Genesis 39 - Wells of Living Water Commentary

Joseph Rejected by His Brethren

Genesis 37:20 -Genesis 39:1-23

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

As we proceed to consider Joseph, as rejected of his brethren, there will be discovered an outline of Christ rejected by His people which will stand forth in amazing colors. Truly the hand of God was working in a way that neither Joseph nor the brothers who delivered him, knew.

Let us now consider the five reasons which Christ, Himself, gave for His being refused by His own. In these five statements we will likewise discover the five reasons why men are rejecting Christ today.

1. Christ was rejected by the Jews because they had not His Word abiding in them. They read the Prophets, or they heard them read in their synagogues every Sabbath, and those Prophets testified of Christ and yet they knew it not.

They even went so far as to fulfill all the things concerning Christ up to the hour of His crucifixion until the moment that they took Him down from that Cross, and yet they knew not that they fulfilled the Prophets.

How many there are today who are rejecting Christ because of their ignorance of the Word of God! The world is filled with Bibles, and thousands of pulpits are dedicated to its exposition, and yet the world knows not the Bible.

2. Christ was rejected by the Jews because they believed Him not. He wrought many miracles, and signs, and wonders which portrayed His glory and gave witness to His Messiahship, and yet they did not believe in Him.

He spake before them as none ever had spoken; He lived before them as none other had ever lived; He wrought deeds of love and mercy as none had ever wrought, and yet they believed not on Him.

3. Christ was rejected by the Jews because they would not come unto Him that they might have life. Their wills were unbending and their hearts were filled with rebellion against God. "They turned every one to his own way."

Having cast off the authority of the Father they were prepared in heart to cast off the authority of the Son. Having rejected the Prophets and having stoned them, or killed them, they found it easy to reject the One of whom the Prophets had written.

4. Christ was rejected by the Jews because they did not have the love of God in them. God loved the Son, but they did not know God, neither did they possess the love of God. They professed to serve God, they boasted that they knew Him, yet, withal, they knew nothing of His love either toward others or toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Christ was rejected by the Jews because they received Him not When Christ was born He had no reception on the part of national Israel. When He was grown His own home city of Nazareth received Him not. For a while the populace followed after Him because of the miracles which He did, but the masses never opened their hearts that He The Word of God with its message is set at naught.

As we have brought before you the reasons why Christ was then rejected, we are sure that we have also suggested the reasons why He is now rejected. The world will not believe today any more than it did then. Innumerable excuses may be given for the rejection of Christ, but the reasons noted above are those which Christ gave in the fifth chapter of John for His rejection.

I. JOSEPH'S BRETHREN SETTING THEMSELVES AGAINST HIM (Genesis 37:20)

1. Joseph's brethren disbelieved his dreams. They said, "We shall see what will become of his dreams." Joseph had related his dreams to his brethren, but they believed him not. They had no sympathy for Joseph's visions.

When Christ spoke men believed Him not. He was the Truth, but they preferred to believe a lie. He was Life, but they preferred to abide in death. It is still the same today. might come in and rule and reign in righteousness.

Joseph's dreams were great prophecies of his future power and glory. This glory was utterly repudiated by his brethren. They would not concede to Joseph any superiority. to themselves.

Here is another striking thing. All of Christ's Word is set at naught, but the world particularly rejects His prophetic words. Prophecy foretells the coming glory and might of the Son of God, and the complete overthrow of the enemy this the world will not accept.

2. Joseph's brethren set themselves in array against Joseph's dreams. Here is the way the brethren spake: "Let us * * cast him into some pit, [then] * * we shall see what will become of his dreams." They thought within themselves to utterly undo the words of Joseph. They felt assured that they could forestall any prophecy that Joseph might make.

Once again we are face to face with facts concerning Christ and His brethren. They thought to lift their hand up against God's beloved Son. They thought that they could make void any prophecy that Christ gave.

All of this is but a pen picture of the spirit of our own day. The Word tells us, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." What consummate folly is man's effort against God!

II. JOSEPH'S BROTHER, REUBEN, SOUGHT TO DELIVER JOSEPH (Genesis 37:21-22)

Among the ten brothers there was one who sought to stay the wrath of the rest, thinking that he might, by chance, deliver Joseph to his father. Here was a touch of sunshine against the clouds.

Let us look for its counterpart in the wrath of the Jews against the Lord. This, as we see it, will not be difficult to find.

