The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 545

Ver. 5.-Probation. Divination by cups was practised by the ancient Egyptians. But no reason to suppose that Joseph actually used this art. It would have been inconsistent with his habitual.faithfulness to God, and with the ascription to him alone of the power to reveal secrets (eh. xl. 7-xli. 16). He was now acting a part. He spoke in the character of an Egyptian ruler, to whom the nation ascribed supernatural wisdom. We need not now inquire how far he was right in this. But his object was to try his brethren, whether, and how much, they loved their father and their young brother. He contrived that Benjamin should appear to have incurred the penalty of servitude. What would the rest do? Would they, as they had done to him, leave their brother in slavery? Would they go home and deceive their father by a false st?ry of his death? Could they bear to renew his grief? Had they learned that God marked their actions, and ordained the things that happened to them? The cup hidden in Benjamin's sack was indeed that whereby he was divining their secret thoughts. They stood the test. They acknowledged God's hand, and refused to purchase their own safety at the price of their brother's freedom (contrast eh. mvii. 26, 27, with eh. xliv. 30, 34). Forthwith the clouds passed away. In him whom they feared they found a brother. I. Goo DY HIS PROVIDENCE TRIES THE SPIRIT THAT IS IN us. The events of our lives are ordered so as to bring this about (Deut. viii. 2). They are to us as Joseph's cup. Daily work, family life, professional dutieR, the common intercourse of socie~y, raise questions which are answered acco_rdi~g as ~od or sel.f_ rules th_e _henrt a~d gmdes_ the actions. Hence no part of our life 1s ummportant. m a spmtu_al pomt of _view. Things, in themselves of small account, ~est the cha1acter and mot~ves ?~ the life,. as floating straws show the current; and this all the more because their spmtual beanng is not apparent. Kindness, truth, unselfishness, in little matters, reveal the man more truly than on greater and more conspicuous occasions (cf. 1 Cor. xiii. 3). 11. TRIALS ARE SENT IN LOVE AS INSTRUMENTS OJ! BLESSING (James i. 12). Through tb.eir operation the Christian life is matured (R1Jm. v, 3-5). Every grace must be exercised in order to grow, and trial is the opr,ortunity of exercise. Without trial there could be no real victory over evil, no real submission of the will to God. We pray to be kept from temptation. To run into it is to court a foll, But where OH, XLIV, 1-34.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 493