Where in the Bible …is Poetry
In order to appreciate the Joseph story as the masterpiece that it is we must introduce you to a concept with which most of you probably are not familiar. Ancient writers and rhetoricians loved to use a literary structure that in modernity has come to be called the “chiasm,” referring to the Greek letter “chi” (our letter X). A chiastic figure of speech is a… Read more »
Where in the Bible …is Poetry
Eight parallel patterns that constitute the Joseph story (Genesis 37 – 50) Like a artist, let’s step back from the story a bit to consider what constitutes the Joseph story: Joseph in the house of his father Joseph in the hands of his brothers Judah’s temptation and response Joseph’s temptation and response Joseph interprets two dreams of his prison mates Joseph interprets two dreams of… Read more »
Where in the Bible …is Resurrection
“Joseph…said to them, ‘You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land!’…So he put them (Jacob’s sons) all together in prison three days. Now Joseph said to them the third day, ‘Do this and live, for I fear God’” (Gen 42:9, 17-19)Genesis 42:1-22 The drama of Joseph’s confrontation with his brothers, who had come to Egypt seeking bread in a time… Read more »
Where in the Bible …is Resurrection
There is an evident pattern of remarkable deliverances from a decree of death, whether pronounced by God or the king, taking place on the third day. This theme runs through the entire Old Testament. This section will survey the suffering and glory pattern by such a deliverance as seen in the accounts of Isaac, Joseph’s brothers, the spies of Joshua, the Gibeonites, David, Daniel, and… Read more »