As the days wore on the antagonism to Christ deepened. The rulers were seeking how they might slay the Lord. Officers had been sent to apprehend the Master; they returned saying, "Never man spake like this Man." The Pharisees tauntingly replied, "Are ye also deceived?" Then the rulers said, "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?" It was at this juncture that Nicodemus, the one who had visited Jesus by night, said, "Doth our Law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?" Thus did one man at least seek to curb the wrath of the Pharisees.

What we now desire to ask, however, and to ask with all of our soul, is this: Who is there among those who now live who will stand forth against the voice of the masses, and step in the breach for Christ?

The world cannot, now, crucify the Son of God. He is risen indeed and hath ascended to the Father. However, the world with an heart of unbelief still hates the Son of God. Where is He who will stand with Reuben, and plead the cause of our Joseph?

Do you cry, "Let Him plead His own case? If He be God let Him deliver Himself." Never thou fear. Our Christ will yet vindicate His holy Name. He will yet put to rout the enemy. Every knee shall yet bow, and every tongue shall yet confess Christ as Lord. Now, however, He is looking to see who will stand with Him and for Him, against the unbelief of the hour.

Be thou a Reuben. Take up the cause of the Lord. Lift up thy hand against His foes. Cry aloud thy praises of the Christ. One day He will come and will glorify thee.

III. JOSEPH STRIPPED OF HIS COAT OF MANY COLORS (Genesis 37:23)

We have already spoken of Joseph's coat of many colors. We now wish to suggest how the age in which we are living today has sought to rob our Lord Jesus Christ of that robe of His Deity, which is His token of many colors, which designates His glory.

1. The Lord Jesus is defamed as to His Virgin Birth. No one would hesitate in saying that the fact that He was begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin stands forth as one of the colors which crowns Christ as God. If Jesus were not the Son of God, begotten of the virgin, then He would hare been a sinner the same as all other men who are conceived of natural generation.

2. The Lord Jesus is defamed as to His eternity. Here is one of the colors that stands out so plainly in the Word of God. He came forth from the Father because He had been with the Father. He is described in the Bible as the Word which was with God, and was God, in the beginning. He is described in the Bible as the One by whom and for whom all things are made, and in whom all things consist. The world would rob Christ of that glory.

3. The Lord Jesus is defamed as to His miracle-working power. The Bible says of His first miracle, wherein He turned the water into wine: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory."

The Jews said that Jesus wrought these miracles through Beelzebub. Theologians of today do not always go thus far, but they do endeavor to do away with the miraculous by explaining the miracles upon some supposed natural basis.

4. The Lord Jesus is defamed as to His vicarious atonement. Men seek to take away this color of His God-given coat by stating that His death was due to the increasing wrath of the Jews and His utter inability to avert its catastrophe. They utterly repudiate any vicarious, saving power in His Cross.

IV. JOSEPH CAST INTO A PIT (Genesis 37:24)

1. Joseph helpless to his brethren's wrath. "And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it." Such is the story of their treatment of Joseph. The next statement is, "And they sat down to eat bread."

We know that it was after the Lord was nailed to the Cross that they sat down and watched Him there. Thus, it seems that the pit may have to do with the seeming utter helplessness of Christ as He came to the hour of His death.

Not but that the Lord had all power as Deity not that. But, because of His having voluntarily given Himself over to His persecutors and would-be slayers, He was left helpless in their hands.

Joseph, shut up in the pit, was without an avenue of escape. He could not scale the sides of the pit, he could not lift himself out. Jesus Christ was shut up to the will of the Father. He was shut up by His love for the lost. It was for this cause the Lord did not exert His own power, nor did He call for twelve legions of angels, as He might have done.

2. Joseph suffered while his brethren sat down and ate bread. What spirit of unconcern to the fate of their brother did these sons of Jacob show! They could eat while he was left to die.

As they ate, they, no doubt, talked about Joseph and sought to justify their villainous deed. They simply had made up their minds to get rid of the one whom they despised. They were setting themselves to do away with any possibility of Joseph's holding any lordship over them.

As Jesus hung on the Cross His haters sat down and watched Him there. They also talked. They talked of their notable achievement against what they termed was a would-be Messiah. They said, "Let us see what He can do now." They imagined that all of His power was gone. If God had ever "been with Him, they assured themselves that He was now, at least, deserted by Him.

