Then I think, I am the lucky one. Those people who hurt me do not know God’s love and mercy in their lives! Maybe I still hurt, but at least I have a conscience and the faith to see me through. The pain that I carry in my heart, that pain that we all carry about with us, strengthens our souls as we survive through it. We know that heavenly justice belongs to God, and God’s mercy over us is promised through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

Psalm 25:6, “Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord, and of thy steadfast love–for they have been as of old.”

Amen