Reading: Weekday

A Commentary on Genesis

from Quodvult Deus of Carthage [1]

Joseph ordered his brothers’ sacks to be filled with corn and the money they had brought to be returned to each one. This was to show that the grace of Christ, who is our Joseph, does not come from works, for otherwise grace would not be grace. Joseph’s brethren come for the second time with Benjamin as they had promised; and for the second time five thousand Jews come to Christ, followed by Paul, the least – or the last – of the apostles. Joseph saw Benjamin, his brother and his mother’s son, and he wept at the sight. Jesus saw Paul savaging our mother the Church and he took  pity on him. The same Paul says that Jesus appeared to him, as it were born after his time. Benjamin’s delivery and birth, on the other hand, hastened his mother’s death, and so he was called the child of grief. Thus Paul, our Benjamin, says:  I am not worthy to be called an apostle, for I persecuted the Church of God. Joseph said of his brothers, to the head of the household: Take them into the house, for they are to eat bread with me. So our Joseph says, through the prophets, to his brethren: Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have made ready for you. Joseph gave his brethren gifts; and Christ our Joseph made gifts to men when he sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Joseph’s gifts to his younger brother were more lavish than those to the others. This is what Paul, our Benjamin, said of himself in his preaching: I have labored more than all those: but not I, but God’s grace working in me. Again, Joseph ordered his brothers’ sacks to be filled with corn and the money to be given back. Our brethren remonstrate to Joseph at receiving grace upon grace. Joseph orders his own goblet to be placed secretly in Benjamin’s sack, and it troubled his brethren when it was sought and found in Benjamin’s sack. The cup of Christ’s suffering. given in secret, is recognized for what it is by grace, when afflicting Paul’s body. For this is what he meant when he berated the entire synagogue, as if to say he had found the cup in his sack. For I bear in my body the marks of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1]A Word in Season – vol. VII – Augustinian Press – 1999 – pg. 95