Genesis 42:12 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Genesis 42:12

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Joseph insists that they are spies, though they deny it, and though he knows they are speaking the truth. He accuses them to stir up their consciences. Although they are not guilty of this, they are certainly guilty of other things, and this accusation is going to make them search their hearts. Again they volunteer information in an attempt to persuade this man that they are speaking the truth. Why do this? Joseph was leading them to this by challenging their reason for being in Egypt. They are very respectful in all they say, and have no inkling at this stage who they are standing before. They fear this man who has such authority and on who’s good will their lives depend. Joseph knows that what they say is true, but not altogether true. They are still maintaining the fiction which they have told Jacob, that Joseph is no longer alive because an animal has killed him. This is certainly not true repentance. Joseph will therefore make as if to test them, and require that this part of their story which can be verified, is verified. He makes as if to choose one part as representative of the whole. They are accused; they must prove their innocence. At the same time Joseph is moving in accordance with the dream – all his brethren will bow to him.The terms which he lays on them are at first harsh. He has sovereign power over all their affairs and can do as he wishes. They will all be imprisoned and one sent back to fetch the youngest brother, Benjamin, whom they have told him about. To emphasise what this means he places them all in prison three days for them to reflect on his words. They are rural people and to be in a dungeon would have been overwhelming. Joseph is not averse to using the authority that Pharoah has given him to put them under duress, but he is doing it for their good. Later they would look back on this time and what he did to them, and realise that God had raised up Joseph to have authority over their lives.

Application

Although this had happened many years before, the conscience is able to bring our sins to full remembrance long afterwards. It does not fade with time. It was affliction that brought their conscience to life, for they thought now that they were under the judgment of God and search their hearts for why this should be, and it was not hard for them to remember their sin. God will use affliction on us to help us practice self-examination of the sort that we are not normally willing to practice. Conscience never gives up. Though we may shut out its accusations now, we will have to face them one day, possibly before the judgment seat.

Christ too makes himself an accuser of our souls when he first deals with us. He addresses us with his law and awakens our conscience to condemn us, so that we despair of life. We are so unwilling to acknowledge our sin that the law must be applied to us to prove what we would rather deny. The Holy Spirit must take the law and convince us that any idea that we could ever be acceptable to God on the basis of our good works is groundless.

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Genesis 42:12 Commentary and Bible Study