Last week's parashah (Vayeshev) related how Joseph, the favored son of Israel, was cruelly sold into slavery by his jealous brothers for 20 pieces of silver. However, the LORD was with him, and soon he was promoted to be the supervisor of his new master’s household! When Joseph refused the seduction of his master’s wife, however, he was unjustly thrown into prison, but soon was promoted to be the manager of the jail. After successfully interpreting the dream of Pharaoh’s imprisoned wine steward, Joseph hoped to be released, but the steward forgot to make appeal for Joseph before Pharaoh.
As the Parashah opens, Joseph had been confined in prison for 12 years, but the time had arrived for him to fulfill the dreams given to him as a young man. The parashah begins:
After the end of two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile (Gen. 41:1)
Two years after the wine steward was freed from prison, Pharaoh had two unusual dreams (in one, seven lean cows devoured seven well-fed cows, yet remained lean; in the other, seven thin ears of grain swallowed seven full ears, yet remained thin). Pharaoh was disturbed and called for his magicians and wise men to explain their significance, but none of them could do so. Then the wine steward remembered how Joseph had correctly interpreted his dream two years ago and promptly told Pharaoh, who hastily summoned Joseph to appear before him.
When Joseph was told Pharaoh’s two dreams, he explained that Egypt would experience seven prosperous years, followed by seven years of famine (the repetition of the dreams meant that the matter was certain and the seven years were imminent). Joseph further recommended that a wise and discerning person be appointed to administer the land and store food for the coming years of trouble.
Pharaoh was greatly impressed with Joseph’s abilities and immediately appointed him as viceroy to oversee the entire project. He conferred upon him the royal signet ring, adorned him in fine garments, and placed him on the viceroy's chariot. He also gave Joseph an Egyptian name (Tsofnat Paneach - "Decipherer of Secrets") and the daughter of an Egyptian priest named Asenath as his wife (who later bore him two sons, Manasseh ("Forgetting") and Ephraim ("Fruitfulness")). Overnight Joseph was taken from the dungeon and exalted to the right hand of Pharaoh himself! He was 30 years old at the time of his rise to power.
During the next seven years, Joseph amassed an abundance of food in the store houses across Egypt. However, just as he foretold, the seven years of famine began. Joseph then opened the storehouses and sold food supplies to the Egyptians. The neighboring regions also suffered from the worldwide famine, and their inhabitants came to Egypt to purchase food.
Due to the famine, Jacob sent all of his sons (except Benjamin, the sole survivor of his beloved wife Rachel) down to Egypt to buy food. Since Joseph was the governor of the land in charge of the food distribution, Jacob’s sons came and bowed themselves before him "with their faces to the ground." Joseph immediately recognized them (but not vice versa), and accused them of being "spies." The brothers denied the charge, explaining their family background, and insisted that they were in Egypt merely to buy food. Joseph then ordered them to bring back their brother Benjamin in order to "prove" their story, and after imprisoning them for three days, released 9 of the 10 brothers (holding Simeon "hostage") until they would later return with Benjamin. The brothers then remembered their treatment of Joseph and attributed their current troubles to their abuse of him. Unbeknownst to them (since they were unaware that he understood their native tongue of Hebrew), Joseph understood their display of teshuvah, walked away and quietly wept.
Before the brothers departed back to Canaan, Joseph secretly instructed his servants to return their money inside their sacks of grain. On the way back home, the brothers discovered the money and feared that they would be accused of stealing the grain. When they arrived home, they told the entire ordeal to Jacob, who (despite Simeon’s hostage status) flatly refused to let Benjamin make the return trip to Egypt with them.
When their supply of grain ran out, Reuben first appealed to Jacob to bear responsibility for Benjamin, but was rebuffed (doubtlessly because of his previous incestuous union with Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaiden and the mother of Dan and Naphtali). When the conditions became insufferable, however, Judah approached his father and swore to take personal and eternal responsibility for the welfare of Benjamin. Upon hearing Judah’s promise, Jacob finally relented and allowed him to go with the other brothers back to Egypt.
When they arrived in Egypt, the brothers were escorted to Joseph’s house, where they presented a gift from their father and again bowed down before him. Joseph then hosted a feast and had the brothers sit in the order of their birth - much to their amazement. He also served Benjamin 5 times the food of the other brothers!
The morning after the feast, as the brothers were getting ready to return to Canaan, Joseph devised a final test for his brothers by ordering his servants to once again fill their sacks with their money - and also to place Joseph’s silver “divination” goblet in Benjamin’s sack. After the brothers left for Canaan, they were soon overtaken and confronted by Joseph’s steward, who (following Joseph’s script) accused them of stealing the goblet. They (again) protested their innocence and agreed to be searched, but the (planted) goblet was found in Benjamin’s sack. The brothers then rent their clothes in grief and returned to make appeal to Joseph, where they once again fell to the ground before him and confessed their guilt before God (thus indicating true teshuvah). The parashah ends as Judah offered himself and his brothers to be slaves in place of Benjamin, but Joseph refused and insisted that only Benjamin would be made a slave for the “crime.”
