BEMA Episode Link: 15: Into the Pit
Episode Length: 46:54
Published Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2017 01:00:00 -0800
Session 1
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings begin a study of the life of Joseph, covering Genesis 37–40.

Into the Pit Presentation (PDF)

Discussion Video for BEMA 15

Transcript for BEMA 15

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

  • Genesis 37-40
  • Review
    • G-d invites us to trust the story
    • We’ve met Avraham, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau.
    • Jacob has made the story weird.
    • We are now entering the story of Jacob’s sons.
  • Genesis 37 - Joseph’s Dreams
    • Brent: Why doesn’t the story list Leah’s sons?
    • Joseph doesn’t seem to have a lot of wisdom
    • V3: Israel loved Joseph more…
      • From Fohrman, this is not an issue of the colorfulness of the coat. This coat, literally striped coat, is a coat that all of the brothers would have been given by their father.
      • The issue is that Joseph got a SECOND coat. Israel is telling his sons that Rachel’s sons are my favorite, Joseph was the first born and Benjamin the second, and Joseph is the behor and will receive a DOUBLE portion.
    • Joseph seems to take a pretty nacisistic, egocentric, cocky, unwise attitude toward his brothers.
      • Even Israel, who is overly protective of Joseph, is questioning his tact.
      • Joseph would be 17, his brother would be mid-20s.
      • Note: Ishamel was mocking his brother in the past and now the tables have turned, Joseph is now mocking his own brothers.
  • Genesis 37 - Joseph Sold by His Brothers
    • First mention of Shechem: Gen 12 right after the blessing.
    • This family is a stench in the nostrils of the Shechemites.
    • They are not accomplishing the mission.
    • Why are the brothers grazing near the fields of Shechem? (Question from listener Brad).
      • These are the same brothers that circumcized the men of Shechem. Are they now in control of Shechem?
      • It seems like the author is pulling us back to “You’re supposed to be in this world to bless all nations and is that working? Is that what Joseph is doing?”
      • Shechem will disappear for the rest of Genesis after this.
    • Reuben recommends throwing his brother into an empty cistern instead of killing him. (Reuben IS THE ACTUAL behor).
      • Judah recommends selling Joseph to the Midianites instead of killing him.
      • Why does Reuben leave? Judah steps up in his absence.
      • Now Reuben has to go back to his father and explain why something Reuben would have never approved us took place.
        • This might have created a rift in the family.
        • See the next story…
  • Genesis 38 - Judah and Tamar
    • Judah leaves his family and he marries a Cananite woman. Possible proof of a rift?
      • Judah’s granddaughter is named Tamar which means palmtree. The idea of the palmtree is that it is true and straight and righteous which is the meaning of Tamar.
        • Er was wicked and was destroyed by G-d as a result.
        • Judah ask’s Onan to carry on his brother’s family line but Onan spills his semen on the ground in order to keep from taking on this responsibility. G-d puts him to death as well.
        • Judah promises Shelah to Tamar but does not follow through. Tamar knows she’s been slighted so she pretends to be a prostitute to sleep with Judah and become pregnant.
          • Judah gives Tamar his seal and its cord until he can pay her and she then leaves.
          • Judah is later told that Tamar has been a prostitute and has become pregnant.
            • He calls her out to have her burned to death.
            • Tamar reveals that the man she slept with owns the seal and its cord that he had given to her.
            • After realizing the situation, he admits she is more righteous (note what Tamar means, “righteous”) that he is since he would not give her to Shelah.
          • Brent: Why is Judah with a prostitute? Did Judah’s wife die?
          • This entire story is about Joseph and suddenly, we’re reading a story about Judah as an older man. Why is 38 about Judah during a different time?
          • Compare Ch 37 and Ch 38.
            • nakar is the word for recognize.
            • nakar is used 8 times in Genesis.
            • When this word is used throughout Genesis, it’s used to convict people of their sin.
              • When Judah hear’s this word, recognize, it would have rung like a gunshot in his ears.
  • Genesis 39 - Jospeh and Potiphar’s Wife
    • Challenging the idea that Joseph was “a good person” and selfless.
      • Does Joseph refuse to sleep with Potiphar’s wife because his character prevents him from doing so or because he’s obsessed with his own success? Or is it because she was the only thing in the house that Potiphar had not given him?
    • Brent: What is it about all of the clothing that makes the difference here?
    • Brent: Given how yucky this family can be, why does G-d continue to colocate with them?
      • G-d has perspective about this family we may not have as we read these stories. G-d keeps working in spite of their sin and brokenness.
    • Brent: “Potiphar paid attention to nothing except the food he ate. Is this why his wife pursues Joseph so much?”
  • Genesis 40 - The Cupbearer and the Baker
    • Challenging the idea that Joseph was “a good person” and selfless.
      • Marty: Joseph to the Cupbearer: Remember me when you leave because I want to get out of here!
        • Personally, I can see this being fair… I can’t see anyone behaving any differently in this situation.
  • Nakar
    • Usages in Genesis
      • First two usages are about Jacob’s deception
      • Next two usages are about Jacob BEING deceived
      • Next two usages are about Judah deceiving and then being decieved
      • Next two usages are about Joseph deceiving and then being decieved.
    • It feels like this story is spinning out of control. Will it find its way back?
    • If the book of Genesis is about trusting the story, how is the story going to get us back on track?

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