GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 40

GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 40 (Gen 40:1) And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.

When this scene opened there was no way to guesshow it was going to turn out. That is the same in our daily struggles of life. Not until it is all over can we look back and see how God was making the pieces of the puzzle for putting them together later. Nothing seemed to fit at this point.

Of course we live on this end of the story and we know how it would turn out, but things were not looking that bright for Joseph at the moment, and what was happening did not make any sensein the scheme of God’s promise. So the butler and baker were now in prison. He listened to their justification of whatever caused them to be placed there. He could also tell a story of being unjustly thrown into prison. But what prisoner cannot?

What prisoner cannot give you a story of how he was mistreated or misjudged or misunderstood? So his story would sound like all the rest, and all that remained was a discussion session, going over and over the circumstances, while they licked their wounds.

CONCERN FOR OUR BROTHER (Gen_40:1) Matthew Henry It was not so much the prison that made the butler and baker sad, as their dreams. God has more ways than one to sadden the spirits. Joseph had compassion towards them. Let us be concerned for the sadnessof our brethren’s countenances. It is often a relief to those that are in trouble to be noticed. Also learn to look into the causesof our own sorrow. Is there a good reason? Is there not comfort sufficient to balance it, whatever it is?

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? Joseph was careful to ascribe the glory to God. The chief butler’s dream foretold his advancement. The chief baker’s dream his death. It was not Joseph’s fault that he brought the baker no better tidings. And thus ministers are but interpreters; they cannot make the thing otherwise than it is: if they deal faithfully, and their messageproves unpleasing, it is not their fault. Joseph does not reflect upon his brethren that sold him; nor does he reflect on the wrong done him by his mistress and his master, but mildly states his own innocence.

When we are called on to clear ourselves, we should carefully avoid, as

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much as may be, speaking ill of others. Let us be content to prove ourselves innocent, and not upbraid others with their guilt.

(Gen 40:2) And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.

It would not take much to upset a Pharaoh whose wishes must be met at all times. If the biscuits were a little brown this morning, or the slippers were not warmed enough before they were brought to him, the responsible one could easily be put in prison. So we have no idea what the charge was, whether very serious or trivial, but it matters not, when you are in prison the doors are as closed if you are innocent as they are when you are guilty.

(Gen 40:3) And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

All the officers in the employment of the ancient kings of Egypt were, according to Diodorus Siculus, taken from the most illustrious families of the priesthood in the country; no slave or common person being ever permitted to serve in the presence of the king. As these persons, therefore, were of the most noble families, it is natural to expect they would be put, when accused, into the state prison. (Adam Clarke) (Gen 40:4) And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

Here was a very unusual scenario. Joseph was a servant as well as a prisoner, and yet privileged to be over nobility becausethey were prisoners of the king and Joseph had kept the right spirit and rose to excel all others within the prison. Only God could raise up someone from such a low estate and bring down others.

If Potiphar was still captain of the guard, that would mean this prison was in his home, and Joseph even rose in favor with his master while in prison.

(Gen 40:5) And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

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This story had started with two dreams and Joseph was well aware of what dreams can do both for good and ill. He had seen his dreams ridiculed and despised, yet there had given him hope in his own heart. Now there are others dreaming. Joseph could have come to them and warned about ever telling your dreams. He could tell you first hand how much trouble it can causeyou. It may be best to just keep it to yourself for if it is going to happen, then there is nothing you can do, and if you start telling it, you are going to stir up a lot of animosity against yourself. So just keep quiet.

(Gen 40:6) And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

But Joseph did not have that spirit. He wanted to be of help where he could so he came in that morning as usual to seehow he could best serve those in need. The first thing he noticed was the sad countenance on the faces of these two men and recognized right away that they needed help from someone. He did not wait for them to ask his assistance, he involved himself wherever he could.

(Gen 40:7) And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?

Thesemen must have taken their dreams very seriously. Becauseit was two men in the same night, there may have been even more a foreboding atmosphere. They were likely very superstitious and each new twist made them ever more aware that these dreams needed an interpretation, but failed to be able to understand what they meant. They remembered the details all right, but what did they mean?

(Gen 40:8) And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Here he could have warned these two men about telling dreams, but instead he reminded them that it was not in man, not even in himself to interpret dreams, but the meaning of them is directed by God Himself, so we must approach Him to find their significance. So he opened himself up to be of help in interpreting their dreams.

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(Gen 40:9) And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; The butler no doubt recognized certain parts of the dream immediately and could tell their significance. Yet there were parts unknown. He knew that he as a butler had to give the king his wine and that wine was from a vine, so there was no doubt that this dream had something to do with his work, yet he could not see what it was.

