Sunday’s Old Testament reading from Genesis reminded me of the time when the Music Teacher at Treloar asked me to sing the part of the narrator in the end of year school production of ‘Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’. Noting my initial reluctance, she hastened to add that I would not have to learn anything as I could have the music on a stand on the side with the orchestra! Prior to this I had confined myself to singing incognito in the staff choir which existed solely to back up the school choir when needed.
Sunday’s reading is only the start of Joseph’s story which takes up the last third of Genesis. The reading set by the lectionary omits the few verses which make clear why Joseph’s older brothers so disliked him, although the congregation at St Swithun’s will hear the whole passage on Sunday. He comes across as a most arrogant, obnoxious little brother, who was his father’s favourite and told tales to Jacob about his brothers. It is all compounded by his relating of his dream to his brothers where all of them are sheaves of corn, and all of their sheaves bow down to his! What with that and the colourful coat which Jacob gave him, it is no wonder that his brothers came to hate Joseph. However, first planning his death and then instead selling him into slavery was a little extreme!
You are probably familiar with the story, but if not, it is quite superb, a masterpiece of narration and worth reading, particularly when you remember that for centuries it was passed down orally through the generations. Many Christians do not bother with the Old Testament, but Joseph’s story is a reminder of the dominant theme of the whole Bible – God’s plan to save the world from itself, by his choice of a community which would act on his behalf against the massed forces of greed, hate, cruelty and the other sins that disfigure mankind. It’s a reminder that God starts his work of redemption long before the coming of the Messiah.
John Sweeting
Ministry Team