V. JOSEPH SOLD TO THE ISHMAELITES (Genesis 37:27-28)

1. A cunning subterfuge. As they sat down to eat, while Joseph languished in the pit, they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead en route to Egypt. One of them said unto his brethren, "What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him."

This action of Joseph's brethren reminds us of the Jews seeking to shift the burden of Christ's death over on Pilate and the Romans. When Pilate urged them to judge Him according to their own law, they said, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."

Unto this very day the Jews will argue that it was the Romans who crucified Christ. This was true. The guilt, however, of the death of the Lord lay upon the Jews. Peter was not slow to say, "Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."

2. Sold by Judah. We almost catch our breath as we note that it was Judah, one of Joseph's brethren, who suggested that Joseph should be sold, and it was Judas who sold the Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver; Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver this was the price by which He was appraised.

Think you that the brethren of Joseph lessened their crime by selling him to the Ishmaelites? They sold him into what they supposed would be abject slavery and death, They never expected to see Joseph again.

We wonder if the twenty pieces of silver did not burn in the pockets of these men as the Ishmaelites moved on their way carrying Joseph with them as merchandise, to be bartered and sold in Egypt.

After Judas had sold his Lord he went and hanged himself, and perhaps, Judah ofttimes wished himself dead, as in the wee hours of the night the last look of his brother haunted him.

VI. THE BLOOD-SPRINKLED COAT OF MANY COLORS (Genesis 37:31-32)

While Joseph himself was spared from death, yet a kid of the goats was killed in Joseph's stead, and the coat of many colors was dipped in the blood.

1. The coat all blood-stained and dirty suggests the humiliation which men placed upon the Lord. Christ was covered with all indignity by the ruthless "brethren" who delivered Him to death. He was buffeted, spit upon, beaten, and exposed to the ribaldry of the maddened mob. A crown of thorns was placed upon His brow, as the people in mockery bowed the knee and cried, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

The Prophet Isaiah in the Spirit described Christ in death, with His visage more marred than any man, and His form more than the sons of men. Thus was Deity set at naught. Yet the God-man bore the ignominy and shame without a word. He gave His back to the smiters and His head to those who plucked out His hair. For the joy that was set before Him He endured the Cross, despising the shame.

Let those of us who suffer, not count it a matter of boast, that we are buffeted for Christ's sake. Let us gladly bear His reproach.

2. The coat dipped in blood was brought to Jacob with the statement: "This have we found; know now whether it be thy son's coat or no."

After the Cross work of Christ was finished, we have every reason to believe that the Blood was carried into the Heavenly Holy of Holies and presented to the Father. We know in the annual feasts of Jehovah, once a year, the high priest carried the blood into the holiest of all and there he sprinkled it upon the mercy seat.

Of this much we are sure, the Blood of Christ is the basis on which God, the Father, accepts the trusting sinner.

Here is a quotation from Hebrews concerning Christ's sacrifice: "But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."

VII. JACOB'S GRIEF (Genesis 37:34-35)

Travel in memory with us now into that ancient dwelling of the aged patriarch. There we may learn several vital lessons.

1. Sin begun, must be sin continued. The brethren of Joseph not only sold their brother, but when they returned home they were compelled to add sin to sin in order to cover their tracks.

They carried with them the coat of many colors, and as they gave it to their father, they lied saying, "This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no." They played the part of the innocent although they were guilty. They sought to cover their sin by an act of deceit and by a falsehood.

The same men who so treacherously treated their brother, now, with the same maliciousness, trample under their feet all the tender love and devotion of their father toward his son Joseph.

2. Jacob mourning for Joseph. When Jacob saw the coat all stained with blood, he said, "Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces." Then Jacob rent his own clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son for many days.

As Jacob mourned, his sons and his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted. Thus did Jacob weep for Joseph and said, "I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning."

3. A cloud with silver lining. As Jacob wept, God was working. The Midianites had sold Joseph to Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard.

Is it not often true that if we could look beyond our tears, we would find God working out our own salvation? That which seemed against Jacob was, in fact, for him. In a future sermon we will learn how God had sent Joseph down into Egypt to preserve the lives of Jacob, his sons, and his son's sons.

AN ILLUSTRATION

TO DIE FIGHTING

Let us have the courage of Joseph.

"'Sometimes God letteth His people alone till their latter days, and their season of fighting cometh not till they are ready to go out of the world, that they may die fighting and be crowned in the field. But first or last the cross cometh, and there is a time to exercise our faith and patience before we inherit the promises.'