(Gen 40:10) And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: He watched the entire processof wine making take place before his eyes as he listened to Joseph's interpretation. He recognized there were numbers involved and knew that numbers could have significance, but why three?

Why were the blossomsshooting forth? What was going to be done with these grapes? The dream was still a puzzle until interpreted by someone who knew the solution to a dream from the Lord.

(Gen 40:11) And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

It was obvious that his dream involved what he had done every day now for a long time, pressed grapes into the bowl to give the Pharaoh the freshest and best possible. Every day he had brought the special bowls for Pharaoh to drink from and all of this fit in place but the key was hidden to the door of the dream. No doubt it was his own job he dreamed of and not that of his companion. Nothing unusual so far becausehe was simply doing what he had done before. But something about this dream told him that it has to be interpreted, and though he had wracked his brain he could not come up with what it meant.

(Gen 40:12) And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: Now Joseph began to unlock the mystery. The fact that there were three branches spoke of the time left before he would get out of this prison. He GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 40—PAGE 4

could not have determined that three branches were three days on his own. It could have been three years, or three victories, etc. But as Joseph said, it was not in man to determine the meaning, God was the one who could tell.

(Gen 40:13) Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

There was a very simple explanation and I am sure the Butler could see immediately that it all made senseand that all he had to do was wait it out.

So now the prison would not seem so dark. Now there could be a song in his heart. He should have known also that God had given him this dream and only someone who knew Him could interpret it. Thus there was an opportunity to know who He is.

(Gen 40:14) But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: Then Joseph put a plug in for himself, hoping to change the situation on his own if possible. But when God is working out a problem, it does no matter how much we try, our attempts at saving ourselves only wind up being a hindrance rather than a blessing. It just does not work. The only thing we can do is wait upon Him until He renews our strength.

(Gen 40:15) For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

The two major events that had brought him to this moment in time were totally outside his control. He did not causethe sale into slavery and he did not commit the crime he was accused of. So he could stand up for his rights and hope the Pharaoh would hear of his caseand do something about it. At least this was an opportunity to get word to him.

Innocent of any crime (Gen_40:15) Joh_8:46"Who convinces me of sin?"

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(Gen 40:16) When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: Very likely the baker had been reluctant to tell his dream, and perhaps had decided to keep it to himself and just puzzle over it and try to figure it out in his own mind. But he saw that the butler had such a good interpretation, it gave him courage to tell his dream. Maybe his would also turn out for the good and it would be worth while telling it after all.

(Gen 40:17) And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

Here again he could tell that dream had something to do with his own work and not that of someone else. He did not seeand vines nor cups, so he knew it was not for the butler, but white baskets and baked goods he could well understand. He had seen many birds come down to the warming bench and snatch away freshly baked goods.

(Gen 40:18) And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Here both dreams were the same so the baker must have hoped for a favorable answer. He had many times carried baskets of bread on his head and brought bread to Pharaoh. He probably hoped that within three days, he too would walk out of this prison as his partner would. Such were the hopes that were soon to be disappointed.

(Gen 40:19) Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

But the interpretation for him was the opposite. How disappointing. He would not have three days of anticipating seeing his family again. He had three days to think of nothing else but the fact that he had so little time left. He had asked for the solution and got it but not to his satisfaction. The first had not asked for it but received a favorable response.

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(Gen 40:20) And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Thesetwo men were also typical of the two men on the crossesbeside Jesus.Two were there [one on each side of His cross] as two were in this prison, and to one He gave an answer of life, to the other He gave an answer of death. One would meet Him that day in Paradise, and the other would be cast out into outer darkness.

(Gen 40:21) And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: The butler would have to admit from this time forward that there was a God who could give interpretation of dreams to man, becausehe had experienced it. It came to passexactly as he had dreamed. However, he soon forgot his promise to remember Joseph to the king. His new chance brought him too many new experiences to think upon his past.

(Gen 40:22) But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

This was as Joseph had interpreted. Joseph would not deviate from what God had said. Even in his own dream when it could easily be misunderstood why he would tell it, and was misinterpreted, still he must be true to God and what He says, whether it be for his benefit of loss. I am sure it was painful to tell this man what would happen, but he had been true to his own dreams and it cost him much sorrow so he do no less with this.

(Gen 40:23) Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

Joseph would hope of course, as we all do, that he could somehow influence his own releaseand benefit himself some. Yet when God is doing a work there is nothing that will turn out like you hoped and planned.

With their greatest promises, they will forget you. You cannot knock down the door if God has closed it. Beat your donkey to death if you want to, but all you will get is a crushed foot when you meet the angel of God in the way.

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