JOSEPH IN PRISON Joseph entered prison, not for anything wrong he did, but as a price for the lust of Potiphar’s wife. Similarly, the Lord descended to us and passed the winepress, not because of any evil, he might have done, but in redemption of humanity that was defiled. In prison, Joseph encountered with the two eunuchs (officers) of Pharaoh, as though he is the Lord Christ, crucified between two robbers. 1- The two eunuchs in prison 1-4. 2- The dreams of the two officers 5-19. 3- Realization of the two dreams 20-23. 1- THE TWO EUNUCHS (OFFICERS) IN PRISON Having got angry with his two eunuchs: the chief butler and the chief baker of the king of Egypt, he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, where they found Joseph to serve them honestly and compassionately. Joseph, according to St. John Chrysostom, lived in prison, as though in his own house, caring for other prisoners, as his own family. He was characterized by meekness, tenderness, and obedience; He was not ashamed of his servitude, nor of his prison, but was compassionate to all, serving all, even the fiercest of prisoners. So Joseph was prosperous wherever he went1. 2- THE DREAMS OF THE TWO EUNUCHS The two eunuchs dreamt a dream in one night and in one place, and were both sad. But Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please” (Gen. 40:8). What does that mean? (1) The two officers, probably refer to the two robbers, who were crucified with the Lord Christ2 - the true Joseph - and were blaspheming Him; But the one on the right proclaimed his repentance, and took hold of Paradise, to remain with God, while the one on the left stayed on his evil and blasphemy, to lose both his present and eternal lives. The two officers refer to the fallen mankind; yet some of them crossed over wrath, to Paradise, while others, in their denial, eternally lost their lives. Who was he, who gained God’s mercies, but the chief butler, who offered the cup of grapes juice to Pharaoh; as though he is like the congregation of believers who receive the blood of the Lord Christ in the cup of their life, and cross in faith with Him, the winepress, so the Father would be pleased by the sacrifice of His Son, capable of salvation. As to the chief baker, he carried all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on his head. It seems that that food snatched by birds, refer to the works of the Law, on which the Jews leaned, through their literal worship, or their works of self-righteousness, works that are not connected to faith, to get snatched by the devil, and would not be the object of pleasure to God. (2) The two officers of Pharaoh refer to the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). The chief butler was like a virgin, and offered in his cup the juice of vine; as though representing the wise virgins, who carried their lamps full of the oil of faith, 1 In Tit. hom 4. 2 Asterius of Amasea: On Ps. 5 hom 19. 4 living and working by love1. (3) The chief butler saw in his dream a vine with three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes (Gen. 40:10); and the chief baker saw himself carrying on his head three baskets. Joseph interpreted the figure “3” as three days, at the end of which the first will enjoy restoration to his place, and the other will face death. In our study of the Books of Exodus and Joshua, we saw that figure “3” refers to the resurrection from the dead, together with the Lord Christ who was risen on the third day2. As though the dream of the chief butler refers to the resurrection of the Lord Christ and our resurrection with Him. And what was realized in case of the chief baker, refers to the death of the Lord Christ and our being buried together with Him. He started by the resurrection, in order that we would not be terrified of death and burial, as the apostle Paul did when he said: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowships of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10). The chief butler probably refers to the congregation of true believers, who received the signs of resurrection in them as a fragrance of life; while the chief baker refers to those in whom the work of Christ became a fragrance of death, because of their denial; and as the apostle says: “Now thanks be to God who always lead us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to others the aroma of life to life” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Despite what Joseph achieved of that Exalted status, that made him a type of Christ the Lord in His death and resurrection, and a type of Him in His crucifixion between two robbers, yet, in human weakness he leaned upon human arm, as he asked the chief butler to make mention of him to Pharaoh; and though he talked decently, he did not hurt the feelings of Potiphar or his wife, saying: “For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon” (Gen. 40:15). God, in his love for Joseph chastened him on his behavior; and as said by St. John Chrysostom: [Joseph, eager to be released from prison, was left there for sometime... so as to learn not to put his hope or trust in humans, but in God alone3.] 3- REALIZATION OF THE TWO DREAMS The two dreams were realized on the third day, according to Joseph’s interpretation, on the birthday of Pharaoh, who made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler, and restored him to his butlership again, while the chief baker was hanged, as Joseph interpreted. It is a day of new birth, in which the new man (the chief butler), who crosses over the vine press, lives, while the arrogant old man (the chief baker) dies, he who placed the bread in the uppermost basket. 1 St. Augustine: Ser. On N.T. Lessons 43:1-5. 2 Cf. our Commentary on Exod. 2:2; 5:5; Jos. 1:31. 3 In Tit. hom 6.
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