It has been observed that many of those who begin their spiritual career with severe mental conflicts are afterwards filled with peace, and are left unmolested for years. Others have their battle in middle-life, and find the heat of their noontide sun to be their severest trial; while a third class suffer, as our author tells us, at the very close of their pilgrimage. No rule can be laid down as to the varied experiences of the saints; but we suspect that few make the voyage to Heaven over a perpetually glassy sea; the vast majority, at some time or other, are 'tossed with tempest and not comforted.'

What if we also must die fighting? We shall fall amid the shouts of victory. How surprising will Heaven be to us! One moment almost wrecked, and the next in 'the Fair Havens.' Wrestling one moment, and resting the next with the crown about our brows! 'At eventide it shall be light.'

Joseph, Servant of Potiphar

Genesis 39:1-23

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

There is a chapter that is thrown in between the story of Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites, and Joseph bought by Potiphar and made a servant in Egypt. That chapter is the thirty-eighth. It seems to break the continuity of the message concerning Joseph, and yet it is vitally placed just where it is.

From a prophetical viewpoint the story of Judah and his marriage to Shuah seems to us to set forth the story of Israel during the period lying between the Crucifixion and the Second Coming of Christ.

Let us note some of these things.

1. Judah married Shuah. The meaning of the word "Shuah" is prosperity. Shuah was a Canaanite. Her name seems to stand for trading, and merchandising. Putting the two names together, the thought is prosperity through trading.

We do not know that the Holy Spirit meant to signify what these words suggest. We do know, however, that the Children of Israel turned from their earliest occupation of shepherdizing and became, more and more, traffickers in the commerce of the world, following in the footsteps of Lot more than in the footsteps of Abraham.

The Jew today stands before us as the personification of business genius. He is a trader and a trafficker, and, nationally, the Jew of today holds much of the wealth of the world in his hands.

2. Judah called his first son by the name of Er, his second son, Onan; his third son, Shelah. Mr. Pink says; "The 'Numerical Bible' suggests as the meaning of their names: 'Er' enmity; 'Onan' iniquity; 'Shelah' sprout. Deeply significant, too, are these names. 'Enmity' against Christ is what has marked the Jews all through the centuries of this Christian era. 'Iniquity' surely fits this avaricious people, the average merchant of whom is noted for dishonesty, lying and cheating. While 'sprout' well describes the feeble life of this nation, so marvelously preserved by God through innumerable trials and persecutions. The chapter terminates with the sordid story of Tamar, the closing portions of which obviously foreshadowing the end-time conditions of the Jews. In the time of her travail 'twins were in her womb' (Genesis 38:27). So in the tribulation period there shall be two companies in Israel. The first, appropriately named 'Pharez,' which means 'breach,' speaking of the majority of the nation who will break completely with God and receive and worship the antichrist. The second 'Zerah,' that had the 'scarlet thread' upon his hand (Genesis 38:30), pointing to the godly remnant who will be saved, as was Rahab of old by the 'scarlet cord.'"

I. JOSEPH BOUGHT BY POTIPHAR (Genesis 39:1)

The typology of the story of Joseph is wonderful. The Holy Spirit seems to carry us back to a discussion of Christ's earth life and then, to lead us up again to the message of His crucifixion. That is, in chapter thirty-seven we had Joseph sold for twenty pieces of silver, and the Cross was in full view. Then the story of Judah came in chapter thirty-eight. Now in chapter thirty-nine, we go back to Christ among men as a servant, and, once more, we steadily approach the final Calvary pronouncement.

1. The contrast between Joseph, the son living with, his father, and, Joseph, the servant of Potiphar is very striking. As long as Joseph was with Jacob, he was recognized and honored. He was loved and protected. That his home life was happy we dare not doubt. To Jacob he was indeed the son of his love.

In Egypt all was changed. He who had dreams of sovereignty and power was now a servant to Potiphar, a slave through the treachery and malignity of his brethren.

Thus did Jesus Christ pass from the home of love and light, where He was revered and worshiped by angelic hosts as God, the Son, into the mongrel life of a servant, maligned by His brethren.

2. The willingness with which Joseph yielded himself to his new surroundings. When Joseph was first sold by his brethren to the Ishmaelites and when now he was sold by the Ishmaelites to Potiphar he offered no resistance. So far as the record goes, he quietly accepted his lot and went his way trusting in God to deliver him.

