Gen. 43-45
I don’t know how Joseph kept the truth from his brothers for so long. Simeon must have been with him in custody for at least 6 months to a year. It seems he was testing his brothers to see if they had changed, which they had. I find it interesting that, while Reuben offered his own sons as a pledge for Benjamin, Judah offered his own life. And Israel, though initially resisting per his usual way, finally broke down and put his trust in God. And then there is Joseph, who not only completely forgives his brothers, but attributes their actions to God’s Plan. This takes me back to the idea of being grateful for the people who wrong us and the difficult people in our lives, because God works in our lives through them. A difficult concept, for sure! I also see in this passage the importance -again a repeated theme – of not just giving all you have to God, but all you are as well.
Matt. 22:23-46
The Ten Commandments and the law are not the point. Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself – these are the point. The commandments and the law and the prophets are all there to teach us how to do this. You do not love God by serving other gods or by flippantly swearing by His name. You do not love others by stealing, by bearing false witness, or by desiring what belongs to them for your own. This makes it not right to put the law before loving your God or your neighbor. This was the error of the religious leaders that Jesus continually called out. And this is why, as Christians, we are free from the law – because we now have the Holy Spirit in us teaching us how to love God and love others. This is also why faith without works is useless – because love is not a passive thing. So if we claim faith in God and His Spirit dwells in us, it will compel us to action by default.