The gospel according to Joseph: The temptation of Joseph

Genesis 39:1-23 ESV

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.  But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”  As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The obvious temptation

Joseph was a good-looking guy. The wife of Potiphar noticed him. She wants to sleep with him. But there some other things to note. He was sorely tempted. Joseph is a young man, teenaged or early twenties. He was not asked to sleep with his master's wife. He was commanded. Remember that Joseph was a slave with no rights. Getting sexual favors from your slaves was a norm in this context. It would have been entirely excusable to the people of this time.

Joseph understood the all encompassing and entangling nature of sin. It seeks to kill and destroy. How can we see this? He ran away. He avoided her at all costs. He knew that to disobey her would have serious consequences, but he still did so.

He calls sin, sin. He avoids rationalizing. He does not stay near his master's wife. When she grabbed his clothing, he ran away without it.

But more than this is another idea. Joseph considers sin to be a personal offense against God. God wants good for us, sin goes against that. It is not just a set of rules, it is a personal offense. God has worked to bless the household through Joseph and he knows this. Sin hurts God.

The subtle temptation

Joseph ran from temptation. He did the right thing... And is now sitting in a jail cell. God says he was with Joseph. But consider this... Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He works up in slave ranking in an important household. Then he runs from temptation and gets falsely accused and thrown in jail. Joseph must've been tempted to doubt that God is working for his good. What is this? To be rewarded for doing good with trouble? The presence of God does not mean the absence of trouble.

Not only that, but God is preparing Joseph for the future. He was learning to administer and manage responsibilities and the people. He was managing the household of Potiphar. Then a jail. To finally the nation of Egypt. But there was no way Joseph could have done this in the house of his father. He didn't have the skills. He had to be in Egypt and had to meet the Prince of Egypt. God was working through this mess, impossible for Joseph to know or understand at the time.

The wife of his master represented an abuse of power. He was responsible for the household, by the blessing of God. His could he abuse what God has placed into his hands? By running from this remain, he was learning to not abuse power. This becomes ever more important as God gives him ever greater responsibilities... To end in the salvation of his family. His troubles became a blessing to those he loved.

The ultimate power to fight temptation

Jesus, our friend and savior, was slain by sin. He is the greater Joseph, whose troubles bought us blessings. How can we consort so closely with the one who killed or dearest friend? He will stop loving our sin when we understand that it stabbed and pierced the incarnate heart of God, Jesus.