When Jesus Christ was rejected of men, He also resisted not evil, but allowed Himself to be taken. He yielded Himself into the hands of His enemies, suffering them to do with Him whatsoever they would.

May God grant unto us the same spirit as was manifested by Joseph and by Joseph's Lord. If we are smitten on one cheek, may we quietly turn the other also, remembering that Christ, when He was buffeted, buffeted not again.

II. JOSEPH PROSPERED BY THE LORD (Genesis 39:2)

The fact that Joseph was a servant by no means stole from him the favor and blessing of the Lord. The truth was that Joseph was blessed from above in all that he did.

1. The Lord Jesus while on earth, a servant, was prospered by the Father. Wherever Christ went, and whatsoever Christ did, God was with Him. Christ in His earthbound servitude knew no break in His fellowship and favor with the Father.

The enmity of Joseph's brethren did not hold back the favors of the Most High, neither did the enmity of Christ's brethren hold back God's manifestation of grace.

On one occasion, the Jews cried out, "Let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him," but God did have Him. There was never a moment that the Father failed to prosper the Son. Only once did He hide His face and that was when Christ was upon the Cross during the hours of His anguish as He was made sin for us.

2. The Lord Jesus was prospered by the fellowship of about five hundred brethren. We all realize that tremendous crowds followed Him in His early ministry, but these sooner or later forsook Him and fled. There were at least five hundred who stood the test of the dark days of the crucifixion. It was to these that the Lord Jesus appeared after His resurrection.

3. The Father will prosper all those who put their faith in Him and follow Him fully. Of the blessed man of Psalm one it is written, "Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." This was true primarily of Christ. It is true secondarily of the saints whose delight is in the Law of the Lord, and who walk in His will and way.

Every true believer lives under the smile of God. The Lord touches the work of His hand and blesses it.

The beatitudes of the sermon on the mount are still vitally true in every one who fulfills their conditions.

III. JOSEPH INVESTED WITH POWER (Genesis 39:4-5)

1. Potiphar made Joseph the overseer over his house. He put all that he had into his hand. He knew not the details of his business affairs save the bread which he did eat. This was a very remarkable condition. A young man, some seventeen or eighteen years of age, so quickly grown in favor and in power, even when so many obstacles confronted him.

2. The Lord Jesus was made mighty by the Father. He was given authority and power over all things the sick, the lame, the halt, and the blind were healed. The dead were brought back to life, even the elements were wholly under the control and authority of the Son of God.

The blessing of the Father was upon the Son, and all who came under His shadow received good at His hand. He lived for others. He sought their welfare.

3. The Father turned everything over into the hands of the Son. The words of the Father were spoken by the Son; the will of the Father was wrought by the Son; the work of the Father was done by the Son. When at last the Lord was ready to go back to the Father, He said, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do."

We need to put ourselves under the same Divine Headship, being true to our trust, obedient to every command, fulfilling every desire of God. We are called into partnership with the Father and with His Son. We are the representatives of a Heavenly court. We too, are sent forth empowered of the Father. God has turned all of His house over into our hands, saying, "Occupy till I come." May we be found faithful in our house, even as Joseph and Joseph's Lord were faithful in theirs.

IV. JOSEPH'S GOODLINESS OF PERSON (Genesis 39:6, l.c.)

The sixth verse reads: "And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured." He was good not only in his deeds, but he was of goodly appearance. He was the kind of man which attracted men to him. There are some who are right and righteous, but who are not goodly. They carry their righteousness with a bad flavor. They are austere and unduly strict. Their righteousness is more like a garment which is worn than like a fountain which sends forth sweet water.

Joseph was kindly disposed. He was gentle, patient, longsuffering, and kind.

Jesus Christ was a goodly Person and well-favored. Not only was He sinless, but He was everything that was good. Even the little children were drawn to Him. He was the kind who took the little ones in His arms and blessed them. There is a wonderful description of our Lord which describes Him as carrying the lambs in His bosom and gently leading those who are with young.

The Lord always had a helping hand, a kindly look, a sympathetic word, for those who needed Him.

This goodliness of Joseph which was so marked in Jesus our Lord should be the predominant characteristic of every child of God. The fruit of the Spirit is love and gentleness and goodness and meekness, Christian people who are not well-favored are more likely to be a bane than a blessing. There is more in a kind look and a Christlike word than there is in much of the pomp and the glory of pharisaical religious hypocrisy. We live in deeds far more than in words, and in the tone of the word sometimes far more than in the sense of the word.

