THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
The individuals who acquired Joseph from his brothers were rough and untamed in their behavior, and they later sold him to Pharaoh’s chief officer in Egypt. Thus, this son, nurtured with his father’s love, found himself transferred from one master to another. To help us understand how he, still young and unaccustomed to such harsh circumstances, bore the weight of this cruel bondage, the sacred text reveals: "And the Lord was with Joseph; he was successful in business." What does this phrase, "the Lord was with Joseph," signify? It indicates that divine grace accompanied him, easing his difficulties. This grace orchestrated everything in his life and softened the hearts of the merchants, leading them to sell him to the chief officer.
Read more (155 words)
Through these experiences and temptations, Joseph was gradually guided closer to the royal court.
Dear friends, as you hear of Joseph being sold into slavery by the merchants and later becoming a servant to Pharaoh's officer, reflect on his unwavering spirit. He did not succumb to doubt or despair. He did not lament, "How false are those dreams that promised me honor? How can I face such severe bondage, shifting from one master to the next, having to endure their harsh ways? Have we been abandoned? Have we lost the aid of the Most High?" Instead, he thought nothing of this sort and faced all trials with humility and grace. "And the Lord was with Joseph; he was successful in business." What does it mean to be "successful"? It signifies that everything unfolded favorably for him; divine grace was ever-present in his actions, so much so that even his master, the chief officer, recognized it.