Joseph:a Four-fold Interpretation, Part 1

 I don't know if there is any story from the Old Testament that has been more studied and written about than the story of Joseph, son of Jacob.  I have really enjoyed learning more about this story this week and look forward to reading and studying its conclusion next week.  There is so much here, I can easily imagine writing a whole book on the topic, so I have been struggling to figure out what to write in my blog, where I only have about one page.  I decided to take a quick four-fold interpretation of the story.  Just as a reminder, this it is a method developed by Jewish scholars that follows an acronym for the word that means paradise. דספר

 פ= Peshat =פשט =literal

ר=Remez= רמז=symbolic

ד=Drash= דרש=context

ס=Sod =סוד =secret or sacred

I may only get through two of these interpretations today, and do the other two next week.

1. Literal:  When you take the story of Joseph on a literal level you find a beautiful example of family drama, faith, overcoming trials, and forgiveness.  Joseph is the son of Jacob's favorite wife and seems to be his father's favorite as well. This makes his older brothers jealous. Their jealousy turns to hatred when he tattletails on them to his father, and when he tells them his dreams that seem to suggest that he will one day rule over, not only his brothers, but his parents as well. His brothers, who have already shown their willingness to kill for their honor in the bloody revenge they took for Dinah's rape, decide to kill Joseph and make it appear to their father that he was killed by wild beasts.  At the last minute the oldest, Ruben, intervines, and save's Joseph's life, but his other brothers contrive to sell him as a slave instead. Joseph becomes a slave to Potiphar, an Egyptian military leader, where he prospers.  This prosperity comes to an end when Potiphar's wife propositions Joseph, and then accuses him of sexual harrassment.  Joseph is once again brought low, only to rise again by interpreting Pharaoh's dream.  He becomes the second in power in all Egypt by coming up with a plan to save Egypt from famine. The most tender part of the story comes when Joseph's brothers come to Egypt asking for food.  They don't, at first recognize Joseph.  Joseph interrogates them and assertains that they have regretted what they did to him. He frankly forgives them for their past wrongs and acknowleges God's hand in putting him in a position to save his family and all the land from famine.  If you only read the story on this level, you will finish uplifted and encouraged to live a more patient and forgiving life.

2. Symbolic: Christians see the story of Joseph as a type of the life of Jesus Christ.  The similarities of their two lives are numerous and striking.  It is maybe easiest to list them 

Miraculous birth (Rachel was baren for a long time before having Joseph)

Favorite son of his father, destined to rule over all the other sons

Joseph's time in Egypt is seen as equivalent to Jesus' sojourn on the Earth.

          Rejected by his own kinsmen and turned over to strangers 

False accusations and time spent in prison

Forgiving those who wanted to take his life.

Saviour of the people (Joseph physically, Jesus spiritually)

There are more than this.  One of the podcasts I listen to said that there was an early Christian scholar who found 18 similarities.  I think writers of the gospels purposely pointed out similarities between Jesus' life and Joseph's. 

These two interpretations are pretty widely held.  I will get into some more, less discussed perspectives on the story next week.