Haftarah Reading Snapshot:
Note: This Haftarah is almost never read, since Miketz nearly always coincides with the festival of Chanukah (with a different portion read as Haftarah). It is included here in order to follow the traditional Torah-Haftarah reading schedule.
The background of the Haftarah is the elevation of Solomon as the King of Israel (and thereby, as a type of Mashiach, as ben Elohim). It begins with a dream in which the LORD asked Solomon what gift he would want most, and Solomon replying, "Give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?" Since he had chosen wisely, the LORD gave Solomon wisdom beyond that of every person who had preceded or would follow him, and great riches and honor as well.
The Haftarah continues by demonstrating the wisdom of the king. "Then came two female 'zonot' (prostitutes) before the King..." Both women had recently born children, but one had died during the night, and it was alleged by the mother whose child had died that the babies were switched. Now each woman claimed that the living baby was hers, and they were appealing to the King to settle the matter. Solomon shocked them by his verdict (i.e., to cut the living child in two and give half to each mother), in order to discern from their reactions who would have the greatest pity on the baby. The mother who displayed greater pity for the child was identified as the true mother, and was awarded the child.
Brit Chadashah Snapshot:
The reading from the book of Romans concerns the Apostle Paul’s desire to see all Israel come to saving faith in Yeshua as the Promised Mashiach and Savior of the world.
In this regard, it is interesting to note some of the parallels between Yeshua and Joseph as a “type” or foreshadowing of the coming Mashiach of Israel. Here is a partial list:
Tsofnat Paneach means "Decipherer of Secrets"
Jesus (Yeshua) revealed the Father (John 1:18); Revealer of parables (Matt 13:10-13)
Was a shepherd (Gen 37:2)
Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
Beloved of his father (Gen 37:3)
"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3:17; 17:5)
Anointed by his father (coat of many colors) Gen 37:3
Jesus anointed as Mashiach ben David (Heb 1:9; Psalm 45:7; see below)
Sent forth by his father (Gen 37:12-14)
Jesus sent by His Father (John 5:30-6)
Brothers hated him (Gen 37:4)
Jesus hated without a cause (John 15:25)
Brothers disbelieved in him (Gen 37:19-20)
Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him (John 1:11; 3: 18, John 3:36, etc.)
Brothers refused his rule (Gen 37:8)
We do not want this man to rule over us (Luke 19:14)
Brothers jealous of him (Gen 37:11)
It was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over (Mark 15:10)
Brothers conspired to kill him (Gen 37:18)
The chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death (Matt 27:1)
Stripped him of his robe (Gen 37:23)
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him (Matt 27:28)
Cast into a pit (Gen 37:24)
Zech 9:11; Matt 12:40; Matt 27:59-60
Sold for pieces of silver (Gen 37:28)
They paid him thirty pieces of silver (Matt 26:15)
Brothers ate a meal while he was in the pit (Gen 37:25)
His people ate a meal while He was in the pit (Pesach). (John 13:1)
Raised from the pit (Gen 37:28)
John 20; etc.
Made a slave (Gen 37:28)
Matt 26:15; Phil 2:7
Taken into Egypt to avoid being killed (Gen 37:28)
Matt 2:13
Covered his robe with blood (Gen 37:31)
His robe was covered with blood. (Mark 15:17)
Filled with the Spirit of God (Gen. 41:38)
Luke 4:1; etc.
Made overseer (Gen 39:4)
The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands (John 3:35; Matt 28:18)
Falsely accused (Gen 40:15)
One who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin (Heb 4:15; Matt 27:23; Mark 15:11-15; Luke 23:21-23).
Made no defense (Gen 39:19)
Isa 53:7; Luke 23:9; etc.
Imprisoned with two (Gen 40:2-3)
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. (Luke 23:32)
Exalted over the world (Gen 41:30-40)
1 Peter 3:22; Matt 26:64; Eph 1:18-20
Given a Gentile Bride (Gen 41:45)
Eph 5:23; 1 Cor 11:3; 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 21:9; etc.
Bread giver to the world (Gen 41:55)
Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
Thirty years old before service to Pharaoh (Gen 41:46)
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work (Luke 3:23)
Joseph made himself known to his brothers (Gen 45:1)
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him (Luke 24:31); also eschatological (acharit hayamim)
Revealed to his bothers the 2nd time
Israel will receive Jesus at His 2nd coming; (Zech. 12:10; John 19:37)
Savior of the World (Gen 45:7)
God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14).