V. JOSEPH TEMPTED BY POTIPHAR'S WIFE

Read: "How then can I do this great wickedness * * he hearkened not" (Genesis 39:9-10).

1. He who has friends will have enemies. The fact that a man is goodly in person and well-favored in life does not mean that he will be free from the tempter's snare. Such an one as Joseph is the very one whom Satan would seek to harass and, if possible, to overcome.

Thus it was that the wife of Joseph's master laid deep plots to bring him under her power. She used every subterfuge known to her class.

Joseph, however, stood true, a victor at every turn. He sard: to this woman, "There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me * * how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

It may be all right for some men to do some things, but it would not be right for a saint. God has given unto us all things under our power. We are representatives of a Heavenly court and we dare not do anything that will defame our Lord, and harm His Holy Name.

2. Jesus Christ had His enemies. Satan and all of his hordes were set against the Son of God to do Him harm. They left no stone unturned, no word unsaid, that would drag the Master down from His glory.

The first great temptation was that in the wilderness when every appeal was made to Jesus Christ that had been made to Adam. Jesus Christ, however, stood impervious to each onslaught and drove the devil back into the lair of his defeat.

Following the temptation and on through his whole three years of ministry, Satan and Satan-energized men besought to entangle the Master in His speech. They tried to get some proof against Him as to His loyalty to Caesar. They sought to incriminate Him with an undue familiarity with sinners, going so far as to call Him a wine-bibber and a glutton. In all of this, however, the Lord Jesus Christ proved Himself the Son of God without sin.

VI. JOSEPH FALSELY ACCUSED (Genesis 39:18)

1. Even the true and the faithful oftentimes suffer unjustly. When Potiphar's wife saw that she had no power against Joseph to lead him into sin, then she falsely accused him. First of all she accused him to the servants of her household, and afterwards unto her husband who was Joseph's master.

Our Lord knew that it would be impossible to live unharassed by the enemy. Therefore, He through Paul said, "As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

When we are maligned and viciously lied against we need not to avenge ourselves. Joseph offered no proof of his innocency to his master. He did not seek to vindicate his course. He simply accepted what came and went to prison.

We have discovered that when anyone makes a big howl about some accusation made against him, that more than likely he is guilty. The innocent do not try to defend themselves upon their righteous course. They trust in God.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ was falsely accused. The Scribes and Pharisees suborned witnesses to testify against the Lord Jesus Christ. They even paid them money for their dirty work.

When Christ stood before Pilate, Pilate realized that there were no just charges against his prisoner. All he saw was a great mob gone mad with envy. He, as Governor, went so far as to wash his hands before the people saving, "I find no fault in Him."

We are quite sure that Joseph's master, when he gave orders to put Joseph in prison, believed fully in Joseph's innocency; we are absolutely sure that when Pilate turned Jesus over to be crucified, he knew that Jesus was innocent of every charge and was in no sense worthy either of bonds or of death.

AN ILLUSTRATION

SERVANTS AND HEIRS

Speaking of Joseph as a servant brings to mind the following from the pen of Charles H. Spurgeon:

"'A servant must have something in hand, he must have his pay from quarter to quarter, or from week to week. He is not expecting to receive his master's possessions, and, therefore, seeks a present wage; but an heir waiteth till the estate falls in to him, and looks not lor present gains.' Thus may we discern between the mere hireling and the true-born child: the one deserts the Lord's service when it does not pay down on the nail; the other never expects reward till glory shall crown his labors. It is a sad thing for any sort of people when Jesus can say of them, 'Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward.' They cannot expect to be paid twice, and as their account is discharged in full, what have they to look for?

"Blessed shall we be if we are enabled to imitate the example of the Lord Jesus, who served the Father in the spirit of Sonship. Love made Him rise above all idea of present recompense: He waited the Father's time, and He still waits for His complete reward till the hour of His Second Advent shall arrive.

"'A servant,' according to Job, 'earnestly desireth the shadow' of evening, when his task will be ended; 'and the hireling looketh for the reward of his work': this is nothing more than natural, for they have no interest in the work beyond their pay. But the heir loveth his father, and worketh and waiteth patiently, for the father saith to him. 'All that I have is thine.' In serving the cause of God we are really serving ourselves, for we are partakers in this great cause, even as the interest of sons is one with that of their father. Can we not. therefore, 'both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord'?