Alive from the dead (Gen 45:26-28)
Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. (Luke 24:5)
Redeemer of Israel (Gen 47:23)
For you were bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20; Acts 5:31)
Later crowned with glory and honor (Gen 41:39-45)
Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death (Heb 2:9)
Just as Joseph was finally revealed to the Jewish people as a mashiach and savior (though they had initially betrayed him and rejected him), so will the Jewish people come to see that Jesus (Yeshua) is the promised Jewish Mashiach and the Savior of the world. Then will come true the hope of Rav Sha’ul (the Apostle Paul) who wrote, “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Romans 11:30).
Dual Aspect of Mashiach
The Tanakh contains seemingly conflicted views of the Mashiach as Israel’s Deliverer. On the one hand, Messiah is portrayed as coming in great triumph "in the clouds" (Daniel 7:13), but on the other he comes riding a donkey, lowly and humble (Zechariah 9:9). This “dual aspect” of Messiah led to the idea that there would be two Messiahs: Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David.
Messiah son of Joseph
Mashiach ben Yosef. The Suffering Messiah (Joseph [Gen. 37-50] prefigures). The Messiah from the house of Joseph. One of two Messianic figures which are described in the oral traditions of Judaism. Mashiach ben Yosef is considered to be a forerunner and harbinger of the final deliverer, Mashiach ben David. Mashiach ben Yosef suffers for the sins of Israel (Isaiah 53). Christians see Yeshua as the fulfillment of Mashiach ben Yosef in the Tanakh and the oral tradition. Yeshua the Messiah in His first coming is the Suffering Servant.
Quotes:
"Messiah son of Joseph was slain, as it is written, "They shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son" Zech. 12:10 (Suk. 52a)
The Talmud explains: "The Messiah---what is his name? Those of the house of Rabbi Yuda the saint say, the sick one, as it is said, 'Surely he had borne our sicknesses." (Sanhedrin 98b)
Referring to Zech. 12:10-12, "R. Dosa says: '(They will mourn) over the Messiah who will be slain.' " (B. Suk. 52a; also Y. Suk. 55b)
"But he was wounded . . . meaning that since the Messiah bears our iniquities which produce the effect of His being bruised, it follows that whosoever will not admit that Messiah thus suffers for our iniquities, must endure and suffer for them himself" (Rabbi Elijah de Vidas)
Messiah son of David
Mashiach ben David. The ruling Messiah King (King David prefigures). The term Mashiach unqualified always refers to Mashiach ben David, a descendant of King David, of the tribe of Judah who will regather the exiles, set up the temple, and deliver Israel from all her enemies. Christians believe Yeshua the Messiah in His second coming will completely fulfill this description of Mashiach ben David.
Quote:
Today, we can see with our own eyes how the vision of the Prophet Ezekiel, describing the rebirth of the Jewish People and the ingathering of the exiles in Eretz Yisrael, is being fulfilled. It is true that we are now in mid-process. We are still at the stage of being crystallized as a nation....
Yet, our gaze must likewise be trained upon the future and the end of days, the age of Mashiach ben David. At that time, the issue of limited nationalism will pass, and we will turn as well to mankind in the aggregate, serving as a light unto the nations. Each day, in fact, we pray, “Speedily cause the offspring of your servant David to flourish.” (Rabbi Dov Begon)
Yeshua is both Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David
As Christians, we believe that Yeshua is both Mashiach Ben Yosef (the suffering servant - at His first coming) and Mashiach Ben David (the reigning King - at His second coming) [see Isaiah 52:13-15 - 53:12, Psalm 22]). He is also the Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King as foreshadowed by other m’shichim in the Tanakh.
David Brown (of AMF International) writes:
It is very common for Jewish objectors to point that “Jesus has not fulfilled all the prophecies,” and to scorn the suggestion that some prophecies are for a later time and are to be fulfilled at the “second coming.” The fact is, however, that prophecies about Messiah are of two seemingly mutually-exclusive types, as though they were talking about two different Messiahs. Jewish scholarship refers to Messiah ben-David and Messiah ben-Yosef. One is the positive, victorious Messiah who ushers in a kingdom of peace, the other is a suffering servant (as in Isaiah 53). The popular tendency is to think only of ben-David and ignore ben-Yosef, but the Messianic/Christian view accounts for both in one person. Interestingly, these two prophetic strains are named for David and Joseph, both of which suffered first and emerged victorious in the end. Joseph is introduced to us with dreams of grandeur, but he was lost to Israel – actually considered dead – before his dreams came true. Eventually however, he had a “second coming” when he came back into the lives of his brothers who once rejected him. Then they bowed down to him and he became the savior of his people by providing for them in a time of famine. David also, though anointed as King in his youth as far as God was concerned, was rejected by the current King and lived as a fugitive for many years before he finally became the quintessential King of Israel. Both of these historic figures, which Jewish tradition has recognized as being prototypes of Messiah, arrive amid promises, are pushed down, and finally emerge in glory. Shouldn’t the ultimate Messiah follow the same pattern?
